Teacher Factors Influencing the Use of Ict in Teaching and Learning in South African Urban Schools

Abstract

The is an explorative paper that is triggered by the imperative that; in terms of the South African National ICT Education Policy all teachers in all South African schools are expected to implement and integrate ICT to improve and enhance teaching and learning. Consequently many teachers find themselves in a situation in which they are caught with one foot in the future and another one in the past. The impact of globalisation, the need for 21st century skills, the influence of information society and the diffusion and the ubiquitous nature of ICT in all spheres of life require teachers to employ ICT to improve the quality of teaching and learning in order to produce ICT capable learners who will be able to use ICTs for knowledge creation and knowledge sharing, social development and economic growth. This assumption is based on the New Network Society Theory which endorses the use of ICT in schools by all the stakeholders. This paper will share the qualitative data gathered through interviews with teachers who use ICT for the enhancement of teaching and learning in the urban schools of Gauteng province in South Africa. The results revealed that the factors impeding the integration of ICT in teaching and learning are: insufficient number of computers and lack of application programs, teacher generation gap, inadequate teacher training, lack of ICT skill and lack of confidence, teachers’ beliefs, poor school leadership and lack of public support. The recommendations are wide ranging and include measures that will capacitate and encourage teachers to integrate ICT as prescribed by today’s learner and social structure of the 21st century.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1213