Information Communication Technology Integration and Performance of Public Secondary Schools in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

Global investment in ICT to improve teaching and learning in schools have been initiated by many governments. Despite all these investments on ICT infrastructure and professional development to improve education in many countries, ICT adoption and integration in teaching and learning have been limited. Technological revolution in schools has been set by theoretical inadequacies that have kept educational technology at the margins of the established educational system. Although there is an ICT policy for basic education in Kenya, little could be seen in the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool in teaching. The general objective of this study was to assess the effects of ICT integration on the performance of public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to assess the effect of ICT user skills on performance of public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya, to establish the effect of ICT infrastructure on performance of public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya, to assess the effect of teachers’ attitude to ICT on performance of public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya and to assess the effect of managerial support on ICT on the performance of public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya. This study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study constituted of 101 public secondary schools comprising of 24 Girls’ Secondary schools, 12 Boys’ Secondary schools and 65 Mixed Secondary schools. Therefore, the target population was 202 respondents comprising of 24 school principals and 24 teachers of computer from girls’ schools,12 school principals and 12 teachers of computer from boys’ schools, 65 school principals and 65 teachers of computer from mixed’ schools. Stratified sampling method was used to select schools to ensure that all different subgroups are adequately represented in the sample. Proportionate sampling was used to select principals and teachers of computer from the sampled schools. The sample size used was 134 respondents comprising of 16 school principals and 16 teachers of computer from girls’ schools,8 school principals and 8 teachers of computer from boys’ schools, 43 school principals and 43 teachers of computer from mixed’ schools. The main data collection tools for this were questionnaires for all the respondents then compiled, sorted, edited, classified and coded into a coding sheet and analysed using a computerized data analysis package known as Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) version 20. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistic. The results were presented in graphs, tables, figures and charts. The study concludes teachers develop their competence based on the educational goals they want to accomplish with the help of ICT. The insufficient ICT infrastructure in most of the secondary schools in the region had contributed to the slow integration of ICT in the schools. Teachers’ attitude determines the success of initiating and implementing educational technology in school’s program and also teachers are fearful of trying new approaches which they perceive might have a negative impact on examination results respectively. Management support in the integration of ICT includes funding, training and provision of required ICT facilities. The study recommends that the educational policy makers should put into considerations various concerns from educational stakeholders so that they bring workable strategies that would serve as lessons for improvement of educational practices. The government should ensure that secondary schools are supplied with necessary ICT infrastructure. There is a need for teachers to have their personal initiatives towards the available digital learning tools so as to enhance the teaching and learning process and their professional development. There should be comprehensive in-service courses and the school management should practice leadership promotion of collaboration and experimentation and teachers dedication to student-centred learning for effective ICT transformation.