THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ON TEACHING AND PERFORMANCE: A SURVEY OF SELECTED TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS IN WESTERN KENYA

Abstract

In developed countries, there has been an increase in the use of computers in the education sector at all levels. In developing countries, the educational systems have not completely missed the technological revolution, but technology is yet to impact on them in the ways it has in the first world countries. This study was carried out to establish the impact of ICT on teaching in technical institutions in western Kenya. In order to achieve the rationale of the study, the following four specific research objectives were used: To determine the impact of ICT infrastructure on the quality of examination results, to establish the impact of ICT resources used by lecturers on the quality of examinations results, to establish the impact of teaching using ICT and to determine the challenges facing the lecturers using ICT in teaching in technical institutions. The study adopted a survey design. Purposive sampling was done to obtain research raw data, through questionnaires, observations and interviews. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. SPSS was used in which T-test; F-test techniques were applied at level of 0.05 significance testing. The findings revealed that ICT infrastructure had a positive impact on examination results; teaching using ICT resources improved the quality of examination results; teaching using ICT had a positive impact on syllabus coverage; there were challenges facing some lecturers in using ICT for teaching. In conclusion: The infrastructure requirements for effective use of ICT for teaching were viewed in terms of the electronic resources, hardware, users, and implementation; lecturers who use ICT for teaching effectively deliver knowledge and skills and accessed more information through internet and library. Challenges that face lecturers in using ICT in teaching were: ICT literacy; inadequate ICT resources; lack of in- service training program for lecturers; unavailability of internet services; and overloaded syllabus. The following recommendations were arrived at: the government of Kenya should develop a policy on the provision of adequate ICT infrastructure at all levels of education and training by bringing together the efforts of all stakeholders, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology should put in place a well-organized ICT in-service training programme for all lecturers., Lecturers should strengthen their pedagogical use of ICT and exploit the potential of ICT as a catalyst for change to fulfil educational goals and Policy Makers should formulate clear objectives of how to integrate ICT in the classroom.