Use of ICTs in education: a case study of selected urban based high schools in Lusaka, Zambia

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Mtanga, Naomy Imasisku, Inonge Mulauzi, Felesia Wamundila, Sitali
Copyright Year	2012
Abstract	This paper is based on a research that was conducted in seven high schools in Lusaka, Zambia on the utilisation of ICTs in education. Areas of ICT usage that were investigated included the use of ICTs in learning activities by pupils, the integration of different ICTs by teachers into the various teaching activities, and the use of ICTs in the operations of schools to improve administrative efficiency. Purposive sampling was used to select 70 respondents who actually used ICTs. Self-administered structured questionnaires were employed to collect primary data. The study yielded 90% response rate comprising 42 students and 21 members of staff. Among the major findings of the research were factors inhibiting full integration of ICTs in the teaching, learning and administrative processes. The paper concludes by recommending measures to be taken to ensure full utilization of ICTs in day to day academic and administrative activities. 1.0. INTRODUCTION In this information age, everyone requires information and communication technology (ICT) competence to survive. To borrow the words of Adomi and Kpangban (2010 ), the ability to access and use information is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for development. Mulauzi (2007) also asserts that “information and access to ICTs are no longer a luxury, but a human need and basic right”. ICT refers to technologies that provide access to information through telecommunications. This includes televisions, radios, satellite, the Internet, wireless networks, cell phones, and other communication mediums. These ICTs have a significant impact on all areas of human activity (Brakel and Chisenga, 2003) and the education sector is no exception. ICT has affected teaching, learning and research (Yusuf, 2005), with the potential to improve the quality of education. What then, are the potential benefits of ICTs to education, particularly at high school level? In group research projects for instance, pupils can have an online collaborative platform where they can share information and ideas and work on the project simultaneously across space and time. This has the added advantage of creating teamwork skills in the pupils which will be useful in their post high school lives. Secondly ICTs have the potential to increase learner independence and ensure pupils’ active participation in school (Newhouse, 2002). This is possible where pupils can have access to learning material independent of the teacher and can have self-paced lessons not restricted by space or time. In addition, a student can have access to electronic learning resources like Encarta encyclopedia, and other scholarly articles available electronically that have the potential to increase knowledge and add value to the pupils learning process.
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Alternate Webpage(s)	http://dspace.unza.zm:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/5508/MTANGA%202-%20USE%20OF%20ICTS%20IN%20EDUCATION.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article