Deployment of Information Communication Technology for Teaching and Learning Engineering Technological Skills: A Case of National Polytechnics in Kenya

Abstract

The knowledge economy expansion has significantly affected the methodologies of knowledge transfer and skilling of human resource. The demand for skillful workforce is significant to the development of an ingenious educational approach to teaching and learning engineering. Integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning provides a number of endless interactive modernizations of training approaches to engineering processes and applications. The purpose of this study was to establish the status of integration of ICT in teaching and learning of practical engineering concepts in National Polytechnics in Kenya. The study surveyed the trainers’ competencies on the application of ICT for the teaching and learning engineering processes and practices. The descriptive research design was employed and involved both quantitative and qualitative data. The study was based on the constructivist theory of learning and under the framework of technology, organization and environmental theory. Qualitative data was collected through Interviews and observation while questionnaires produced quantitative data. Three National polytechnics; Eldoret, Kisumu and Kenya Technical Trainers’ College, were selected and a sample of 75 respondents consisting of trainers was selected using stratified simple random sampling, while administrators from mechanical, electrical, and automotive and civil engineering departments were selected by simple purposive sampling; to provide information on the trainers’ competence on virtual teaching and learning engineering. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The triangulation of the bi-data collected through mixed method strengthened the overall outcome as one approach offset the weaknesses of the other method. The findings of the study identified the constraints getting in the way of trainers to effectively integrate ICT in teaching and learning engineering and the pointer centred on the inadequate knowledge on the application of simulations and unavailability of virtual laboratories; 64% of the engineering trainers reported that their computer proficiency was good while 36% reported to be moderately proficient in the use of computers. However, a depressed 17% had the capacity to employ simulation software for TL. The study recommended enhancement of trainers’ competence on the application of ICT and provision of appropriate ICT infrastructure.