Exploring Students' Skills and Attitudes on Effective Use of ICTs: Case Study of Selected Tanzanian Public Secondary Schools

Alcardo Alex Barakabitze,Edvin J Kitindi,Noel Makwinya,George Kibirige,Camilius Sanga

doi:10.13189/ujer.2015.030609

Alcardo Alex Barakabitze, Edvin J Kitindi + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2015.030609

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Abstract

This study was conducted purposely following various initiatives and programmes by the Government of Tanzania to incorporate in education since 2007 with the National policy theme ICT for improved education. The study provides insights regarding secondary school students' skills and attitudes in effective use of information and communication technology. The study was a co-relational and cross-sectional survey biased to the quantitative approach involving students, teachers and school administrators. A total of 246 students from six public secondary schools in Tanzania were involved in this study. Primary data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Using inferential and descriptive analyzes, results show that, secondary school students do not have enough skills on effective use of information and communication technologies. However, students have basic knowledge in different aspects of ICTs particularly Internet and various hardware and software available in Tanzania. The implications to the approach of teaching and learning of subjects in secondary schools, its evaluation and assessment and future initiatives related to educations and infrastructure development have impacts towards creating a well-connected society. It is therefore recommended that secondary schools should provide enough tools for students' hands-on experiences. The utmost end result of integrating in secondary education system will eventually be the economic engine of Tanzania by preparing her students for the knowledge based economy.

Highlights

In a pre-technology education context, the teacher remained a sole source and sender of knowledge through “chalk-and-talk” method[6].Students were mere recipients of teacher’s instructions thereby characterizing classrooms with insufficient interaction
These results indicate that male students have more knowledge regarding different aspects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) than female students, though in general, there are no significant difference between male and female students regarding ICT knowledge.The p-value in this sub-scale was more than 5% which shows that, there is no significant difference between male and female students regarding their knowledge in different aspects of ICTs (p>0.05)
The findings revealed that students, teachers and school administrators perceived that the use of ICT in secondary schools in this knowledge economy era is of great importance and inevitable

Summary

Introduction

In a pre-technology education context, the teacher remained a sole source and sender of knowledge through “chalk-and-talk” method[6].Students were mere recipients of teacher’s instructions thereby characterizing classrooms with insufficient interaction. It is the growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) which has dramatically reshaped teaching and learning processes in education [67] [56]. Volman et al.[80] and de Corte et al.[11] narrates that, the effective use of ICT offers powerful learning environments and can transform the learning and teaching process so that students can deal with knowledge in an active, self directed and constructive way. Hindi et al [24] point out that students who do not have skills in ICT are likely to encounter more challenges with the increased workplace demands for computer literate employees [79]

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