Integrating ICT into schools in Sub-Saharan Africa: from teachers’ capacity building to classroom implementation

Abstract

This study followed up on a selected cohort of 4945 Science, Technology, English and Mathematics (STEM) teacher participants from six Sub-Saharan African countries namely: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria. The teachers were involved in an instructional digital professional development programme targeted at building their capacity to embed ICT into school organizational and curriculum practices. This study sought to evaluate the impact of the ICT- instructional professional development programme in relation to the quality and the extent of the teachers’ transfer of the programme’s ideas from capacity building to classroom instructional practices. Data for the study were collected using semi-structured survey instrument and diaries kept to maintain records of activities and events during the period of implementation. Findings revealed that the teachers expressed general satisfaction with content and processes of the training programme; however, essential conditions to support transfer of the training’s ideas to school level seemed not adequate during the period of implementation. Implications for effective professional development in integrating ICT into school organization and curriculum practices that have sustainable impact on teaching and learning particularly in Sub-Saharan regions and similar contexts are discussed.