INTENSITY OF TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN TANZANIA: THE CASE OF MERU DISTRICT

Abstract

This study measured the ability of the proposed out-of-school time (OST) learning model to intensify technology integration among primary school learners in Tanzania. The intensity of technology integration was determined by the extent the target users adopted educational technology. A quasi-experiment was deployed, involving experimental and control groups. The main participants of the study were 310 pupils in Meru District, Arusha Region. Additionally, parents and teachers of the experiment group participated as per the requirements of the proposed model. The category of teachers included five (5) mathematics teachers and three (3) head teachers in six primary day schools. The experiment ran for three months and data was recorded using digital Video Disks (DVDs), DVD Players, mobile phones, home works and list of perceived best practices. Pupils in the experimental group were treated under the proposed model while those in the control group were under traditional practices. The extent to which pupils used the technology was determined by the number of questions they attempted by using the technology, and the results compared between them. The t-test indicated a statistically significant improvement in the intensity of use of educational technology by the experiment group as compared to the control group (t = 5.62, N1=167, N2=143, SD1=9.28, SD2=12.8, p (0) <α (0.05)). These findings suggest the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis at 95% of confidence level and a conclusion that the proposed model improved the intensity of use of educational technology by OST learners in primary schools. This is suggestive of the need for the government to support projects related to integration of educational technology in order to trigger technology integration in Tanzania in general and in particular with regard to OST learning in primary schools. There is also need to investigate the ability of the proposed model to improve the intensity of use of educational technologies in other educational settings.