ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) INTEGRATION IN INSTRUCTION IN TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN KENYA

Abstract

There has been remarkable increase in access of ICT equipment in teacher education institutions. However, reports indicate that teacher educators are not integrating these technologies in their instruction in ways that make a difference in student learning. To help teachers make informed decisions on student learning, there is need for current knowledge of teachers’ integration practices. Research findings from developed countries indicate that there has been considerable progress in this area in many teacher education institutions. But the status of the integration of ICT by teacher educators in Kenyan teacher training colleges is largely unknown. This study therefore was set to determine the level at which teacher educators in public primary teacher training colleges have integrated ICT in their instruction. The simple random sampling was used to select six teacher training colleges and 169 respondents who participated in the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire, an interview schedule and an observation schedule. The Data collected were analyzed descriptively with the help of SPSS program version 16.0 for frequencies, means, standard deviation and percentages. The results indicated that there is a low level of ICT integration into teaching in all teacher training colleges. Based on the findings, it is recommended that ICTs integration be made part of undergraduate training in universities in order to equip future teacher educators with ICT skills; that the government should equip teacher training colleges with sufficient and modern computers with internet connectivity to enhance access; colleges should provide in-service training on ICTs for teachers. Furthermore, colleges should hire technicians to maintain and service available ICTs. The ministry of education should also embrace ICT and demand professional documents from teacher educators be typed and send online. Additionally, college should not rely only on government funding but earn their own income by initiating ICT training centres to train outsiders in their colleges. Finally, it should be mandated that all college principals be knowledgeable in ICTs so as to support ICT initiatives in teacher education institutions.