ICT competencies and preparedness of trainee primary teachers at colleges of education in Ghana
Baiden, Sabina (2020)
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020090620143
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020090620143
Tiivistelmä
Since gaining independence in 1957, Ghana’s education system has seen many reforms. The education reform of June 2007 was significant because it challenged Colleges of Education on trainee teacher ICT competencies. The reform introduced Technology and Computer Literacy as a new subject and more importantly, as an integrated teaching and learning tool.
The purpose of this thesis was to provide a situational analysis of trainee primary teachers’ ICT competencies and preparedness to competently teach ICT studies at primary level in Ghana’s state education system. It also analysed trainee primary teachers’ integrated use of their ICT competencies as a teaching and learning tool in their pedagogy.
The thesis was carried out as a case study with a core purposeful sampling group of twenty trainee primary teachers in their final year graduating in July 2020. The UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers was used to benchmark trainee primary teachers’ ICT competencies. It guided the survey in the form of a questionnaire and lesson observation prompts from the framework were also used to observe six 35 minutes lessons, focusing on ICT competencies. In addition, mixed methods such as learning walks and unstructured interviews were used to collect information. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to analyse the data collected.
The evidence on the ground suggests that trainee primary teachers are yet to acquire and develop their ICT competencies. At best they are at the Knowledge Acquisition level of the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers.
Knowledge Acquisition is the first level, where teachers acquire knowledge about using technology and basic ICT competencies. At this level, it is expected that teachers will be able to make effective use of ICT resources to promote lifelong learning and continued professional development. Further research is required in the area of funding, skilled human resources development and sustainable strategies to keep hardware current and relevant in Colleges of Education and the state schools.
The purpose of this thesis was to provide a situational analysis of trainee primary teachers’ ICT competencies and preparedness to competently teach ICT studies at primary level in Ghana’s state education system. It also analysed trainee primary teachers’ integrated use of their ICT competencies as a teaching and learning tool in their pedagogy.
The thesis was carried out as a case study with a core purposeful sampling group of twenty trainee primary teachers in their final year graduating in July 2020. The UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers was used to benchmark trainee primary teachers’ ICT competencies. It guided the survey in the form of a questionnaire and lesson observation prompts from the framework were also used to observe six 35 minutes lessons, focusing on ICT competencies. In addition, mixed methods such as learning walks and unstructured interviews were used to collect information. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to analyse the data collected.
The evidence on the ground suggests that trainee primary teachers are yet to acquire and develop their ICT competencies. At best they are at the Knowledge Acquisition level of the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers.
Knowledge Acquisition is the first level, where teachers acquire knowledge about using technology and basic ICT competencies. At this level, it is expected that teachers will be able to make effective use of ICT resources to promote lifelong learning and continued professional development. Further research is required in the area of funding, skilled human resources development and sustainable strategies to keep hardware current and relevant in Colleges of Education and the state schools.