Abstract
This study looked at how prepared teachers were and what obstacles they faced when implementing the Coding and Robotics curriculum in pilot schools in the Mopani East District of Limpopo, South Africa. This study is situated at the intersection of two theoretical models: Van Dijk's (2020) Digital Divide model, which emphasizes the social disparities in access to digital resources and skills, and the TPACKX framework (Mishra, 2024), which emphasizes the integration of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge for effective teaching. The Coding and Robotics subject was recently introduced in rural schools. Given the restricted resources and support systems common in rural educational settings, this hybrid approach enabled a thorough examination of the preparation and difficulties faced by teachers as they adjusted to this new subject. To record teachers' experiences and perspectives, a qualitative research methodology based on constructivist and post-positivist paradigms was employed. Teachers were given an online survey as part of the data collection process, which was in accordance with recent research on the difficulties of digital integration in settings with limited resources.
The study concluded that the pilot Coding and Robotics schools faced several difficulties, mainly in the areas of resource availability and teacher preparedness. Only seven of ten teachers who responded to the study said they felt unprepared to teach Coding and Robotics, and many of them said that they needed more professional development in both technology and the subject. Furthermore, eight of ten of teachers reported that they had trouble implementing the new curriculum successfully because they did not have enough equipment or internet connection. Despite having overall pedagogical knowledge, teachers also expressed a lack of confidence in their ability to handle the technology parts of the subject. This demonstrates a disconnect between the technological know-how needed for effective Coding and Robotics education and pedagogical knowledge, highlighting the applicability of the TPACKX approach in tackling these intricate knowledge intersections.