Abstract
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has had a series of impact on teaching and learning globally which require its integration in the classroom. Integration in individual school contexts, however, remains a challenge, despite ICT Integration being a policy prerequisite in many countries, including south Africa. This qualitative study aims to understand how the teachers’ understanding and experiences of the integration of ICT can improve teaching and learning. The study investigation how the usage of digital tools can enhance learners’ achievement in Natural Science and Technology as well as the benefit of ICT integration in the classroom.
A questionnaire designed through Google forms consists of two sections. Ten (10) Natural Sciences and Technology teachers specifically from quintile 1-3 primary schools in Johannesburg North and Ekurhuleni North district participate. The study looks at teachers’ perception on integration technology. Two of ten teachers were interviewed. The interviews data was manually transcribed and coded according to the themes.
Finding show that owing to multiple reason, schools do not use ICT tools in their teaching and learning. In some cases, challenges of consistently training teachers for ICT and the implementation of load shedding become the new struggle that affect ICT integration in the classroom. A consideration by the South Africa Department of Basic Education (DBE) is that there is individual teachers’ lack of skills observed through Quality Management System (QMS). School such as the importance of organizing teachers’ professional development workshop to capacitate teachers with the knowledge to integration ICT in the classroom in order to enhance teaching and learning. There is the recommendation of additional training on technology in order to enhance the teachers’ understanding and knowledge of ICT integration in the classroom.
Key terms: Natural Sciences and Technology; Information and Communication Technology; Education; Technology; Digital; Pedagogical; Content; Knowledge.