Teachers' use of technology at a technology-rich model school in the Western Cape Province

Abstract

In 2012, the WCED initiated an e-Learning Strategy, aimed at bringing technology into classrooms with the intention of enhancing e-Teaching and e-Learning. The implementation plan for the e-Learning Strategy was the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) e-Learning Game Changer, scoped from 2017 to 2019. The Game Changer proposed that all schools in the Western Cape be divided into three categories: Universal schools, Enhanced schools, and Model schools. In the Model school initiative, Model schools received more technology, focused training, and technical support than the other categories of schools. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore and understand the extent to which the implementation of the WCED Model school initiative (MSI) improved teachers’ technological knowledge and skills to use technology for teaching and learning. This study adopted the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework. The study focused on a technology-rich Model school in the West Coast Education District (WCD) of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with six purposely selected teachers. Data were thematically analysed. The findings confirmed that the Model school is technology rich. The findings further indicate that teachers are more motivated to adopt and use technology since the MSI implementation. The training and technical support offered to teachers have developed their professional development, which advanced their technological knowledge (TK). Furthermore, findings indicate that learners benefit from ICT-focused lessons, but that learner disruptions and misuse of devices are barriers to ICT use. Based on the findings of this study, three recommendations are proposed: 1. Model school communities of practice should be established to share the knowledge and expertise gained during the Model school initiative. 2. To circumvent learner-misuse of devices, an increased emphasis should be placed on learner training to equip them with the essential skills needed to develop into responsible, tech-savvy ICT users. 3. These include the promotion of subject-specific training to develop teachers’ technological content knowledge (TCK) and technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) to promote their TPACK development.