Educators' experiences of information communications technology (ICT) policy implementation in Lesotho secondary schools : a case study of the two schools.
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Date
2007
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Abstract
This research focuses on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy
implementation at the secondary schools in Lesotho. This is a country where global
disparities between technologically well-managed skills and uses of ICT in the education
sectors are starkly evident. The researcher explores the educators’ experiences on the use
of ICT at their schools to determine how ICT is situated and contextualised in response to
the government mission of Vision 2020 that all schools will be computer literate in 2015.
A Case study using the mixed mode approach was held at the two schools with the ‘tools’
merged in the Activity Theory to frame the study to construct real social change for the
schools. To get to the insight of the schools, Semi-Structured Interviews were held
between the Principals, the Deputy Principals (DPs), the Heads of Department (HODs)
and the Subject Specialists from the core subjects i.e. English, Sesotho, Maths and
Science. The classroom observations were held with ICT Subject Specialists to observe
the application of ICT in the teaching and learning of the computer skills for
implementation of ICT. Furthermore, documentary sources of the schools were analyzed
to assess authenticity, reliability and theorization of the ICT policy implementation.
The findings of the study reported that many educators were positive that they would
implement ICT policy in the schools but lack skills in ICT literacy. In reference to the
ICT policy document as the ‘tool’ for transformation, its parts were too fragmented; ICT
services did not fit neatly into the classrooms, implementation had been a top down
process, and it needed restructuring. The study concludes that the government laid the
foundation for reform. Therefore, training for educators on ICT should be accomplished
and the ICT activities should be maintained. Mainly, being the revision of the current ICT
policy, the procurement of funds to source the ICT infrastructure and to set a transition on
ICT exploitation from Primary Schools to Secondary Schools in Lesotho.
Description
Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.
Keywords
Computer-assisted instruction--Lesotho., Theses--Education.