Integration Of Ict In Instruction Of English In Secondary Schools In Matungulu District, Machakos County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The worlds’ developed countries began intense integration of ICT in teaching and learning

that slowly filtered into some African countries. In Kenya, use of computers was also

embraced which resulted into the introduction of integration of ICT in instruction in

secondary schools. However, schools have had computers but the ways to use them

effectively have evolved slowly. The study was done in secondary schools in Matungulu

district, Machakos County, Kenya. Although there is provision of the technology facilities, elearning

materials that have led to digitization of content of English taught in secondary

schools, knowledge and skills on how to integrate computers in teaching and learning of

English, the study findings have revealed that integration of ICT in instruction of English is

limited. The purpose of this study was to find out and document the factors that influence

integration of ICT in instruction of English. The objectives of this research were to establish

the extent to which teachers have acquired skills on ICT integration in instruction of English;

to find out strategies used in instruction of English and establish some of the factors that

affect teachers’ ability in the use of ICT in instruction of English. The study was based on the

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory that affirms that external influence, such as computers

and social attributes activate different environmental reactions. In this case computers

motivate teaching and learning bearing in mind that many concepts and cognitions are

abstract and difficult to express through human language. It advocates on three-way

relationships where learners need to be exposed to the correct learning activities, observe and

repeatedly do them. A conceptual frame work summarised integration of ICT in instruction

of English in forms 1-3. It targeted girls’ and boys’ day and boarding secondary schools of

which boarding schools formed the higher percentage in the district. The study used a

descriptive research design in which stratified sampling method was used to categorize the

schools into 5 provincial and 10 district schools. Purposive sample was used to select 65

respondents of the study. They were 15 principals and 50 teachers of English, who were used

to obtain qualitative and quantitative data. The data was collected using questionnaires and

an observation checklist. Qualitative data was described while quantitative data analysed

using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5 and presented in

frequencies, tables, percentages and graphs. The findings of the study have revealed that

there has been limited use of ICT in instruction of English in secondary schools. This was

attributed to inadequate training of teachers on integration of ICT in teaching, few TSC

deployed teachers of computer, lack of training of teachers on computer maintenance and

inadequate ICT facilities and infrastructure. The study recommended that the government

should put up more ICT training programmes, TSC deploy teachers of computer to increase

the confidence of teachers to use the technology and availability of ICT facilities and

infrastructure at a reduced cost.