ABSTRACT

The problem of this study was that, in spite of the enormous benefits of ICT in everyday life in and out of school, only few schools have embraced the use of ICT in teaching and learning. This study sought to investigate the extent to which teachers were using ICT in the teaching and learning of English in secondary schools in Nyakach Sub- County, Kisumu County. The study also sought to find out which ICT resources were available for the teaching and learning of English and to find out which areas of English teaching and learning these resources could be used. The study was both a quantitative and qualitative research in nature and adopted a descriptive survey design. Descriptive methods were employed in analyzing data using frequencies, percentages and means. Descriptive methods were preferred because they would enable the researcher to meaningfully describe the distribution of scores and measurements using statistics. The study used a combination of stratified, purposive and random sampling procedures. The sample of the study was drawn from the twenty two secondary schools in Nyakach Sub- County which had been given ICT facilities and the respondents were 7 principals of secondary schools,16 teachers of English and 540 Form Three students. Questionnaires and observation schedules were used to get information from the respondents. Before the instruments were used for collecting data, a pilot study was conducted in two public secondary schools in Nyando Sub-County which had the same characteristics as the sampled schools. The theoretical framework used to guide the study was the Constructivism Theory associated with Bruner, J. Data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS- Version 19.0). The findings showed that the use of ICT in the teaching and learning of English was still in the formative stage and faced various challenges. The available ICT resources were occasionally used in varied proportions to teach English. This study recommends that ICT be fully integrated in the education system; all teachers of English be trained in the use of ICT, school managers and other stakeholders be sensitized on the need to provide ICT facilities in the schools and lastly, intensive resource mobilization be put in place to enable schools acquire ICT resources.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

            Introduction

This chapter examines the background information to the research problem, presents the statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, assumptions, theoretical framework, conceptual framework and operational definition of terms.

            Background to the Study

Information Communication Technology covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form. These include computers, digital television, email, modems and internet and it mostly deals with how these different resources can combine and work with each other. Information Communication Technology resources can be divided into three groups:

• Information technology that uses computers which have become indispensable in modern society.
  • Telecommunication technologies which include telephone (with fax) and the broadcasting of radio and television often through satellites.
  • Networking technologies of which the best known is the internet extended to mobile phone technologies, voice over IP telephony (VOIP) satellite communication that is still in infancy.

In this study, ICT in education is taken to mean the use of digital ICT resources to all aspects of teaching and learning of English. The place of English in the Kenyan

education system is crucial. It is a medium of instruction. Students in the Kenyan secondary schools are expected to sit for a minimum of seven subjects at K.C.S.E. level. Out of these, English is one of the three compulsory subjects. Apart from German, French, Arabic and Kiswahili, all the other subjects are taught in English. This therefore means that for students to do well in school they should have a good grasp of the language of instruction, which is English. Knowledge in Information Communication Technology (ICT) is a prerequisite in this modern society where every sphere of our lives is controlled by technology. Information Communication Technology must be integrated in the English curriculum and in the methods used to teach it in order to produce students who are ICT literate and who can function in this twenty first century where technology permeates every sphere of life. Bingimlas (2009) is of the opinion  that using ICT resources, especially computers, the internet and other related technologies in the classroom better prepares the learners for the work place where these equipment are used. Students who are able to use ICT effectively have a better chance  of being absorbed in the current globalizing job market. It is because of this need to have an ICT literate population that the Government of Kenya (GOK) continues to invest in teaching and learning resources in these areas especially in secondary schools (MOEST, 2005).

Several scholars argue that using ICT in teaching gives the learners a chance to learn how to function better in this digital era. Yelland (2001) argued that the use of old methods of teaching does not prepare the learners for the job market where the knowledge of technology is required. She further argues that for institutions to claim to

be preparing their learners for life in the present century, they must use new technologies in their teaching. Her arguments are in line with Grimus (2000), who posits that when learners are taught ICT skills in primary schools they are in a better position to face new developments with better understanding.

There are several roles which ICT can play in the educational process. First, ICT has the potential to enhance learners’ achievement (Bransford et al. 2000). Secondly, a number of theorists and scholars agree that using ICT in the teaching process makes the learners knowledgeable, reduces face to face instruction and provide a learning environment where teachers can assist learners with special needs. In addition, use of ICT will motivate the learners and help them develop a favorable attitude towards learning.

Against this background, concerted effort is being put in place to embrace the use of ICT in education in several countries to reap the benefits of ICT integration. A review conducted by United Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO (2000) in ninety countries, classified countries in regard to different levels of ICT development. These classifications include countries with integrated ICT in education system, countries with national policies and master plans formulated and various ICT being applied and tested, and countries where efforts towards ICT integration and formulation of national policies have just begun. Again this does not reflect the specific achievements of ICT integration in education and these general classifications may leave out concerns of ICT integration. In Japan for example, education is provided according to collectively established frames of reference and there is little opportunity

for teachers to customize curriculum (Aoki et al., 2007). Teachers are thus unprepared for any changes that may be brought about by technology at schools. A Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology survey revealed that more than 33% of teachers were unable to use a computer and less than 25% were able to provide computer instructions (Morris- Suzuki and Rimmer, 2003). The Japanese situation is in stark contrast as they have equipped the learners with the required skills to fit in the technological era thereby promoting lifelong learning by success in ICT adoption in education.

In America, the government is rapidly adopting new and better training technologies. Digital technologies are seen as a way to developing a nation that gives the Americans the best and costs less but giving the required results. The development of the National Information Infrastructure and the increase of computers at home and at work are offering new opportunities for distributed (on-line) learning. Advances in networking technology and telecommunication are revolutionizing the availability and speed of information access over the internet and other networks (UNESCO, 2000).

The national ICT strategy for education and training policy paper of 2006 has provided a framework on which ICT integration in education can follow and on which progress made can be evaluated. Nearly all the secondary schools in Kenya have computers but very few have the required ICT connectivity. Those schools that have ICT connectivity were aided by well wishers; private sectors and the government (Ayere et al. 2010). It has been difficult to develop ICT infrastructure in primary schools, the major obstacle

being lack of internet connection. According to the “ICTs in Education Option Paper”, there has been limited penetration of telecommunication infrastructure in rural areas.

The Education Management Information Society Survey which was done between 2003- 2004 showed that about three quarters of secondary schools and many primary schools were not connected to telephone networks. To improve on the sharing of learning materials, there is need to improve on the networks. Other alternative networks like the wireless systems cannot be used in schools because of the high cost of installation. Few learning institutions can access high speed data and communication systems; moreover schools in the rural areas cannot access wireless technology such as Very Small Aperture Protocol (VSAT) to access internet.

The national ICT strategy for education and training policy paper of 2006 recognizes that Kenya lags far behind in ICT integration in learning in schools. It further recognizes that in developed countries, integration of ICT in education has been compulsory since the 1980s and this has not been the case in developing countries like Kenya where integration of ICT in education is still in the formative stages. The Government of Kenya (GOK) has indicated in various documents the important role that ICT plays in education. Kenya put in place a National ICT Policy in January 2006, a policy whose major objective was to ensure the availability of ICT services, which were reliable. The government, in the policy, also advocated for the introduction and use of ICT in schools in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning, (MIC, 2006).