How the use of information and communication technology enables school teachers to generate educational outcomes: case of South Africa
type: CreativeWork
description: Problem Statement: ICT is said to improve educational efficiencies and aids in addressing educational shortcomings in the developing world context. Although ICT holds the potential to greatly improve teaching, why and how ICT has the probability of transforming teaching, for actors and within the developing world context remains uncertain. The potential impact of these tools may be affected by contextual and socio-cultural factors. Socio-cultural factors may have a negative consequence on students' learning and can increase educational inequalities, especially in developing countries. The challenge is that existing research does not clearly explain how educational outcomes are generated through the use of ICT within the social-cultural context of teachers. Purpose of the research: The objective of this study was to examine how educational outcomes are generated through the use of ICT in a developing world context, at a micro-level – an individual. The aim was to investigate how the use of ICT enables opportunities for school teachers to generate educational outcomes. Research approach: The study adopted an interpretive approach using a qualitative method. The study adopted a case study method. The study drew on the Capability Approach (CA) as supplemented by individual differences conceptual framework and taxonomy of ICT affordances as a theoretical lens to explain why and how ICT affects teaching, for whom and in what context. The study analysed the patterns between opportunities determined by affordances, individual differences that affect how ICT is used and educational outcomes. The study used a purposive sampling method to select seven schools. From the seven schools, fifteen teachers, seven principals, seven ICT coordinators or personnel in charge of ICT, and two heads of e-Learning in Western Cape education districts. Data was obtained through background documents, semistructured interviews and direct observations of teachers. Key findings: ICT enabled teache…
abstract: Problem Statement: ICT is said to improve educational efficiencies and aids in addressing educational shortcomings in the developing world context. Although ICT holds the potential to greatly improve teaching, why and how ICT has the probability of transforming teaching, for actors and within the developing world context remains uncertain. The potential impact of these tools may be affected by contextual and socio-cultural factors. Socio-cultural factors may have a negative consequence on students' learning and can increase educational inequalities, especially in developing countries. The challenge is that existing research does not clearly explain how educational outcomes are generated through the use of ICT within the social-cultural context of teachers. Purpose of the research: The objective of this study was to examine how educational outcomes are generated through the use of ICT in a developing world context, at a micro-level – an individual. The aim was to investigate how the use of ICT enables opportunities for school teachers to generate educational outcomes. Research approach: The study adopted an interpretive approach using a qualitative method. The study adopted a case study method. The study drew on the Capability Approach (CA) as supplemented by individual differences conceptual framework and taxonomy of ICT affordances as a theoretical lens to explain why and how ICT affects teaching, for whom and in what context. The study analysed the patterns between opportunities determined by affordances, individual differences that affect how ICT is used and educational outcomes. The study used a purposive sampling method to select seven schools. From the seven schools, fifteen teachers, seven principals, seven ICT coordinators or personnel in charge of ICT, and two heads of e-Learning in Western Cape education districts. Data was obtained through background documents, semistructured interviews and direct observations of teachers. Key findings: ICT enabled teache…
author: Koranteng, Kesewaa
keywords: ICTs, use, individual differences, teachers and educational outcomes, developing countries, South Africa
date published: 2020
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:39Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Information Systems

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32712