Factors Influencing Integration Of Digital Resources In Science Teaching And Learning In Secondary Schools Of Murang’a County-Kenya

Abstract

There has been a move towards using digital resources in classroom teaching and learning over a decade now in most developed countries. This study sought to establish and analyze factors that influence integration of digital resources in science teaching and learning in Secondary Schools of Murang’a County-Kenya. The objectives of this study were to identify the interrelationship between the various aspects of the teacher’s experience and the use of digital learning resources and to identify the factors that influence science teachers’ decisions on whether or not to integrate digital resources in teaching-learning situations. This study adopted a survey research design. Murang’a County provided an ideal area of study as it has various categories of secondary schools distributed across the county. It has 267 secondary schools; by use of stratified sampling, 30 schools which represent 11.24% of all the public secondary schools were selected for the study. The study involved 90 science teachers selected by stratified sampling from various subgroups in the population. Three methods of data collection were used namely; questionnaires, interview guides and observation schedules. The questionnaires were filled by the teachers to find out those factors that influenced the integration of digital resources in the teaching and learning of science in schools. The Interviews were used so as to dig deep into the opinions held by the science teachers on integrating digital resources in the teaching and learning and the observation schedules used to ascertain information given by the respondents. A pilot study was conducted in five schools selected representing the various categories of school as sampled for the purpose of testing the reliability and validity of the research instruments. Reliability was tested using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The data collected was analysed using both qualitative and quantitative procedures. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data and responses from the questionnaires were tabulated, edited and coded to facilitate categorization. This was carried out using SPSS data analysis programme. Qualitative data was analysed and presented in form of discussions, explanations and in a narrative form. The study established that there is minimal use of digital resources in the teaching and learning in the classroom. Factors found to influence the integration of digital resources in classroom teaching and learning included teachers’ attitude, management attitudes, lack of ICT infrastructure, poor or lack of computer training and technical issues such as; support and maintenance of digital resources and availability and access of digital resources. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that there is need for continuing discussion, planning and evaluation of all ICT investment in education to gain a better insight into how digital resources can be integrated successfully into the teaching and learning environment. The study recommends that teachers be encouraged to integrate digital resources in the teaching and learning process as well as train teacher trainees to apply digital resources in their programs when in school in order to be able to use the technology to supplement their teaching activities. Also the study recommends for continuous evaluation of the use of digital resources within schools through observing, recording and analyzing on regular basis to facilitate development of integration of these resources. The findings from this research provide secondary schools with a framework of reference on successful integration of digital resources in science teaching and learning.