Integration of ICT in the teaching and learning of genetics in Selected secondary schools in Kitwe district, Zambia
Date
2019
Authors
Chileshe, Gregory
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zambia
Abstract
The integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning
of genetics has the potential to dramatically transform the teaching and learning process The
study investigated the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning of genetics at two
Secondary Schools in Kitwe, District. The purpose of the study was to find out the effects of
integrating ICT on the performance, and attitudes of pupils and teachers in genetics in two
selected secondary schools in Kitwe district when used as a supplement to traditional teaching
and learning approaches.
The study used a mixed method approach (concurrent triangulation design). The study involved
the use of: interviews, focus group discussions, questionnaires, and pre-test and post-test
methods for collecting qualitative and quantitative data. The 2 X 2 design analysis was used as
guide to analyse pupils’ pretest and posttest test, and pupil questionnaires for quantitative data,
while data from focus group, and face to face interviews were thematically analysed.
The findings showed that there was a significant increase in performance in genetics when ICT
tools were used in the teaching and learning of genetics. Results also showed that there was
significance difference in genetics performance between gender and group names (experimental
groups and control groups). However, there was no significance difference in genetics
performance among different age groups of pupils. Both pupils and teachers’ showed positive
attitude towards the use of ICT in genetics with average attitude mean scores ranging between
4.5 to 5.5. The results also showed that ICT knowledge and skills, inadequate ICT infrastructure,
lack of ICT training and poor access to ICT negatively affected teachers and pupil’s attitudes
towards the use of ICTs in the teaching and learning of genetics.
The study concluded that ICT tools improves pupil’s performance in genetics when they are used
as enhancement to traditional teaching and learning methods. Furthermore, the use of ICT tools
in the teaching and learning of genetics were found to be excellent pedagogical tools that can be
used to bridge up gender disparities in genetics and increase performance across gender. The
study also established that pupils in the experimental groups performed better than pupils in the
control groups despite their age group differences. Thus, the use of ICTs was found helpful in
sorting out age-group disparity in pupil’s performance in genetics. The study further established
that both teachers and pupils had positive attitude towards that use of ICT in the teaching and
learning of genetics. However, other factors such as teachers and pupil’s skills and knowledge
of ICTs, ICT infrastructure, ICT training and technical support were found to be negatively
affecting their attitudes towards ICT use in the teaching and learning of genetics. Finally,
teachers and pupils recommended that ICTs were resourceful tools that motivated and increased
pupil’s performance in genetics when they were used in the teaching and learning process. Based
on the findings, it was recommended that teachers of biology should integrate ICT tools in the
teaching and learning of genetics.
Key words: ICT, integration, learning, teaching, attitude, performance, genetics
Description
Keywords
Information and Communication Technology-- Study and teaching , ICT -- Teaching and learning -- Secondary Schools