Factors influencing integration of information and communication technology in the management of public secondary schools in Kitui County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence the integration of Information and Communication Technology in management of public secondary schools in Kitui County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To determine the extent to which ICT has been integrated in management of public secondary schools, determine the influence of principals’ related factors in the integration of ICT in management of public secondary schools, establish the influence of school related factors in the integration of ICT in management of public secondary schools and assess the community based factors that influence the integration of ICT in management of public secondary schools in Kitui county. A descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The study was carried out in 58 public secondary schools in Kitui County that have functional ICT infrastructure. This study used sample size table as proposed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) whereby 58 principals, 58 senior teachers and 266 assistant teachers from schools that have functional ICT infrastructure were selected. All 16 Sub-county Directors of Education and one County Director of Education were selected for the study. The researcher used questionnaires to collect data from principals, senior teachers and assistant teachers while interview schedule was used to collect data from Sub-county Directors of Education and the County Director of Education in Kitui County. The collected data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis approaches whereby both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Descriptive statistics that was used in this study include percentages and mean. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s moment of correlation coefficient and Pearson’s Chi-square tests for independence. The qualitative data were presented in the form of narrative and integrated within the quantitative data. The findings of the study were; 78% of the principals integrate ICT in school management less frequently; there was a strong negative correlation r (50) = -0.750, p<0.05 between principals age and ICT integration, a moderate positive correlation r(50) = 0.559, p< 0.05 between professional experience and ICT integration. There was a strong positive correlation r(50) = 0.842, p<0.05 between computer infrastructure and ICT integration in management of public secondary schools. There was also a significant association (χ2 (1, 4) = 49.444, p< 0.05) between community support and ICT integration as well as between school security and ICT integration (χ2 (1, 4) = 50.411, p< 0.05). The ANOVA results revealed that the F-ratio (F=5.397, p=.000) was statistically significant. The study recommended that; the government should introduce compulsory computer training for all principals and teachers. The universities should also make it compulsory for all students being trained as teachers to do a unit on computer, the government should also increase their supply of computers to all schools as well as building computer laboratories for schools and that all schools should have internet connections to enable principals and teachers to use ICT in the school. The government should make it compulsory for all schools to integrate ICT in management.