PREPAREDNESS OF TEACHERS IN THE USE OF ICT FOR
I
TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF
TIGANIA EAST DISTRICT-KENYA
BY
MUKIRI lRENE MWINGIRW A
E55/CE/1504112008
Mukiri Irene
Preparedness of
teachers in the use
11~llllm2'l\~m!~111111
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR MASTER OF EDUCATION
DEGREE IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, KENYATTA
UNIVERSITY
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY LIBRA
MAY, 2012
nDECLARATION
This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other
university.
Signature ~""E;""""'''':'''.-------- Date 21../ Dd~O,),. .,
MUKIRI IRENE MWINGIRW A
REG. NO. E551 CEll 504112008
We confirm that this work was carried out and reported by the candidate under our
supervision as University Supervisors.
---------;;l>I- ~i:I:::Jit.~~
DR. SIMON RUKANGU
Department of Educational Communication and Technology
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
:2 ~ -s -~O(?..
DATE-------------------------
PROF. SAMSON MUTHWn
Department of Educational Communication and Technology
KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
1I1
DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to my daughter Immaculate, my son Justin who had to bear
with my absence during my coursework and my divided attention as I worked on my
thesis; to my husband Maurice for his patience, encouragement and support and to
my parents fur mentoring me and for their continued prayers and support.
IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to acknowledge the support given to me by various individuals who
made it possible for me to complete this work successfully.
To begin with, special thanks go to my supervisor Dr. Simon Rukangu for his
commitment, thoroughness and flexibility as we worked together and met on many
occasions some of which he had to go out of his way. Similarly, J thank my second
supervisor, Prof. Samson Muthwii for being very supportive and committed to
guiding me through the whole work.
Moreover, I acknowledge Tigania East District's mathematics teachers from various
schools and their respective principals for responding to the questionnaires and the
interview schedules promptly. To Mr. Safari Ntalala a colleague teacher from
Karama secondary school who helped in proofreading my work, I am greatly
indebted.
In addition, I thank my family members; my husband Maurice for his highly valued
support, encouragement and for helping in typing my work. I also thank my parents
Mr. and Mrs. Kibaki for supporting me financially and taking care of my son Justin
while I was away doing my coursework.
Finally and most important I thank God for giving me strength, good health and
wisdom to do this work successfully.
7
vTABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION .ii
DEDICATION .iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF FIGURES viii
LIST OF TABLES .ix
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYM .' x
ABSTRACT xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
l.0 Background Information 1
l.1 Statement of the Problem 7
1.2 Objectives 8
1.3 Research Questions .. " 8
1.4 Significance of the Study 9
1.5 Scope and Limitations of the Study 9
1.6 Assumptions ofthe Study 10
1.7 Conceptual Framework 11
1.8 Chapter Summary 13
1.9 Operational Definition of terms 14
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 15
2.0 Introduction .15
2.1 The influence of technology on Instruction 15
2.2 Essence of Technologies in Mathematics Teaching and Learning 17
2.3Teacher Attitudes towards Computer Use 26
2.4 Preparedness of Mathematics Teachers in using ICT for Teaching 29
VI
2.5 Chapter Summary 33
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGy 34
3.0 Introduction 34
3.1 Research Design 34
3.2 Variables 35
3.3 Location of the Study , 37
3.4 Target Population 38
3.5 Sampling Procedure and Sample Size 38
3.6 Research Instruments 39
3.7 Pilot Study 40
3.8 Determination of Validity and Reliability 40
3.9 Data Collection 42
3.10 Data Analysis .43
3.11 Logistical and Ethical Consideration 43
3.12 Summary 44
CHAPTER FOUR:
DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION 45
4.0 Introduction 45
4.1 Teacher's Use of Available Resource 45
4.2 Teacher Training in ICT 53
4.3 Teacher Perceptions towards the Use ofICT 58
4.4 Support Structures 62
4.5 Barriers towards the use oflCT for Teaching Mathematics 63
• 4.6 A summary on Preparedness of Teachers towards the use oflCT 66
CHAPTER5: SUMMARY, CONLUSrONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 67
5.0 Introduction 67
5.1 Summary of Findings 67
vu
5.2 Conclusion 74
5.3 Recommendations 75
5.4 Suggestions fur Further Research 77
REFERENCES 78
APPENDICES 89
APPENDIX A: Teachers of Mathematics Questionnaires (TMQ). 89
APPENDIX B: Interview Schedule for Selected Teachers 94
APPENDIX C: Observation Schedule 97
er-r"
APPPEDIX D: Principals Questionnaire 99
APPENDIX E: A List of Secondary Schools in Tigania East District. 101
kENYATTA UNlVERSITY LIBRARY
V 111
LIST OF TABLES
1.1 Conceptualized Research Variables for the Study 12
2.1 Example on Average Monthly Temperatures 23
4.1 A Summary of Available Resources in Secondary School 46
4.2 Computer Response uses by Mathematics Teachers 48
4.3 Teacher Response on Barriers Faced during Teaching using ICT 64
IX
LIST OF FIGURES
1.1 Conceptualized variables ofthe study .12
2.1 Linked multiple representations ofthe maximum area problem 19
2.2 Incremental CUIvefitting solution 24
3.1 Variables 35
4.1 Availability of Computers .47
4.2 Availability of Radios in Secondary School. .49
4.3 Qualifications of Teachers 53
4.4 lCT Qualifications of Teachers 54
4.5 Teacher Perceptions in Relation to lCT use 59
CD
CDROMS
CFSK
INSET
icr
IT
KCSE
KNEC
NE PAD
PCAST
PST
SMASSE
TSC
UNESCO
x
ABBREVlA TIONS AND ACRONYMS
Compact Disc
Compact disc read only memory
Computer for Schools Kenya
In Service Training
Information Communication Technology
Information Technology
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Kenya National Examinations Courcil
New Partnership for African Development
President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology
Pre-service secondary mathematics teachers
Strengthening of Mathematics and Sciences in Secondary
Teachers Service Commission
United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization
Education
XI
ABSTRACT
This study aimed at investigating the current level of mathematics' teacher
preparedness in using JCT for teaching. Teacher preparedness was measured in three
main aspects; teacher's training levels, teacher attitudes towards ICT and the use of
available ICT resources. The study was carried out in Tigania East District which has
30 secondary schools. The design selected for this study is a descriptive survey. The
study used Mathematics Teachers Questionnaires, Interview Schedule and an
Observation Guide to collect data. The researcher used simple random sampling
techniques to select 30% of the teachers to constitute the sample size. The Cronbach
reliability coefficient alpha of 0.79 was realized meaning there was internal
consistency of the data collected. Data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics
such as the frequencies, and percentages. This was done using the SPSS program as
a tool to aid the analysis. The study revealed a variety of ICT resources in the
secondary schools in Tigania East District. Further, 66.9% of schools in the district
had support structures such as electricity and generators. The study further showed
that teachers did not use the ICT resources available as they lacked knowledge on
appropriate usage. The lack of pre-service and in-service training was sighted as a
major limitation. The study concluded that mathematics teachers in Tigania East
District were unprepared to embrace ICT resources in their teaching because they
lacked relevant training and enthusiasm, and were found not to use the available ICT
resources. The study recommends a retraining of mathematics teachers through
INSETs on how technology should be applied to improve the teaching of
Mathematics. The study also recommends that the ministry of education improves on
the staffing of mathematics teachers who are trained to use ICT as most schools were
seen to have a shortage of these teachers. The findings of this study will be useful to
mathematics teachers, school administrators and the quality assurance standard
officers in the ministry of education.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to, the study
Mathematics is one of the core subjects in the. secondary school curriculum. Students
in Kenyan secondary schools are required to do a minimum of seven subjects at
KCSE level. Out of these seven, I~athematics is one of the three compulsory
subjects, besides English and Kiswahili. Cockcroft report (1982) notes that
Mathematics is only one of the many subjects which are
included in the school curriculum, yet there is greater
pressure for children to succeed at mathematics .... This
suggests that mathematics is in some way thought to be of
special importance (p. 10).
This causes the great pressure that teachers experience in teaching mathematics.
Further pressure comes in during selection of courses. Most colleges in Kenya
require a certain minimum grade in mathematics before a student is enrolled into any
course.
Orton and Frobisher (1996) notes that
The importance of mathematics is emphasized when future
employment of a child is being considered. The subject is
used as a filter or hurdle possibly more often than any
other subjects. lormally, a mathematics examination pass
at an appropriate level is demanded before entry to a
particular profession or occupation can even be considered
- whether any mathematics is required in the performance
of the job or not. (p. 1)
This use of mathematics as a filter at different levels makes the teaching and
learning of the subject demanding as the teachers and learners are not relaxed to
enjoy the subject. Pressure to succeed and to pass examinations makes it hard for
learners to be at ease with the subject matter, to develop a state of mind which is
receptive to the idea that mathematics can be enjoyable and need not generate
2anxiety and panic. Pressure also makes it difficult for teachers of mathematics at any
level to aim at teaching for the enjoyment of learning and achieving effective
teaching of mathematics rather than for future examination success.
Introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (lCT) into the
teaching process has been recommended with the aim of improving the teaching and
learning of mathematics. According to Pelgrum and Plomp (2002)
"investments in Information and Communication
Technology (lCT) have increased in recent years, with the
perception that increased student use of computers and
other electronic forms of media may have a positiveimpact
on students' achievement" (p.l S).
The use of electronic media in the process of teaching mathematics is hoped to
improve the learning environment depending on how well the teachers are prepared
to use these resources. The use of ICTs on its own may not improve the teaching of
mathematics if the teacher is not properly prepared to use these resources in the
appropriate ways.
In the Principles and Standards of School Mathematics the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) identified the "Technology Principle" as one of
six principles of high quality mathematics education (NCTM, 2000). This principle
states: "Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences
the mathematics that is taught and enhances students' learning" (p.24}. This implies
that technology influences the teaching methodology applied by the mathematics
teachers. The situation in the teaching of mathematics using l'CT in Kenya should be
established, to find out if this principle is applied in the day to day teaching or not.
There is widespread agreement that mathematics teachers, not technological tools,
are the key change agents to bringing about reform in mathematics teaching with
3technology (Kaput, 1992; NCTM 1991, 2000). Teachers therefore should be in
control of the available ICT resources and be able to manipulate them to enhance
their teaching. Although the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics identifies
technology as essential in enhancing the teaching of mathematics, these resources by
themselves would not do it. Teachers are the change agents. Preparing teachers to
use technology appropriately is therefore a necessary task for teacher educators.
Waits and Demana (2000) argue that adoption of technology by teachers requires
professional development that focuses on both conceptual and pedagogical issues,
ongoing support in tenus of "intensive start-up assistance and regular follow-up
activities" and a desire to change from within the profession (p. 53). In addition,
their studies of teachers' implementation of educational technology document that at
least three to five years are needed for teachers to become competent and confident
in teaching with technology. Graduate teachers in Kenya are trained for four years,
while diploma teachers go through three year training which fits within the time
recommended in the above study. The duration mathematics teachers are trained
notwithstanding, there is a task to establish if these teachers are prepared to use
technology in their teaching. This is because times are changing and technology is
advancing with each passing day. For mathematics teachers to be effective in their
teaching, they need to keep pace with the ever changing technology.
The meaning of information technology varies from time to time depending on who
is defining it and the purpose for which the ICT resources are used. A description of
ICT today encompasses a wide range of technologies that include radio, television,
mobile phones, internet, video, compact disks (CD), compact disks read only
4memory (CD-ROM) players, personal organizers, programmable as well as remote
operated computers (Ohara 2004: 1X). Initially ICT revolved around the computers
only but currently, computers are only a component of ICT. National curriculum on
lCT in mathematics states that ICT can stimulate whole-class activities and influence
the way particular topics, such as equations and formulae are approached in the
classroom. Usually practical activities and individual student's work need to take
place alongside work with ICT. This ensures that students are fully engaged during
the mathematics lessons. The main examples of ICT in teaching of mathematics
include calculators, small programs such as number games or investigation,
databases and spreadsheets, graph plotting, dynamic geometry, independent learning
styles (rLS), the internet, word processing, and programming. The teacher has the
duty to choose which type of resource to use in teach.ing various topics. His or her
decision depends on the available resources, nature of topic and level of students.
Kenyan secondary schools have embraced the use of JCT in the teaching of
mathematics. This is observed as almost all secondary schools are currently using
calculators besides other resources during mathematics lessons. Jn the year 2002, the
Kenyan government approved a policy on calculator use for all secondary school
mathematics students. This policy has since been implemented with the aim of
making the subject less complicated and to help students in mathematics so as to
concentrate on conceptualizing ideas. Schools have further invested in computers
and other technologies such as the radio, television and video. Further the rural
electrification program has made it possible for most schools to use these ICT
resources. Having put the necessary policies into place and provided the necessary
5infrastructure, the preparedness of teachers who are to embrace the policies and the
use of these resources should be addressed to ensure the successful teaching of
mathematics. For teachers to be effective, they need to understand the fundamental
principles that underlie school mathematics so that they can teach it to the diverse
groups of students as a coherent, reasoned activity
The challenge however, lies with the teachers in the implementation of leT in
teaching and learning of mathematics. Teachers are faced with major decisions on
how to present the information, which leT resource to use, which content to teach
using which leT resource and also how to plan for the standard 40 minutes lesson
time. According to Bingimlas (2008) the major barriers when teaching using JeT are
lack of confidence, lack of competence and lack of access to resources. This
discourages teachers from even attempting to use JC'f in mathematics lessons.
Teachers believe in being well prepared before going to teach. If a teacher wants to ..
use IC'l' in teaching mathematics but feels incompetent in the use of leT, he/she will
shy off from using it. This therefore calls for preparation of teachers to enable them
embrace the available K'Ts for teaching matbematics. The educators not only need
the leT resources but also need to know what to do with it and at what point and
content to use leT. According to JeT and Education-Policy, Strategy, and Further
Progress of 2001 the human environment must be prepared and the support of
stakeholders must be enlisted. Teachers and education system administrators can be
the strongest agents of change, or they can very easily resist it. Investments that seek
to implement infrastructure, computers, and specialized software without taking the
6necessary time to lay the human groundwork are doomed to a long and costly
learning curve.
The importance of mathematics as a subject cannot be over-emphasized; the
teaching of the subject on the other hand requires proper prepar~ion. The search
for an appropriate method of teaching mathematics so as to improve the process of
learning mathematics has led to the use of leT resources. The introduction of leT
has been faced with several challenges but most commonly noted challenge to the
implementation of leT is the lack of confidence and preparedness for the educators.
A study by Lehtinen (1999) based on the challenges faced in teaching and the use of
new technologies in instruction in Lahti polytechnic in Finland gives the reasons for
teachers' reluctance to experiment with leT in instruction as usually lack of time,
lack of computer know-how and lack of pedagogical support. All in all, the teachers
at the faculty of technology may have been reluctant to offer online courses, because
they simply did not know how to teach on the net. There was technical support
available, but obviously that was not enough. A recent study based on the Kenyan
system of education by Ogel, on the integration of leT in mathematics education
gives the challenges of integrating K'T as; lack of curriculum coherence, poor
articulation within the education system, inadequate teacher preparation and
professional development. Is this likely to be the case in many learning institutions
in Tigania East District?
71.1 Statement of the problem
A study by Kanja (2001 :70) on mathematics education in Kenya states that
performance on mathematics concepts is poor, the quality of teaching is poor and
that most students said that classroom environment is harsh and unfriendly. In
the face of this situation Kanja recommended that mathematics teachers need to
understand and implement good teaching skills and that information
communication technology be incorporated into the teaching. Various studies
including (Papert, 1987; Voogt & Pelgrum, 2005; Watson, 2004) have
recommended lCT as a solution to improve the teaching of Mathematics. In
accordance to this, many programs such as, the NEPAD (New Partnership for
African Development), computer for schools Kenya (CFSK) and the ICT trust
fund have been started to fund information technology in secondary schools of
Tigania East district with an emphasis on computerization .. The rural
electrification program has been put in place to ensure secondary schools in rural
areas have access to electricity in order to ensure that use of ICT resources is
possihle. Despite this government support, the teaching of mathematics has
remained poor. Since ICT resources have been availed to secondary schools, it
means the real solution had yet to be established. It was the intention of this
study to find out if teachers are prepared to embrace these ICT resources and
how these resources are being used in teaching of mathematics. The purpose of
)
this study was to establish the preparedness of mathematics teachers to embrace
JCT in the teaching of mathematics in terms of training, perceptions and the use
of JCT resources
81.2 Objectives
The objectives of this study were;
a) To establish the teacher's use of leT resources available for teaching
mathematics in secondary schools within Tigania East District;
b) To establish teachers' IC'I' training, in readiness for teaching mathematics;
c) To establish the mathematics teachers' perceptions towards the use of leT in
readiness for mathematics instruction;
d) To assess the support structures available for the use of IC'f instructional
resources in the selected secondary schools.
1.3 Research Questions
The research was set to answer the following research questions;
a) To what extent do mathematics teachers use available JeT resources in teaching
mathematics?
. b) What leT training do teachers of mathematics in Tigania East District possess in
readiness for the teacbing of the subject?
c) What perceptions do matbematics teachers have towards the use of leT Jl1
mathematics instructions?
d) Wbat leT support structures do schools in Tigania East District have that help in
teaching mathematics?
\
1.4 Significance of the Study
The findings of the study will benefit a number of people in the educational sector.
First, tbe study will provide the Ministry of Education and its Quality Assurance and
Standard Officers with leT information necessary for organizing in-service training
•
9programs for mathematics teachers. Secondly, the research findings will be useful to
teacher training institutions for the preparation of appropriate pre-service programs
useful for preparing mathematics teachers for teaching using l'CT resources. These
institutions will use the information to produce teachers who are equipped with
appropriate K'T skills. Moreover, the study's findings will provide additional
information to teachers of mathematics, who may use the knowledge on K'T to
produce manuals for training other subject teachers in readiness for teaching their
subjects using leT skills. Finally, secondary school administration will be guided by
the research findings to provide teachers with necessary professional materials for
preparing them to teach mathematics effectively using available [eT resources.
1.5 Scope and limitations of the study
1.5.1 Scope
This study focused on the selected secondary schools (both private and public)
that are within the Tigania East District. Therefore the generalizations made in
the conclusions are limited to this district. Secondly, the study only investigated
mathematics teachers' preparedness in embracing leT in the teaching of the
subject. This is because teachers of other subjects (who are not trained to teach
mathematics) may not be in a position to give views on either the teaching and
learning of Mathematics or their own subjects.
Thirdly, the research was done on the use of leT based on Form 3 classes
because in these classes most schools are likely to be covering the normal school
. -
)
syllabus while the form 4 classes were expected to be engaged in revision. The
use of calculators is a requirement in form 3 and 4 classes therefore mathematics
10
teachers in these classes are expected to have knowledge on their use. The
observation schedule was therefore administered to the Form 3 classes of the
selected schools.
1.5.2 Limitations
This study was mainly concerned with the present state of teachers of
mathematics preparedness in embracing K'Ts in their instruction in Tigania Eas/
District; the generalizations will therefore be specific to Tigania East District.
Although the research was limited to one district, the findings will form basis for
research in other areas. Another limitation is on scarcity of resources and time.
The researcher however tried to optimize the available resources and plan the
available time to ensure the study was done successfully.
1.6 Assumptions of the study
The study assumed that schools and teachers would be co-operative to give
correct information about the current state of mathematics' teacher preparedness
in teaching using IC'I'. Since calculators are a government policy, it was assumed
that every mathematics teacher uses them in teaching mathematics and therefore
there is a common leT resource in all secondary schools.
1.7 Conceptual framework
Teaching and learning of mathematics in secondary schools is generally accepted
to be difficult and challenging. Teachers find themselves faced with the
challenge of what resources and methodologies to use in order to maintain
classroom environments that are as interesting as possible so as to motivate
/
11
learners. Preparedness of teachers in the teaching and learning process using leT
resources would be required so as transform mathematics education. Use of leT
without proper preparation by both teachers and learners is likely to cause
confusion, leading to poor performance in mathematics. The outcome of a
traditional classroom was seen to have two kinds of expectations; desirable
outcomes or undesirable outcomes. Achievement of desirable outcomes such as
well motivated students, an interactive classroom environment and overall
achievement is paramount to a proper teaching learning process. If teachers or
mathematics are properly prepared to use JeT resources, they are likely to come
up with new methodologies of instruction which are bound to make the leaning
more interesting and exciting. This teacher preparedness depends on; first,
teacher training levels both pre-service and in-service. Teachers who have the
relevant professional qualifications and l'CT training are likely to be more
prepared and enthusiastic about working with lCTs in the classroom. Secondly,
teacher preparedness would depend on teacher attitudes towards leTs. Teachers
who perceive K'Ts to be good and easy to work with are more likely to use them
if they are available. On the other hand, if a teacher has failed in his earlier
attempts to use the leTs, he/she is likely to develop negative attitude and shy off
from its use. Availability of resources without teacher training and positive
attitude may not lead to an improvement in the teacbing methodology.
Introduction of JeT therefore requires proper preparation so as to achieve
desirable outcome as shown in figure 1.1
12
Figure 1.1 Conceptualized Research Variables for the Study
Teacher training
levels
Teacher attitudes
towards ICT
Availability of
lCT Resources
IV
KEY:
Different levels
Classroom
environmentof Teacher
-----. Leading to
IV-Independent Variable
DV- Dependent Variable
preparedness to Interactive or
passive classrooms
attitude towards the use oflCT for teaching mathematics.
use ICT
DV
OUTCOME
Change in the
quality of
teaching
Change in
teaching
methodology
SOURCE: Consolidated ideas from Bingimlas (2008), Ohara (2004) and Gregoire
(1996).
The outcome of introducing ICTsinto Mathematics lessons depends on the state
of preparedness of the teachers. Further, if the use of lCT is met by intervening
factors such as training of teachers prior to teaching and sensitizing them on the
use of ICT for teaching, it leads to desirable outcomes. These desirable outcomes
include improved teaching, improved learning environment and a positive
13
1.8 Chapter Summary
This chapter established a background of the study by illustrating the importance
of mathematics as a subject the Kenyan curriculum and hence the need for
proper teaching to ensure good performance in the subject. Having laid the
foundation and establishing research objectives and the conceptual framework,
the next chapter reviewed related literature in relation to the topic.
14
1.9 Operational Defmition of Terms
Calculators- electronic hand held device used to compute arithmetic. In this
study, the word calculator was used in reference to scientific calculators which
are recommended for secondary school students.
Embracing- Accepting an idea, a proposal or a set of beliefs and showing
enthusiasm towards it.
Information Communication and Technology - the use of any equipment or
software for processing or transmitting digital information that performs diverse
general functions whose options can be specified or programmed by its user
Mathematics - a core subject that is offered to all students in Kenyan
secondary schools
J Preparedness - having right perceptions and training towards the use of ICT in
teaching mathematics
Perceptions- attitude based on what is observed or thought
\Teacher- the term teacher in this thesis was used to refer to the mathematics
teacher and not all subject teachers. Where the researcher meant ~ther subject
teachers, it is so specified.
"I'eacher perceptions- Teachers' attitudes and convictions in relation to the use
ofICT.
15
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter is organized into four sections. The first section reviews literature in
relation to influence of technology on instruction, the second describes essence
of technologies on mathematics teaching and learning. The third section
describes teachers' attitudes and anxieties towards computer and other leT use.
The fourth part focuses on Mathematics teachers Preparedness in using leT for
teaching mathematics in secondary schools.
2.1 The influence of technology on instruction
Research indicates that new technologies such as JeT can make significant
contribution to teaching and learning. Gregoire et al (1996) argues that the use of
leT in learning stimulates development of intellectual skills, contribute to the
ways of learning knowledge, skills and attitudes, although this is dependent on
previously acquired knowledge and the type of learning activity. They are known
to spur spontaneous interest more than traditional approaches and students using
new technologies concentrate more than students in traditional settings. These
aspects originating from the use of leT in the teaching and learning process are a
sign that leT has a positive effect on the process. Since mathematics has been
identified as a key subject whose performance is generally poor despite the much
pressure to perform well, these K'Ts would be useful to stimulate the
development of intellectual skills among mathematics students and further spur
interest for them to learn the subject.
16
Gregoire et al (1996:18) however go on to argue that these positive aspects related to
leT use in teaching and learning is dependent on the following significant aspects:
First, The benefit of teaching using new technologies is greatly dependent on the
technological skills of the teacher and the teacher's attitude towards technology in
teaching. Secondly, the skills and attitudes in turn are largely dependent on the
training staff has received in this area. These two significant aspects (training and
attitude) point out that technology by itself is not a panacea, and that without skilled
application by the teacher its benefits may not be realized. As noted by Gregoire et
al (1996), the crucial element is the way in which technology is incorporated into
pedagogical patterns and this is in turn dependent upon the impact it has on the
epistemologies and personal theories of the teachers applying the technology into
their classrooms. It is important that teachers learn how to use the available leT
resources so asto achieve their teaching objectives.
leT can perform a host of tasks in the process of teaching Mathematics. fCT can be
used for graphing, producing dynamic images, computing, providing access to data
among others. Some of the useful tools for teaching mathematics include graphic
calculators, interactive whiteboards, and the internet. The concern however is
whether teachers in the local secondary schools can confidently use these tools to
help students understand mathematical concepts better and effectively leading to•
greater achievements in the subject.
17
2.2 Essence of Technologies in Mathematics Teaching and Learning
Introduction of technology in the teaching of mathematics should be done in context.
Features of technology, whether mathematics-specific or more generic, should be
introduced and illustrated in the context of meaningful content-based activities. This
guideline is in accordance with the first recommendation of the President's
Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Panel on Educational
Technology (1997): "Focus on learning with technology, not about technology"
(p.7). Teaching a set of technology or software-based skills and then trying to find
mathematical topics for which they might be useful is comparable to teaching a set
of procedural mathematical skills and then giving a collection of "word problems" to
solve using the procedures. Such an approach can obscure the purpose of learning
and using technology, make mathematics appear as an afterthought, and lead to
contrived activities. The use of technology in mathematics teaching is not for the
purpose of teaching about technology, but for the purpose of enhancing mathematics
teaching and learning with technology. Furthermore, teachers who learn to use
technology while exploring relevant mathematics topics are more likely to see its
potential benefits and use it in their subsequent teaching. If this guideline is properly
followed, technology is expected to improve the teaching of mathematics.
Mathematics teachers should prepare their lessons with the available ICT resources
• in mind and try to incorporate these resources to enhance their teaching.
Computer environments impact positively on student attitudes and affective
. responses to instruction in algebra and geometry. In addition to changing the social
context associated with traditional instruction, access to computers provides a
mechanism for students to discover their own errors, thereby removing the need for
18
a teacher as an outside authority (Kaput, 1989). Students learn more advanced
mathematics in less time and with enhanced conceptual understanding in a symbolic-
manipulative computer environment (Palmiter, 1986). Computer environments can
help students overcome statistical misconceptions because students control the
important variables as they watch a sampling process or manipulate histograms.
Garofalo et al (2000) details the findings of The Curry Center for Technology and
Teacher Education at the University of Virginia which has been developing
materials to help pre service secondary mathematics teachers (PSTs) learn to
incorporate technology appropriately into their teaching. The focus of the
mathematics team was to devise activities that would prepare secondary teachers to
use technology to enhance and extend their students' learning of mathematics in
exploring how computers can be used to teach Mathematics. They demonstrated that
the use of various ICT resources would be used to enhance mathematics teaching in
secondary schools. An example is given on the use of spreadsheets, computer
software to find minima and maxima areas.
An example of using technology to explore multiple representations involves a
popular problem in which students find the maximum area for a rectangular pigpen
given a fixed amount of fencing. To begin the investigation in our methods course,
PSTs are given a handful of square tiles (1unit x 1unit), asked to build all possible
rectangular pigpens with a perimeter of 24 units, record the dimensions and resulting•
area, and verbalize a possible relationship. As the PSTs note, the maximum area (36
units 2) is obtained with a 6units x 6units pigpen. We then pose the question: "With
any given perimeter, does a square pigpen always provide the maximum area?" The
spreadsheet in Figure 2.1 allows students to explore this question by systematically
L7
varying the length of side X for a fixed perimeter and observing the subsequent
numerical, geometrical, and graphical representations. The PSTs also change the
value of the perimeter and then vary X to find the associated maximum. Through
repeated experimentation within this Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, 2000)
environment, PSTs recognize that the value of the parameter X resulting in the
maximum area of the rectangle is one fourth of the given perimeter P (e.g., P = 60, X
= 15: P = 100, X = 25). PSTs can extend this problem through calculus by using
algebraic formulas for perimeter and area, symbolic manipulation, and the first
derivative of the equation Area = X ( P - 2 X )/2 with respect to X
20Length of
I~
Figure 2.1 Linked multiple representations of the maximum area problem.
Source:
http://www.citejournal.org/vol1/iss1/currentissues/mathematics/article1.htm
This example demonstrates how mathematics teachers can use some
computer packages to enhance their teaching. This can be done using other
20
ICT resources such as Television by showing videos, Radios can be used by
recording radio lessons and calculators can be used to demonstrate various
concepts.
Scientific Calculators are a common ICT resource in Kenyan secondary
schools as it is a ministry of education policy. Teachers therefore need to be
informed on the use and impact of calculators in the teaching process so as
to be able to make informed decisions on teaching and learning activities.
Based on a survey of his research, Weaver (1981) concl uded that when
calculators were used in the variety of ways investigated at that time across
a rather wide range of grade levels and content areas, evidence suggested
that there is no cause for alarrn or concern about potentially harmful effects
associated with calculator use. This is particularly true with respect to
computational performance. In a similar study of the long-term effect of
young children's use of calculators, Groves and Stacey (1998) came up with
these conclusions: first, Students will not become reliant on calculator use at
"the expense of their ability to use other methods of computation."
Secondly, Students who learn mathematics using calculators have higher
mathematics achievement than those who do not use calculator, both on
questions where they can choose any tool desired and on mental
computation problems. Thirdly, Students who learn mathematics using
calculators demonstrate a significantly better understanding of negative
numbers, place value in large numbers, and especially decimals. And those
students who learn mathematics using calculators perform better at
21
interpreting their answers, especially those with decimals. Since the use of
calculators is seen to have all these benefits, calculators can therefore
successfully help to introduce basic concepts of algebra and trigonometry
through extensive explorations with numerical computations without the
fear of impacting negatively on the learner (Demana and Leitzel, J 988). In a
study of students using calculators while learning Calculus, Demana (1988)
concluded that students using calculators: Sometimes change their solution
approaches because of their access to calculators, they are more effective
when exploring ideas or solution approaches within a problem context and
further, these students are much more likely to check their work by
retracing steps. As a result of this, the students using scientific calculators
achieve better overall at the same level as students without calculators.
Calculators enhance student's (1) use of deductive reasoning, (2) ability to
elaborate retrospectively on their strategies, (3) use of specific problem solving
techniques to reach successful solutions, and (4) ability to evaluate their progress
while solving problems (Kelly, 1985). Calculator-using students outperform non
calculator using students on calculator neutral tests (where calculator use is
optional on the students' part). Great care and rigor must be used in preparing
items for such tests to ensure that the intended mathematical objectives are being
assessed. Harvey (1992).
Reviewing research on the impact of calculator use in the mathematics
classroom, Wheatley (J980) and Shurnway et aJ. (1981) jointly concluded that;
Students using calculators experience a far greater nurnber and variety of
22
mathematical concepts and computations while those weak in their recall of
basic facts become more successful as problem solvers when given access to
calculators. On the other hand, students usmg calculators express more
confidence when attacking mathematical problems, exhibit more exploratory
behaviors when solving mathematical problems and spend more time on
attacking problems and less time on computing. Further, they concluded that
Student and teacher attitudes toward mathematics improve when calculator use
becomes part of the classroom routine. These benefits to students (who form the
basis of teaching) are paramount to the learning of Mathematics. Mathematics
teachers who know the benefits of using Calculators would not only advocate for
their use but also utilize them in order to ensure that their students learn
mathematics effectively.
In their survey of 79 research studies, Hembree and Dessart (1986:83)
concluded that "At all grades, the use of calculators in concert with
traditional mathematics instruction improves the average student's basic
skills with practice, both in working exercises and in problem solving.
Across all grades and ability levels, students using calculators possess a
better attitude toward mathematics and especially better self-concept in
mathematics than those students not using calculators". It is clear from
previous research findings that use of calculators has a positive impact in the
process of teaching mathematics. Students using calculators are able to
achieve deeper understanding and analysis of concepts. Students using
graphing calculators in a pre-calculus class tend to perform better on critical
23
thinking measures than those students not using calculators. Garofalo et al
(2000) in exploring how calculators can be used to teach Mathematics gives
an example of a problem in the topic of Trigonometry as given on Table 2.1
Table 2.1: Average Monthly Temperatures
Apr May Jun ;Jul Aug Sep Oet Nov 'Dee
I
i
Wash.
54 64 73 ' 77 75 68 57 46 37
DC
Verhoy
5 32 54 57 48 36 5 35 53
ansk
Buenos
63 55 48 50 52 55 59 66 72
Aries
They then plot the data on their graphing calculators and compare the shape
of their scatterplots with their descriptions and interpretations. They discuss
mathematical models of the data and the general form of the sine function, y
= A sine B ( x + C ))+ D . They ask their PSTs to determine a "best fit" sine
curve for the Washington data incrementally, by determining one coefficient
at a time and graphing the resulting curves. By clicking on the Figure
caption one is able to see an animation of an incremental curve fit that first
adjusts the amplitude (A ), then the vertical shift ( D ), then the period ( B),
and finally the horizontal shift ( C).
Figure 2.2 Incremental curve fitting
Source: adapted with some changes from
24
',""""'.. .... ~- ..
,.;1' "'\0,, "~' ••
• III •••••••• J . "
http://www.citejournal.org/voI1/iss 1/currentissues/mathemat ics/art icle 1.htm
This example shows how elaborate a mathematics teacher can be while using
ICT resources which enable the learner to understand and visualize concepts
more easily. The researcher therefore, found it necessary to find out from
Mathematics teachers in Tigania East District if they are prepared to transform
the Mathematics classrooms into this kind of environment.
The reviewed literature clearly shows that ICT has positive impact on the
teaching and learning of mathematics all over the world, since the teaching of the
subject is specifically poor in Kenya, teachers should be encouraged to embrace
ICT. Computers have been brought forth as a teaching and learning resource that
improves students' logical reasoning and proof. Students need experiences with
computer simulations, computer spreadsheets, and data analysis programs if they
25
are to improve their understanding of probability and statistics. Kanja C. et al
(1999) carried out a study on "The Reform of Mathematics Education in Kenyan
Secondary Schools" and found out that; Students perform poorly in the basic
concepts of mathematics and that they said the classroom environment is harsh
and unfriendly. This kind of perception among students is likely to cause a
negative attitude and hence poor performance in mathematics. Students appear to
lose interest in the learning of mathematics as they progress through the school
system. As a result of this, together with the negative attitude, the performance
of students in mathematics at the end of secondary school education is the lowest
compared with other subjects in the curriculum. Most secondary school students
said that Students do not understand the basic mathematics needed to function
effectively in the society. These findings having been established from the
Kenyan education system, it is important for mathematics teachers to improve
their teaching methodology so as to improve the quality of teaching in
mathematics.
The incorporation of Information and Communication Technologies (JCT) into
the educational curriculum has been promoted as a key step in bridging the
digital divide. Despite considerable growth in the numbers of computers
acquired by schools in Kenya in recent years and the sacrifices made to finance
these, there has been little evaluation of the preparedness of mathematics
teachers in embracing the ICT resources.
26
2.3 Teacher Attitudes towards rcr Use
The study was also meant to establish the teachers' attitudes towards lCTs.
Attitude has been defined as an inclination to act or conviction in relation to
something (Gagne, 1985). A positive attitude arises due to previous successful
experiences or from a perception that success is possible. The Technology
Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis 1989) suggests that attitudes towards its use
directly influence intentions to use the computer and ultimately actual computer
use. Davis et al. (1997) demonstrated that an individual's initial attitudes
regarding a computer's ease of use and a computer's usefulness influence
attitudes towards use and that training significantly improved the computer self-
efficacy of all users. Training in this case helps to improve user's attitudes. If the
user's find computers to be useful to them, they are likely to develop a positive
attitude. It therefore follows that user's who lack training and have not
experienced computer's usefulness are likely to have negative attitude. Users
with a negative attitude are likely to be suffering from computer anxiety.
Computer anxiety can be understood to mean an
uneasiness of the mind caused by the apprehension of
things going wrong when using computers. Working with
computers seem like an area more prone to feelings of
anxiety such as irritation, frustration and bewilderment
because users have to deal not only with correct use of
software but at the same time be faced with technical
computer problems (Fajou, 1997).
A teacher who lacks knowbow on the use of ICTs is likely to suffer from this
\
kind anxiety due to the complex nature of machines. The anxiety further leads to
negative attitudes whereby teachers tend to prefer teaching using traditional
methods rather than use computers or any other ICT resources. Besides being
computer literate, a mathematics teacher would need to know how to tackle the
27
technical computer problems such as connecting the computer to the projector.
The lack of such knowledge would lead to loss of confidence and enthusiasm
which is what drives a teacher. The lack of confidence and enthusiasm would
further imply that the teacher has not embraced lCT resources and he or she is
not likely to go out of his way to use the available lCT resources in his school
during his mathematics lessons.
According to Sieber et al. (1977) computer tasks also place great pressure on
users due to the speed in which computers perform tasks that may prove to be
overwhelming for those new to computers. "The level of anxiety that is initially
evoked by a computer may be somewhat higher than when the same task is
presented in a conventional manner" (Sieber et aI, 1977). As a result of this,
teachers may prefer to do their work manually rather than use computer or
calculators.
Computer anxiety is prevalent amongst pre-service and practicing teachers, and
many suffer at substantially high levels (Ayersman, 1996). Research suggests
that computer experience is negatively related to computer anxiety. As teachers
gain experience with computers, anxiety is reduced. But even more critical to
computer experience is the pleasantness (Gos, 1996) of these computer
experiences, especially one's first encounter with computer technology. Gos
Supports the theory of increasing computer experience to decrease computer
anxiety. He found that college students with little or no computer experience
have more anxiety than those students that have experience. The results of his
study revealed that "increased levels of computer experience and balance of
weekly computer usage were both related with reduced levels of computer
28
related anxiety". (Glass and Knight 1998) determined those computer anxious
students/teachers will become less anxious after an initial trauma period. By
working through these fearful or frustrating stage students will gain experience,
thus reduce anxiety. It is reasonable to assume that by increasing computer usage
thereby experience, one would naturally reduce anxiety.
This computer anxiety is the same kind of anxiety that users of other leT
resources are likely to face due to lack of experience and appropriate training.
Teachers who are afraid of using computer in their teaching are likely to have the
same feeling towards other leT resources, this because technological resources
such as TV, radio, calculator and digital cameras operate with the kind of speed
that might confuse them. It is therefore clear that if mathematics teachers are to
use leT in the process of teaching and learning the subject, training and
preparation is paramount. This preparation will not only help the teacher as a
facilitator but also as a technician. Without this kind of preparation, the teacher is
bound to be anxious whenever using leT resources due the fear that it might
break down hence disrupting the flow of the lesson. However, if the teacher is
well prepared, he/she is able to manipulate the teaching aid to the advantage of
the learner. This study was meant to establish the attitudes of mathematics
teachers towards leT resources in order to make informed conclusion on their
preparedness to embrace leT in their teaching.
2.4 Mathematics Teachers Preparedness in Using leT
(
Within the past ten years, leT has become=an-essential part of our learning and
development in education. Today it is no longer an option to learn the basic skills
29
of lCT but rather a prerequisite for academic qualifications. According to (Moon
2004a) the rapid development of these new technologies coupled with the world-
wide challenge to educate all children has led to a global reform and
development of teacher education and motivated educational institutions to
redesign and restructure their teaching methods such as to enable students equip
themselves for the future. Whether lCTs are the best educational means for all
societies is still a current and open debate among educationists and education
implementers (Alien et al 2003). However, one point they all agree upon is that
lCTs are rapidly spreading globally and whoever does not equip himself/herself
with appropriate technologies and the knowledge required to apply them will Jag
behind in world development. According to the advocators of lCT use in
education the question is no longer "if' ICTs are the best educational means but
rather which and how these ICTs can be effectively implemented in education
(Moon 2004b).
In teachers' professional development, lCTs are seen as essential as they have
the task of preparing teacher trainees for their role in modern society. According
to a UNESCO 2005 survey, only 35% of already trained teachers in secondary
schools in Europe, Asia and Africa, have basic skills in ICT, which leaves the
remaining 65% of the teaching work force on the three continents still in need of
computer skills. National governments are globally realizing the need to fill the
gap in the teaching force and are seeking new strategies and programs to enhance
the integration of ICT in education. The incorporation of lCT in teacher training
colleges remains the main way to prepare mathematics teachers for their job.
30
UNESCO emphasizes that teachers, professors and technical and administrative
staff must be given training that enables them to integrate new information and
communication technologies into their teaching programs.
As noted in the Mathematical Education of Teachers report CBMS, (2001)
Teachers need to understand the fundamental principles
that underlie school mathematics, so that they can teach it
to diverse groups of students as a coherent, reasoned
activity and communicate an appreciation of the elegance
and power of the subject. P.7
Although the mathematical needs of teachers depend upon the level at which
they intend to teach, substantial knowledge of content is needed by all teachers.
For instance, elementary school teachers need a solid understanding of place
value and the distributive property to help their students make sense of
operations with whole numbers and decimals. High school mathematics teachers
need to understand that same content to help students make sense of arithmetic.
Listed below are five principles concerning the mathematical preparation of
teachers of all grade levels that emerged during this CRAFTY Curriculum
Foundations Workshop.
1. Mathematics courses for future teachers should develop "deep understanding"
of mathematics, particularly of the mathematics taught in schools at their chosen
grade level.
2. Tools for teaching and learning, such as calculators, computers, and physical
objects, including manipulatives commonly found in schools, should be available
for problem solving in mathematics courses taken by prospective teachers.
·,.YAjA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
31
3 Mathematics courses for future teachers should provide opportunities for
students to learn mathematics using a variety of instructional methods, including
the various ICT resources we would like them to use in their teaching.
4. Faculty involved in the preparation of teachers of mathematics should engage
in study and discussion of how people learn mathematics.
5. Greater communication and cooperation is necessary among all stakeholders
in the mathematics preparation of teachers.
The mathematical preparation of future teachers is a complex and often
controversial enterprise. The findings however point to the fact that teachers
need to be well prepared in tenus of training and mind set so as to deliver the
mathematics content effectively.
According to data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics,
mathematics teacher preparation is the second largest of the specialty areas
considered by the Curriculum Foundations Project. Mathematics teacher
preparation IS not only a large endeavor but also quite complex. Teacher
preparation IS influenced by certification requirements set by the states and
recommendations provided by several professional societies. In some states
elementary teachers are not required to take any courses on the mathematics they
will teach in schools. In others, they are required to take several courses that
focus on deepening their understanding of number systems and geometry. In
addition, teacher education programs in universities often participate in state or
national accreditation processes that also impose specific standards for student
learning. Regardless of certification regulations or accreditation expectations, the
mathematical requirements of future teachers vary considerably with the level at
32
which the student intends to teach. Elementary teachers are usually prepared to
be generalists who take courses in many departments. Consequently, they are
required to take relatively few courses in mathematics. In contrast, teachers of
high school mathematics are expected to be specialists, and often must complete
a full mathematics major. In states where special certification for mathematics
teachers of middle grades exists, the mathematical requirements for such
teachers are generally between those of future elementary and high school
teachers.
Teachers are the main agents of change in mathematics teaching and learning
process. The impact of ICT in teaching mathematics is no longer debatable; the
question that education stakeholders should address is what is being done in the
mathematics classrooms using the ICT resources. This leads to the question of
how prepared the teachers are in embracing the ICT resources that have been
provided.
2.5 Summary
In summary, literature has shown that two decades ago, technology was declared
by researchers the way to stimulate and develop intellectual skills. Technologies
were seen to spur spontaneous interest, which is what every mathematics teacher
aims at in their classes. JCTs ranging from calculators, computers, televisions
and radios have been availed in secondary schools in Kenya today. Teachers
however have been seen to lack confidence and appropriate skills to use these
resources to translate the Kenyan mathematics classes into this desirable state.
Calculators being a government policy for all secondary school students in
Kenya today, is a clear sign that we have embraced the modern technology and
33
now students can spend more time and energy tackling problems rather than on
simple computations. The ministry of education in conjunction with TSC has
recently brought up a program to help all teachers acquire laptops through hire
purchase. No clear policies have however been established to prepare teachers
for this inevitable change towards accepting and utilizing technology. This study
set out to establish the teacher preparedness in embracing the ICT resources
currently available in secondary schools. The next chapter looks at the
methodology for the study, focusing at the target population, sampling
techniques and research instruments among other methodological areas
34
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
In the preceding two chapters, the groundwork of the study was laid down. This
chapter focused on research methodology. Precisely, the chapter describes; the
research design, the subjects of the study, the sampling procedure, the research
instruments, determination of validity and reliability of the instruments, pilot
testing, data collection, data analysis and ethical considerations.
3.1 Research Design
The intention of the researcher ill this study was to collect a wide range of
opinions on the preparedness of teachers of mathematics towards the use of leT
for instruction. The design adopted for this study was descriptive survey. By
adopting this design, the subjects were observed making no attempt to change
their behavior or conditions. This design was selected since no intervention was
done to modify the subject's conditions. The data was expected to be quantitative
in nature and therefore was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics.
The researcher was interested in establishing the present state of teacher
competence in leT and hence to predict the future direction of Kenya's
mathematics education. By establishing training levels of mathematics teachers,
their attitudes towards leT and their levels of utilizing JeT resources, the
researcher was in a position to make informed conclusions about the
preparedness of secondary school mathematics teachers 1Il usmg leT for
teaching the subject.
35
3.2 Variables
In this study, the dependent variable was the preparedness of teachers to use
lCTs in teaching mathematics in Tigania East district. The independent variables
were the attitudes of teachers towards use of ICTs; the training levels of teachers
of mathematics on the use of ICTs in teaching and the availability of ICTs in
secondary schools in the locale of the study. An illustration of these variables is
shown on figure 3.1
Figure 3.1 Variables
Independent Variables I
Training qualifications Dependent Variable
teachers towards JCT use. Preparedness of teachers to use
Attitudes of teachers towards
ofICT ICT resources in teaching mathema
Availability ofICT resources
The arrow used ~) means leading to.
In figure 3.1 the independent variables are among a wide range of factors that
affect the mathematics' teacher's utilization of ICT during Mathematics lessons
in Kenya today. The preparedness of the mathematics teachers to embrace and
use JCT in this study was the dependent variable. The independent variables
include; teacher qualifications in ICT, attitude of the teachers towards lCT and
36
the availability of leT resources. For a teacher to be confident in using LC'I'
resources, he or she needs to have knowledge on what to do with resources. The
availability of resources also affects the teacher preparedness; a teacher would
need to be exposed to the resources so as to practice its use. Lack of leT
resources in a school in this study would imply that the mathematics teachers in
that school are not using the resources. It was however important to find out if
the available resources were used by the mathematics teachers. If teachers use
the resources in their daily teaching, it would imply that they have embraced the
resources and this was judged from the enthusiasm they show towards putting
the leT resources into use. Teachers' attitude towards the use of leT was
considered as another independent variable since individual teacher's personal
opinion or perceptions towards leT would give insight on his/her readiness to
embrace leT. A positive attitude implied that the teacher appreciates leT as a
good tool for teaching and has embraced it. On the other hand, negative attitude
would imply that mathematics teachers perceive leT resources as not good and
necessary for good quality teaching to take place. Teachers with negative
perceptions had not embraced IC'T as a teaching resource so the concept of
preparedness may be far from being achieved. Intervention of such
circumstances through training of teachers to improve their perceptions and
qualifications is essential to improve the teaching of Mathematics.
3.3 Location of the study '---
The study was carried out in Tigania East District of Meru County. The district is
approximately 700 square kilometers in size with a total oC29 public secondary
37
schools and I private secondary school. The district's headquarter is located
around 25km from Mew towards Maua. This district was chosen because it is a
newly formed district from the larger Meru District, in which there is a wave of
lCT development in most Secondary schools. Tigania East being a new district,
not much research has been done to establish reasons for its poor performance in
national examinations. The first KCSE after the formation of the new district was
done in 2009, during which the overall KCSE mean for the district was 4.72
while the mean for the mathematics subject was 2.64. During the following year,
2010, the overall district mean was 5.26 while the mean for mathematics was
2.998. From this trend, mathematics in the district is one of the subjects that were
below the average mean for the district. Due to this, the researcher. found it
necessary to establish what was being done to improve the teaching of
mathematics in the district. Stakeholders in secondary schools are working hard
to ensure their schools are up to date with technological advancement. Through
Iundraising, donations and government programs, most secondary schools have
acquired the basic leT requirements such as electricity and generator. Schools.
have basic lCT resources such as computers, calculators, radios, television and
video machines among others.
3.4 Target Population
Nkpa (1997) defines target population as the population to which the researcher
hopes to generalize the findings. [1: refers to the entire group of persons or
elements that have at least one characteristic in common. The target population
for this study comprised of the 100 mathematics teachers from Tigania Easl
38
District. Since schools keep on recruiting new teachers while others retire or go
on transfer to otber schools and districts, the study focused on the Mathematics
teachers as at January 20] 1, when the data was being collected. The respondents
were drawn from a sample of the 30 secondary schools in the District (listed in
appendix E).
3.5 Sampling Procedure and sample size
3.5.1 Sampling procedure
The sampling of the subjects for this study was done at three levels. The
researcher first sampled Tigania East District through purposive sampling:
secondly, secondary schools in the district were sampled through simple random
sampling and then teachers who provided data for the study were sampled
through purposive sampling. Out of the 30 secondary schools in the district, the
researcber selected 9 of them for the purpose of the study. Further. all
Mathematics teachers in each school wi!l be selected purposively. The intention
of the researcher was to get a fair representation of the actual scenario in the
target secondary schools. To obtain this fair representation, participants were
selected using simple random sampling procedure to obtain the required sample.
According to Kothari 2004, the implications of simple random sampling are that
it gives each element in the population an equal probability of getting into the
sample and further gives each possible sample combination an equal probability
of being chosen.
39
3.5.2 Sample size
A sample is a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied
to gain information about the whole (Wcbster, 1985). When dealing with people,
it can be defined as a set of respondents (people) selected from a larger
population for the purpose of a survey. In this case the sample was got from the
teachers in Tigania East District. The sample of 9 schools out of the possible 30
schools is expected to have the required 27 teachers. This was believed to be
adequate for the study since the schools are from the same region hence a high
degree of homogeneity. To obtain the sample, the researcher used Tippet
random tables. The researcher first sampled schools in Tigania East District and
then sampled teachers who provided data for the study.
3.6 Research Instruments
The researcher used teachers of mathematics questionnaires for the 27 teachers
and interview schedule for 9 of the selected mathematics teachers to establish
relevant information on teacher's attitudes, teacher qualifications among other
factors. These 9 mathematics teachers were each a representative of his/her
school. A questionnaire for the school principals was used to complement the
information given hy the teachers. Further, an observation schedule was used to
examine the kind of leT equipment available in various schools in Tigania East
District and how they are used. The researcher therefore obtained quantitative
data since the study was non experimental in nature.
40
3.7 Pilot Study
Shuttleworth (2010) defines pilot study as, "Pilot study is a standard scienti fie
tool for 'soft' research allowing scientists to conduct a preliminary analysis
before committing to full-blown study". The piloting tor this study was done in 2
schools in the district but not selected as subjects of the study Simple random
sampling by writing the names of the remaining schools and picking two at
random was done to avoid bias. The main aim of the pilot study was to refine the
research instruments. After this, corrections on the research instruments were
done since it is expected to expose unexpected problems. The pilot testing helped
to determine the validity and reliability of the research instruments detect
ambiguities in the coding system and hence help in the improvement of the
research instruments.
3.8 Determination of Validity and Reliability
3.8.1 Validity
Measurement errors could anse from faults in the instruments. incorrect
interpretations of obtained values or instability in the bchavior of respondents.
These errors could be systematic or random. Systematic errors or bias occurs
when the errors made in one direction away hum the true score. Random tests on
the other hand are attributable to chance factors. In this study the researcher
ensured the measurement instruments used measured the true score by; first,
testing them on a small group to check for any inconsistencies and errors. After
doing this, (pilot testing), the researcher made relevant adjustments, then
administered the instruments to the sampled subjects. Secondly, through
41
triangulation, whereby, the researcher used three types of instruments; the
questionnaires administered to teachers had their findings verified by the
interview schedule. The observation schedule gave findings on what was seen on
the ground. The researcher further compared the general responses from the
various instruments.
3.8.2 Reliability
To test for reliability, the researcher used the internal consistency technique. As
indicated by Mugenda in her book on research technique, internal consistency is
important in checking the relationship among the testlet scores.
Mugenda and Mugenda (1999) notes that "a score obtained
in one item is correlated with scores obtained from other
items in the instruments. Crombach's Coeffient Alpha is
then computed to determine how items correlate among
themselves." p.99
This study used the crombach's coefficient Alpha (a) defined as
n= r ( « 2)~_ . -L _ L-i=l (T,; ..K 1 - 2\. - Us
Where K is the number of components (K-items or test/ets),
L
aX Represents the variance of the observed total test scores,
2er Y; represents the variance of component i for the current sample of persons.
The crombach alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the
42
research instruments and hence was able to ensure reliability of the research
instruments.
Alpha can take on any value less than or equal to 1, including negative values,
although only positive values make sense. A high coefficient implies that items
correlate highly among themselves and there is consistency among the items.
After piloting, the reliability coefficient of 0.79 was realized meaning that the
instruments had internal consistency and were reliable.
3.9 Data Collection
The data was collected by the researcher first by making a visit to the sampled
schools in order to familiarize herself with the respondents and to create a
rapport. The researcher secondly booked appointments and prepared a
programme of activities so as to visit each of the selected schools as planned. All
the sampled 79 teachers were given questionnaires by the researcher herself
while she interviewed a teacher per sampled school in order to supplement the
findings from the questionnaires. This was done during school lunch breaks to
ensure that in a period of around two hours, the researcher would collect. the
questionnaires. For mathematics teachers who requested Cormore time and those
who were absent on the day of the visit, the researcher rescheduled another visit
at the convenience of the respondents. The researcher then made arrangements
with the form three mathematics teachers through the curriculum master to
attend a form three mathematics lesson in order to fill ill the observation
schedule in each of the 9 sampled schools.
43
3.10 Data Analysis
The study generated both qualitative data and qualitative data.
Objective one, two, four and five which sought to establish the available JCT
resources in Tigania East district produced quantitative data which was analyzed
using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. The obtained
data was presented by using charts and graphs as shown in chapter 4. Objective
three which sought to establish teacher perceptions using Iikert scale
questionnaires. Tbe data was analyzed using percentages, frequencies and mean
with the help of the SPSS computer package as a tool for analyses. These helped
in making relevant deductions and conclusions about the state of teacher
readiness in embracing ICT for teaching mathematics in Tigania East District.
3.11 Logistical and Ethical Considerations
An authorization letter was obtained from the department of Educational
Communication and Technology of Kenyatta University as well as permission
sought from the ministry of Education to conduct the research in Tigania East
District. Permission was also sought from the head teachers of the sampled
schools to allow the research to be conducted in their schools. Before
administering the instruments, the researcher talked to the teachers and students
who were to be involved to create a rapport. The information collected was kept
confidential and used only for the purposes of the study .
. .
44
3.12 Summary
This study focused on the secondary school mathematics teachers of Tigania
East District. Since teachers operate in schools, the researcher first sampled 9
secondary schools from which the respondents were obtained. Data was
collected by use of questionnaires, interview schedule and observation schedule.
The data obtained was analyzed and discussed in the following chapter four.
45
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION & D1SCUSSION
4.0 Introduction
This chapter analyses and discusses the responses made by the Mathematics
teachers in Tigania East District, the secondary schools principals in the district
and the observations made by the researcher on the preparedness of secondary
school mathematics teachers in using lC'T for teaching Mathematics. The first
section, 4.1 shows the availability of IC'I' resources and the extent to which
teachers use them. The second section, 4.2 deals with IC'I' training levels of
teachers. The data obtained relates to the professional and K'T qualifications of
the Mathematics teachers in the district. The third section, 4.3 shows teacher
perceptions. It presents the research findings in terms of what teachers think and
believe is brought about when leT is used in teaching Mathematics lessons. The
fourth section, 4.4 looks at the available support structures ill Tigania East for
teaching mathematics. The fifth section, 4.5 looks the type of induction courses
available for teachers of mathematics. It further looks at the challenges facing the
use of leT in teaching mathematics. Section 4.6 addresses the preparedness of
mathematics teachers to use leT.
4.1 Availability and use of leT resources for teaching Mathematics
The objective one of this study sought to find out the mathematics leachers
utilization of available leT resources in their schools. To fulfill this objective,
the study first established the available leT resources. This was done through the
questionnaire and later verified by use of the observation schedule. Secondly, the
!.
46
researcher went ahead to find out if and how the resources found in the
secondary schools were being used in the teaching process. This was also sort
through the questionnaires and the observation schedule. The researcher also
interviewed one mathematics teacher in each of the sampled schools to
supplement the findings from the questionnaires and the observation schedule.
Figure 4.1 shows the findings that the researcher obtained from the secondary
schools of Tigania East District, with regard to availability of various ICT
resources.
Table 4.1: A summary of the Available ICT Resources in Secondary Schools
ICT RESOURCE Percentage Percentage of Schools using
Schools with ICT resources
resources
Computers and printers 66.7 33.3
Television and video 55.6 0
Radio 55.6 0
Calculators 100 88.9
Among the observed secondary schools, 6 secondary schools out of the sampled
9, that is 66.7% were found to have computers. Among these 6 schools that have
computers, 3 of them (33.3% of the schools) have computers that are shared in a
class of 40 students in the ratio of 1:3 students for every computer. Others have 1
or 2 computers which are mostly used for office uses. The availability of
computers in these schools is shown on figure 4.1
47
Figure 4.1 : Availability of Computers in Secondary Schools.
Availability of Computers
Utilization of Computer and Printers
Having seen that 66.7% of secondary schools had computers, the researcher went
ahead to establish how this resource is used. Out of the teachers who filled the
questionnaires, only 25.9% use computers frequently for general use. This
includes printing assignments, typing exams and recording student's results.
Teachers reported to use word processing frequently are 11.1% of all the
respondents. Other computer packages such as spreadsheets, PowerPoint,
graphical presentation among others are not used at all by secondary school
mathematics teachers. Some other smaller percentage 3.7% uses the intemet for
references and source information.
48
Table 4.2: Computer uses by the mathematics teachers.
COMPUTER PACKAGE PERCENTAGE
Computer for general use 25.9%
Word processing 11.1%
Internet 3.7%
Spreadsheets 0%
Power point 0%
Graphical presentation 0%
Multimedia 0%
Simulations 0%
This kind of scenario is interpreted to mean that despite a relatively high
percentage of schools having computers, mathematics teachers do not maximize
the use computers to enhance their teaching. The computer is a rich teaching
resource that can be used in almost every area in the teaching of mathematics.
Computer packages such as graphical presentations would be useful in the topics
such as Trigonometry (ii) taught in Form Three class. In this topic, the teachers
could demonstrate the Cosine, Sine and Tangent curves, while studcnls observe.
Further, in the topic of graphic solutions the teacher would demonstrate how
solutions of simultaneous equations are obtained. A learner is enabled to
visualize the roots of equations as well as maxima and minima points in a curve.
Simulations on the other hand would be useful in topics such as 3 Dimensional
Geometry. The teacher would demonstrate various planes, angle between planes
and also show skew lines. From the number line, the teacher would use
49
simulations to show the operations on various numbers hence enhancing better
understanding. The intemet is a rich source of information which every teacher
should use hand in hand with the classroom textbook. It not only provides
additional information to the teacher but may also serve as a source of evaluation
material that is useful in assessing the students' progress.
Radio is another JeT resource that was found in secondary schools in Tigania
East District. Figure 4.2 shows the findings
Figure 4.2: Avaiiability of radios in the secondary schools.
Availability of Radios
The research established that 55.6% of secondary schools have radios while the
remaining 44.4% did not have this resource. However these radios are only used by
clubs for entertainment. No mathematics teacher uses radio lessons or even recorded
lessons in teaching the subject. The students in these schools use the radios during
• weekends for listening to music and preparing presentations during school functions.
The mathematics teachers would utilize this resource to explain various concepts
50
through radio lessons. This can be done through the use of radio stations or taped
lessons which the teacher can record and have students listen to when they are not in
class.
Similarly, the research found out that 55.6% of secondary schools had television and
video or DVD, while 44.4% did not have. It also established that mathematics
teachers do not use the TV as a teaching resource. In fact teachers did not know if
and how the TV would be used as a teaching resource. On being asked a question
(from the interview schedule) which areas in mathematics would you use the TV, all
teachers seemed unsure and responded "I don't know". Although 55.6% of
secondary schools have television and video or DVD/VCD these are used for
entertainment mostly during weekends. Some schools allow students to watch news
or some music during meals. It was clear from research however, that mathematics
teachers do not view this resource as a teaching resource in the subject.
The most common resource that was found in every school was calculator. All the
secondary schools which are 9 out of the sampled 9 schools (100%) in the district
have calculators for teachers and most individual students in Form 3 classes (99%)
had a calculator for use during Mathematics lessons. Some schools however have
not bought calculators for their teachers rather those teachers have bought their own
personal calculators which they use for mathematics lessons. Since calculators were
made a government policy it became a requirement for all schools. In the topic of
approximation and use of calculators in form 3 mathematics, the learner is required
to be able to "State the functions of the features of a calculator, and use calculator in
'various computations" KIE Mathematics syllabus. The researcher sought to know
how many calculators each of the sampled schools had and who provided the
51
calculators for students and teachers. It was observed that 8 out of the 9 sampled
schools (88.9%) bought calculators for their mathematics teachers but students had
their calculators provided by parents. During the observation of mathematics
lessons, the researcher observed that the teacher activity using a calculator was
mainly demonstration and computations while the students also used the calculators
for their computations. Although some schools that had not bought calculators for I'
their mathematics teachers, the teachers bought their own or borrowed a calculator
from students during the mathematics lessons. The availability of this device
however, did not seem to change the classroom environment since teachers and
students viewed it as a gadget to simplify computations. The Garofalo et al (2000)
gives an illustration of how a graphic calculator can be used to generate curves of a
given sine function. These kind of activities were lacking in secondary schools of
Tigania East District
The objective one of this study sought to find out the mathematics teachers
utilization of available leT resources in their schools. Having realized that 66.7% of
schools had computers but only 25.9% of the mathematics teachers used tile
computers implies that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. On prohing the
teachers further on what the 25.9% using computers did with the resource, it was
found that they used computers only for general purposes. Mathematics teachers did
not use the computers for simulations, graphical presentations internet in their.
teaching. These teachers did not know what these computer packages were and how
they could be used in the teaching of mathematics. Despite there being 55.6% of
. schools with television and video, no teacher used them for teaching mathematics.
Teachers viewed this resource as one for student's entertainment during their leisure
52
time. Radios were also available but no mathematics teacher was seen to be using it
for teaching.
Access to equipment, both hardware and software is critical to the successful use of
lCT resources in education. Pollard (2005) argues that the quality of learning is
directly affected by adequate provision of resources. We cannot look at teacher
preparedness to use lCT without addressing the availability of resources. The
mathematics teachers can only be said to be prepared to embrace lCT if the resource
is available and the teacher can explore its usefulness. It is expected that there is a
basic lCT resource common in every school; however some schools had a variety of
resources which could help to improve the teaching of mathematics. As Van Damme
(2003) states that
lCT which IS the acronym for information and
communication technology can be defined as:
"combination of computer, video and telecommunication
technologies, as observed in the use of multimedia
computers and networks and also services which are based
on them.
These are the sort of resources the study set out to look for in various secondary
schools in Tigania East District. Van Damme, defines lCT resources that can be used
for teaching as all multimedia this differs with the findings of this study as it is
noticed from the data obtained through the study that teachers do not consider
resources such as radio and TV as lCT resources that can enhance their teaching. In
a broad perspective, ICT encompasses all multimedia including mobile phones. The.
choice of what to use for teaching and how to do it depends on the teacher's
knowhow and attitude. According to a study by Cameroon Richards in 2005 on
'teacher's use oflCT,
53
Despite an often instinctive skepticism, many teachers
have a general awareness that the Internet offers a rich
source of potential learning resources, that multimedia
tools and design can make interesting, impressive, and
interactive tools of learning, and that many of their
colleagues are finding ways of harnessing the learning
possibilities of ICTs in unique contexts. Even an ICT-
resistant "traditional" teacher cannot deny that the World
Wide Web (WWW) houses endless and ever-current
information on all manner of topics, and that multimedia
CD-ROMs are at the very least useful for skills-based
tutorials or for making information links more attractive.
http://ll t.msu.edu/voI9nwn 1/richards/.
This shows that teachers are aware that mathematics teaching can be done better
with the aid of various lCT resources but as seen in this study, they do not use
the resources exhaustively. Despite the availability of radios, Televisions and
Computers, the mathematics lessona observed were devoid of any such material
as teachers only use chalk and talk methods. Those teachers that used computers
only did so in typing and printing assignments. The use of computer to enhance
the lessons as illustrated by Garofalo et al (2000) at the University of Virginia,
where students were developing materials for teaching mathematics in secondary
schools, was not present in Tigania East District. The study concluded that the
available resources need to be maximized to improve the teaching of
mathematics. This could help to solve the problem of poor teaching of
Mathematics and hence create a better learning environment.
4.2 Teacher training levels
The study set out to establish the professional qualifications of mathematics
teachers and their ICT training in relation to information technology. This was
used to meet the second objective of study which was "to establish teachers' ICT
54
training in readiness for teaching mathematics". The findings were as shown on
figure 4.3 and 4.4
Figure 4.3: Academic qualifications ofthe mathematics teachers.
QUALIFICATION OF TEACHERS
45
P 40 -i-- ---- -----
E 35
R 30 +------ _
C 25 +-----------
E 20
N 15 i
T 10-1
A 5
G 0-+
E
S KCSE
DIPLOMA DEGREE IN DEGREE IN MASTERS
EDUCATION OTHER
QUALIFICATIONS FIELDS
Teachers entrusted with the duty to teach mathematics in secondary schools in
Tigania East District have the academic qualifications shown in the bar graph on
chart 4.3. It was noticed that most secondary school mathematics teachers 41% have
a Bachelors degree in education while another group 22% have diploma in
education. Another smaller group of teachers (11%) have or are in the process of
pursuing a Masters degree. Of mathematics teachers in secondary schools in Tigania
East District 22% were not trained to teach the subject. It implies that the aspects of
teaching Mathematics using various leT resources can only be done by 74% of the
teachers since untrained teachers lacked knowhow on the relevant use of resources,
• in relation to teaching methodology. These untrained teachers are not professionally
55
trained to teach mathematics, this implies that providing them with necessary ICT
resources is unlikely to change their teaching style and methodology.
The study further looked at the ICT qualifications of mathematics teachers in
the district and the findings were as shown on figure 4.4
Figure 4.4: ICT Qualifications ofthe Mathematics Teachers
ICTQUAlIFATIONS
P
E
R
C
E
N
T
A
G
E
S
60
50 •...
40 -
30 1---
20 f---
10 -
0 -- -- --
It was further observed that some 66.9% of mathematics teachers have some sort
of training in the use oflCT. The remaining 33.3% have no training related to
the use ofICT. The ICT training ranged from a certificate in computer packages
Certificate in Diploma in IT degree in IT Any other ICT None
IT training
QUALI FICATIONS
(which is what most ofthe teachers- 51.9% had) to a diploma in IT.
To establish teacher preparedness, the study sought to find out the type of
J
induction courses available for mathematics teachers to use JeT in the teaching
mathematics. The mathematics teachers were asked if they had undergone any
training to enable them use calculators for teaching mathematics. The findings
were that 100% of the respondents said they had not been trained so they faced
56
)
problems such as explaining the functions of various keys on the calculators and
calculators were breaking down easily due to mishandling by the students.
Further, this research found out that 50% of teachers who are in schools that
have ICT resources such as computers had no idea what to do in using the
available resources during mathematics lessons.
It was alarming to learn that due to the high shortage of teachers, 22% of the
sampled mathematics teachers is taught by form four leavers who only hold
KCSE certificates. These teachers have no professional training on any teaching
methodology so the use of ICT as a teaching resource is not even considered.
The lack of academic training limits their flexibility to emerging issues, as
Makau (l989) notes " ...education disposes the beneficiary to readily adopt to
change... hence academic qualifications are a facilitating factor in the
implementation of any education program" p.68. This explains the high
percentage of teachers not using the available ICT resources as observed in table
4.1. It is clear that some teachers not only lack ICT related training but also lack
professional training. On further inquiry it was e tablished that 90% of the
mathematics teachers who had a certificate in computer packages used
computers for general purposes such as typing assignments, referring to internet
for information and databases. It was noticed that those teachers with some sort
of IT training were more likely to use ICT resources.
Teachers with no IT training at all seemed to shy off from the use of any ICT
resources. These teachers lacked the knowhow on what to do with the available
resources. This is because they received no related training in pre service training
and after joining the service, they were not trained appropriately. The researcher
57
sought to know if teachers were inducted into the use of calculators but 100%
mathematics teachers said that they only received circular requiring form 3
students to buy calculators. This resource was found to be frequently used in
mathematics lessons. During the lesson observation, the researcher observed that
the calculator was used by both the teachers and students for computation
purposes. It is only in the Form three topic of 'Approximation and use of
calculator' where teachers used demonstration method to show learners the
functions of various keys of the calculator. Even in the schools that had enough
computers, teachers only typed exams and used it to store important information
such as the students' marks. Generally, no teacher used the resources for delivery
of content or simulations. According to the recommendations of The CRAFTY
Curriculum Foundations Workshop in preparation of teachers "Mathematics
courses for future teachers should provide opportunities for teacher trainees to
learn mathematics using a variety of instructional methods, including the various
ICT resources we would like them to use in their teaching." This was clearly not
done when calculators were introduced. Mathematics teachers in Tigania East
District were not given the opportunity to learn how calculators and other ICTs
would be used to enhance the teaching of mathematics.
The CRAFTY Curriculum Foundations Workshop also recommended that the
Faculty involved in the preparation of teachers of mathematics should engage in
study and discussion of how people learn mathematics. In preparing teachers to
teach mathematics, the concept on how students learn mathematics would help
the teacher to understand his/her students and hence be well placed to choose the
appropriate teaching methods and resources for various topics. This was
58
observed to be lacking among mathematics teachers of Tigania East District.
Teachers wished to be educated on which leT resources would be suitable for
some topics that seem complicated to learners.
It was noted that even teachers who are professionally trained had no training on
how to apply fC'T resources in their day to day teaching of mathematics. This
confirms the argument of the Koech report of 1999 on Total Quality Education
and Training (TQET) that
Although the content of teacher education in Kenya is
fairly adequate, it is deficient in a number of areas, and
would need to be revised with the view of revamping it and
expanding it to address recently emerging issues such as
computer science, information technology and the recent
developments in communication technology
It therefore would be necessary to revise the teacher training curriculum so that
mathematics teachers are trained on how to use calculators and other leT
resources in their daily teaching. Proper training in the use of leT would be the
starting point in preparing teachers to use leT in teaching mathematics.
4.3 Teacher perceptions towards the use of I'CT.
The third objective of this study was to "to establish the mathematics teachers'
perceptions towards the use of leT in readiness for mathematics instruction."
So as to find out the perceptions of mathematics teachers in relation to the use of
IC'I', the researcher asked teachers what they felt was the outcome of using leT
in relation to the following aspects;
i. Making the mathematics lessons more interesting
11. Deeper understanding of mathematical concepts
Ill. Arousing learners interest
59
IV. Creating an interactive classroom environment
v. Faster syllabus coverage
VI. Better use of allocated time
The respondents were supposed to choose from SA for strongly agree, A for
agree, DK for don't know, D for disagree and SD for strongly disagree. The SA
and A responses were categorized together as positive responses, SD and D
responses were categorized as negative responses as they are not in favour of
using ICT while DK responses were seen to be neutral as they are neither in
favour of nor against the use of ICT. The findings were represented in the bar
graph shown on Figure 4.5
Figure 4.5: The Teacher Perceptions In Relation To ICT Use
Teacher perceptions in relation to ICl use
plOD
e
a
80
c
e
n
60
40
g
e
s
20
o E FBA c
teacher perceptions
KEY;
A= More interesting lessons
B=Deeper understanding of concepts
C=Aroused interest
D=lnteractive environment
E=Fastercoverage of syllabus
F=Better use of allocated time
green rep positive
responses
blue rep negative
responses
purple rep neutral
responses
The sampled mathematics teachers seemed to be in agreement that the use of ICT in
60
teaching mathematics led to a more interesting mathematics lesson, this is implied
from the percentage of teachers (100%) who responded in favour i.e. Strongly Agree
or Agree. Teachers further agree that the use of leT brings about a deeper
understanding of concepts, 96.3% of the teachers agreed that leT leads to aroused
interest among learners while a smaller percentage of teachers 3.7% did not respond
for or against. These teachers said they did not know whether use of leT could bring
about a deeper understanding of concepts. On creating an interactive classroom
environment, 89% of the teachers were positive that l'C'T would improve interaction
among learners while a minority 3.7% did not know if the leT resources had a
positive or negative effect on the interaction. There seemed to be the general
agreement that the use of IC]' motivates learners and arouses interest concurring
with Lafferie et all (1999) observed that
leT in schools and classrooms tends to attract school
learner's interest and motivation. Although it is assumed
that computer supports teaching-learning process and the
use of fC'T has suddenly emerged, but the concept of leT
in curriculum is still very new and this term is poorly
understood.
According to Lafferiere the concept of leT is still new and is poorly understood, this
concurs with the scenario among teachers in Tigania East District. The teachers
seemed to be in agreement that the use of [eT is a new concept to them so most
were nbt competent in using these resources. In fact it was noted that even those
teachers who did not use leT resources believed that its use had positive impact on
the teaching of mathematics.
Teachers were divided on the issue of syllabus coverage as 37% of mathematics
teachers felt that the leT use leads to a faster coverage of syllabus while another
61
37% disagreed. The remammg 26% admitted that SInce they did not use the
resources, they could not tell if leT led to faster coverage of syllabus or not. A
similar response was found in respect to use of allocated time. 33% of the
mathematics teachers were in favour 'of better use of allocated time', while
another37% was against it. 30% of the teachers said they did not know whether it led
to better use of lesson time or not. On further interrogation the teachers said that at
times, the use such resources was time consuming and tended to slow down syllabus
coverage and make planning for the available time difficult. Since the percentage of
teachers that agreed with the idea that fC'I' leads to better use of time was less than
the percentage of those who did not, the study concluded that teachers in Tigania
East District have a negative attitude towards leT use in relation to syllabus
coverage. This is in line with Makau's findings in his paper on a previous leT
program in Kenyan schools. Makau (1989) observed that
"Pressure is exerted to the teacher to complete the syllabus
timely. . ... the teacher therefore orients his teaching
towards strategies that will allow timely syllabus
completion, no matter how good technologies that delay
such goals can be" (pI8)
Teachers with many lessons in a single day found it hard to plan and use these
resources during each mathematics lesson. This brings about the argument that if
teachers are already overwhelmed by their work, it would make it hard to have time
fo explore on the applicability of fC'I' in the teaching of mathematics. The amount of
work notwithstanding, proper preparation of teachers would help them to cover the
required work effectively as well as use the available IC']' resources to improve their
62
teaching. This preparation can be in terms of professional training, IC'T training, and
in-services that are K'T related.
Generally, teachers in Tigania East District have a positive attitude towards K'T.
This means that the teachers are willing to embrace the leT resources in their
teaching of mathematics. The fact that teachers perceive leT as a positive add-on to
the teaching of mathematics but were seen not to put the available into maximum
use (as concluded from figure 4.1) implies that these teachers have not yet embraced
the leT resources in their teaching. These teachers seem to lack enthusiasm in using
the leT resources although they perceive it to be a positive aspect.
4.4 Support Structures
The fourth objective of this study was "to assess support structures available in the
use of IC'f instructional resources in the studied secondary schools". To establish
this, the researcher considered the availability of power, intemet and in-service
courses for teachers. The research found out that out of the sampled schools, 66.9%
had electricity. This is a big percentage for a district which is newly formed. It was
noticed that 33% of these schools that have electricity also have a generator incase
of power blackouts. With the availability of electricity, most schools can acquire and
use resources such as computers, radios, television and video. This is because most
leT resources require power to operate. Some of the schools that were found not to
have electricity are in the process of acquiring it through the rural electrification
program which is aimed at supplying electricity to secondary schools, factories and
market centers. The availability of electricity is the first step towards embracing leT
63
in schools. This is because presence of resources in a school that has no electricity
would be of no use to the teaching process.
Further, another 22% of the schools have internet connectivity either using a modem
or open network. This means teachers in these particular schools can use intemet at
will to get information. The researcher sought from secondary school principals
what in-service programs their mathematics teachers were exposed to. 66.9% of
principals responded that their mathematics teachers had attended a workshop on
Strengthening of Mathematics and Sciences in Secondary Schools (SMASSE) while
another 33% said that their teachers had gone to various workshops organized by
private and ministry officers such as SKIDNET Kenya. It was established that a big
number of schools have insufficient trained mathematics teachers so they employ
form four leavers who have no professional training and no in-service training at all.
This trend shows that teachers are not prepared to embrace leT since their schools
lack necessary support structures to embrace the leT resources available in teaching
mathematics. Further, the researcher concluded that teachers in Tigania East District
not only lack leT training but some even lack professional training since untrained
teachers mostly form four leavers were given the immense responsibility of
teaching mathematics.
4.5 Barriers to the use of leT resources
Respondents were asked to tick which of the following factors are a barrier to them
in the process of teaching mathematics by use of l'CT resources. The number of
teachers who chose each factor was tabulated and percentages indicated in the boxes.
Table 4.3: Teacher responses on barriers they face during their teaching using fCf
64
Barrier faced not a barrier Not known Minor Major
Not enough or 44.4% 18.5% 37.04%
limited access to
computer hardware
other resources
Electricity 66.7% 33.3%
Time in 18.5% 81.5%
school schedule for
projects involving leT
Technical support for 7.4% 11% 3.7% 77.8%
leT Projects
Knowledge 18.5% 7.4% 77.8%
about ways to integrate
to enhance curriculum
leT integration is 14.8% 11% 81.5%
not a school priority
Finding 40.7% 7.4% 51.8%
substitutes 111 order for
teachers to
attend training
Students access to 3.7% 96.3%
necessary
technology at home
Teachers access to the 40.7% 7.4% 51.8%
necessary technology
home
It is observed that only 37.04% of the respondents felt that 'inadequate
resources' was a major barrier while another 33.3% also felt that electricity is a
65
major barrier towards teaching using leT. Since this percentage that finds their
constrains more as coming from availability of resources and support structures
is below 50% ,we may conclude that the problem is not due to unavailability.
Secondly, 'insufficient time' in the school schedule for the projects involving
K'T was mentioned by 81.5% of teachers in Tigania East district as a major
barrier. This means that secondary schools do not support projects involving
leT. It is noted that school administrators are more interested in the school
routine and pay less attention to new technology.
Thirdly, it is clear that teachers lack knowledge on how to incorporate K'T
resources in their mathematics lessons. A big percentage (77.8%) categorized
this as a major barrier in their teaching using leT resources. When teachers were
asked about the induction courses they have been exposed to, it was found that
out of the interviewed teachers 84.4% have not even attended a workshop in
their teaching career. Furthermore, since the introduction of calculators, teachers
have never been trained on what is expected of them as they use the calculators,
all the respondents said they had no training so they only use the manufacturer's
manual to explore the available options in using various keys Oh the calculators.
Another major barrier mentioned by teachers is difficulties in integrating and
using different fC'T tools in a lesson. Teachers who have been trained and are
used to teaching using other resources now find the presence of leT resources in
class as an interruption and they are not certain which position to give them.
Students tend to play around with calculators while the teacher is introducing a
new concept and this makes it hard for the teachers to control the class. Teachers
66
of mathematics therefore need to be trained/inducted on the use of calculators
and other available resources so that they can use them effectively.
4.6 Summary on Preparedness of teachers to embrace leT
Preparedness of teachers to leT in teaching Mathematics in Tigania East District
is implied from the above findings. In 4.1, the study established that schools in
the district had a variety of resources but teachers were mostly seen to avoid
these resources in their teaching. Teachers rather preferred to teach using
traditional methods which mostly are chalk and talk. On taking a look at the
teacher's perceptions and attitudes towards IC'I', it was observed that teachers
portrayed a positive attitude and they seemed to view IC'I' as a solution to their
teaching problems. How then is it possible that they do not apply the available
resources to improve their teaching? The response to this question is seen partly
from the table 4.4 and from some direct questions asked by the researcher
through the interview schedule. Teachers felt incompetent to use these resources
and hence shying away from using them. Some teachers complained of
calculators breaking down easily hence destructing their teaching. On being
asked whether they had received any leT related training, these mathematics
teachers said they lacked this kind of exposure and would desire regular training
to keep up with the changing times.
The following chapter five gives a summary of the findings, conclusion and
recommendation for further study.
67
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction
This study documents the use of leT for teaching mathematics in Tigania East
District in relation to availability and teacher preparedness. The study also
looked at how the available leT resources are used and barriers that hinder
teachers from using these available leT resources. The chapter gives a summary
of the findings, conclusions, reconunendations and suggestions for further
studies.
5.1 Summary of the findings
5.1.1 Availability of ICT resources
This study observed the following: First, all secondary schools in Tigania East
district have some SOli of leT resource, calculators being the basic leT resource
in each secondary school. Since the introduction of calculators in secondary
school mathematics curriculum, schools administrations have embarked on a
supportive mission on provision of calculators to their teachers. Students on the
other hand have had their parents buy for them calculators. Generally therefore
all secondary school mathematics teachers have access to this leT resource and
can use it for teaching of the subject.
Secondly, more than 50% of secondary schools in the district have electricity.
Other secondary schools which do not have electricity have a plan or are in the
process of acquiring it through the rural electrification program. The presence of
68
electricity makes it easy for schools to use JCT resources such as computers,
printers, television, radio and projectors among others. This is because lack of
power is a major limiting factor as these resources cannot operate without it.
In addition, 66.7% of secondary schools have computers and printers which are
either bought by the schools or provided by donors. Out of the schools with
computers, only 33.3% have a centralized room where teachers can take students
and present a lesson with students sharing computers such that each can access a
screen. On average the school with many computers has a sharing ratio of 1:3. In
other schools, computers are few and mostly reserved for office purposes.
Finally, other lCT resources such as television, video and radio are available in
almost all secondary schools that have electricity. In all the schools that were
found to have this resource, the quantities were 1 or 2 per school since they were
meant for entertainment and not as a teaching or learning resource.
5.1.2 Utilization of resources
In the case of calculators, although mathematics teachers said it can be used in a
variety of topics such as statistics, trigonometry, binomial expansion among
others, in real practical sense they do not use them for teaching. Having observed
several lessons in various schools, it was established that the calculators were
only reserved for computations except for the topic of "errors and use of
calculators" which is taught at form 3 level. During this topic, the mathematics
teacher demonstrates the functions of various keys on the calculator as learners
practice. Once this topic has been taught, the teacher rarely carries a calculator to
class.
69
Secondly, mathematics teachers said that a computer is a vital resource in
teaching of mathematics in topics such as 3-dimensional geometry, statistics, and
geometrical constructions where they proposed the use of computer simulations
to help in better understanding concepts. However, on further questioning,
teachers admitted that they do not use computers in their teaching mainly
because it is not a priority. They felt it would require more time and the
preparation for the lesson would also be hectic.
Thirdly, mathematics teachers seem to be aware that internet is a source of vital
information and lesson content but they do not often refer to. They claimed that
the content from the text book is not even sufficiently covered within the
available time.
Fourthly, the availability of television, video and radio does not seem to appeal
the mathematics teachers in terms of utilization in mathematics lessons. The
mathematics teachers agree that the television and video can be used in the
presentation of recorded lessons in areas that seem to challenge students such as
geometrical constructions. However, the teachers do not use either of these
resources in their teaching of mathematics.
5.1.3 Professional and academic qualification of the respondents.
With regard to professional qualifications, the researcher found out that 63% of
the mathematics teachers in the district had been trained to teach mathematics
either at degree level or diploma level. A further 11% of the mathematics
70
teachers have gone ahead to pursue Masters Degrees in vanous fields. This
category of mathematics teachers is well equipped to handle any mathematics
concepts and also can present their lesson in an organized way.
Another 26% is that of untrained mathematics teachers. Secondary schools in
Tigania East district seem to be understaffed in terms of mathematics teachers so
they employ any available teacher. This includes those with degree in other areas
and form four leavers. A big percentage of those teachers handling the subject
are KCSE certificate holders. Such a teacher is not qualified in terms of
methodology of teaching and even in terms of content. It was observed that these
teachers only read the text book content and transfer it without the use of any
resources. These teachers further do not spend time experimenting with
resources, rather they present their lessons by lecture and demonstration
methods.
5.1.4 Mathematics teachers' qualifications in relation to leT
The study observed that the mathematics teachers lacked proper training in the
use of ICT. It was observed that in the course of teacher training for both
diploma and degree holders for mathematics teachers, the teachers were not
exposed to training in the use of ICT as a teaching resource in the subject.
Teachers with degree and diplomas found to have some sort of ICT training had
attended computer colleges on their own for personal reasons other than the use
for teaching. These teachers have certificate in computer packages and a few
have diploma in information technology.
71
Among the mathematics teachers, who lacked professional training, 47% had
some K'T qualifications such as certificate in computer packages and others have
diploma in information technology. However, having fCT qualification but
lacking professional training does not help in lesson delivery due to lack of
methodology.
5.1.5 Teacher perceptions in use of I'C'I'
The study observed that mathematics teachers had a general positive attitude that
the use of leT resources helps to improve classroom environment during
mathematics lessons. They seem to be in agreement that the use of leT during
mathematics lessons improves the learning environment, learners' interest and
level of understanding.
The teachers however had different views in terms of lesson coverage and time
spent. A 37% of teachers felt that the presence of leT resources required more
time to deliver a concept and that it slowed down the teachers pace in the lesson
coverage.
However since the response was over 50% in favor of leT in terms of syllabus
coverage and proper utilization of time. The researcher concluded that the
mathematics teachers in Tigania East district have a positive perception towards
the use of leT in mathematics lessons.
72
5.1.6 Availability of induction courses
The study observed that besides the lack of a good leT training program in
diploma and degree courses in the Kenyan colleges and universities, there is a
further shortage of in-service programs in the same area.
The study revealed that there is shortage in K'T training courses even after
teachers have left colleges. The introduction of calculators in secondary school
curriculum was not preceded by any form of training for the teachers on how to
use the teaching resource.
Teachers who attended the SMASSE program successfully and went through the
four cycle program said that there was nothing to learn on the application of ICl'
in their teaching. In addition, the few workshops mathematics teachers attend are
mostly based on the performance of students in national exams and rarely are
they based on teaching methodology.
5.1.7 Barriers to using I'C'I' in the teaching of mathematics
It is observed that only 37.4% of the interviewed teachers felt that lack of access
to adequate resources was a major barrier. Another 33.3% also felt that lack of
electricity is a major barrier. The percentage of teachers that finds their
constraints more as coming from availability of resources and support structures
is below 50%, it therefore may be concluded that the problem is not due to
unavailability.
Secondly, insufficient time in the school schedule for the projects involving leT
was mentioned by most teachers in Tigania East district as a major barrier. This
73
means that secondary schools do not support projects involving ICT. It is noted
that school administrators are more interested in the school routine and pay less
attention to new technology.
Thirdly, it is clear that teachers lack knowledge on how to incorporate leT
resources in their mathematics lessons. This was seen from the large percentage
(77.8%) that responded that "lack of knowledge" is a major barrier in their
teaching using l'C'I' resources. Teachers have not been exposed to any induction
courses. In the use of calculators, teachers said they had no training, so they only
use the manufacturer's manual to explore the available options in using various
keys on the calculators.
Another major barrier mentioned by teachers is difficulties in integrating and
using different leT tools in a lesson. Teachers who have been trained and are
used to teaching using other resources now find the presence of K'T resources in
class as an interruption and they are not certain which position to give them.
Students tend to play around with calculators while the teacher is introducing a
new concept and this makes it hard for the teachers to control the class. These
were the sentiments from the interviewed teachers. On being probed on what
they would they said that they should have been inducted on the essence of
calculators in the form 3 and 4 classes at the beginning. However, all is not lost
as they can be trained at this point in view to the various ICT resources currently
in their schools. Teachers of mathematics therefore need to be trained/inducted
on the use of calculators and other available resources through INSETs so that
they can use them effectively.
74
5.1.8 Mathematics teachers Preparedness to embrace lCT
Preparedness of teachers to embrace K'T in teaching Mathematics in Tigania
East District is implied from the above findings. The study established that
schools in the district had a variety of resources but teachers were mostly seen to
avoid these resources in their teaching. On considering the teacher's perceptions
and attitudes towards leT, it was seen that teachers portrayed a positive attitude
and they seemed to view K'T as a solution to their teaching problems. Teachers
felt incompetent to use these resources and hence shying away from using them.
They said they did not receive any training when calculators were introduced so
they viewed the calculator as a tool for computation rather than for teaching.
Television and radio on the other hand were used purely for entertainment
purposes. Mathematics teachers desired regular training to keep up with the
changing times.
5.2 Conclusion
Teacher preparedness was looked at in three aspects namely; utilization of
available resources, teacher training and teacher attitudes towards fC'I'. The
research established that there is a serious lack of both professional and leT
related training among mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Tigania
East District. In utilization of resources, teachers were seen not to use the
available resources exhaustively. Teacher attitudes towards leT were generally
positive which implies that the teachers perceive technology as an add-on that
would improve the teaching of mathematics. Although teachers perceive leT as
a tool that would improve their teaching of mathematics, they did not make use
75
of the resources in their schools. This directs the researcher to the conclusion that
teachers are willing to embrace leT in the teaching of mathematics but the lack
of know how is a hindrance. Tills implies that teachers are not prepared to
embrace JC'T resources for teaching mathematics in secondary schools of
Tigania East District.
5.3 Recommendations
This study revealed issues that led to the following recommendations.
1. That there should be a proper plan to in-service mathematics teachers
regularly to move with the current times. There should be in-service courses to
improve the teaching methodologies from time to time.
2. Mathematics teachers should be oriented towards leT use in teaching
methods during the semesters when the units of the subject methods are taught.
The department of communication technology should incorporate the l'Cf
resource in the courses dealing with mathematics teaching methods. While
learning this, the student-teachers should learn how to incorporate calculators,
computers, Power Point projection, radios and even video and television to
improve the learning and teaching of the subject.
3. Secondary schools administration should prioritize leT which has been seen
to improve the learning environment. Since most schools have electricity and
generators, the schools should provide enough leT resources for the teachers to
76
use during lesson presentation. Besides providing scientific calculators, schools
can provide graphic calculators to expose the students.
4. Having noted a teacher shortage to the extent of having KCSE certificate
holders as mathematics teachers, it is recommended that the community
reorgamzes its finances so as to employ trained Mathematics teachers to
supplement those employed by the government.
5. Over the years, mathematics as a subject has been viewed as difficult. The
teaching of the subject has remained static while technology has been dynamic.
It is therefore recommended that all mathematics teachers are completely in
serviced to fit in the rather changing technological time.
6. For schools with computer laboratories, it is recommended that the room is
made accessible to mathematics teachers so that they can prepare lessons using
the available resources.
5.4 Suggestions for further research.
1. This study restricted itself to the general use of various ICT resources in the
teaching of mathematics. There is need for a study on how each of these lCT
resources can be used for teaching various topics in the secondary school
mathematics curriculum.
-'fE~lYATTAUr~IVERSITY LiBRARY
77
2. This study majored on how mathematics teachers are prepared to use leT in
their daily teaching of the subject. A further study in other subjects is
recommended to find out if other subjects' teachers may need retraining or
simple in-servicing.
3. A study on how vanous leT resources such as computers, televisions,
camera, and radios among others can be used for teaching 111 other subjects
besides mathematics is also recommended.
78
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APPENDIX A:
TEACHERS OF MATHEMATICS QUESTIONNAIRE (TMQ)
This questionnaire is aimed at obtaining information about the preparedness of
secondary school mathematics teachers in embracing, appreciating and using
lCT in their day to day teaching. The information you give is for research
purpose only and will be treated with all confidentiality. Your cooperation will
be highly appreciated. Please respond to all the questions as honestly as possible. \.
a) Teacher Profile
In the table below, please indicate your highest academic qualifications by
ticking in the relevant box.
HIGHEST LEVEL TICK OR CROSS
EDUCATION.
KCSE certificate
College diploma in education
College diploma in another field
University degree in education
University degree in another field,
other than education
Masters degree in education
Masters degree in another field
(specify)
I.
90
b) Teacher Qualifications In Relation To ICT
In the table below, please indicate your ICT related qualifications by ticking in
the relevant spaces.
HIGHEST LEVEL OF ICT EDUCATION. TICK OR CROSS
Degree in IT (Information Technology)
Diploma in IT (information Technology)
Certificate in IT (Information Technology)
Certificate in some computer packages
None
c) Do you feel competent to use various ICT resources in your teaching of
mathematics? yes----, No-----
d) What other ICT training would you wish to be trained in so as to improve
your teaching of mathematics? ----------------
e) Common Computer Applications by Teachers
In the spaces provided, please tick the computer package you use in your
teaching of mathematics indicating how frequently you use it. Use a tick to show
the packages that you Do Not Use, Use Rarely, Use Frequently, or Use Very
Frequently
91
Packages/ Application Not used Rarely used Frequently used Very frequently used
Computers in general
Word-processing packa
Spreadsheets
Databases
Graphical
Applications
Presentation software
Any Internet activity
Hypermedia / MuItimec
Simulation
Program
Drill / Practice
Tutorials
t) Barriers Faced by Teachers in using I'C'I' resources for teaching
mathematics.
In your teaching, a number of issues faced could pose as a barrier to the effective
use of ICT, please tick the ones that apply to your case.
92
barrier faced not a barri Not known Minor Major
Access to computer
hardware and other resourc
Electricity
Availability of adequate
technical support for
icr projects
Knowledge about ways to
Integrate leT to enhance
teaching
I
IC'I' integration is not a
school priority
Finding teacher's
substitutes for them to
attend leT related training
Access to the necessary
technology at home
Integrating and using
different leT tools in a
single lesson
(
93
g) How do you as a teacher deal with the issues you considered to be a barrier in
your teaching?
h) List some support actions that would be needed to support your teaching using
ICT?
i) Teacher perceptions
As a mathematics teacher, how do you perceive ICT? What outcome do you
think would result from proper use of ICT resources in the teaching of
Mathematics in secondary school? In the table below Use SA for strongly agree,
A for Agree, DK for Do not know, D for Disagree, SD for strongly disagree to
indicate how you perceive ICT in relation to teaching mathematics.
Using I'CT in a mathematics lesson .
EXPECTED OUTCOME SA A DK D SD
Leads to a more interesting learning environment
Leads to a deeper understanding of concepts
Leads to students with aroused interest -
Creates a highly interactive classroom environment -
Leads to faster coverage of syllabus
Leads to better use of allocated time
94
APPENDIXB:
Interview Schedule for Selected Teachers (one mathematics teacher for each
sampled school)
The following questions are aimed at obtaining information about the
preparedness of secondary school mathematics teachers in embracing,
appreciating and using ICT in their day to day teaching. The information you
give is for research purpose only and will be treated with all confidentiality.
Your cooperation will be highly appreciated. Please answer the questions asked
to the best of your knowledge.
1. RELEVANT PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
a) How many years have you taught mathematics ( )
b) What is your highest academic qualification? ---------------------
c) Have you undergone any computer related training YES ( ) NO ( )
d) If yes in c above, what is the highest level of computer training
e) Have you undergone any ICT related course for teaching mathematics YES ()
NO()
State which course .
f) When calculators were introduced and made compulsory for teaching and
learning mathematics, were you trained to handle them in teaching?
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g) What related challenges did you face in using the calculator for teaching
mathematics?
2. PEDAGOGICAL RESOURCES
Which of the following ICT resources do you use for teaching mathematics (tick
those you use)
a) Radio c:J
b) Television and video c:::J
c) Computers c:::J
d) Calculators D
e) any other ( name it) D
3. TOPICS IN WHICH TEACHERS USE ICT
a) In which of the following topics in secondary school mathematics would a
teacher use calculators?
Statistics------ Logarithms------- Trigonometry------ geometry------
b) In which topics in secondary school mathematics does a teacher not need the
use of calculators?
c) In which of the following topics in secondary school mathematics would a
teacher use computers?
Statistics------ Logarithms------- Trigonometry------ geometry------
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d) In which areas of mathematics does a teacher not need the use of
computer?
e) In which of the following topics in secondary school mathematics would
a teacher use television and video?
Statistics------ Logarithms------- Trigonometry------ geometry------
f) In which of the following topics in secondary school mathematics would a
teacher use radio?
Statistics------ Logarithms------- Trigonometry------ geometry------
4. What challenges do you face when using leT for teaching mathematics? (use
tick or cross)
a) Lack of know how in using l'C'l' appropriately ( )
b) Lack of the required leT resource ( )
c) Lack of sufficient class-time to set up the lesson activities ( )
d) Power failure and frequent blackouts ( )
e) Lack of interest by students ( )
f) State any other------------------------------------------
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APPENDIXC
Observation Schedule
The researcher will fill in the spaces provided as per the available resources and
their state! condition.
a) Resources available
TYPE BRAND! QUANTITY GOOD FAIR SALVAGE
TYPE CONDITI01\ CONDITI01\
Radio
Computer
Printers
Television
Video
Calculators
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b) Purpose for which the ICT resources are used
One appointed mathematics teacher for each school with ICT resources to
observe a mathematics lesson in form III class and fill in the table.
ICT RESOURCE TEACHER STUDENTS TOPICS
ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES TAUGHT
Computer
Calculators
Television and
Video
Radio
Other ICT resources
Seen
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APPENDIXD:
Questionnaire for Secondary School Principals
The following questionnaire is aimed at obtaining information about the
preparedness of secondary school mathematics teachers in embracing,
appreciating and using lCT in their day to day teaching. The information you
give is for research purpose only and will be treated with all confidentiality.
Your cooperation will be highly appreciated. Please answer the questions in the
spaces provided
1) TEACHER TRAINING
a) How many mathematics teachers do you have? -----
b) Do you provide professional books for your mathematics teachers? YES--- NO--
c) What in service programs have your mathematics teachers been exposed to in
relation to lCT use for teaching mathematics?
2) ICT resources
a) What ICT resources are available In your school that IS used In teaching
mathematics?.
b) Who buys calculators for student's use? Parents( ), the school( ), donors( ),
others ( )
c) Does your school provide calculators to your mathematics teachers? YES--- NO-
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d) Does your school have intemet services that would be used by the mathematics
teachers?
e) Does the heads association support the use of JCT for teaching Mathematics in
secondary schools? YES--- NO----
f) Which of the following do you have in your school that aid in the use of ICT in
teaching mathematics? Tick as appropriate.
Electricity-----
Solar-----------
D
Cl
DGenerator------
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APPENDIX E:
A List of Secondary Schools in Tigania East District.
1. Karama boys secondary school
2. Antuanduru day secondary school
3. St Marys mixed secondary school
4. Mbaranga day secondary school
5. Ntirutu day secondary school
6. St Angelas girls secondary school
7. Nyambene girls secondary school
8. St Cyprian boys secondary school
9. Luuma day secondary school
10. Nchui day secondary school-- Sampled for piloting
11. Rumanthi secondary school
12. Lailuba day secondary school
13. Mukinduri girls secondary school
14. Irindiro secondary school
15. Akaiga secondary school-sampled for piloting
16. Kiguchwa day secondary school
17. Muthara day secondary school
·18. Thubuku day secondary school
19. St Massimo secondary school
20. Kaliene secondary school
21. Ametho secondary school
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22. Ankamia secondary school
23. Thuuri secondary school
24. Mutiwa secondary school
25. Marega secondary school
26. Ngage secondary school
27. Michiimikuru day secondary school
28. Maburwa day secondary school
29. Muthara high school
30. Lubuathirua day secondary school
Key: highlighted schools were the ones selected for the study.
KENYAfJA UNiVERSITY LIBRAF Y