Assessing Chemistry Teachers Knowledge and Skills in Using ICT in Teaching Organic Chemistry at the Senior High School in the Ashanti Region

Abstract

The advancement of science and technology vis-à-vis the constant need to improve upon the teaching practice is a course that when successfully put together would efficiently be very advantageous to the students and the teacher. The purpose of the study was to assess the barriers of ICT use, Support system and teachers’ knowledge and skills of ICT use in the teaching of Chemistry in senior high schools (SHSs) in the Ashanti Region. The teachers sampled for the study were from the various types of Senior High Schools (SHSs) such as mixed or co-educational SHSs, single sex female and single sex male in the Ashanti Region. The research instrument that was used to collect the data was questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were carried out to analyze the data using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) software version 16. The findings of the study identified perceived barriers of ICT integration in teaching in the SHSs as lack of enough or limited access to computers/computer lab, non-availability of computer software, lack of time in school schedule for integrating ICT and lack of adequate technical support. It also included not get any current technical support for provision of technical course for operating and maintaining computer system and having a technician in the classroom. Teachers’ knowledge and skill in technology use was not seen as a barrier to ICT integration in teaching. It is recommended that computer laboratories should be setup in SHSs and furnished with computers and software that will enable teachers plan and deliver their lesson effectively using ICT. The time table of the SHSs should be reviewed to cater for ICT integration which teachers’ perceived to be time consuming.

Keywords: Administrative support, Technical Support, Information and Communication Technology, Senior High School and West African Examination Council

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-24-03

Publication date:August 31^st 2020