Embracing electronic communication in the 21st-century classroom: Rural Zimbabwean teachers’ experiences and perspectives

Abstract

This article investigated rural Zimbabwean secondary school teachers’ experiences and perceptions of the challenges that confront them in integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) into classroom practice. Given that Zimbabwe’s updated curriculum underscores ICTs as a critical vehicle for mediating the teachinglearning experiences of the learners in all subjects, the study sought to find out secondary school teachers’ experiences and any potential challenges they faced in embracing the country’s new educational thrust. The research’s ultimate objectives were to make recommendations on how ICTs could profitably be harnessed in rural schools and how teachers’ ICT know-how could be improved. A survey design was adopted for the study with three data-gathering instruments, namely; interviews, questionnaires and observation. The study’s results indicated that most rural teachers continued to rely on the traditional teaching approach and had not fully embraced the new educational paradigm. The findings also showed that there was prevalent lack of know-how amongst most ‘old generation’ teachers on how to adapt ICTs to their classroom practices. Amongst schools that had adopted ICTs, the study found out that there was lack of uniform practice in the way ICTs had been harnessed in lesson delivery. Basing on the results of this study, the researchers recommended in-service training for qualified teachers in ICT skills and also that teacher training colleges incorporate ICT in their curriculum.