Investigating technology acceptance in public secondary schools in Pretoria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which ICT (Information Communication Technology) is accepted and used in teaching in four public South African schools. The constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) were used to generate an understanding of educators’ technology acceptance and use in their classrooms for the purpose of teaching. It is generally understood that for the model to be successfully implemented, all the pillars of this theoretical framework must be present and operational in the classroom. This study followed a qualitative research approach and focused on multiple case studies. The use of a multiple-case study, which involved four schools in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa within a limited time, allowed the researcher to detect things that could be hidden or go undetected in a large-scale, broader, longitudinal study. Semi-structured interviews allowed the researcher to investigate individuals' opinions, their experiences, beliefs and/or possible motives on certain subjects. This instrument for collecting information allowed for more open-ended questions and is less structured. Data was also collected through field notes, observation and document analysis. The researcher opted to use the Atlas.ti programme to prepare and organise the data for analysis. It can be concluded from the findings that the educators perceived educational technology to be useful. There was a positive consensus among the participants that the technologies received are not difficult to use, and have in fact, reduced their workload. Further, there is a positive attitude from both learners and educators towards the technology.