TEACHERS’ TRAINING AND COMPETENCE IN TECHNOLOGY APPROPRIATION: THE CASE OF TEACHERS IN SAVELUGU.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ training and competence in appropriating technology as a methodological tool in teaching at Savelugu Experimental Cluster of Schools, in the Savelugu Municipality of Northern region, Ghana. This topic is chosen because, out of the several studies that have been conducted on the prospects of technology in education (for example, Aduwa-Ogiegbaen & Iyamu, 2005; Matthew, Joro, and Manasseh, 2015; Buabeng-Andoh, 2012), few of them has focus on the level of training and competence in-service teachers have or need to have, to effectively appropriate technology in their pedagogy. The topic is also chosen because the schools under study are technology enabled and there is the need understand how these technologies are appropriated and with what technology training and competence. The qualitative research method was followed to address the study’s research questions. The case study design was adopted to guide the conduct of the study. Data was collected through observation, document review and administration of semi-structured interviews to Sixteen (16) respondents, who were purposively selected to participate in this study. Thematic analysis of the study’s results revealed that, teachers in the schools under study perceived technology as an important tool in their work but had basic knowledge about its integration due to inadequate competence-based technology training programmes, which affected technology appropriation in the schools. The study concluded that teachers lacked the requisite technological competence to appropriate technology in the schools under study. It was recommended that; the Ministry of Education through Ghana Education Service should provide comprehensive and ongoing competence-based training for teachers, and make participation a requirement for point building for licence renewal. The Savelugu Municipal Directorate should also provide consistent monitoring and technical support on ICT and its usage to teachers.