A comparative study of principals’ roles in the implementation of information and communication technologies

Abstract

Education is crucial for human civilization and requires technology, particularly in teaching and learning. Information and communication technologies (ICT) revolutionized education in the 1980s, leading to the potential obsolescence of textbooks. Global education systems must embrace technological advancements and changes to adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. ICT will facilitate education through improved access, equity, stronger connections, and enhanced professional development of teachers. However, ICT is not yet universally accepted or used. School principals and teachers play a vital role in ensuring ICT implementation effectively. Research shows that ICTs significantly enhance the quality of education, and the need for closer integration of technology in the school system is highlighted. The South African e-Education policy aims to revolutionize learning and teaching, but school management policies influence its implementation.

This research study examines the role of principals in implementing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools. The study uses an interpretive qualitative approach and a multiple case study design. The research population includes nine principals and fifty-six teachers from nine primary schools in Motheo and Xhariep Districts, with seven teachers from each school participating. Data collection methods include focus-group interviews, semi-structured individual interviews, document analysis, and observation. The study investigates the ICT capacities of principals in different school settings and their impact on effective implementation. Principals in quintile 1-3 and quintile 4-5 schools are proficient in using computers but lack formal training. Teachers appreciate ICT's value but lack support. Barriers to successful implementation include policy absence, infrastructure issues, load shedding, electricity supply interruptions, equipment accessibility, outdated laptops, and insufficient internet connectivity. The leadership role of principals is crucial, but there is room for improvement in leadership support and classroom technology use.

The study explores the role of principals in implementing ICT in South African schools. It provides insights into the digital divide and offers guidance on effective strategies for successful implementation. The findings can inform decision-making and practice in ICT implementation, support ICT integration initiatives, and help teachers improve their ICT proficiency. The study fills a gap in research by comparing ICT implementation in different settings and the principal's role. It explores various theories in leadership and management, generating new knowledge and fostering innovation in leadership and management practices. Further research could explore resource allocation, maintenance, and security challenges schools face, principals' instructional leadership role in ICT, strategies for implementing management and leadership principles, and strategies to bridge the digital divide. A mixed-methods study could evaluate ICT implementation's effectiveness and impact on learner achievement.

Onderwys is van kardinale belang vir die menslike beskawing en vereis tegnologie, veral in onderrig en leer. Inligting- en Kommunikasietegnologieë (IKT) het onderwys in die 1980’s getransformeer en gelei tot die moontlike veroudering van handboeke. Globale onderwysstelsels moet tegnologiese vooruitgang en veranderinge aanvaar om aan te pas by die Vierde Industriële Revolusie. IKT sal onderwys bevorder deur verbeterde toegang, gelykheid, sterker verbindings en verbeterde professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers. Tog word IKT nog nie universeel aanvaar of gebruik nie. Skoolhoofde en onderwysers speel ’n sleutelrol in die effektiewe implementering van IKT. Navorsing toon dat IKT die gehalte van onderwys aansienlik verbeter, en die behoefte aan nouer integrasie van tegnologie in die skoolstelsel word beklemtoon. Die Suid-Afrikaanse e-Onderwysbeleid poog om leer en onderrig totaal te hervorm, maar skoolbestuursbeleide beïnvloed die implementering daarvan. Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die rol van skoolhoofde in die implementering van IKT in skole. Die studie gebruik ’n interpretatiewe kwalitatiewe benadering en ’n meervoudige gevallestudie-ontwerp. Die navorsingspopulasie sluit nege skoolhoofde en 56 onderwysers van nege laerskole in die Motheo- en Xhariep-distrikte in, met sewe onderwysers per skool wat deelneem. Data-insamelingsmetodes sluit fokusgroeponderhoude, semigestruktureerde individuele onderhoude, ’n dokumentanalise en observasie in. Die studie ondersoek die IKT-vermoëns van skoolhoofde in verskillende skoolomgewings en hul invloed op effektiewe implementering. Skoolhoofde in kwintiel 1–3 en kwintiel 4–5 skole is vaardig in die gebruik van rekenaars, maar het nie formele opleiding nie. Onderwysers waardeer die waarde van IKT, maar ontvang onvoldoende ondersteuning. Hindernisse tot suksesvolle implementering sluit die afwesigheid van ’n beleid, infrastruktuurprobleme, beurtkrag, onderbrekings in elektrisiteitsvoorsiening, beperkte toegang tot toerusting, verouderde skootrekenaars en onvoldoende internetkonneksie in. Die leierskapsrol van skoolhoofde is van kardinale belang, maar daar is ruimte vir verbetering in leierskapsondersteuning en die gebruik van tegnologie in klaskamers. Hierdie studie ondersoek die rol van skoolhoofde in die implementering van IKT in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. Dit bied insigte in die digitale skeiding en verskaf riglyne vir effektiewe strategieë vir suksesvolle implementering. Die bevindinge kan besluitneming en praktyk in IKT-implementering ondersteun, IKT-integrasie-inisiatiewe bevorder en onderwysers help om hul IKT-vaardighede te verbeter. Die studie vul ’n navorsingsleemte deur IKT-implementering in verskillende omgewings en die rol van die skoolhoof te vergelyk. Dit ondersoek verskeie teorieë in leierskap en bestuur, genereer nuwe kennis en bevorder innovasie in leierskaps- en bestuurspraktyke. Verdere navorsing kan fokus op hulpbrontoewysing, instandhouding en sekuriteitsuitdagings wat skole in die gesig staar, die aanwysende leierskapsrol van skoolhoofde in IKT, strategieë vir die implementering van bestuurs- en leierskapsbeginsels, en strategieë om die digitale skeiding te oorbrug. ’n Gemengdemetodestudie kan die doeltreffendheid van IKT-implementering en die impak daarvan op leerderprestasie evalueer.

Thuto e bohlokwa bakeng sa tswelopele ya batho mme e hloka theknoloji, haholoholo ha ho rutwa le ha ho ithutwa. Theknoloji ya Lesedi le Dikgokahano (ICT) e ile ya fetola thuto dilemong tsa bo1980, e leng se ileng sa etsa hore dibuka tsa sekolo di se ke tsa hlola di sebediswa. Ditsamaiso tsa thuto tsa lefatshe di tlameha ho amohela tswelopele ya theknoloji le diphetoho ho ikamahanya le Phetoho ya Bone ya Indaseteri. ICT e tla nolofaletsa thuto ka ho ntlafatsa phihlello, tekano, dikgokahano tse matla le ntlafatso ya ditsebi tsa matitjhere. Leha ho le jwalo, ICT ha e so amohelwe kapa e sebediswe hohle. Batsamaisi ba dikolo le matitjhere ba na le seabo sa bohlokwa sa ho nnetefatsa hore ho sebediswa ICT ka katleho. Diphuputso di bontsha hore ICT e ntlafatsa boleng ba thuto haholo, mme ho totobatswa tlhokahalo ya ho kopanya theknoloji haufiufi tsamaisong ya sekolo. Leano la Afrika Borwa la Thuto ka Elektroniki le ikemiseditse ho fetola thuto le ho ruta, empa maano a tsamaiso ya dikolo a susumetsa ho sebediswa ha lona. Diphuputso tsena di hlahloba karolo ya batsamaisi ba dikolo ho sebedisa Theknoloji ya Lesedi le Dikgokahano (ICT) dikolong. Diphuputso tsena di sebedisa mokgwa wa ho hlalosa le wa boleng le moralo wa dithuto tse ngata. Bakgathatema diphuputsong tsena ba kenyeletsa dihlooho tsa dikolo tse robong le matitjhere a mashome a mahlano a metso e tsheletseng a tswang dikolong tse robong tsa mathomo diterekeng tsa Motheo le Xhariep, mme matitjhere a supileng a tswang sekolong ka seng a ba le seabo. Mekgwa ya ho bokella boitsebiso e akarelletsa dipuisano tsa dihlopha tse tsepamisitseng maikutlo, dipuisano tsa batho ka bomong tse hlophisitsweng ka mokgwa o sa fellang, tlhahlobo ya ditokomane le ho shebella. Diphuputso tsena di hlahloba bokgoni ba ICT ba batsamaisi ba dikolo tse fapaneng le phello ya bona tshebetsong e sebetsang. Baokamedi ba dikolo tsa khwanthaele tsa 1-3 le khwanthaele tsa 4-5 ba tseba ho sebedisa dikhomphutha empa ha ba na kwetliso ya molao. Matitjhere a ananela bohlokwa ba ICT empa ha a fumane tshehetso. Dithibelo tsa ho sebedisa katleho di kenyelletsa ho ba siyo ha leano, ditaba tsa meralo ya motheo, ho theola mojaro, ho kgaoha ha phepelo ya motlakase, phihlello ya disebediswa, di-laptop tse feletsweng ke nako le kgokahano e sa lekaneng ya inthanete. Boetapele ba batsamaisi ba dikolo bo bohlokwa, empa ho na le sebaka sa ntlafatso ho tshehetso ya boetapele le tshebediso ya theknoloji ya ka tlelaseng. Diphuputso tsena di hlahloba karolo eo dihlooho tsa dikolo di e phethang ya ho sebedisa ICT dikolong tsa Afrika Borwa. E fana ka lesedi mabapi le lekgalo la dijithale mme e fana ka tataiso mabapi le maano a sebetsang bakeng sa tshebetso e atlehileng. Diphuputso di ka thusa ho etsa diqeto le ho sebedisa mekgwa ya ho kenya tshebetsong ICT, ho tshehetsa matsapa a ho kenyelletsa ICT, le ho thusa matitjhere ho ntlafatsa tsebo ya bona ya ICT. Diphuputso tsena di tlatsa lekgalo dipatlisisong ka ho bapisa ho kenywa tshebetsong ha ICT maemong a fapaneng le seabo sa mosuwehlooho. Di hlahloba dikgopolo tse fapaneng tsa boetapele le tsamaiso, ho hlahisa tsebo e ntjha le ho kgothaletsa boqapi ditshebetsong tsa boetapele le tsamaiso. Diphuputso tse ding di ka nna tsa batlisisa hore na dikolo di lokela ho sebedisa mehlodi e mekae, hore na di lokela ho e hlokomela jwang le hore na di ka sebetsana jwang le mathata a tshireletseho, hore na dihlooho tsa dikolo di lokela ho ba le boikarabelo bofe mabapi le ho sebedisa mekgwa ya ho buisana le batho ka inthanete, hore na ho ka sebediswa mekgwa efe ho kenya melao ya motheo ya tsamaiso le ya boetapele tshebetsong, le hore na ho ka sebediswa mekgwa efe ho kwala lekgalo la dijithale. Diphuputso tsa mekgwa e tswakilweng di ka lekola katleho ya ho sebedisa ICT le phello ho katleho ya baithuti.

Imfundo ibalulekile empucukweni yabantu futhi idinga ubuchwepheshe, ikakhulukazi ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. I-Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) yaguqula imfundo ngeminyaka yawo-1980, okwaholela ekuphelelweni kwezincwadi okungaba khona. Izinhlelo zemfundo yomhlaba wonke kumele zamukele intuthuko kwezobuchwepheshe kanye nezinguquko ukuze zivumelane ne-Fourth Industrial Revolution. I-ICT izokwenza lula imfundo ngokufinyelela okuthuthukisiwe, ukulingana, ukuxhumana okuqinile, kanye nokuthuthukiswa kochwepheshe okuthuthukisiwe kothisha. Nokho, i-ICT ayikamukelwa noma isetshenziswe emhlabeni wonke. Othishanhloko nothisha badlala indima ebalulekile ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi i-ICT isetshenziswa ngempumelelo. Ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi i-ICT ilithuthukisa kakhulu izinga lemfundo, futhi isidingo sokuhlanganiswa okuseduze kobuchwepheshe ohlelweni lwesikole siyagqanyiswa. Inqubomgomo yeMfundo yaseNingizimu Afrikha ihlose ukuguqula indlela yokufunda nokufundisa, kodwa izinqubomgomo zokuphatha izikole zinomthelela ekusetshenzisweni kwayo. Lolu cwaningo lubheka indima yothishanhloko ekusebenziseni ubuchwepheshe be-Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ezikoleni. Ucwaningo lusebenzisa indlela echazayo yekhwalithethivu kanye nomklamo wocwaningo lwezimo eziningi. Isibalo socwaningo sihlanganisa othishanhloko abayisishiyagalolunye nothisha abangamashumi amahlanu nesithupha abavela ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi eziyisishiyagalolunye ezifundeni zaseMotheo naseXhariep, nothisha abayisikhombisa besikole ngasinye ababambiqhaza. Izindlela zokuqoqwa kwedatha zifaka phakathi izingxoxo zamaqembu okugxilwe kuwo, izingxoxo zomuntu ngamunye ezihlelwe kancane, ukuhlaziya imibhalo, nokubheka. Ucwaningo luphenya amakhono e-ICT othishanhloko ezindaweni ezahlukene zesikole kanye nomthelela wabo ekusetshenzisweni ngempumelelo. Othishanhloko bezikole eziku-quintile 1-3 kanye ne-quintile 4-5 banekhono ekusebenziseni amakhompyutha kodwa abanakho ukuqeqeshwa okusemthethweni. Othisha bayakwazisa ukubaluleka kwe-ICT kodwa abasekeli. Izithiyo zokuqalisa ukusebenza ngempumelelo zihlanganisa ukungabikho kwenqubomgomo, izinkinga zengqalasizinda, ukucishwa kukagesi, ukuphazamiseka kokuphakelwa kukagesi, ukufinyeleleka kwemishini, amakhompyutha aphathekayo aphelelwe yisikhathi, kanye nokungaxhunywa kwe-inthanethi okwanele. Iqhaza lobuholi bothishanhloko libalulekile, kodwa sikhona isikhala sokuthuthukiswa ekusekelweni kobuholi nasekusetshenzisweni kobuchwepheshe bekilasi. Lolu cwaningo lubheka indima yothishanhloko ekusebenziseni i-ICT ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrikha. Ihlinzeka ngemininingwane ekuhlukaniseni kwedijithali futhi inikeza isiqondiso ngamasu asebenzayo okusetshenziswa ngempumelelo. Okutholakele kungazisa ukuthathwa kwezinqumo nokuzijwayeza ekusetshenzisweni kwe-ICT, kusekele imizamo yokuhlanganisa i-ICT, futhi kusize othisha bathuthukise amakhono abo e-ICT. Ucwaningo luvala igebe ocwaningweni ngokuqhathanisa ukuqaliswa kwe-ICT ezimeni ezahlukene kanye neqhaza likathishanhloko. Ihlola imibono eyahlukene ebuholini nasekuphatheni, ikhiqize ulwazi olusha futhi ikhuthaze ukuqamba okusha ebuholini nasezinkambisweni zokuphatha. Olunye ucwaningo lungahlola ukwabiwa kwezinsiza, ukunakekelwa, kanye nezinselele zokuphepha izikole ezibhekene nazo, indima yobuholi bokufundisa bothishanhloko ku-ICT, amasu okusebenzisa izimiso zokuphatha nobuholi, namasu okuvala ukuhlukana kwedijithali. Ucwaningo lwezindlela ezixubile lungahlola ukusebenza ngempumelelo kwe-ICT nomthelela empumelelweni yomfundi.