Abstract:
In a developing country, education has become an essential factor for the
achievement of a stable economy. A country requires a good and modem education
system to produce professionals whose contribution is ultimately to become a
strength to the country for its development. Therefore, the investment in education
provides a path for economic growth in Sri Lanka for which the responsibility ofthe
government is to provide modem and quality education to every student.
Free secondary education has already been implemented and according to the latest
educational statistics, there are 9,662 schools, 212,683 teachers and 3,929,234
students in the country but the current education system is not at an up-to-date
standard in using IT.
Information Technology has been already incorporated to the current education
system through different methods such as establishing computer labs in schools,
educating students and teachers on the use of IT, incorporating IT as a subject in the
curriculum, etc. The use of IT tools has been recognized as a new concept and the
students get familiar with that technology only in the university environment. Hence,
if the student had absorbed the technology during his/her secondary education,
he/she would have been more productive in the university environment.
The aim of this study is to find out the factors affecting the use of IT tools for
secondary education in Sri Lanka. The IT tools are driving forces to provide quality
education to the students. The main human resources of the education system are
teachers who teach, guide, instruct and stimulate students to be successful in their
future with quality educational qualifications in hand. Special emphasis ofthis thesis
is the perception ofteachers on the factors affecting the use ofIT tools in teaching &
learning process ofthe secondary education.
The research utilized the survey method and questionnaires were used to collect data
from 370 teachers. Interviews were conducted with 7 IT and Non IT teachers as the
pilot study and data was collected from 279 teachers (208 Non- IT teachers and 71 IT
teachers) from all provinces in the country. A qualitative analysis of questionnaire
data and interview data were presented as the outcome ofthis research.
Findings of this research were categorized into variables in the Technology
Acceptance Model (TAM). Analysis was done according to the mapped variables of
the TAM and the responses received for each question of the questionnaire. The
acceptance ofthe TAM in secondary education is tested by using the responses to the
questionnaire and interview data. As the main out come, very less IT facilities
available in schools, the operational and maintenance issues, insufficient training and
financial issues negatively affect the smooth operation ofsecondary education in the
use of IT tools. The recommendations given as the outcome ofthis research can be
considered for improvement in the secondary education in Sri Lanka.
