Factors affecting use of IT tools for secondary education in Sri Lanka

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.