Assessment of ICT use in government schools of Kalmunai central zone, Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Rapid development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications in each and every field has led researchers to investigate the status of ICT utilization in respective sectors. In that sense it is important to analyze the application of ICT in the education sector. The purpose of this study is to understand, describe and interpret the availability and usability of ICT in schools as a means to expand and enhance teaching learning and related administrative tasks in the Kalmunai Central Zone in Sri Lanka. The descriptive survey approach was used as a research method and three research questions were formulated for the study. The population consisted of five famous schools (1AB grade). Purposive sampling technique was used and a total of eighty participants including five principals, twenty five teachers and fifty students were selected for this study. Questionnaires with some interviewing and field observation were used as instruments for gathering data. Data collected were analyzed using frequency tables and simple percentage and relations. The results of the study showed that ICT facilities and infrastructure are at a poor level, lack of leadership support, inadequate school planning, lack of ICT competency, and negative attitudes towards ICT are major barriers in effective integration of ICT in education. Lack of literature indicated that there was no research conducted in Kalmunai, on this topic. Recommendations were then made to the policy makers for future development and integration of ICT for teaching, learning and administrative tasks.