Enhancing ICT Integration in National Teacher Education: Perspectives, Challenges, and Solutions to Uganda’s Development Studies Curriculum

Abstract

The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into national teacher education is a pressing concern demanding comprehensive analysis. This study employs a mixed-methods approach to explore the perspectives of teacher educators and pre-service teachers at National Teachers’ College Kaliro, regarding the challenges and potential solutions for integrating ICT into the teaching and learning of development studies within Uganda’s national teacher education system. The study includes 122 randomly selected preservice teachers and the purposive selection of four administrators, which includes a senior teacher educator specializing in development studies. Rigorous data analysis reveals a significant disconnect between the potential benefits of ICT in education and its current utilization. A substantial majority of preservice teachers express dissatisfaction with the limited utilization and integration of ICT by their educators. Further analysis underscores key challenges hindering the effective integration of ICT, including a lack of appropriate training, insufficient management support, and teacher educators’ confidence-related issues. Notably, there is a consensus among preservice teachers for increased encouragement to own ICT devices, while teacher educators emphasize the importance of gaining access to free ICT resources for facilitating seamless integration into development studies instruction. In light of these findings, the study proposes a targeted approach to in-service training, focusing on strategic planning and ICT integration. It also emphasizes the critical role of e-learning content creation, benefiting both educational managers and teacher educators. These recommendations aim to bridge the existing gaps, empower educators, and provide students with enhanced access to the manifold benefits of ICT within the context of Uganda’s development studies curriculum.