Technology integration hurdles in curriculum: A teacher’s voice on professional learning communities for rural schools

Abstract

This study used a qualitative, explanatory case study to examine how technology is integrated throughout the curriculum in rural South African schools, specifically in the Lepelle Nkumpi Circuit in the Capricorn District. The study is grounded in an interpretive paradigm, and the data collected include semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers and analysis of curriculum documents. The TPACK framework was used to examine the interaction among technology, pedagogy, and content. The study’s results indicate that several barriers hinder effective technology use in education and that teachers have a significant gap in their Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK). This is demonstrated by teachers’ inability to effectively align the digital tools available to them with the curriculum objectives and assessments. The barriers to technology use in education are compounded by geographical isolation and include a lack of technology infrastructure, resources, and professional development opportunities. The study concludes that the effective integration of technology into education requires more than just access to technology and that developing context-specific TPACK will require an investment from the school system into sustained collaborative models of teacher development, such as Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). As such, we recommend establishing teacher-led PLCs with the support of ICT champions to promote peer-to-peer learning, develop locally relevant integration strategies, and create a more structured approach to bridging the digital divide in rural education.