AN EXPLORATION OF THE INTEGRATION OF ICT IN MATHEMATICS LESSONS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, GARISSA COUNTY, KENYA
Keywords:
ICT Integration, Teaching strategies, Mathematics education, ICT tools and resources, educational technology.Abstract
The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has brought about significant transformations in teaching and learning processes. In a mathematics classroom, ICT offers unique opportunities to enhance students' engagement, promote critical thinking, and foster conceptual understanding. This study explores strategies employed by mathematics teachers in integrating ICT into their lessons. The research design was a descriptive survey. The study was informed by the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. The target population consisted of 18 public secondary schools located in Garissa County. A sample of 267 mathematics students was selected using simple random sampling, while purposive sampling was used to select 18 mathematics teachers and 10 school principals from the ten selected schools. Data were collected through interviews with school principals, classroom observations, and surveys given to Mathematics teachers and students. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Bar graphs were used to present the results. Findings revealed that projectors, printers, and smart televisions were the main ICT tools available for teaching mathematics, while GeoGebra was the most commonly used software by mathematics teachers. PowerPoint presentations and whiteboard displays were commonly used by teachers during mathematics lessons. Based on the findings, one conclusion is drawn: the scarcity of ICT resources hindered effective mathematics instruction. The study recommended the acquisition of more ICT resources for teaching and learning Mathematics. The study's findings can inform policymakers and education stakeholders to efficiently utilize ICT in the mathematics classroom and enhance students' mathematics performance.
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