Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and integration of ICT in the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools: the case of Nakawa Division, Kampala District, Uganda

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education began in 17th Century in Europe, later spreading to America, Asia, and Africa. In Uganda, the adoption of ICT tools for teaching mathematics started in 1970. However due to the mismatch between the need to prepare students for a digital age and underutilisation of ICT in teaching, this study was carried out to analysed the relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and integration of ICT in the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools in Nakawa Division in Uganda. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between teachers’ sources of self-efficacy beliefs (mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion and emotional states) and integration of ICT in teaching mathematics in secondary schools in Nakawa Division. The study employed a cross-sectional correlational survey involving mixed methods. Quantitative questionnaire data was collected from 86 randomly selected mathematics teachers. Qualitative interview data was collected from six purposively selected head teachers. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive, Pearson correlation and linear regression methods. Qualitative data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings indicate that teachers’ mastery experiences, vicarious experiences and emotional states each had a positive, significant, predicative but moderate relationship with ICT integration in mathematics teaching, but the vicarious experiences related weakly with this integration. Together, these teachers’ self-efficacy dimensions predicted ICT integration in mathematics teaching by 55.7%. The qualitative and descriptive results indicate that most of the mathematics teachers regularly used ICT devices to search for teaching content online, in lesson planning, classroom teaching and setting of tests and exams, but rarely used them to mark the set tests and exams. The study hence concluded that teachers’ self-efficacy predicts integration of ICT in mathematics teaching but moderately, thereby pointing to a need to improve this prediction by strengthening the established relationships. The study hence recommended to the head teachers to organise in-service training for strengthening teachers’ self-efficacy, but focus more on improving teachers’ use of ICT to evaluate students. Head teachers, Directors of Studies, heads of departments, teachers’ colleagues and students should also improve appreciation of mathematics teachers who use ICT to teach in order to strengthen their belief that they are able to use this technology to teach. Further research was recommended into other factors affecting ICT integration in mathematics teaching, since teachers’ self-efficacy did not account for this integration by 100%.