Abstract
This study models the essential factors for a teacher to effectively incorporate ICT into mathematics instruction. An attempt is made to understand how the parameters; will (positive attitudes), skill (ICT competence), tool (access to ICT tools) and pedagogy (teaching style and confidence in skill) (WSTP) vary among mathematics teachers and predict the impact on ICT integration. Well validated instruments spanning the areas of attitudes, competencies, access, pedagogy and technology integration proficiencies were used to collect data from 92 mathematics teachers. Based on the conduct of Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the results showed significant positive correlations among the will, skill, tool and pedagogy parameters and the stages of adoption of teachers’ use of ICT. The predictive ability of the factors indicated 21% proportion of variance explained by WSTP in the adoption of ICT. Further, the results indicated that Tool was the strongest predictor of ICT integration. Thus, the study asserts that if mathematics teachers in the context will integrate ICT effectively in teaching, then increasing access to ICT tools should be a priority of Ghanaian senior high schools. Further, insights into understanding ICT usage in the mathematics classroom contexts are discussed.
Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
References
Addae, B. D., & Agyei, D. D. (2018). High school students’ attitudes towards the study of mathematics and their perceived teachers’ teaching practices. European Journal of Educational and Development Psychology, 6(2), 1–14.
Albirini, A. A. (2006). Teacher’s attitudes toward information and communication technologies: The case of Syrian EFL teachers. Journal of Computers and Education, 47(4), 373–398.
Anamuah-Mensah National Education Review Committee Report. (2002). Report of the President’s committee on review of education reforms in Ghana. Ministry of Education.
Agyei, D. D. (2021). Integrating ICT into schools in Sub-Saharan Africa: From teachers’ capacity building to classroom implementation. Education and Information Technologies, 26, 125–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10253-w
Agyei, D. D., Voogt, J. (2011). Exploring the potential of the will skill tool model in Ghana: Predicting prospective and practicing teachers’ use of technology. Computers & Education, 56(1), 91–100.
Agyei, D. D., & Voogt, M. J. (2015). Pre-service teachers’ TPACK competencies for spreadsheet integration: Insights from a mathematics-specific instructional technology course. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 24 (5), 605–625.
Artino Jr., A. R. (2012). Academic self-efficacy: From educational theory to instructional practice. Perspective Medical Education, 1(2), 76–85.
Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1
Benning, I., & Agyei, D. D. (2016). Effect of using spreadsheet in teaching quadratic functions on the performance of senior high school students. International Journal of Education, Learning and Development, 4(1), 11–29.
Buabeng-Andoh, C. (2012). Factors influencing teachers' adoption and integration of information and communication technology into teaching: A review of the literature. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology, 8(1), 136–155.
Christensen, R., & Knezek, G. (2000). Internal consistency reliabilities for 14 computer attitude scales. Journal of Technology in Teacher Education, 8(4), 327–336.
Christensen, R., & Knezek, G. (2002). Impact of new information technologies on teachers and students. Education and Information Technologies, 7(4), 369–376.
Christensen, R., & Knezek, G. (2006). Findings from the spring 2006 Irving laptop surveys for teachers. Retrieved from http://iittl.unt.edu/irving/index.htm
Christensen, R., & Knezek, G. (2008). Self-report measures and findings for information technology attitudes and competencies. In J. Voogt & G. Knezek (Eds.), International handbook of information technology in primary and secondary education (pp. 349–366). Springer.
Christensen, R., & Knezek, G. (2014). The Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment (TPSA): Evolution of a self-efficacy measure for technology integration. In Paper presented to IFIP KEYCIT. Germany: Pottsdam.
Dewey, J. (1989). The development of American pragmatism. In H. S. Thayer (Ed.), Pragmatism: The classic writings (pp. 23–40). Hackett.
Enu, J., Nkum, D., Ninsin, E., Diabor, C. A., & Korsah, D. P. (2018). Teachers’ ICT skills and ICT usage in the classroom: The case of basic school teachers in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(20), 35–38.
Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration? Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4), 25–39.
Green, S. B., & Salkind, N. J. (2008). Using SPSS for windows and Macintosh. Analyzing and understanding data (5th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139–152.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringe, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). SAGE.
Hancock, R., Knezek, G., & Christensen, R. (2007). Cross-validating measures of technology integration: A first step toward examining potential relationships between technology integration and student achievement. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 24(1), 15–21.
Henseler, J., Hubona, G., & Ray, P. A. (2016). Using PLS path modeling in new technology research: Updated guidelines. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 116, 2–20. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-09-2015-0382
Henson, R. (2003). Neuroimaging studies of priming. Progress in Neurobiology, 70(1), 53–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-0082(03)00086-8
Hew, K. F., & Tan, C. Y. (2016). Predictors of information technology integration in secondary schools: Evidence from a large-scale study of more than 30,000 students. PLoS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168547
ICT for Accelerated Development (ICTAD). (2003). The Ghana ICT for accelerated development (ICT4AD) policy, 2003. Graphic Communications Group Limited.
Keengwe, J., & Onchwari, G. (2008). Constructivism, technology, and meaningful learning. In T. Kidd & H. Song (Eds.), Handbook of research on instructional systems & technology (pp. 51–64). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59904-865-9.ch005
Knezek, G., & Christensen, R. (2015). Extending the will, skill, tool model of technology integration: Adding pedagogy as a new model. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 28(3), 307–325.
Lim, C. P., & Chan, B. C. (2007). microLESSONS in teacher education: Examining pre-service teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. Computers and Education, 48(4), 474–494.
Lumpe, A. T., & Chambers, E. (2001). Assessing teachers’ context beliefs about technology use. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(1), 93–107.
Mensah, F. S. (2017). Ghanaian mathematics teachers’ use of ICT in instructional delivery. Global Journal of Human Social Science, 17(8), 41–52.
Ministry of Education (MOE). (2000). Teaching syllabus for mathematics. Accra, Ghana: Ministry of Education.
Ministry of Education Science and Sports (MOESS). (2007). Teaching syllabus for mathematics. Ministry of Education.
Morales, C. (2006). Cross-cultural validation of the will, skill, tool model of technology integration. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas.
Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., & Foy, P. (2008). International mathematics report: Findings from IEA’s trends in international mathematics and science study at the fourth and eighth grades. TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.
Mumtaz, S. (2000). Factors affecting teachers’ use of information and communications technology: A review of the literature. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, 9(3), 319–342.
Museveni (2006). At the Official Opening of the Second Annual International Conference on Sustainable ICT Capacity in Developing Countries from http://www.statehouse.go.ug/news.detail.php?newsId=916&category=News%
Ottevanger, W., van den Akker, H. J. J, & de Feiter, L. (2007). Developing Science, Mathematics and ICT education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SMICT): Patterns and promising practices. Paper presented at the World Bank Working Paper.
Owens, C. J H., Magoun, A. D., & Anyan, J. (2000). The effects of technology on the attitudes of classroom teachers. Society for Information Communication Technology and Teacher Education International Conference, 2000, San Diego, California, 1528–1533.
Petko, D. (2012). Teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and their use of digital media in classrooms: Sharpening the focus of the ‘will, skill, tool’ model and integrating teachers’ constructivist orientations. Computers & Education, 58(4), 1351–1359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.12.013
Prestridge, S. (2012). The beliefs behind the teacher that influences their ICT practices. Computers & Education, 58(1), 449–458.
Pritchard, A., & Woollard, J. (2010). Psychology for the classroom: Constructivism and social learning. Routledge.
Rogers, P. L. (1999). Barriers to adopting emerging technologies in education. (pp. 429–556). Virginia Commonwealth University; Richmond. ERIC ED.
Ropp, M. M. (1999). Exploring individual characteristics associated to learning to use computers in pre-service teacher preparation. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 31(4), 402–424.
Sa'ari, J. R., Wong, S. L., & Roslan, S. (2005). Attitudes and perceived information technology competency among teachers. Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology, 2(3), 70–77.
Shirvani, H. (2014). Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward using technology in schools. Journal of Literacy and Technology, 15(1), 33–52.
UNESCO (2002). Information and communication technology in education. A curriculum for schools and programme of teacher development. Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001295/129538e.pdf.
Vrasidas, C., & Glass, G. V. (Eds.). (2005). Preparing teachers to teach with technology. Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Wambiri, G., & Ndani, M. N. (2016). Kenya primary school teachers’ preparation in ICT teaching: Teacher beliefs, attitudes, self-efficacy, computer competence, and age. African Journal of Teacher Education, 5(1), 1–15.
Yildirim, S. (2007). Current utilisation of ICT in Turkish basic education schools: A review of teacher's ICT use and barriers to integration. International Journal of Instructional Media, 34(2), 171–186.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
None.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sawyerr, A., Agyei, D.D. Mathematics teachers’ use of ICT in classroom instruction: Exploring the will-skill-tool-pedagogy model in the Ghanaian context. Educ Inf Technol 28, 9397–9416 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11234-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11234-x