Access, use and integration of Information and Communication Technology among government school teachers of Jorhat district, Assam: A status study on trends and problems

Abstract

This study examines the level of access, use and integration of ICT tools in the teaching learning process among government school teachers of the Northwest education block in Jorhat district, Assam. Though a large number of teachers own a smartphone, few use it for the teaching-learning process. The use of online resources, particularly, Open Educational Repositories, is relatively high. There is no significant difference between male and female teachers in access and use of ICT in teaching-learning process. However, it is seen that access and use of ICT are higher among younger teachers and teachers with higher educational qualifications while older teachers and teachers with relatively lower educational qualifications are less likely to use ICT in the classroom. Surprisingly, SC/ST-dominated areas are doing much better than urban and rural areas in terms of using ICT tools in classrooms. Lack of proper infrastructure in classrooms, low technical awareness and poor network are some of the major challenges faced by teachers in integrating ICT tools in the classroom.