Infrastructural challenges impeding the integration of Information Communication Technology in South African Schools: The case of Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Abstract

In recent years, the integration of modern technologies into education has become increasingly important and can no longer be overlooked. Consequently, the adoption of Information and Communication Technology in learning and teaching has been lauded for its affordances that create new opportunities for collaboration between teachers and students. This study explores the challenges related to infrastructure that hinder the effective implementation of ICT in schools in South Africa, specifically in the Bushbuckridge area. The primary goal is to identify these infrastructure-related obstacles in order to propose possible solutions and strategies to address them in the Bushbuckridge area and to similar areas. Using a qualitative approach, this study adopts the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework as a lens for data analysis. Twenty teachers were selected to participate in this study, and data were collected through interviews and observations by the researchers. We analyzed data by identifying themes that emerged from the study. The findings reveal critical infrastructural deficits that limit ICT adoption in education. The barriers include, inadequate ICT hardware and software, issues with maintenance and funding, incidents of theft and vandalism targeting ICT infrastructure, and problems with the electricity supply infrastructure. The study offers potential solutions and strategies to address these challenges, aiming to enhance the digital learning environment in under-resourced rural schools.