The Impact of Compulsory Computer Studies on ICT Literacy at Junior Secondary Schools in Livingstone District

• Published in: International journal of information and communication technology education Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 20 - 34
• Main Authors: Simulwi, Leslie, Musonda, Evaristo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hershey IGI Global 01.10.2020
• Subjects: Access to Computers; Availability; Communication; Compulsory Education; Computer literacy; Computer Science Education; Curricula; Early childhood education; Educational Equipment; Educational materials; Foreign Countries; Grade 9; High schools; Information Technology; Infrastructure; Internet; Internet access; Laboratories; Learning; Literacy; Open access publishing; Performance Factors; Public Schools; Qualitative analysis; Secondary School Teachers; Secondary schools; Specialists; Teacher Competencies; Teacher education; Teachers; Teaching; Technological Literacy; Technology education; Training; Zambia; Zambia
• ISSN: 1550-1876; 1550-1337
• DOI: 10.4018/IJICTE.2020100102

The study investigates the impact of compulsory computer studies (CS) on information and communication technology (ICT) literacy in secondary schools in the Livingstone District, Zambia. The objectives were to investigate the availability of specialised ICT teachers, to find out the availability of ICT equipment and infrastructure, and to establish the impacts of compulsory ICT. The study was mainly qualitative using primary data, however, had a component of quantitative research using secondary data in form of Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ), ICT examinations results for grade nine. The study established that the introduction of ICT as a compulsory subject had an impact on teacher and pupil literacy in ICT, and due to insufficient ICT equipment, may have negatively affected the performance of the pupils in the ICT final examination.