Teacher Computer Literacy in Selected Public Primary Schools in Ainamoi Sub-County in Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

The practice of integrating education with computers has been used worldwide because of the emerging education global trends. Computer literacy in teachers plays an important role in the integration of technology in education, which favours the Kenyan education system. This study set out to determine the teacher computer literacy level in public primary schools Ainamoi Sub-County, Kericho.  A descriptive survey design was used involving 21 headteachers, 42 lower primary teachers, one ICT Expert, and CASO officer. Data were collected using structured interviews, questionnaires, and checklist observation. Purposive, simple random sampling and stratified sampling were used to sample the respondents. Data was presented in tables and percentages. The findings revealed that computer teacher training that was done in May 2015 did not cater for all the teachers in the field. This is because headteachers and only two lower primary teachers were trained from each school. It was also founded that teachers who graduated from teacher training colleges from 2009 were computer literate out of all the teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) after 2006. There is a need for the government to arrange the seminars and in-service programs to cater to those teachers who are already in the field but are computer noncompliant. Teachers should be ready to embrace the new technology and integrate it into teaching and learning. Teachers should have more exposure to computers and ICT facilities to enhance their computer competency. A digital computer content guide should be developed by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to enhance consistent computer knowledge. Besides, teacher training colleges should provide KNEC examinable computer courses.