Examining teachers’ perceptions of the impact of government of Ghana’s wi-fi technology program on teaching practices: an empirical study from the senior high schools in the cape coast metropolis
Richard Kyere Asomah, Douglas Darko Agyei, Gabriel Assamah, Kwaku Darko Amponsah
Abstract
The study discusses the impact of a nationwide deployment of Wi-Fi technology in some Senior High Technical Vocational Schools (SHTVs) in Ghana, using the first four levels of Guskey’s framework. A stratified sampling approach was used to select 119 teachers as participants in the study. An embedded mixed method research design was employed to collect data using a questionnaire with both close-ended and open-ended items. The findings revealed that the deployment of Wi-Fi technology impacted positively on the teachers’ learning experiences and was positively perceived by the teachers in facilitating teaching and learning practices. However, the study also revealed some deficits in reliability, trust, and connectivity associated with the Wi-Fi technology, highlighting the need to explore factors that maximize the output of technological initiatives. The study identifies the school’s organization and the teachers’ learning experiences as two key predictors in maximizing the use of Wi-Fi technology in educational establishments. The study recommends equipping teachers with the requisite competencies in the use of Wi-Fi technologies through professional development programs, training, and the enactment of ICT curriculum-based policies in schools. These policies and support will promote and enhance the effective utility of Wi-Fi technology among teachers, enabling them to shift from traditional to more technologically inclined student-centred learning.