Digital content and sustained use in integrating tablet technology into teaching in resource constrained environments in South Africa: Educators’ views

Abstract

Government initiatives have been undertaken to provide ICT infrastructure including digital content to public schools in South Africa, however the educators’ views on the sustainability of integrating tablet technology into teaching in resource constrained environments have not been adequately advanced. Cost, sustainability and efficient use of ICTs are critical elements which will define ICT’s future as an effective tool for social and economic development. The purpose of this paper is to investigate educators’ perspectives on digital content and sustained use in integrating tablet technology into teaching in resource constrained environments in South Africa. Participants in the study included educators from eight public schools at one of the school districts in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A case study approach using open-ended questions was used to gather information on educators’ perspectives on content related factors that affect their ability to use tablets for teaching and the steps that can be taken to address their concerns. The findings provided evidence that while educators’ use of the tablets is affected by the availability and accessibility of digital content and e-resources for different subjects, communication and knowledge gaps also affect digital content use by educators. The findings validate the elements in existing frameworks and model of sustainability for mobile learning in schools. However, identified differences in the context and environment necessitate some adaptation of the exiting frameworks and the person-centred sustainable model and that was presented as an adapted framework for sustainable mobile learning in resource constrained environments.