Rural primary teachers’ perceived affordances of ICT training in Nepal

ABSTRACT

ICT training can be conceptualised based on affordance theory that offers a lens to observe how ICT training is perceived. This study examines teachers’ perceived value of ICT training and how they developed their awareness of affordances in the pedagogical practice of ICT. Since government teacher training does not cover ICT, ICT training along with computer lab is provided by NGOs. NGOs, thus, stepped in to complement the generic government teacher training. This study reports the findings of how goal-oriented ICT training offers teachers the capability of recognising the potential of training, and teachers progressively actualise knowledge of affordances into practices. ICT is still not a part of the key universities’ pre-service teacher training programmes. In-service training provided by NGOs that covers ICT is sometimes introductory and sometimes on-going. Following a one-week initial ICT training provided by NGOs, teachers were able to incorporate digital tools into lessons and use digital content to encourage students’ collaborative learning. When it first became apparent that teachers needed ICT training, the government directed them toward ICT training programmes at for-profit institutions. This study, thus, contributes to a practical understanding of affordance that can be utilised in government interventions of training and information system management.

KEYWORDS:

• Affordances
• ICT
• training
• education
• Nepal

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank David Stephens, Professor of international education at the University of Brighton for his feedback on this paper and encouragement to publish it.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karna Rana

Karna Rana is an Assistant Professor of ICT and E-learning at Nepal Open University. His areas of research interest are online and distance learning, ICT for education, education and language policy, education for rural development, educational leadership, EMI, Indigenous studies, multilingualism and mother-tongue-based education. [email protected].