Exploring the Value of ICT Training on High School Commerce Teachers' Pedagogical Integration Skills View Digital Media

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Khanyisile Mbatha  

The advancement of educational technologies presents a promising opportunity to revolutionise the teaching of commercial subjects at the high school level. However, effectively integrating ICT into the instruction of these subjects requires educators who possess both digital fluency and pedagogical expertise. This integration process is characterised by multifaceted challenges, including the acquisition of digital capital, the development of self-efficacy, and the cultivation of technological pedagogical knowledge. Grounded in mediated learning experience theory, this study investigates the significance of ICT training in cultivating digital fluency and technological pedagogical knowledge among high school commerce teachers for the purpose of seamless ICT integration in their classrooms. Employing a multiple case study design, we selected three ICT trainers and four high school commerce teachers through convenient and purposive sampling. Qualitative data collection methods, such as ICT training observations, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations, were utilised to explore the mediating factors involved in ICT training. The study's findings underscore the ongoing need for continuous training to keep pace with evolving digital pedagogical developments. Notably, the study reveals that the ICT training provided primarily focused on basic computer skills, leaving teachers to independently adapt and incorporate ICT into their teaching and learning practices following their training sessions.