The Influence of Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs on Information and Communications Technology Integration Behavior in South African High Schools

The integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into teaching practices has the potential to improve both teaching and learning outcomes. Governments and educational authorities worldwide are increasingly investing in various initiatives to introduce ICTs in education. However, the rate of ICT integration by teachers at various levels and types of schools remains low. Research suggests that even in schools where educational ICTs are readily available, teachers do not effectively integrate the technology into their teaching practices. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework to understand how the attitudes and beliefs of teachers influence their ICT integration behavior. Participants were drawn from South African high schools in Cape Town with well-endowed ICT resources. The study concludes that even though teachers believe that ICT is beneficial, their ICT integration behavior is inconsistent with these beliefs.