Principals and Teachers’ Perceptions about Using Technology in Children's Education

Abstract

The use of technology in children's education has been a topic of interest after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, rural schools are often situated in remote and quite underdeveloped areas where there is lack of resources and basic infrastructure. This study reports on the principals and teachers’ perceptions about using technology in the classrooms, including devices aimed to improve children’s education. It was conducted within four Limpopo rural schools in South Africa. It used a phenomenological design, and qualitative approach to collect the data. A semi-structured interview guide was utilised with nine teachers and four school principals. The data were analysed thematically being a more accessible form of analysis for qualitative research. The findings showed the potential benefit of using technology to improve communication and children's education in those schools that have limited access to technology. Additionally, it was found that school policies forbid students from using technology on school property, which served as a barrier for its utilization in the classrooms. The study made a series of recommendations that could promote educational equity, boost student performance, and deepen the teacher-parent-school relationships in those rural schools.