The use of Information and Communication Technology of teachers in Private Primary Schools in Xaysetha District, Vientiane Capital

Abstract

The purposes of this research were: (1) to investigate the current state of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) utilization among teachers; (2) to propose guidelines for ICT utilization among teachers; and (3) to evaluate the feasibility and appropriateness of the proposed ICT utilization guidelines for teachers in private primary schools in Xaysettha District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. This study employed a mixed-methods research design conducted in three phases and focused on five dimensions of ICT. In the first phase, quantitative data were collected from 178 teachers to investigate the current state of ICT utilization. In the second phase, qualitative data were gathered through a focus group discussion with 11 key informants to formulate the proposed guidelines. In the third phase, the proposed guidelines were evaluated by 11 experts in terms of their feasibility and appropriateness. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and contents analysis for qualitative data. The research findings indicated that:

The overall level of ICT utilization among teachers in private primary schools in Xaysettha District, Vientiane Capital, was found to be at a high level. The proposed guidelines recommend that school administrators provide teachers with fundamental computer and digital skills, conduct initial needs assessments, develop implementation plans, organize in-house training programs or invite external specialists to provide professional training, encourage teachers to continuously enhance their competencies through various professional learning opportunities, and promote collaboration and the exchange of teaching experiences among teachers. The overall evaluation of the proposed ICT utilization guidelines demonstrated that both their feasibility and appropriateness were at a high level.