The Influence of the Low Use of ICT on Teaching Biology in Nine Years Basic Education Schools of Rwanda

Emmanuel Kamonyo, Ephrem Shaban Mbarute & Prof. Wenceslas Nzabarirwa
University of Rwanda College of Education (UR-CE), African Centre of Excellence for Innovative
Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS)
Email: kamonyoemmanuel3@gmail.com

Abstract: This study examined the influence of low use of ICT on teaching biology in Nine Years Basic Education schools Nyaruguru district Rwanda. It aimed to determine the potential factors of low use of ICT in teaching biology in terms of teaching with ICT based materials in Biology lesson, identify the barriers of using ICT in teaching biology and suggest the strategies of overcoming them. The population of this study was 56 teachers from the selected schools of Nyaruguru district. This study adopted a descriptive research and correlational design coefficients according to Pearson have been determined so as to look at the correlation between different variables which have an effect on low use of ICT. A lack of sufficient computers (r=0.410, p= 0.002), a lack projectors and other IT equipment in a number of schools (r=0.352, p=0.003), low level of ICT skills (r=-0.373, p=0.005), a lack of raining in ICT (r=0.411, p=0.001) and a low confidence in ICT (r=-0.331, p=0.002) posed themselves as potential factors which influence the use of ICT in teaching biology, with an effect of the lack of the ability to prepare ICT based content and lessons by the teachers of Biology. The provision of sufficient computers which can help teachers in their teaching work. The provision of computers, projectors and other IT equipment, training of teachers in ICT will boost the use of ICT among teachers of the nine years basic education schools of Nyaruguru district.