Improving the ICT Infrastructure in the Philippines

Abstract

This case study was conducted in a private secondary school to determine the readiness of the school constituencies to embark on a technology-integrated learning environment. Fifteen science and math high school teachers and 138 students participated in the survey. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results of the study. Analysis of variance was employed to examine if differences between respondent groups and across year levels were significant. Correlation analysis was, likewise, used to find out relationships between selected variables. Level of significance was set at α=.05.
Results showed that the most common place of access to a computer for students and teachers is in the school and the workplace, respectively. Internet cafes ranked as the next most common place of computer access for students and the home for teachers. Interviews also revealed that they also encounter connectivity problem with the school network system which is perceived as a hindrance to the full integration of technology in classroom instruction. Students spend about 2 to 2.5 class hours per week in using the computer. Teachers, on the other hand, spend an average of only about 1 hour per week of computer time for their classes. The most frequently used computer applications by the students and teachers are the internet for information search, e-mail, and word processing. These are applications which majority of them used in a daily basis. Computer applications which many respondents had very limited experience or never had any experience with include database management, data analysis, and desktop publishing. Students, through their own individual efforts or with the help of their teachers, are encouraged to harness the optimum use of the computer applications for their intended purpose so they can benefit from the various potentials that the technology can offer them. Given the results of this baseline survey, it is apparent that teachers and students for the most part are quite prepared for the implementation of a technology-integrated learning environment. Recommendations on how to optimally use ICT in the secondary school curriculum are also forwarded.