ICT USAGE IN CLASSROOMS BY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN PATNA DISTRICT

ICT in Education is the foundation upon which a country develops. It is a dynamic force in the life of every
individual influencing his physical, mental, emotional, social and ethical developments. It is a complete
development of the individuality of a child enabling him to make original contribution to human life.
The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning provides more
opportunities for teachers and students to work better in an information age. However, some barriers may
discourage teachers to integrate ICT in the classroom and prevent them to introduce supporting materials
through ICT usage. This study aims to investigate the main barriers for integrating Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) by school teachers. Data was obtained from 150 (97 female, 53 male) High
school teachers in Patna district. The findings indicated that although teachers had a strong desire to use ICT in
the classroom, they were encountered with some barriers. Insufficient technical supports at schools and little
access to Internet and ICT were considered as the major barriers preventing teachers to integrate ICT into the
curriculum. Present study revealed that ICT resources including software and hardware, effective professional
development, sufficient time, and technical support need to be provided to teachers. No one component in itself is
sufficient to provide good teaching. However, the presence of all components increases the possibility of
excellent integration of ICT in learning and teaching opportunities. Studying the obstacles to use of ICT in
education may assist educators to overcome these barriers and become successful technology adopters in the
future.