Concerns of Teachers about the Implementation of Information and Communication Technology Curriculum in Basic Education in Ghana

Oct 15, 2026

Research findings in the literature indicate that teachers’ concerns during change processes are highly personal and can shape how innovations are implemented. This study assesses information and communication technology teachers’ stages of concern about implementing the ICT curriculum in basic schools in Ghana and evaluates how personal variables such as gender and teaching experience relate to those concern stages. Data were collected from 346 respondents using Modified Stages of Concerns Questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Teacher concerns and ICT curriculum change processes

Ghana’s ICT in Education policy context

Curriculum implementation challenges and teacher adaptation

Concerns of Teachers about the Implementation of Information and Communication Technology Curriculum in Basic Education in Ghana Frederick Kwaku Sarfo University of Education, Ghana Francis Amankwah University of Education, Ghana Stephen Baafi-Frimpong University of Cape Coast, Ghana Joseph Asomani University of Education, Ghana Abstract Research findings in the literature show that teachers’ concern about change process is extremely personal and it influences the implementation of innovation. This study aimed at assessing information and communication technology teachers’ stages of concern regarding the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) curriculum in basic schools. It also examined the effects of teachers’ personal factors or variables such as gender and teaching experience on their stages of concern towards the implementation of ICT curriculum. Modified Stages of Concerns Questionnaires (SoCQ) (Hall, George & Rutherford 1979) based on Concern Based Adoption Model (CBAM) were used to collect data from 346 respondents. Data collected were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of the study showed that teachers generally had their first and second high concerns at informational and consequence stages respectively and with low concern at awareness stage. Furthermore, statistically significant difference was found between gender and informational, management, consequence, collaboration and refocusing concerns. However, according to the results, teachers’ stages of concerns were not related to their teaching experience. Keywords: Information and communication technology, Curriculum implementation, Basic education, Teacher concerns Introduction Many international thought leaders and business leaders are increasingly asking educational systems to equip students with 21st century competencies that will enable students to face complex challenges of the current century and in the future (Ontario, 2016) . Schools in knowledge societies have to cultivate these qualities or competencies in young people for their nations to survive and stay competitive (Kanu & Glor, 2006) . According to Ontario (2016), international organizations such as “Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Commission, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), and the US National Research Council have brought rigor to the research and intellectual debate regarding 21st century competencies” (p. 10) . All these organizations recognized information and communication technology (ICT) skills (or computer literacy) as one of the important components of 21st century competencies. Grimus (2000) argued that the relevance of teaching and studying of ICT in schools, especially at the basic school level~~s~~ cannot be overemphasized as it prepares learners to cope with the demands of the current century. To support this argument, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) (2002) asserts that ICT has the ability to change the nature of learning, as well as the role of teachers and students in the teaching and learning process. With regard to the above conception, there is a growing demand on countries and educational institutions to teach ICT skills and knowledge that students need for the 21st century challenges. For instance, in developing ICT literacy among its citizenry, government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education (MoE) developed ICT in Education Policy to ensure that the Ghanaian education sector provides adequate opportunities for Ghanaian students to cope with the demands of the 21st century. According to MoE (2008), the policy was influenced by a number of factors, including: 1. World Forum on Education, Dakar (2000) 2. Report of Educational Reforms in Ghana: Meeting Challenges in the 21st Century (2002) 3. ICT in Education Policy Framework: which highlights key issues and expected

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study on ICT curriculum implementation in Ghana?

The study aimed to assess teachers’ stages of concern about implementing the ICT curriculum in basic schools and to examine how gender and teaching experience affect those stages.

How were teachers’ concerns measured in the research?

Teachers’ concerns were measured using Modified Stages of Concerns Questionnaires (SoCQ) based on the Concern Based Adoption Model (CBAM), with responses from 346 participants.

What major patterns of concern were found among teachers?

Teachers generally showed their highest concerns at the informational and consequence stages, while concern was low at the awareness stage.

Did teaching experience influence teachers’ stages of concern?

No. The results indicated that teachers’ stages of concerns were not related to their teaching experience.

Oct 15, 2026

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