Reflections on technology, teaching, learning, and professional development - Findings from a teacher survey in Tanzania

Oct 15, 2026

Findings from a survey of 774 government school teachers across Tanzania (2020–2021) examine access and use of technology, observed student learning losses, and teachers’ recommendations to address lost learning, alongside needs and experiences regarding teacher professional development (TPD). Results show limited technology access: 40% reported no technological devices in school, and almost half never used digital technologies for teaching and learning. Teachers also reported unequal learning losses by gender and household wealth. Differences emerge by demographics, with a stated need for expanded TPD support informing a national technology-mediated TPD programme.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Teacher professional development and educational outcomes

Defining EdTech and its role in TPD

Constraints and research needs in EdTech-supported TPD

Importance of teacher voice in TPD research

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 10(4), pp. 342-368, October 2022 DOI: 10.30918/AERJ.104.22.048 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Reflections on technology, teaching, learning, and professional development: Findings from a teacher survey in Tanzania Saalim Koomar1,2*, Sara Hennessy 1,3, Asma Zubairi3, Robert Kindoli4 and Adam Kreimeia 1,5 1 EdTech Hub, UK. 2Jigsaw Consult, UK. 3 Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK. 4Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning, HakiElimu, Tanzania. 5Overseas Development Institute, UK. Accepted 2 September, 2022 | ABSTRACT
This paper presents findings from a survey of 774 government school teachers across Tanzania over the period 2020–2021. The aims were to capture teachers’ recent experiences concerning (1) access and use of technology; (2) any student learning losses observed, and teachers’ recommendations to address lost learning; and (3) experiences and needs concerning teacher professional development (TPD) . Key findings were (1) forty percent of teachers reported that their school lacked access to any form of technological device, with almost half stating they never used digital technologies for teaching and learning purposes. (2) Almost half of the teachers perceived that girls’ learning suffered more than boys, and more than 60% of teachers believed learners from the financially poorest households suffered the greatest learning losses. (3) Teachers in Tanzania engaged in very little TPD and wanted increased support. The key differences across teacher groups were further examined by demographic factors, with notable differences apparent between urban and rural teachers, teachers with different levels of experience and different qualification levels. Recommendations are presented to stakeholders across the education ecosystem, including policymakers, school leaders, TPD designers, teachers, and researchers. The findings inform a national technologymediated TPD programme in Tanzania.
Keywords: Educational technology, learning outcomes, teacher needs, teacher professional development, teacher voice, technology access. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. E-mail: [saalim@edtechhub.org](saalim@edtechhub.org), Tel: 00447891672353. | INTRODUCTION Teachers are considered the most important determinant of learning outcomes at the school level (Education Commission, 2019) . However, student attainment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains persistently low, with the inconsistent provision of competent, qualified and well-supported teachers contributing to these poor outcomes. Teacher professional development (TPD) is viewed as a key driver in improving teaching quality consistently, and, when implemented effectively, leading to relatively positive outcomes for learners (Darling-Hammond et al. , 2017) . “TPD” is defined here as all forms of pre-and in-service teacher development that support teacher and student learning via on-/offsite provision, including formal programmes, mentoring and coaching, as well as informal teacher learning, for instance through teacher-led communities of practice (e.g. , unstructured WhatsApp groups: Hennessy et al. , 2022) . When designed and implemented effectively, TPD interventions have shown promising results for both teachers and students (Angrist et al. , 2020 ; Evans and Popova, 2015) . However, all too often, the implementation and outcomes of TPD interventions have been mixed, particularly in LMICs (McAleavy et al. , 2018 ; Sims and Fletcher-Wood, 2020) . Koomar et al. 343 Educational technology (EdTech) can offer ways to improve access to, quality of, and flexibility for teachers when engaging in TPD. For the purposes of this paper, “EdTech” is defined as digital technology—including hardware, software and digital content—that are either designed or appropriated for educational purposes. This is a broad, inclusive definition of EdTech, covering the use of information and comm

FAQs

What does the teacher survey in Tanzania aim to measure?

The study captures teachers’ experiences regarding access to and use of technology, observed student learning losses and recommendations to address them, and experiences and needs related to teacher professional development (TPD).

What key technology-access findings were reported by teachers?

Forty percent of teachers reported their school lacked access to any technological device, and almost half stated they never used digital technologies for teaching and learning purposes.

How did teachers describe learning losses across different groups?

Teachers indicated girls’ learning suffered more than boys, and more than 60% believed learners from the financially poorest households experienced the greatest learning losses.

Oct 15, 2026

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