An empirical study on the correlation between teacher efficacy and ICT infrastructure

Abstract

PurposeSelf-efficacy is one's belief in one's ability. In this context, information and communication technology (ICT) self-efficacy is the judgment of one's capability to use ICT – the familiar and effective teaching tools for the 21st century classrooms. The purpose of this empirical study was to investigate the correlation between teachers' ICT self-efficacy and perceived ICT infrastructure in school.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a descriptive survey method within ex post facto research design by taking 100 purposively selected Indian government run secondary schools and 400 teachers as participants. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. A correlation analysis was conducted between teachers' ICT self-efficacy and their perception of ICT infrastructure to determine the relationship between the two.FindingsFindings revealed that the participant teachers' overall ICT self-efficacy along with its three domains – technological efficacy, pedagogical efficacy, integration efficacy – was moderately low and their perception of ICT infrastructure in their respective schools was also far below the expected level. The investigation finally found a moderately high and positive correlation between teachers' ICT self-efficacy and their overall perception of ICT infrastructure. All three domains of efficacy also found positively correlated with the three selected domains of ICT infrastructure.Originality/valueThis paper reports an original empirical survey conducted in India and the write-up is based strictly on the survey findings only. The authors believe this is a new approach to view ICT integration in school pedagogy and recommendations that enhanced teacher efficacy accelerates strengthening ICT infrastructure, improving apposite culture and understanding of the pedagogical value of ICT integrated teaching.