Exploring Bhutanese Geography Teachers’ Perception on the Use of Information and Communications Technology in Teaching before, during and Beyond Pandemic
Benita Bharati *
Samtse College of Education, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study was conducted to explore the perception of geography teachers on the use of ICT in teaching before, during and beyond the pandemic. The study was carried out for the secondary geography teachers in the western region of Bhutan. The researcher employed pragmatism paradigm and sequential explanatory design in this study. The quantitative data were collected through survey questionnaire from 84 secondary geography teachers and focus group discussions with 12 teachers. The quantitative data were analysed using Descriptive statistics, SPSS 22 and the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The collation of quantitative and qualitative results indicated the positive perception of teachers in using ICT in teaching and learning. The study revealed that the use of ICT enhances teaching and learning geography. Further, the study revealed the challenges of using ICT in teaching and learning. The study communicated that teachers use of ICT in teaching Geography was minimal before the Pandemic, however due to online teaching and learning the use of ICT expedited during Pandemic. The use of ICT in teaching enhanced teachers knowledge and skills as it was more of exploratory and experiential learning.
Keywords: Perception, 21st century learners, globally competent, digital tools, platforms