Gabon is a Sub-Saharan francophone country which has been independent since August 1960. Its Educational System is modelled on the French System. However, the Gabonese Education System currently does not have any guidelines or policies for the system-wide implementation, integration and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the education system. The Gabonese Government committed itself to some ICT-related partnerships, but did not launch any programme or activity relating to those commitments. In addition, the Government provided funding to change the country’s Internet connectivity by satellite with the WASC/SAT3 sub-marine cable in order to make Internet access and connection ten times cheaper at the international level. Unfortunately, the benefit from this investment is not experienced in the country as the potential users, such as teachers, keep having challenges with Internet connection. After fifty years of independence, the government also does not offer sufficient opportunity for teachers to enhance their pedagogical knowledge and skill through teacher professional development (TPD). As a result, no research, guidelines or policies exist for the implementation and use of Open Distance Learning (ODL) for TPD supported by ICT. The aim of this qualitative descriptive exploratory research study was to explore, describe and understand the enablers and challenges of initiating ICT in the ODL training of Gabonese in-service teachers. Although the academic seat for this research was the School of Continuing Teacher Education on the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University in South Africa, the research project’s focus, conceptualisation, data-collection and data-interpretation were all based and conducted within the researcher’s heimat, i.e. the Gabonese Education System context. An interactive qualitative casestudy research design (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005; Merriam, 1998) was used in this investigation to obtain in-depth context sensitive data concerning the attitudes, fears, needs, expectations, infrastructure and readiness of the Gabonese Education teachers (at schools and training institutions) for the implementation and use of ICT for ODL training of Gabonese English (second language) teachers, collected through qualitative research methods, i.e. semi-structured open-ended individual and focusgroup interviews, as well as additional research artefacts in the form of photographs to visually record the unique contexts involved. The researcher decided to involve Gabonese English (second language) teachers in the investigation, as he has worked in this discipline for at least twenty years. To ensure sufficient participants, the researcher made use of a snowball strategy where participants in the research referred others. Participants were also selected according to specific selection criteria. Two English (second language) teachers, one school principal, four ICT specialists, one advisor of English teachers, and one inspector of English teachers (ICT specialist) participated in eight individual interviews. Nine English teachers and two advisors of English teachers participated in four focus-group interviews. All interviews were conducted in French. At the North-West University in South Africa, the researcher transcribed the interview data and used ATLAS.ti™ (qualitative data-analysis software) to construct an integrated data-set for analysis. Qualitative data-analysis was performed under the guidance of an expert researcher in qualitative data-analysis. The relevant research findings were translated into English for the purpose of this report. Qualitative data-analysis of the integrated data-set identified six categories of data related to three themes, i.e. (i) Gabonese Education, (ii) ICT in Gabon and (iii) ODL in Gabon. The six categories are: (i) Challenges of Gabonese Education, (ii) Enablers of Gabonese Education, (iii) Challenges to implementation and integration of ICT, (iv) Enablers of ICT; (v) Challenges of ODL, and (vi) Enablers of ODL. These categories supported by codes and quotations provide basic ideas on the research enablers and challenges of initiating ICT in ODL training of Gabonese in-service teachers. The discussion comprises thirty codes, and recommendations are made. The findings of this rich qualitative exploration could benefit and support the Gabonese Education Department, policy makers and academic institutions in their quest to implement, integrate and use ICT in the TPD of in-service teachers via DE and ODL. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Gabon is a Sub-Saharan francophone country which has been independent since August 1960. Its Educational System is modelled on the French System. However, the Gabonese Education System currently does not have any guidelines or policies for the system-wide implementation, integration and use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the education system. The Gabonese Government committed itself to some ICT-related partnerships, but did not launch any programme or activity relating to those commitments. In addition, the Government provided funding to change the country’s Internet connectivity by satellite with the WASC/SAT3 sub-marine cable in order to make Internet access and connection ten times cheaper at the international level. Unfortunately, the benefit from this investment is not experienced in the country as the potential users, such as teachers, keep having challenges with Internet connection. After fifty years of independence, the government also does not offer sufficient opportunity for teachers to enhance their pedagogical knowledge and skill through teacher professional development (TPD). As a result, no research, guidelines or policies exist for the implementation and use of Open Distance Learning (ODL) for TPD supported by ICT. The aim of this qualitative descriptive exploratory research study was to explore, describe and understand the enablers and challenges of initiating ICT in the ODL training of Gabonese in-service teachers. Although the academic seat for this research was the School of Continuing Teacher Education on the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University in South Africa, the research project’s focus, conceptualisation, data-collection and data-interpretation were all based and conducted within the researcher’s heimat, i.e. the Gabonese Education System context. An interactive qualitative casestudy research design (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005; Merriam, 1998) was used in this investigation to obtain in-depth context sensitive data concerning the attitudes, fears, needs, expectations, infrastructure and readiness of the Gabonese Education teachers (at schools and training institutions) for the implementation and use of ICT for ODL training of Gabonese English (second language) teachers, collected through qualitative research methods, i.e. semi-structured open-ended individual and focusgroup interviews, as well as additional research artefacts in the form of photographs to visually record the unique contexts involved. The researcher decided to involve Gabonese English (second language) teachers in the investigation, as he has worked in this discipline for at least twenty years. To ensure sufficient participants, the researcher made use of a snowball strategy where participants in the research referred others. Participants were also selected according to specific selection criteria. Two English (second language) teachers, one school principal, four ICT specialists, one advisor of English teachers, and one inspector of English teachers (ICT specialist) participated in eight individual interviews. Nine English teachers and two advisors of English teachers participated in four focus-group interviews. All interviews were conducted in French. At the North-West University in South Africa, the researcher transcribed the interview data and used ATLAS.ti™ (qualitative data-analysis software) to construct an integrated data-set for analysis. Qualitative data-analysis was performed under the guidance of an expert researcher in qualitative data-analysis. The relevant research findings were translated into English for the purpose of this report. Qualitative data-analysis of the integrated data-set identified six categories of data related to three themes, i.e. (i) Gabonese Education, (ii) ICT in Gabon and (iii) ODL in Gabon. The six categories are: (i) Challenges of Gabonese Education, (ii) Enablers of Gabonese Education, (iii) Challenges to implementation and integration of ICT, (iv) Enablers of ICT; (v) Challenges of ODL, and (vi) Enablers of ODL. These categories supported by codes and quotations provide basic ideas on the research enablers and challenges of initiating ICT in ODL training of Gabonese in-service teachers. The discussion comprises thirty codes, and recommendations are made. The findings of this rich qualitative exploration could benefit and support the Gabonese Education Department, policy makers and academic institutions in their quest to implement, integrate and use ICT in the TPD of in-service teachers via DE and ODL. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Inligting en kommunikasietegnologie (IKT) vorm ‘n belangrike komponent van effektiewe onderrig en leer. Ten spyte van die gedokumenteerde voordele wat IKT vir onderrig en leer inhou, bly IKT–integrering in skole steeds gebrekkig. Die implementering van IKT om onderrig en leer oor ‘n wye reeks van leerareas te bevorder en uit te brei, blyk ‘n groot uitdaging by meeste skole te wees. Faktore soos fiskale verpligtinge, ruimtelike hindernisse, ondoeltreffende en gebrekkige infrastruktuur en swak koördinering ondermyn meeste pogings tot effektiewe en volhoubare IKT–gebruik. Onderwysers wat begin het om IKT in hul onderrigpraktyke toe te pas, verlang verskillende vorms van ondersteuning, insluitend die van tegniese en implementeringsondersteuning. Die SITES modules help om die pad na volhoubare IKT–gebruik in Suid–Afrika aan te dui deur die vernaamste studies plaaslik en internasionaal uiteen te sit, beste praktyke te beklemtoon en die noodsaaklikheid van tegnologiekoördineerders te bevestig. Die doel van die navorsing is gefokus op die rol wat die tegnologiekoördineerder vertolk in die implementering en benutting van IKT in Suid Afrikaanse skole. Hierdie inligting kan nuttig wees om huidige onderrig en leerpraktyke in oënskou te neem en om ingeligte besluite rakende effektiewe en volhoubare IKT–gebruik in onderrig en leer te neem. Die studie is gebaseer op die bevindinge van die derde SITES studie (SITES 2006), wat ‘n internasionale kwantitatiewe opname oor die pedagogiese praktyke en gebruike van IKT met betrekking tot die 21ste eeuse leervaardighede in skole. Die studie het ‘n SDA metodologie van die Suid Afrikaanse tegnologiekoördineerders gevolg. Aangesien Suid–Afrika aan al drie studies deelgeneem het kon uit die literatuur longitudinale tendense aangedui word met betrekking tot IKT–gebruik in Suid–Afrikaanse skole. Tydens die SDA is beskrywende statistiek uitgevoer en kruistabulerings bereken om betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen veranderlikes te bepaal. Alhoewel meeste tegnologiekoördineerders aangetoon het dat die gebruik van IKT relevant is binne hulle skole, is die vlak van IKT–gebruik binne vakverband besonder laag weens talle struikelblokke wat die gebruik van IKT in skole belemmer. Daar is ‘n beperkte hoeveelheid rekenaars en skootrekenaars beskikbaar per skool. By die meeste skole tree onderwysers op as tegnologiekoördineerders wat ook dan verantwoordelikheid aanvaar vir die instandhouding van die rekenaars. Die tegnologiekoördineerder se pligte en verantwoordelikheid bestaan hoofsaaklik uit die onderrig van ander vakke en relatief min tyd word gewy aan IKTkursusse vir leerders en onderwysers, en juis daarom is die formele rol wat die tegnologiekoördineerder vertolk betreklik laag. Hoewel onderwysers in die meeste skole optree as tegnologiekoördineerders, ontvang hulle kommerwekkend min professionele onderwysersontwikkeling (POO). Die studie toon aan dat onderwysers onvoldoende tegniese ondersteuning ontvang. Tegnologiekoördineerders het betreklik min periodes per week tot hul beskikking om IKT–ondersteuning aan te bied. Prakties betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen die gebruik van IKT in die onderrig en leer van leerareas hang af van die beskikbaarheid van IKT–toerusting. Die gebruik van IKT in die onderrig en leer van leerareas, is in ‘n sekere mate afhanklik van die beskikbaarheid van IKT ondersteuning vir meeste van die verskillende aktiwiteite wat by skole plaasvind. Vir effektiewe en volhoubare IKT–gebruik is dit belangrik dat die onderwysers tegniese– en POO ontvang en dit sal vereis dat die tegnologiekoördineerder ‘n meer prominente rol vervul in Suid Afrikaanse skole. Tegnologiekoördineerders speel ‘n toonaangewende rol in die koördinering, instandhouding, ondersteuning en bemagtiging van fasiliteite en gebruikers by onderwysinstellings. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Inligting en kommunikasietegnologie (IKT) vorm ‘n belangrike komponent van effektiewe onderrig en leer. Ten spyte van die gedokumenteerde voordele wat IKT vir onderrig en leer inhou, bly IKT–integrering in skole steeds gebrekkig. Die implementering van IKT om onderrig en leer oor ‘n wye reeks van leerareas te bevorder en uit te brei, blyk ‘n groot uitdaging by meeste skole te wees. Faktore soos fiskale verpligtinge, ruimtelike hindernisse, ondoeltreffende en gebrekkige infrastruktuur en swak koördinering ondermyn meeste pogings tot effektiewe en volhoubare IKT–gebruik. Onderwysers wat begin het om IKT in hul onderrigpraktyke toe te pas, verlang verskillende vorms van ondersteuning, insluitend die van tegniese en implementeringsondersteuning. Die SITES modules help om die pad na volhoubare IKT–gebruik in Suid–Afrika aan te dui deur die vernaamste studies plaaslik en internasionaal uiteen te sit, beste praktyke te beklemtoon en die noodsaaklikheid van tegnologiekoördineerders te bevestig. Die doel van die navorsing is gefokus op die rol wat die tegnologiekoördineerder vertolk in die implementering en benutting van IKT in Suid Afrikaanse skole. Hierdie inligting kan nuttig wees om huidige onderrig en leerpraktyke in oënskou te neem en om ingeligte besluite rakende effektiewe en volhoubare IKT–gebruik in onderrig en leer te neem. Die studie is gebaseer op die bevindinge van die derde SITES studie (SITES 2006), wat ‘n internasionale kwantitatiewe opname oor die pedagogiese praktyke en gebruike van IKT met betrekking tot die 21ste eeuse leervaardighede in skole. Die studie het ‘n SDA metodologie van die Suid Afrikaanse tegnologiekoördineerders gevolg. Aangesien Suid–Afrika aan al drie studies deelgeneem het kon uit die literatuur longitudinale tendense aangedui word met betrekking tot IKT–gebruik in Suid–Afrikaanse skole. Tydens die SDA is beskrywende statistiek uitgevoer en kruistabulerings bereken om betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen veranderlikes te bepaal. Alhoewel meeste tegnologiekoördineerders aangetoon het dat die gebruik van IKT relevant is binne hulle skole, is die vlak van IKT–gebruik binne vakverband besonder laag weens talle struikelblokke wat die gebruik van IKT in skole belemmer. Daar is ‘n beperkte hoeveelheid rekenaars en skootrekenaars beskikbaar per skool. By die meeste skole tree onderwysers op as tegnologiekoördineerders wat ook dan verantwoordelikheid aanvaar vir die instandhouding van die rekenaars. Die tegnologiekoördineerder se pligte en verantwoordelikheid bestaan hoofsaaklik uit die onderrig van ander vakke en relatief min tyd word gewy aan IKTkursusse vir leerders en onderwysers, en juis daarom is die formele rol wat die tegnologiekoördineerder vertolk betreklik laag. Hoewel onderwysers in die meeste skole optree as tegnologiekoördineerders, ontvang hulle kommerwekkend min professionele onderwysersontwikkeling (POO). Die studie toon aan dat onderwysers onvoldoende tegniese ondersteuning ontvang. Tegnologiekoördineerders het betreklik min periodes per week tot hul beskikking om IKT–ondersteuning aan te bied. Prakties betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen die gebruik van IKT in die onderrig en leer van leerareas hang af van die beskikbaarheid van IKT–toerusting. Die gebruik van IKT in die onderrig en leer van leerareas, is in ‘n sekere mate afhanklik van die beskikbaarheid van IKT ondersteuning vir meeste van die verskillende aktiwiteite wat by skole plaasvind. Vir effektiewe en volhoubare IKT–gebruik is dit belangrik dat die onderwysers tegniese– en POO ontvang en dit sal vereis dat die tegnologiekoördineerder ‘n meer prominente rol vervul in Suid Afrikaanse skole. Tegnologiekoördineerders speel ‘n toonaangewende rol in die koördinering, instandhouding, ondersteuning en bemagtiging van fasiliteite en gebruikers by onderwysinstellings. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.