Utilization of ICTs enhances cooperative learning in the Aga Khan High School, Kampala.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish whether utilization of information communication technologies enhance co-operative learning at Aga Khan High School Kampala. According to the end of year Report 2007 discussed by the Head Teacher in a professional development workshop; Co-operative learning was minimal due to limited positive students’ interdependence, denial of student interactions, poor interpersonal skills and lack of students group processing. The study was guided by four objectives namely: to determine the extent to which the Information Banks enhance cooperative learning ; to find out whether e-mails affect cooperative learning; to find out whether word processors enhances cooperative learning, and to determine how multimedia authoring software enhances cooperative learning at Aga Khan High School.

It was based the quantitative survey design with qualitative approaches. The study was cross–sectional where the researcher collected information using stratified method from fifty six respondents from International General Certificate of Secondary Education class level ten (Y10) and International Baccalaureate One class (1B1). The variables of the study were tested using Pearson’s correlation co-efficient technique. The findings of the study revealed a weak positive significant relationship between information banks and co-operative learning; strong positive significant relationship between e-mails and co-operative learning; a very strong positive significant relationship between word processors and co-operative learning and a very strong positive significant relationship between multi-media authoring software and co-operative learning at Aga Khan Schools in Kampala District.

The researcher therefore concluded that information banks, e-mails, word processors, multimedia and authoring software positively enhanced co-operative learning at Aga Khan High School. The researcher consequently recommended that if students’ co-operative learning is to be enhanced in Aga Khan High School, Ministry of Education and Sports as a main policy making body, District Education Officers, district inspectors of schools and other policy makers should do the following; Enable schools access information banks like e- learning libraries, encourage students to use internet facilities by availing them at a subsidized cost, provide and subsidize cost of computers for schools to enable them do word processing, encourage and provide use of Smart Boards in order to benefit fully from presentation software and other multimedia ICTs. The National Curriculum Development Center should review curriculum so that methods that support computer aided cooperative learning are emphasized.