The Use of Tablets in Teaching: Examining Competencies, Challenges and Opportunities among Public Primary School Teachers in Tanzania

Technology is increasingly becoming inevitable in the transformation of socio-economic practices including education. The integration of technological tools e.g. tablets, computers and mobile phones in teaching and learning has gained significant attention in recent years. This research investigates competencies, challenges and opportunities associated with the use of tablets in teaching in primary schools in Tanzania. In this study, a questionnaire survey was deployed to collect data from 130 teachers in 10 schools which were randomly selected. It was found that primary school teachers have a moderate level of competence in using tablets for teaching (M = 3.78, SD = .46177). Secondly, the findings revealed a moderate level of challenges when it comes to incorporating tablets into their teaching methods. However, the study depicted opportunities created by the integration of tablets in teaching among teachers. These opportunities include innovative teaching strategies and fostering professional growth to facilitate collaboration and communication, as well as broadening the subjects/content to teach. The study recommends training among teachers in order to enable the utilization of tablet technology. The study concludes that it is crucial to address the identified challenges and capitalize on the opportunities in order to harness the power of technology in education