ICT Integration Barriers: Pre-service Science Teachers' Internship Experiences

The National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2023 prioritize seamless ICT integration throughout school education, advocating not for a separate subject, but for its presence across all disciplines. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) integration in education refers to the intentional and purposeful utilization of digital tools and resources to enhance learning experiences and teaching practices (UNESCO, 2013). It goes beyond simply placing technology in classrooms; it involves seamlessly weaving ICT into the curriculum, pedagogy, and overall school culture to achieve specific learning goals (Means et al., 2013). Critical understanding of ICT has been labelled as a crucial part of the teacher education programme and the same has been suggested by NCTE curriculum. Though ICT integration is discussed as a paper in the pre-service teacher education program, the effectiveness of its implementation in teaching learning process during the internship is of the paramount importance and the problems and challenges that come during the implementation is something that has not much touched by in research. The present study has tried to study the problems and challenges faced by pre-service teachers in ICT integration during their internship program. The results include several problems and challenges faced by pre-service teachers in ICT integration during internship that include access and infrastructure, pedagogical challenges and social and emotional challenges. As India strives for educational innovation and technological advancements, addressing these challenges becomes imperative. A holistic approach involving targeted teacher training programs, infrastructure development, and policy initiatives is crucial to empower pre-service science teachers in overcoming these obstacles. By actively working towards mitigating these challenges, the system can better prepare future science educators to utilise the potential of ICT and foster a more engaging and effective learning environment.