Digitalization of Teaching in Government Teacher Training Colleges in Cameroon: Modes of Appropriation and Constraints

With the proliferation of ICTs in the domain of education and the effects of the socio-political turmoil of 2016 and the covid-19 pandemic, the various ministries of education in Cameroon called for intensification of innovative teaching strategies. This illuminated the need for digitalization of teaching. Experience however showed this call took most teachers of Government Teacher Training Colleges by surprise based on the fact that most teacher trainers still limited their teaching to the chalk and talk methods. This survey therefore sought to investigate the various ways by which teacher trainers acquire knowledge and skills in digitalizing teaching and the constraints faced in effectively implementing digitalization in pedagogy. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 200 teacher trainers from HTTC, GBTTC Bamenda, GTTC Fundong, GTTC Wum, GTTC Nkambe, GTTC Mbengwi, GTTC Ndop and GTTC Kumbo. Self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data which were analysed using descriptive statistics on SPSS 20.0. Findings indicated that a majority of teacher trainers (95%) had some knowledge on what digitalization is all about and that digitalization of teaching was introduced while they were still in the training college (82.5%). It also showed that most of them (62%) had received training on how to use digital facilities in teaching while in training college. Also, a Majority (82.5%) affirmed that they had been attending conferences and seminars on how to integrate digital devices although most of these seminars they attended were not organized by the teacher training colleges where they teach. Also, a majority (88.5%) made personal effort to read literature on the integration of digital facilities to improve on their knowledge in the domain. The findings indicated that most teacher trainers could not effectively digitalize their lessons due to unstable internet connection (82.5%), irregular electricity supply (80.5%), insufficient administrative support (78.5%), insufficient finance to acquire digital devices (79%), insufficient knowledge and skill in operating (75%) and integrating (74%) digital devices. The study suggested that training on digitalization of teaching be intensified during pre-service training as well as regional and school-based seminars for in-service teachers. There should be regular pedagogic supervision by regional and divisional pedagogic inspectors for follow-up. Also, ICT infrastructure, solar energy and internet be made readily available in Government Teacher Training Colleges.