The Use of Information and Communication Technology by Teachers in the Interior Region of the Sultanate of Oman and Obstacles to Use

Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which teachers of basic and general education in the Interior Region in Oman possess the tools and basic skills of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the extent to which they use ICT for both personal and educational purposes, and the obstacles that limit their use of ICT. The researcher used a questionnaire for data collection and the sample was 179 male and female teachers. The results showed that teachers did not possess ICT tools and basic skills well enough and that their use of ICT was low for both personal and educational purposes due to their limited ICT skills and competence and due to certain obstacles such as the availability of resources and insufficient infrastructure at schools. The results did not show any effect of gender, specialization, experience and qualification on teachers’ use of ICT. However, the effect of specialization and experience was apparent in their possession of basic ICT skills in favor of science and math teachers and teachers with short teaching experience. The results of the study were in accordance with the results of previous studies.