The South Africa Connect national broadband policy of 2013 aims to ensure that the country achieves universal internet access by 2030, thereby fostering digital skills development. This study investigates one dimension of the South Africa Connect policy objectives, by considering rural teachers' adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning at 24 schools. This research used baseline data from the Information and Communication Technology for Education (ICT4E) project undertaken in rural schools in seven South African provinces. The technology readiness index (TRI) was used as the theoretical lens. We found that the vast majority of the teachers surveyed were optimistic about the use of ICTs for teaching and learning, which suggests teachers' readiness to use ICTs despite the existing financial, technical and digital skills challenges at their schools. We also found that the majority of the schools had policies prohibiting student use of personal digital devices, apart from calculators, on school premises. In our analysis, these policies potentially conflict with the objectives of South Africa Connect. This study contributes to theory and practice by offering empirical evidence of the usefulness of the TRI for presenting teachers' readiness to adopt ICTs in situations of conflicting forces. The study also has the potential to contribute to policy deliberations by highlighting the possible disconnect between the schools' bans on student personal digital devices and the objectives and targets set by the South Africa Connect policy. The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC) 2 Mwapwele, Marais, Dlamini and Van Biljon The African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC)

The purpose of this paper is provide evidence of how the selected teachers at 24 schools in 7 provinces in South Africa reacted to questions pertaining to the extent of their prior training, attitudes towards technology, perceived self-confidence in integrating ICTs and finally using ICTs on a daily basis. The project is known as the Information Communications Technology for Education (ICT4E) project, funded by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) in South Africa, where teachers were trained in seven of the nine provinces in South Africa over a period of a year and a half to integrate mobile technology to support their teaching and learning at 24 schools. This project involved 197 teachers and 6895 learners. The methodology that was applied is a sequential explanatory mixed method approach where data was collected using firstly a survey (baseline survey), followed by one-to-one interviews. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (quantitative data) as well as coding through Nvivo (quantitative data). The main results indicated that more females (65.5%) than males were involved. Teachers mostly received training on the basics of computers in Education and are mainly using word processors for their work purposes. The average age of the teachers are 43 years and their mother tongue is mostly Setswana (21%). In general, they indicated a positive attitude towards getting training to use the mobile tablets but they did worry about their competence and knowledge in resolving technical issues if these may occur with the tablets. A high percentage indicated they use social media (96%) and 92% indicated that their schools have banned the use of a mobile phone. 95.4% of teachers felt comfortable to use a tablet to enhance their teaching and learning and they can teach in more effective ways (98%). The teachers were convinced (2%) that the mobile device will assist the learners to learn more.

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