Exploring the use of ICT in a TVET College Course: Towards Blended Learning in Automotive Repair and Maintenance

Abstract

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges are an avenue that allows individuals to develop knowledge and skills for a specific trade. These skills are aimed at supporting social and economic development, creating national wealth in an attempt to eradicate poverty. According to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET, 2014), TVET institutions play a fundamental role in developing knowledgeable and highly skilled citizens, who will be able to contribute effectively to the social, political and economic development of South Africa. The study sought to explore the use of ICT in a TVET College course towards blended learning in Automotive Repair and Maintenance (ARM). The study reports that lecturers have sufficient knowledge of ICTs and how to use them for successful knowledge construction towards blended learning in ARM, however they are disadvantaged due to lack of resources. Existing literature provides various factors that give advantages and disadvantages towards the difficulties of acquiring knowledge in ARM. The study aimed to explore the current instructional practices in ARM lecturers offering NC (V) level 3 and 4, in an attempt to see if and how they used blended learning in the instruction of ARM. Furthermore, to discover how lecturers use their subject expertise to ascertain that maximum results are produced within the College and that the full potential of students is reached. The study made use of qualitative research methods and purposive sampling was used to select six ARM lecturers who offer NC (V) level 3 and 4. The study employed the use of Semi structured (open-ended) telephonic interviews. Additionally, the study made use of the TPACK framework and utilized some competencies within TPACK as it “emerged as a useful construct for researchers working to understand technology integration in learning and teaching” (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). The key research findings arising from the study reveal that TVET lecturers attempted to use technology to support and enhance their teaching practices and students’ learning, however the issue of resources came as a big challenge, hence it is a challenge to integrate ICTs to enable blended learning. Furthermore, the study concluded that lecturers’ usage of technology was constrained by inadequate resources, and also lecturers needed an exposure to alternative pedagogical theories and practice rather than traditional methods of instruction. The study recommends that to improve ICT integration towards blended learning, there is a need to provide professional development activities related to the use of technology to update lecturers’ skills and knowledge, and offer technical support when needed. Furthermore, there should be continuous and periodic training and retraining of lecturers in order for them to be in line with recent technological developments within ARM.