An assessment of the influence of the digital school curriculum on managing learner performance

Abstract

This study sought to provide an assessment of the influence of the digital school curriculum (DSC) on the management of learner performance in primary and secondary schools in order to improve curriculum. The study was located in the pragmatic paradigm and utilised a mixed-methods research design with the particular strategy of inquiry or design genre being an exploratory sequential mixed method. The target population for this study were school teachers from public schools in the Tshwane North District of the Gauteng Province. Non-probability (purposeful) and probability (systematic) sampling techniques were adopted in a bid to elicit the qualitative and quantitative datasets, and this culminated in a total sample of 120 participants comprising ICT teachers from a total of 15 primary and secondary schools within the aforementioned education district. The process of data generation followed the focus group interviews, direct observations and the administration of structured or close-ended questionnaires to ensure that both the qualitative and quantitative datasets were elicited. The study was divided into two phases, with the first part focusing on generating the qualitative data through focus group interviews and direct observations with the ICT teachers, while the second phase involved the generation of quantitative data through the use of structured or close-ended questionnaires. The analysis of qualitative data followed a thematic approach, while the quantitative section was analysed descriptively. In both approaches, the computer-aided data analysis software used was Atlas.ti for qualitative datasets, and SPSS for the quantitative section. Among the key conclusions of the study was that the merits of adopting the digital school curriculum outweighs the demerits by far, and therefore schools using the DSC stand the best opportunity of being up to date in matters of technological developments than those that do not. Consequently, the study recommends that all secondary schools need to integrate the digital school curricular devices if they are to be consistent with modern international education trends, particularly as the country (South Africa) gears towards the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).