Evaluation of a pilot project on information and communication technology for rural education development: A Cofimvaba case study on the educational use of tablets

In an endeavour to find solutions to the country’s improving but ailing education system the South African government through some of its departments is attempting to find out if the introduction of technology in the class room has the potential to improve teaching and learning. The paper is based on a pilot study currently underway in Cofimvaba in Eastern Cape Province where tablets were introduced to teachers in eleven schools. The paper used the Cofimvaba ICT4RED initiative as a case study to ascertain how teachers accepted the introduction of tablets at their schools for teaching and learning. The main research methodology is qualitative multiple case study research with interpretivism as paradigm. Data were gathered though the use of questionnaires administered to teachers. The results showed that most teachers embraced tablets and were using them in the classroom, for their own professional development and personal use. Therefore, within the South African education system the introduction of tablets in learning and teaching is an important step towards improvement of education particularly in poorly resourced schools.