Rural School Teachers Leveraging Pandemic Teaching Experiences for Technology Integration in Post-Pandemic Classrooms

Abstract

This study investigates how rural teachers in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa harness their experiences during the pandemic to integrate technology into post-pandemic pedagogical practices. Adopt TPACK theoretical framework, purposively selected 18 teachers in the Eastern Cape province's rural schools in South Africa. Data was collected through interviews and two sharing circles through a phenomenological approach and analyzed thematically. Findings reveal that rural teachers, initially intimidated by technology, adapted to its use out of necessity during the pandemic and came to view it as an essential teaching tool. Teachers embraced digital tools to overcome infrastructural challenges and maintain educational continuity, showing resilience and innovation, prompting teachers to acquire new competencies and reconsider their approach to integrating technology. These experiences continue to shape educational practices and promote sustained technological integration, indicating a marked shift in rural teachers' perspectives towards the role of technology in teaching.