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Research Paper | Educational Psychology | Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026 | Pages: 1704 - 1712 | Jamaica
Exploring the Challenges Faced by Primary School Teachers in Tobago in Using ICT to Teach Mathematics Problem-Solving
Abstract: The study explored challenges experienced by primary school teachers in the Tobago Education District when integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into mathematics problem-solving instruction. It examined the extent to which infrastructural and resource factors predicted teachers' ICT use, differences in student mathematics problem-solving performance between classes with high and low levels of teacher ICT integration, and the relationship between professional development and ICT use. A cross-sectional quantitative survey design was used. The population comprised approximately 400 teachers across 40 primary schools, from which nine schools and 78 teachers were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, an independent samples t-test, and Pearson correlation. Infrastructural and resource factors did not significantly predict teachers' ICT use, F(5, 72) = 1.478, p > 0.05, and explained 9.3% of the variance. Student mathematics problem-solving performance differed significantly between the high and low ICT integration groups, t(57) = -2.515, p < 0.05, with the high-integration group recording the higher mean score. Professional development was moderately and positively associated with ICT use, r = 0.521, p < 0.01. The findings indicate that professional development is an important correlate of ICT integration and that higher ICT integration is associated with better mathematics problem-solving performance. Sustained professional development, technical support, and continued access to appropriate ICT resources are recommended.
Keywords: ICT integration, educational technology, primary school teachers, mathematics problem-solving
How to Cite?: Dale Smart, Olusegun Afis Ismail, "Exploring the Challenges Faced by Primary School Teachers in Tobago in Using ICT to Teach Mathematics Problem-Solving", Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1704-1712, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26823092904, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26823092904