Improving pre-service teachers' pedagogical strategies for integrating ICT in teaching accounting in senior high schools in Ghana

Abstract

The study focused on improving the teaching and learning of accounting with ICT (audio-visual materials) to promote interactivity in Senior High School (SHS) classrooms in Ghana. The research approach for the study was designbased research, using qualitative and quantitative methods. The design-based research approach consisted offour phases as conceive, build, test and reflection and documentation phases. Questionnaires, observations, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, student tests and designed lesson artefacts were the data sources employed in this study to track how the pre-service accounting teachers (PSATs) developed their pedagogical strategies to teach with ICT in an interactive manner. The study revealed the incorporation of audio-visual materials, the use of collaborative learning approach, activityoriented and knowledge of technology as the features of ICT intervention to promote interactivity in SHS accounting classroom. The intervention proved to be effective in the development of the PSATs pedagogical strategies because it reflected all the four constructs (Active, Collaborative, Authentic and Intentional) for measuring the effectiveness of the ICT intervention as conceptualised in the study. The study concluded that the use of audio-visuals in senior high school accounting lessons will have implications on the availability of ICT resources and infrastructure such as availability of computers, projectors, internet connectivity and access to electricity, among others, in the school. This obviously will have financial implications on schools and stakeholders ofeducation in the country. Lack oftechnology-based skills is one of the main reasons why teachers shy away from using technology as most of them seem to have gaps in their knowledge where ICT is concerned.