Teachers ’ Beliefs about First- and Second-Order Barriers to ICT Integration: Preliminary Findings from a South African Study

Abstract: Teachers ’ beliefs have been shown to play a critical role in their decision to utilize technology in their classrooms, but few studies have examined those beliefs among South African teachers. This paper reports preliminary findings from a qualitative study of Cape Town secondary school teachers that analyzed their belief statements in order to establish their perceptions of first and second order barriers to technology integration. Preliminary findings suggest that a variety of socio-cultural factors impact on teachers ’ beliefs and pedagogic practices pertaining to technology use. These factors may inhibit South African teachers from adopting more student-centered pedagogies that foster technology integration. Implications for future research are also discussed