Influence of Teachers' ICT Skills, Continuous Training and Technical Support on the Level of Tablet Integration in Primary School Teaching: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Tanzania, like several of its neighbours, has placed tablets in the hands of teachers faster than it has prepared teachers to use them. Where devices are available but little used, explanations usually point to three teacher-side conditions: skills, training and technical support. How strongly each is related to the level of tablet integration, and how they work together, has not been reviewed systematically for primary schools in low-resource settings. The review examined (a) the relationship between teachers' ICT skills and the level of tablet use in lessons; (b) the effect of continuous training on teachers' confidence in using advanced tablet applications; and (c) the effect of technical support and repair services on the continuity of tablet use in teaching. A systematic review was carried out following PRISMA 2020. Of 239 records identified through web-indexed searches and citation tracking, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria: six surveys, three mixed-methods studies, five qualitative studies, one randomised trial and three systematic reviews. Quality was appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and findings were integrated through a convergent segregated synthesis. Teachers' ICT skills were consistently associated with more frequent and more varied use, but basic operational skill did not translate into pedagogical integration. In Tanzania, most teachers rated their tablet skills as intermediate, yet two-thirds had received no formal training and observed classroom use was rare. Continuous, school-based and collaborative training was linked to greater confidence and to wider use of applications, whereas one-off workshops were not. Technical support and the encouragement of school leaders were associated with whether use continued after initial training; unreliable repair services and electricity interrupted it. The three conditions act together. Skills set the ceiling of what teachers can do, sustained training raises confidence to use more demanding applications, and technical and leadership support decide whether use lasts. Tanzanian policy should fund all three as one package.