The role of ICT in developing Peru’s 'I learn at home' distance education strategy

Abstract

This study examined the pedagogical use of information and communication technologies in teachers of the Local Educational Management Unit, Chiclayo, Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluated the implementation of the distance education strategy "I learn at home." ICTs played a crucial role in enabling remote learning and fostering high-impact pedagogical strategies. Prior research emphasized their importance in developing digital competencies essential for professional and everyday life. However, there was a need to assess their effectiveness in pedagogical management within the local educational context. A quantitative, descriptive, and non-experimental approach was adopted, using stratified probability sampling with a finite population of 6111 teachers and a sample of 909 from Initial, Primary, and Secondary Education. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with 30 items distributed via Google Forms. The findings indicated no significant differences in teachers' pedagogical use of ICTs for implementing the distance education strategy. Despite this, teachers who regularly integrated ICTs into learning activities contributed to the development of conceptual knowledge, skills, and critical evaluative judgment, fostering comprehensive student development. These findings underscore the importance of continuous teacher training to enhance ICT-based pedagogical strategies in distance education.

Keywords: Computer-aided teaching; educational software; ICT; long-distance education; online learning; teacher