Self-efficacy and ICT integration into initial teacher education in Saudi Arabia: Matching policy with practice

Abstract

Success factors for integration of ICTs in higher education teaching and learning reveal a complex mixture of old and new paradigms. A review of the relevant literature and findings from research conducted in Saudi Arabia highlights the importance of actual and perceived self-efficacy within the new paradigms. The research reported reflects these perceptual dilemmas. Participants were 325 Saudi pre-service teachers from the Faculty of Education at King Abdulaziz University. Findings reveal that participants have generally high skill levels with computing tasks and their perceptions of self-efficacy as university teachers increase with computer experience and computer qualifications. These findings imply that increasing Saudi pre-service teacher access, training, and exposure to computers and ICTs will contribute effectively to boosting their self-efficacy, motivation, and computing habits. However, where traditional views of teacher directed learning remain unchallenged change is conservative and context specific. To overcome the perceptual gap, data underline the importance of sympathetic and strategic leadership, effective curriculum design and innovative pedagogies to sustain outcomes.