ICT Implementation Framework for Managing Explicit Knowledge in Secondary Schools in Meru Central Sub-County

Abstract

Kenya’s vision 2030 acknowledges the centrality of the role of knowledge management systems in boosting international competitiveness, wealth creation and improving the general social welfare. However, ICT tools in knowledge creation, storage and sharing is not well articulated in Kenyan secondary schools. The purpose of this study was to examine ICT implementation framework for managing explicit knowledge in secondary schools in Meru Central Sub-county. The specific objectives were to assess the influence of ICT tools in knowledge creation, knowledge storage, knowledge sharing, and to develop an ICT framework for implementing explicit knowledge management in secondary schools. This study was anchored and guided by three theories which were: knowledge-based view theory, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the organization learning theory. Mixed methodology was used to collect data from 16 secondary schools. The schools were sampled using simple random sampling method to sample 30% of the 51 private and public secondary schools to obtain 16 sampled secondary schools. The study further used systematic proportionate sampling method to get equal proportions on the sampled secondary schools stratum. That is, boys, girls or mixed and day secondary schools to ensure good representation of schools. The 16 principals, 143 teachers, 16 school board chairpersons and 16 head prefects participated in the study. The teachers were sampled using proportional simple random sampling method.Interview, questionnaires and document analysis were used to collect data. Pre testing was done in Nkuene girls’ secondary school, Nkubu high school and Ntharene day secondary school in Imenti South Sub- County in Meru. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies and mean were used to analyze quantitive data while text analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data. The study also used system prototyping whereby an explicit knowledge management system was tested in a simple random sampled school in Meru County and put into use at Giaki secondary school for one month and the results were recorded. The study found out that e-learning was not yet fully operational in secondary schools in Meru central sub-county. There were still major set-backs like lack of proper technology and personal initiatives on technology usage by various users such as students and teachers. Therefore, the ministry of education should liaise with the ICT ministry to fasten the broadband connectivity project to secondary schools in Meru County. This will enable them have reliable internet. The principals and teachers should campaign on students’ usage of social media to expand on knowledge sharing. The ministry of education should come up with specific guidelines to develop and customize frameworks in schools. Access to the materials provided in the developed ICT based knowledge management system prototype in this study would create more knowledge, share and store new knowledge for future users. This system further provided a multivalent platform for different departments to access and manage explicit knowledge. If this system is duplicated in various secondary schools, it would be beneficial for users to have a reliable system free from third parties’ interference when managing explicit knowledge.