Date of Conferral

1-1-2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Carol Watson

Abstract

The eConnect and Learn (eCAL) program was a government-led, one laptop per child initiative launched in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. However, after investing large sums of money in the program, the initiative was abandoned as unsuccessful. Addressing this problem, the study aimed to explore which factors affected the implementation of the eCAL initiative. The conceptual framework for this basic qualitative study was Hall and Hord’s six functions of change facilitators for effective implementation of change. The research question addressed the factors affecting the eCAL initiative from principals’ perspective. Interview data were collected from three secondary school principals via email and analyzed using thematic content analysis. As a result, the school leaders believed that creating an environment of change, positive perceptions, vision, teacher support, and professional development were supporting factors of the program implementation. On the other hand, school leaders perceived a lack of formative and ongoing program evaluation, less than positive perceptions, technical issues, poor technical infrastructure, theft, noneducational use of laptops, students not bringing laptops to school, teachers’ low self-efficacy, and principals’ lack of training as major challenges for the program implementation. These findings suggest offering training for principals in all areas of technology leadership as an essential means to support the implementation of educational ICT initiatives in secondary schools of Trinidad and Tobago. This study may inform stakeholders and policymakers, and help improve the practice of learning and instruction, thus leading to positive social change.

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