Teacher Participation in ICT-Related Professional Development Programmes and ICT Integration in Competency-Based Education Classroom Instruction in Public Primary Schools in Turkana County, Kenya

The successful implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE) depends largely on teachers' capacity to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into classroom instruction. Although ICT-related professional development programmes are intended to enhance teachers' technological and pedagogical competencies, empirical evidence on their influence on ICT integration, particularly in marginalised regions such as Turkana County, Kenya, remains limited. Guided by the pragmatic research philosophy, this study examined the relationship between teacher participation in ICT-related professional development programmes and ICT integration in CBE classroom instruction and determined the moderating influence of institutional and contextual factors. The study tested the null hypothesis that teacher participation in ICT-related professional development programmes has no significant relationship with ICT integration in Competency-Based Education classroom instruction. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was adopted, with the quantitative strand employing a descriptive-correlational design. A multi-stage sampling procedure involving cluster, stratified, simple random, and purposive sampling techniques yielded a sample of 405 respondents comprising 338 teachers, 49 headteachers, and 18 Curriculum Support Officers. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's Product-Moment correlation, and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data from interviews and classroom observations complemented the findings. The results indicated that teacher participation in ICT-related professional development programmes was moderate (M = 3.20), reflecting inconsistent participation in ICT capacity-building initiatives. Pearson's correlation analysis established a statistically significant positive relationship between teacher participation and ICT integration. Multiple regression analysis further revealed that teacher participation significantly predicted ICT integration (β = 0.290, p = 0.001), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Institutional and contextual factors, including ICT infrastructure, leadership support, internet connectivity, availability of digital devices, and technical support, moderated this relationship by either strengthening or constraining teachers' application of ICT competencies acquired through professional development. Teachers with higher participation levels demonstrated greater use of digital instructional resources, learner-centred pedagogies, and technology-supported classroom practices. The study concludes that continuous, school-based, and context-responsive professional development, supported by adequate institutional and contextual conditions, is essential for enhancing ICT integration in CBE. It recommends institutionalising continuous teacher professional development, decentralising ICT training, strengthening post-training mentorship, improving ICT infrastructure, and enhancing institutional support mechanisms to maximise ICT integration in marginalised regions.