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The use of personally owned devices among learners has remained a contentious issue in schools across the globe. While several studies have been devoted to explaining the importance of such initiatives, the debate has continued to rage on, with most school authorities imposing a blanket ban on the use of these devices within their premises. In this study, we seek to contribute by examining in-service teachers’ perceptions of the use of personally owned devices in schools within the global south context. The qualitative study explores teachers’ understanding of the usefulness of technology and associated devices such as smartphones in the classroom. The Unified Theory of Use and Acceptance of Technology (UTUAT) was used to draw up a conceptual framework. Purposive sampling was employed to select in-service secondary school teachers who had at some time previously enrolled in an introduction to information technology course at a tertiary institution. Constant comparison analysis and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data from the focus groups. Thirteen thematic areas were drawn from the study and these were framed to support the conceptual framework.

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It is imperative that every student be empowered with Information and Communication Technology skills early in their academic careers. This is expected to help students achieve higher grades in their academic endeavours and prepare them for their future careers. Global trends have shown that information communication technologies appropriation in HE is critical in developing the 21st-century knowledge worker. This paper highlights motives for implementing an introductory module in ICT in HE. The paper further investigates implementation challenges, as well as measures to address these challenges. An interpretative philosophy using a case study research design is adopted for the study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 lecturers who teach the module. These had been purposefully selected using a criterion of at least 2 years of experience teaching the university course. The importance of the module was articulated with major impediments in its implementation being highlighted. Data collected were transcribed, coded, and then analysed using thematic analysis. Results from the empirical study revealed eight key determinants for successfully implementing an introductory module in ICT. These were the availability of the physical infrastructure, availability of the technical infrastructure, availability of technical resources, aligning module content to subject area, implementing manageable classes, continuously updating module content to keep up-to-date with technological changes, fostering a positive attitude toward the module among students, and continuously training students and lecturers ICT skills through short courses and workshops. These key factors were used to conceptualise the study.