ICT utilisation within the basic education sector: Evidence from BRICS Countries Emerging Economies Perspective.

The problem the study seeks to address is why most BRICS economies have low Information Communications Technology (ICT) utilization in schools. As a result, the objective of the study is to determine the ICT utilisation in secondary schools within the basic education sector. The guiding theoretical framework in the production of new knowledge in this scientific study is Technology, Readiness, and Acceptance Model (TRAM). The focus of the study is on secondary schools within the five main BRICS countries as emerging economies notably: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The researcher believes pragmatism is an appropriate philosophical paradigm to produce knowledge, hence the mixed method research is applied. The pragmatism philosophy encompasses both qualitative and quantitative methods. The mixed method research presents an opportunity to conduct a detailed comparative analysis of ICT utilisation between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, in secondary schools within these main BRICS countries. School Management Teams, Teachers, ICT Specialists and Learners are participants in this study. These participants are involved in interviews, completion of surveys and group observations during data collection. The data is collected in two identified schools per country in all the five (5) main BRICS Countries to reach the project objectives. Ideally, two private and two public schools to be involved to do the comparative analysis to have a better deduction of ICT utilisation. The study targets 50 participants per school, which is 100 participants in each country. There is analysis and comparison of data amongst the mentioned BRICS Countries, and to determine the levels of ICT utilisation. The study is meant to produce a responsive ICT Utilisation Framework that will guide the implementation of ICTs in the classroom for the emerging economies. The ICT Framework development considers the DaVinci Technology, Innovation, People and Systems (TIPS) Framework as a guide.