The Comparison of Turkish and South African Education Systems in Schools According to Information and Communication Technology Implementations

The purpose of this study is to compare the similarities and differences between the information and communication technology implementations of Turkish and South African education systems. This study was conducted according to the qualitative research method. It is a descriptive study and the case study pattern of qualitative research method was used in the study. The data was obtained through document analysis and was analyzed by the method of interpretation. The findings of the study are gathered under two main titles. The first of these is the findings around Turkey and South Africa’s demographic and social development indicators and the limited numerical data of these two countries’ around education. The second is the findings regarding the availability of the information and communication technologies in the education system. This second process also includes the aim, the philosophical background of the curriculum as well as the availability of the information and communication technologies as compulsory and elective courses and their weekly hours in it. According to the results of this study, quantitatively Turkey has better indicators in comparison to South Africa. Both countries have done similar implementations, however Turkey's efforts regarding utilization of the information and communication technologies in the education system are pioneering and more. Besides, while in South Africa the names of the courses, their status of being compulsory or elective was almost always constant, in Turkey these changes were experienced continuously. At the end of this study, since the scope and limitations of it did not provide the opportunity to subject the study to in-depth and detailed analysis it was suggested that it would be appropriate to carry out new and more detailed analysis studies by employing it’s different elements.

Keywords

Information and Communication Technology Course, Education System, South Africa, Comparative Education, Turkey.