Impact of ICT on Teacher Professional Development: A Mixed-Method Study in the Context of Kathmandu District, Nepal

Abstract

This study investigates how information and Communication Technology (ICT) is shaping Teacher Professional Development (TPD in Kathmandu District. Based on a mixed-methods research design, the research has targeted school-teachers at the secondary level in the Kathmandu district and has used the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework as the foundation for analysis of teacher responses. The Data were collected from 50 teachers working across different types of schools, combining qualitative interviews with descriptive survey analysis. This approach thus helps to capture how access to ICT influences teachers' opportunities for professional development and learning, pedagogical innovation with best practices, and the type of institutional support they receive. Many teachers have had some form of ICT training; they are still in the process of integrating digital tools into locally relevant teaching practices in the classroom for teaching and learning process. This study also points out that retaining trained teachers remains an issue, reflecting deeper disparities in infrastructure, training opportunities, and participation between public and private schools. The findings points to a need for more decentralized and context-sensitive forms of support. Effective ICT-based TPD requires stronger institutional commitment and a clearer national-level policy framework. The findings shows that, pragmatic recommendations which may help address the existing gaps and inform education planners on the design of more inclusive and ICT-responsive teacher development strategies, with particular reference to the developing educational context in Kathmandu District Nepal.