Access and utilization of technological infrastructure in colleges of education in Ghana

Abstract This study examines the widening gap between the availability and actual utilization of digital infrastructure in teacher training institutions, particularly within the Ghanaian context. Despite significant national investments in ICT hardware and digital transformation policies, effective utilization remains inconsistent and often underwhelming. Employing a convergent mixed-methods design, the study involved 60 lecturers purposively sampled from five Colleges of Education in the Ashanti Region. Quantitative data collected through structured questionnaires were analysed using one-sample t-tests against a benchmark mean of 3.49, while qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions were subjected to thematic analysis. Quantitative findings revealed that overall digital infrastructure availability (M = 3.42) was significantly below the adequacy benchmark, particularly regarding internet quality and shared computing resources (p < 0.05). In contrast, lecturers’ pedagogical-technological knowledge (M = 4.31) and ICT proficiency (M = 4.38) were significantly above the benchmark (p < 0.001), indicating strong readiness for digital integration despite infrastructural constraints. Qualitative findings further revealed that behavioral resistance, limited professional development, inadequate maintenance systems, and misalignment of digital content with local contexts impede effective integration. The study concludes that the access–utilization gap is less a problem of lecturer competence and more a systemic and infrastructural challenge. It recommends context-sensitive teacher training, strengthened infrastructure maintenance, equity-driven Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) support, and culturally aligned digital content development to foster sustainable technology adoption in Colleges of Education.