Rural South African teachers lean on WhatsApp groups and peer networks to fill gaps in formal digital training

Formal training for teachers in a rural South African district is teaching them how to operate digital tools but not how to teach with them, according to a new qualitative study published in Frontiers in Education. The gap is pushing educators to build their own support systems, from WhatsApp groups and online forums to professional learning communities and cluster meetings, to translate technical skills into meaningful classroom practice.

The study, conducted by Siyabonga Andrias Magoso of the University of South Africa and Khanyisile Mbatha of the University of South, examined how Grade 12 Business Studies teachers in the Harry Gwala District of KwaZulu-Natal Province experience professional development for digital technology integration. The researchers used a qualitative case study design within the interpretivist paradigm, generating data through semi-structured interviews with six purposively sampled teachers and analysing the transcripts thematically. The article was published on 21 October 2026.

The central finding is a mismatch between what formal training offers and what teachers say they need. Teachers reported participating in departmental workshops and cluster meetings, as well as webinars run by external technology companies, but most of these initiatives concentrated on the technical use of digital tools rather than their pedagogical application. As a result, many teachers struggled to translate the digital skills they acquired into meaningful classroom practice, a challenge the authors note was exacerbated by uneven access to training and limited ongoing support.

One participant described the pattern clearly: “I have been to a few school workshops and district-organized sessions, which were mostly introductory, just learning to use the tools. I would say most of what I know I learnt on my own, and I picked up a lot from other teachers who would share ways they used to teach using technology.” Another participant reported a similar mix of formal and self-directed learning: “I’ve been to a few workshops that the school has run, and a couple of webinars from tech companies, but most of what I learnt was by educating myself, like watching YouTube videos, reading blogs, and talking to other people in my field.”

The interviews also revealed that departmental workshops were not held regularly, and that digital skills were often acquired informally through colleagues rather than through structured training. The authors argue that this reliance on peer learning creates inconsistencies in classroom practice and places additional pressure on teachers, pointing to a significant deficit in formal professional development programmes. Support from the Department of Basic Education, district offices and private-sector organizations, participants reported, tended to emphasise infrastructure upgrades and technical assistance rather than pedagogical mentorship.

Against this backdrop, professional learning communities emerged in the study as one of the most effective forms of professional development. Participants described PLCs as spaces for collaborative learning, reflective practice and shared problem-solving, complemented by informal digital networks. “We have monthly professional development sessions where we share what’s working in our classrooms,” one teacher explained. “I also collaborate informally with other teachers through WhatsApp groups and Google Drive. We share lesson plans, tools, and resources, and I find these exchanges incredibly valuable.”

Cluster meetings extended these networks beyond individual schools. “I belong to a circuit cluster,” another participant said. “We used to have a weekly meeting about what was working and what was not in the classroom. I work with teachers across the district, and together we have an online group where we share materials and chat about new tools. It’s very informative; a great network of support.” Teachers also reported engaging in self-directed learning through online tutorials, blogs and YouTube videos, particularly in the absence of formal training, and some belonged to subject-specific online forums focused on Business Studies where members posted what was working and shared resources.

The researchers frame their analysis using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, which holds that effective technology integration requires an understanding of how content, pedagogy and technology intersect. The framework highlights a shortfall in much professional development: an overemphasis on technological knowledge at the expense of the integrated knowledge needed for transformative practice. Teachers may learn to operate a tool, the authors write, but remain unprepared to deploy it effectively within their subject’s pedagogy. The study also draws on research into digital professional learning networks, describing self-selected online communities where educators use social media, forums and messaging applications to exchange resources and solve problems collaboratively.

Based on the findings, the authors recommend that professional development move beyond technical training to include explicit modelling of pedagogical integration, with workshops demonstrating how digital tools can be used to teach specific Business Studies topics, supported by lesson co-planning and classroom mentoring. They further recommend that schools and district offices formalize professional learning communities and digital networks as legitimate structures, allocate time for regular meetings, provide data bundles for digital collaboration, and create online repositories for shared teaching resources. They also propose district-based mobile ICT support teams combining technical and pedagogical expertise, regular evidence-based needs assessments, and partnerships with universities and non-governmental organizations to provide ongoing mentorship.

The authors acknowledge the study’s limitations. The sample comprised six Business Studies teachers from a single district, so the findings may not represent the perspectives of teachers across KwaZulu-Natal or South Africa more broadly, and the study captured only teachers’ perspectives, excluding other stakeholders such as administrative staff, ICT champions and learners. The authors note that data saturation was reached, with no substantially new themes emerging in later interviews. They conclude that despite systemic challenges including irregular training, limited ongoing support and resource constraints, teachers in the study demonstrated resilience and a strong commitment to professional growth, and they call for sustained, context-sensitive professional development that integrates digital technology with pedagogy and values collaborative learning.

Subject of Research: Continuing professional development for digital technology integration among rural Grade 12 Business Studies teachers in South Africa

Article Title: Beyond technical training: teacher collaboration and informal learning in digital continuing professional development for business studies

Article References: Magoso, S. A., & Mbatha, K. (2026). Beyond technical training: teacher collaboration and informal learning in digital continuing professional development for business studies. Frontiers in Education, 11, Article 1947608. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1947608

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1947608

Keywords: continuous professional development, digital pedagogy, Business Studies, professional learning communities, rural education, South Africa, teacher collaboration, informal learning, TPACK, qualitative case study, KwaZulu-Natal, educational technology