Improving the Usage of ICT for Teaching and Learning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Australia: A Comparative Study of ICT Use in a Sample of Saudi Arabian and Australian Primary Schools

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for teaching and learning has become essential for quality education. This includes ICT tools such as computers, the Internet, software and a range of devices. Despite this, the infrastructure in Saudi Arabia does not currently allow the widespread implementation of ICT in the education system (Albugami & Ahmed, 2015). A comparative analysis of the similarities and differences of ICT implementation for learning and teaching in Australian and Saudi Arabian primary schools is the focus of this study. The analysis aimed to provide guidance as to how Saudi Arabia might benefit from the increased implementation of ICT tools in primary schools. The investigation was conducted using four constructs of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework: Technological Knowledge (TK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) (Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Mishra, Koehler & Shin, 2009). Importantly, it drew upon the framework for conceptualising the stages of ICT integration proposed by (Niess, Ronau, Shafer, Driskell, Harper, Johnston, & Kersaint, 2009). The following overarching research questions were intended to guide the qualitative and quantitative collection and analysis of data so that a comparative study of the use of ICT in schools could be completed: 1. What is the current state of ICT usage for teaching and learning in selected primary schools in Saudi Arabia and Australia? 2. What are the similarities and differences in ICT adoption and implementation for learning and teaching between selected schools in Saudi Arabia and Australia? 3. What recommendations can be made for improving ICT usage in teaching and learning in primary schools in Saudi Arabia and Australia? A correlational comparative study was conducted that collected data from teachers (n = 112) and students (n = 440) at state and independent/private primary schools in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (n = 4) and Australia (n = 2). The three research questions were investigated in two phases. Phase One involved the collection of quantitative data from surveys administered to both students and teachers concerning ICT usage both inside and outside of school, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of ICT for learning and teaching. In addition, teachers were surveyed on ICT use in teaching and learning TPK. Phase Two consisted of the collection of qualitative data through interviews with a sample of 27 teachers from both Saudi Arabia (n = 18) and Australia (n = 9). Those teachers participated in face-to-face and telephone interviews and provided their responses to both structured and unstructured questions. Statistical analyses using Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square tests revealed a significant difference between private and public Saudi Arabian primary schools in the implementation of the TPACK framework. While no significant differences were found to exist between the selected independent and state Australian primary schools, Saudi Arabian private schools overall were found to be more likely than Saudi Arabian public schools to have adopted expectations that reflected the TPACK model than did Saudi Arabian public schools. Through the NVivo software, qualitative data analysis revealed teachers’ perceptions of ICT use, and the effect of educational policy on teachers’ ICT use. Australian students were more generally positive about the ways in which they can use ICTs in the classroom effectively to enhance their education than were Saudi students. Further, Australian teachers, like their Saudi counterparts, were very aware of the need for the integration of ICT into education and were certainly in favour of it. By drawing up the Niess et al. (2009) framework, the findings suggested that the sample of Saudi Arabian primary schools most reflected the stages of recognising and accepting the use of ICT in teaching and learning, while the sample of Australian schools studied most reflected aspects which indicated that they had moved beyond the recognising and accepting phases, and demonstrated that they were adapting, exploring and advancing ICT use in teaching and learning. This study concludes with a set of recommendations for teachers, schools and policymakers to enhance the use of ICT for teaching and learning in both Saudi Arabian and Australian schools. As a result, this study has the potential to contribute to an improved understanding among policymakers, schools and teachers in relation to how ICT can become more widely utilised both in the classroom and at home to achieve higher-quality education outcomes, which is important for the long-term growth and development of both nations’ education systems.