The role of ICT coordinator. Priority and time dedicated to professional functions

Abstract

This research analyses the ICT coordinator's role in primary schools in Andalusia, Spain. 101 coordinators filled in an online questionnaire that included a question regarding preferences about priority given and time dedicated to the eight professional functions assigned by the Educational Administration. The difference between the importance given and time dedicated to the different functions showed a high role adjustment of the ICT coordinators. Guiding teachers to work out and use digital contents in the classroom was the most prioritized function. On the contrary, school web management was considered the least important function. Managing digital tools was prioritized mostly by the youngest ICT coordinators females who were selected by the school board and did not hold any other school position. Multidimensional Scaling of a preferences question suggests that ICT coordinators prioritize their functions according to their complexity and the setting where they take place (classroom vs. school).The most relevant functions are the ones which favor ICT implementation in the classroom, and these functions result in being less complex since they adjust to the teacher's traditional role. These findings are discussed in order to fortify coordinators leadership in the change that ICT implementation in schools brings about.