Information And Communication Technology In Schools Research Articles

¿Qué hacen las escuelas innovadoras con la tecnología?: las TIC al servicio de la escuela y la comunidad en el colegio Amara Berri


 La utilización de las tecnologías digitales exige una reflexión pedagógica que oriente y guíe su integración en las actividades escolares. Las TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) tienen reconocido todo su potencial pero son grandes también las limitaciones de su impacto. El análisis de buenas prácticas con TIC desarrollado dentro del proyecto de investigación titulado “Análisis de las políticas educativas de las TIC en los centros escolares y sus efectos sobre la innovación pedagógica en País Vasco”, nos ha llevado a observar con detenimiento la utilización de la tecnología digital en el Colegio Amara Berri de San Sebastián, un centro de reconocida tradición e influencia innovadora. Describimos las actividades del departamento de Medios de Comunicación (Hedabideak), los diferentes talleres y su organización, las tareas y proyectos que allí se realizan, así como los roles de maestros y alumnos. Por último, finalizamos valorando la experiencia desde un punto de vista pedagógico.

Analysis of elementary school ICT textbooks in Taiwan and the importance of content about computer virus

Due to the popularity of computers and internet, different kinds of computer viruses were created by hackers or cyber criminals, and it caused great damage to the society, like: The lost of great amount of money, and the leak of personal information. It has become important to teach students know more about computer virus. This study analyzed the current status of elementary school ICT (Information and Communication Technology) textbooks in Taiwan, and analyzed ICT teachers’ opinions about the importance of integrating the content of computer virus into ICT textbooks. The result showed that the issue of computer virus did not mention much in the related textbooks in Taiwan, and many related issues were not included. Besides, through analyzing the opinions from ICT teachers, most of the teachers considered that it was important to integrate the content about computer virus into ICT textbooks.

An analysis on the application of CD-ROMs for English teaching in Korean elementary schools

This study investigated the current ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) use in Korean elementary English classes in relation to the use of English CD-ROM to suggest ideas for improvement. It is widely accepted thatthe use of ICT in schools has potential positive effects in many aspects of education such as school achievements, learner motivation, and school administration. However, for the successful implementation of ICT teaching/learning material, many factors should be considered, for example, educational policy, infrastructure, content ware, personnel and financial resources. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of ICT teaching/learning materials continuously, such as the English CD-ROM which is being widely used in elementary English classes as one of the main tools of ICT teaching material. In this study, 161 elementary school students and 54 elementary school teachers participated in a survey. This survey intended to find out the participants’ frequencies of using the English CD-ROM and the activity preferences. The survey results indicate that the English CD-ROM should be considered for improvement to increase learners’ interest and frequency of use. As a conclusion, this study suggests several implications which may help to design more helpful ICT English teaching/learning materials. The main idea of the suggestion is related to learners’ interests, the connection between school work and home study, and user interface design.

Socioeconomic differences in elementary students’ ICT beliefs and out-of-school experiences

The purpose of the study was to explore possible links between student socioeconomic status (SES), beliefs about information and communication technologies (ICTs), and out-of-school learning resources. Grades 5 and 6 students ( N = 345) who were enrolled in one private and six public elementary schools in Greece, located in areas with different demographic characteristics, responded to a questionnaire addressing their ICT self-efficacy and value beliefs, out-of-school ICT access and activities, perceived parental support and regulation of home ICT activities, and access to sources of technological support beyond the family. Findings showed that students from all SES family backgrounds tended to have positive views about the value of ICTs, but students from low-SES families expressed lower confidence in their ICT skills. Parents from all SES backgrounds appeared to view equally favorably their children’s engagement with ICTs, and perceived parental support correlated highly with students’ ICT value beliefs. However, students from low-SES families appeared to have fewer opportunities to develop ICT competencies, which may explain why they expressed less positive self-efficacy beliefs. Findings stress the need for school ICT integration efforts to take into account student differences in prior experiences and to be coordinated with students’ home computer use.

Information and Communication Technology in China

This article provides an overview of the recent development of information and communication technology (ICT) utilized in Chinese elementary and secondary education. Specifically, the article discusses the positive impact ICT has on Chinese education, as well as the existing problems in the application of ICT. The potential for further developing education with ICT in schools is considered. In addition, challenges are discussed, and recommendations are made with regard to providing better education with ICT. The target audience of this article is policy makers, educators, ICT professionals and researchers.

Why do some student teachers make very good use of ICT? An exploratory case study

This paper reports the findings from a study of student teachers at a university–school initial teacher education partnership in England. Forty student teachers, on primary and secondary teacher education programmes, were identified through tutor and mentor reports as making very good use of information and communication technologies (ICT). These student teachers were interviewed, and in many cases observed, teaching a lesson using ICT. Interviews covered their use of ICT in a particular lesson; their past experience of using ICT; factors encouraging or discouraging their use of ICT in school; and their beliefs about teaching and learning. Observations recorded their uses of hardware and software. Findings indicate that access, support for, and modelling of, ICT use in the classroom were key issues in developing this very good use of ICT. Equally important, however, seemed to be the belief that ICT could make a positive difference to teaching and learning and a willingness to ‘learn by doing’. These findings are reported in the context of the wider literature.

The use of ICT in primary schools within emerging communities of implementation

To illustrate the conditions under which successful innovation adoption takes place, this paper focuses on the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT) through emerging communities in schools. Two types of such communities are described in terms of the degree of participation in the implementation: school-wide communities and enclaves. The article describes implementation practices in four primary schools with reported high ICT use, selected as case-studies. Four criteria, reflecting the domain, personnel relationships, policy and implementation goals and strategies, as well as staff consistency, are employed to outline the existence and types of communities of implementation within these schools. Findings indicate that, although both school-wide communities and enclaves are present in successful schools, enclaves – compared to school-wide communities – are related to lower levels of implementation. Based on these findings the authors discuss policy directions towards the development of school-wide communities as a purposeful implementation strategy to help transition ICT institutionalization from the initiation to the habitualization stage.

ICT & learning in Chilean schools: Lessons learned

By the early nineties a Chilean network on computers and education for public schools had emerged. There were both high expectancies that technology could revolutionize education as well as divergent voices that doubted the real impact of technology on learning. This paper presents an evaluation of the Enlaces network, a national Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and education initiative designed as part of a series of programs to overcome inequity and quality issues of public education in Chile, by integrating teachers and learners into the knowledge society. Data gathered and the results obtained in four major areas of educational policies – infrastructure, digital literacy, conditions of learning, and the impact on school learning of major national and international tests – are presented and fully analyzed. The strengths and weaknesses of Enlaces as a visible component of the educational system and educational reform are also discussed. Enlaces has provided basic infrastructure tools, connectivity, ICTs, and teacher training to a huge number of schools, but critical results are narrow in terms of classroom learning and no additional competencies have been observed. Data and results are limited by structural bottlenecks in the educational and social system. Finally, the lessons learned after more than 15 years of implementing technology in Chilean schools are presented and fully discussed.

ICT and inclusive education in primary schools ‐ pupils with motor disabilities

This paper is based on a study aimed at ascertaining whether information and communication technology (ICT) can be used as an integrating link for children with motor disabilities in primary school. The study includes an introductory questionnaire with parents of 16 children and observations in the classrooms of five pupils attending a school in a small town in Sweden. In this article inclusion is exemplified with one of these pupils. The results of this study show agreement with other research that the computer, which often symbolises the whole ICT field, is used as a pedagogical tool for learning at school. However, it is difficult to see whether ICT is used in a way that enhances inclusion, an overall goal for many people with disabilities in today's society. One reason for this is the school's strong focus on learning, another that limited efforts have been put into communication and collaborative work between the pupils.

Knowledge, the disciplines, and learning in the Digital Age

ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) are now widely used in schools: However, despite predictions, they have not revolutionized teaching and learning. Why is this? Does it matter? Should we care? This paper outline seeks to answer such questions and why we should care. School ICTs are informed by a range of different, and often conflicting ideas, with the result that student work is often “digital busywork”. The article argues that if ICTS are to play a useful role in helping us to re-develop our schools for the Knowledge Age, we need to re-examine some of our old ideas about knowledge. In particular, we need to re-examine the place and purpose of the traditional disciplinary knowledge that is the basis of the current curriculum.

The sub‐culture of music and ICT in the classroom

In this paper the authors utilise findings from the Economic and Social Research Council‐funded InterActive Education project to present a characterisation of the sub‐culture of school music with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in England. They consider the opportunities and challenges ICT presents to the teaching of primary (ages 4–11) and secondary (ages 11–18) classroom music through an investigation of the perceptions, personal philosophies and pedagogical styles of seven teachers with whom they worked over a period of three years. Their work is underpinned by Goodson and Mangan’s definition of subject sub‐culture and they draw on Shulman’s notion of ‘knowledge bases’ in order to categorise and discuss the data. Through the identification and elaboration of key themes, the authors provide a snapshot of the emerging sub‐culture of music and ICT in schools.

Using ICT in primary schools: different perceptions by school heads and teachers in Hong Kong

Although, the benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in primary schools have been gradually recognised in the past decade, many researchers still hold different or sometimes opposing, views. This paper introduces the history of the educational use of ICT and some theories behind it. The views of people in the supporting and opposing camps will be discussed. A survey was administered to school heads and teachers in Hong Kong to explore their views on the aspects of ICT use. The survey found that teachers have a remarkably less optimistic view than do school heads on many issues. Policymakers should be aware of this perception gap and carefully reexamine any possible issues with ICT deployment. The rationale and method of this study are likely applicable to other educational systems around the world.

Technology enhancing learning: analysing uses of information and communication technologies by primary and secondary school pupils with learning frameworks

Successive national policy in England has striven to develop uses of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support teaching and learning, and has promoted the adoption of ICT in schools over a period of some 25 years (since the ‘Microcomputer in schools initiative’ of 1981). The current level of deployment of ICT in schools is high. Not only are current levels higher than ever before, but the diversity of forms of ICT have also increased. These high levels and wide diversity create challenges for teachers, in terms of understanding how to select appropriate uses of ICT to support learning most effectively in specific situations. A clear need is for teachers to know how each form of ICT supports precise aspects of learning, in each subject area, topic and activity. Teachers need to consider the forms of technological resources that are accessible, how these specifically work within learning environments in classroom (and other) settings, and how uses of resources match social, behavioural, emotional and cognitive needs of pupils. This article offers a perspective of the pedagogical needs of teachers, by considering a particular selection of learning technologies, how these are used within learning environments, and how it is possible to view their impact on pupil cognition. A set of starting frameworks, through which to analyse impact, is considered, and the findings from example sets of case studies indicate how uses of ICT have been focused by teachers, and where potential forms of impact have arisen. The findings indicate a need for more detailed data gathering, both to provide evidence that will offer a greater insight into specific aspects of learning that are supported when certain forms of ICT are used, and to give an indication of gaps in learning focus that might arise. From the results of the analyses presented, implications for policy, practice, evaluation and research are highlighted and discussed.

Student teachers' first reflections on information and communications technology and classroom learning: implications for initial teacher education

Abstract This article explores student teachers' views of the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools. There is limited research literature regarding the perceptions that such students develop in relation to the use of ICT in teaching while observing practice in schools. The paper offers an interpretive analysis of the opinions that a cohort of undergraduate student teachers at a Scottish University expressed in an online forum, following a period of school placement. As part of their initial teacher education (ITE), the students were asked to post messages on the forum in relation to the factors that they perceived as promoting or hindering the use of ICT in schools. Perceptions that students held were found to be complex and varied. Students associated the use of ICT with changes in the nature of classroom relations, as well as a reshaping of learning and teaching. While they welcomed the introduction of ICT as a tool for modernising teaching, students identified a variety of factors that hinder this process. The paper finishes by identifying some of the implications for those working with student teachers in encouraging their development of reflective practice with ICT and enhancing their positive attitudes in relation to the use of ICT in schools.

Information and communication technology (ICT) education in The City School, Pakistan

PurposeIn an age of information technology some developing countries are more vulnerable than others to international competition through failure to utilize fully the benefits of an ICT culture. The authors suggest that the strategies in response must include a radical review of attitudes and methods of delivery of ICT in schools and give as an example the recent experience of The City School, the nationwide schools’ organisation in Pakistan with whom they are employed.Design/methodology/approachThe authors review the current position of ICT in schools in Pakistan and suggest as a model of development, for schools of a corresponding standing, that of The City School. They describe how The City School responded to ICT, ensuring that all its pupils would have access to the most modern of ICT courses. Discusses how the decision to implement a complete change, or revolution, in teaching ICT was brought about in a relatively short time. It discusses the nature of the programme, how it was organised, the materials required and the outcomes of its implementation including its outstanding success with pupils and their parents.FindingsThe authors chronicle the historical developments within The City School that brought about radical change within a comparatively short period and identify careful planning, training, and the motivation of stakeholders, i.e. pupils, teachers and parents, as key elements in its successful implementation.Originality/valueThe authors suggest that The City School experience provides a model that may be emulated by schools elsewhere in both developing and industrially developed countries.

An Approach to ICT-based School Education in Tanzania

Introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in school education needs the development of a framework by the policy-making authorities. In this work an approach has been suggested based on survey conducted by the authors and an implemented model in another developing country. The main focus of this approach is the use of ICT in schools (both primary and secondary) in Tanzania considering resource constraint as a major factor. African Journal of Finance and Management Vol.12(2) 2004: 88-97

Student teachers’ use of laptops in schools

The Laptop Integration in Teacher Education project provided laptop computers for a cohort of students undertaking a one-year Initial Teacher Training course at the University of Ulster for the award of Post Graduate Certificate in Education. The study sought to measure the value of laptops to student teachers whilst on Teaching Practice. Data collection was through pre- and post-course questionnaires and through students’ reflective accounts. The very positive outcomes showed that the equipment could be used, first, to foster personal and professional skills, particularly extending competence and confidence in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and, second, to enhance teaching and learning. The potential was highlighted for ICT in schools to facilitate planning, administration and research, and to support teaching and learning in individual and collaborative ways. Additionally, the laptops enabled student teachers to keep in touch electronically with university tutors and peers, thereby reducing any sense of isolation.

Intensive use of ICT in school: Developing differences in students’ ICT expertise

The purpose of the study was to examine the development of students’ high-level computer skills and competence (student expertise) in information and communication technology (ICT), and to examine the characteristics of such expertise. Eighteen lower secondary school students, selected to represent both genders and all school achievement levels, were given laptops for three years to be used both at school and at home. The data of the longitudinal study consisted of a test on ICT skills; self-evaluation questionnaires on ICT competence, thoughts about their own expertise, ICT-related activities and task, interest in ICT, and classroom observations. The results of the study indicated that the intensive use of ICT and the process-oriented learning environment supported the development of student expertise. In the analysis, three groups were identified, which oriented themselves somewhat differently in relation to ICT: student experts ( n = 6), advanced users ( n = 8) and non-interested users ( n = 4). The experts differed from the other groups in respect of especially focusing on advancing their ICT skills; they had undertaken ICT-related tasks outside the school, they had metacognitive consciousness about their competence, and they had future plans concerning ICT in their further education and profession.

Tools for the job: a report of two surveys of information and communications technology training and use for literacy in primary schools in the West of England

AbstractSubstantial investment has been made in improving computer hardware and raising the profile of information and communications technology (ICT) in English primary schools in recent years, in line with the belief that skills in ICT are essential for our future workforce (DfEE/QCA 2000). This study compares practising teachers' responses in 1998 and 2001 to a questionnaire about the aims and uses of ICT in primary schools for literacy activities. It discusses the changes in what teachers want and their understanding of the task the government has given them to do. A commonly cited problem is finding time to absorb the new technology to maximise its pedagogic potential.

Computers for Africa: lessons learnt from introducing computers into schools in Mozambique

This article discusses research undertaken to document the process of introducing and using information and communication technology (ICT) in the secondary schools of Mozambique in the last three years of the 20th century. The research takes the form of a case study focused on the internet for Schools Project (IFSP), which is considered the first attempt to integrate computer-assisted education in Mozambique. The study identifies some important collateral aspects that developing countries should not underestimate when planning the dissemination of ICT in schools to accelerate the country's future participation as an active member of the global information society. We ask three questions happened? What worked? What did not work? We then propose some recommendations for implementing computers in schools in other developing countries.