Technology Integration In Schools Research Articles

Exploring the Evolution of Educational Technology Policy in Ireland: From Catching-Up to Pedagogical Maturity

Many countries have launched national educational technology policies in the past number of decades aimed at increasing technology integration in schools. This article analyses educational technology policy in Ireland from 1997 to 2017 and draws attention to an underlying economic agenda for technology integration in schools, set against a backdrop of neoliberal discourses. The study found that the challenge of integrating technology is no longer understood as simply a challenge of “integration” but rather as a realignment of the existing education system toward a more student-centered experience. Most recent policy also recognizes the complex and contextually bound nature of the associated change process suggesting a maturation of understanding in respect of the intersection between technology and education. The article also highlights the symbolic function of policy and the role it plays in representing the educational system in a particular light to national and international audiences. Recognizing the symbolic function of educational technology policy and the neoliberal ideology underpinning it can help identify the reasons for the apparent failures of past attempts to integrate technology in schools as well as informing future policy iterations.

Elementary schoolteachers’ use of Twitter: exploring the implications of learning through online social media

ABSTRACTTeachers’ use of online social networking to support their learning may have important implications for classroom teaching practices. This mixed methods study investigated how elementary schoolteachers used Twitter professionally. Teachers described what they learned from Twitter and how they applied their new learning to their teaching. Technology integration techniques emerged as a key finding for what teachers reportedly learned. Teachers also described using information they learned to alter their teaching practices and to identify other educational opportunities. With demand for technology integration in schools and related professional development on the rise, these findings have implications for teachers, school leaders, and policymakers. This study’s findings suggest Twitter may hold value as a legitimate platform for continuous teacher learning. However, information adopted from Twitter must be critically evaluated for evidence-based practices as opposed to responding to the latest fads.

User Perceptions of Technology Integration in Schools: Evidence from Turkey’s Fatih Project

This study aims to provide insights into and evidence on technology integration in Turkish schools, particularly in high schools, through analyzing the effectiveness of the FATIH Project. The primary purpose attempts to determine whether teachers would accept this new technology and the barriers preventing its use. The frequently used technology acceptance model is used as a theoretical framework to highlight the integration process and behavioral aspects of acceptance. The results of the unstructured interviews are presented using tag cloud methodology. The findings reveal that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are two key factors affecting the use of technology in the classrooms. The proposed model can be applied to both secondary and higher education institutions; however, the methodology could be improved by including more participants in the focus groups.

Teachers Attitude And Barriers Towards The Use Of Information Communication Technology In Classrooms In The Motheo District Bloemfontein South Africa

Teachers role in Information Communication Technology integration in schools are very important and teachers’ attitude must be considered as well as barriers that hindered ICT integration. This study investigates teachers’ attitude towards the use of ICT in classrooms in the Motheo district, Bloemfontein South Africa. The study sample consists of 30 teachers in randomly selected schools in Bloemfontein. A mixed method approach is used to gather data. The findings reveal that teachers have a positive attitude towards the use of ICT and are positive to integrate ICT in the classroom, but that are barriers the hindered them to use ICT. One of the biggest concerns is training and the lack of resources.

Teachers Attitude And Barriers Towards The Use Of Information Communication Technology In Classrooms In The Motheo District Bloemfontein South Africa

Teachers role in Information Communication Technology integration in schools are very important and teachers’ attitude must be considered as well as barriers that hindered ICT integration. This study investigates teachers’ attitude towards the use of ICT in classrooms in the Motheo district, Bloemfontein South Africa. The study sample consists of 30 teachers in randomly selected schools in Bloemfontein. A mixed method approach is used to gather data. The findings reveal that teachers have a positive attitude towards the use of ICT and are positive to integrate ICT in the classroom, but that are barriers the hindered them to use ICT. One of the biggest concerns is training and the lack of resources.

Supporting Learning Leaders for the Effective Integration of Technology into Schools

Learning leaders have important roles in facilitating and supporting the effective and innovative integration of technology in schools. Many leaders who are charged with the task of technology integration have not received professional development to support a leadership role. Many teachers who assume the role of technology leaders develop into this role organically over time based on their recognized performance. School administrators may not have the skills to make decisions for technology integration for learning. Effective ICT learning leaders exhibit the ability to create a shared vision, remain pedagogically focused, and seek and contribute to on-going professional development. Recognizing characteristics of learning leaders who are innovators in technology integration is an important step in the overall improvement of education systems. This paper focuses on the role learning leaders have in the effective use of technology in the learning environment and the types of professional development that best support learning for these leaders. The paper also addresses the important role of assessment, in order to continue the quest to determine what technology-enhanced interventions and innovations work for whom, in what contexts, and under what conditions.

A sustainability framework for mobile technology integration in schools: The case of resource-constrained environments in South Africa

The application of mobile technology integration in schools has been widely researched. However, only a few studies have extensively examined the sustainability of mobile technology integration in resource-constrained environments. Diverse contexts and devices complicate the construction of a consolidated view of how to sustain the pedagogical practice of learning with mobile devices in these environments. The purpose of this article is to indicate how feedback from teachers and district officials informed the development of a sustainability framework for mobile technology integration in schools (SFMTIS), which originated following a literature review. Employing design science research as methodology, a sustainability framework was synthesized from the existing literature. Teachers’ views were obtained regarding the integration of mobile technology in their schools and were subsequently processed to inform the further development of the framework. Teachers who had previously participated in an initiative which introduced mobile tablet use, trained those teachers, and provided information and communication technology infrastructure to their schools, were purposively selected for the study. Department of Basic Education officials based at district offices were also interviewed for their views on sustainable integration. The findings form the basis for the proposed SFMTIS in resource-constrained environments in South Africa. Besides the refined sustainability framework, the research contributes novel insights into the differing perspectives of the teachers and the district officials, and how those can impact the sustainability of mobile technology integration in resource-constrained environments.

We can, we know how. But do we want to? Teaching attitudes towards ICT based on the level of technology integration in schools

Teachers’ attitudes towards technology are crucial to foster its use in schools and to improve its educational affordances and this is still a topic for research. This article relates the attitudes school teachers have towards information and communication technologies (ICT) with the different levels of technology integration in schools. A multiple case-study research methodology was applied, and in which the school was the unit of sampling used. Thirty-five schools from eight Spanish regions were selected, and 1222 questionnaires were collected, representing 78.9% of the sample. Three combined variables were utilised to classify schools in four different levels of technology integration. Results suggest level 4 school teachers exhibit better attitudes towards ICT, which results in creating a positive circle which improves the learning process. This becomes relevant for teacher education and professional development, as effective ICT integration in the classroom can perform as a catalyst for educational innovation.

Barriers Affecting Successful Integration of ICT in Moroccan Universities

The implementation of technology in classrooms affords educators more opportunities to work better in their lessons. However, there are numerous distinctive barriers that might prevent teachers from making use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in their teaching practices. Admittedly, studying the obstacles to the integration of technology in schools would be an important step in developing the quality of teaching. The primary objective of this study is to discover the barriers that stop university language teachers from using ICT in teaching. In this study the questionnaire is employed as data collection instrument. The questionnaire addresses only university English language teachers. Forty-six university English language teachers are chosen from two universities: Moulay Ismail University Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Meknes and Sidi Mohamed Ben AbdellahDahr – El Mahraz – Fes as a case study. So as to analyze the data from the questionnaire, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 is employed. The research findings reveal that Moroccan university English language teachers face multiple barriers such as large classes, lack of computers, lack of Internet and insufficient technical support that prevent them from using ICT in their teaching practices.

MISSION POSSIBLE: USING UBIQUITOUS SOCIAL GOAL SHARING TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN

The present study investigated the acceptability of a novel ubiquitous socialgoal-sharing intervention aimed at promoting physical activity (PA) in schoolchildren. Methods: Thirty children (18 boys; 10.1±0.3 years; 1.39±0.06 m; 19.85±4.03 kg·m-2) were randomly assigned to ten groups and provided with Fitbit monitors. Video-clips describing mission-based activities were shown on iPads each week, for four consecutive weeks. An LED lighting-strip provided visual feedback on daily group PA levels. Three semistructured group interviews were conducted with 10 children (4 boys, 6 girls; n=2) and two teachers (n=1). Additionally, at baseline and post-intervention, seven-day accelerometry, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF; 20m shuttle run test), anthropometrics and physical selfperceptions were assessed. Data were analysed using a mixed “between-within" analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Children stated that peers were positive role models and provided encouragement to accomplish the missions. Teachers felt that children’s fitness, teamwork and problem-solving skills considerably improved. Statistical analyses revealed no significant intervention effect (p>0.05), though BMI and waist circumference, and CRF, decreased and increased, respectively. Conclusion: The integration of ubiquitous social goal-sharing technology in schools was well received by teachers and pupils. However, further studies integrating a larger sample size encompassing numerous schools, comparison groups and a longer intervention period with associated follow-up measurements, are warranted to ascertain the feasibility as a low-cost intervention to promote children’s PA levels.

Aspiring School Administrators' Perceived Ability to Meet Technology Standards and Technological Needs for Professional Development

The merits of technology in general and of educational technology specifically are well documented. The use of educational technology has been shown to improve teaching and learning and the overall educational quality of schools. However, the successful integration of educational technology in schools hinges on school administrators' technology leadership abilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate aspiring school administrators' perceived ability to meet technology standards established by ISTE Standards for Administrators (formerly known as the NETS·A) and to determine which standards they wished to pursue for future professional development. Utilizing the ISTE Standards–A as a framework, a survey was created to decipher how aspiring school administrators perceived their own abilities to become leaders with foundational technology leadership skills. The findings showed that (a) the aspiring school administrators were more likely to indicate a need for professional development in technology utilization to meet the standards than they were to indicate their perceived current competence in meeting the technology standards and effectively utilizing technology in their schools; (b) when interests were examined by race, African American aspiring school administrators were more interested in pursuing professional development to enhance their abilities to perform the tasks than were Caucasian aspiring school administrators; and (c) there was a statistically significant difference between aspiring school administrators' average Perception and Interest scores. It appeared that in general, the participants perceived a greater need for professional development in technology standards than their perceived current ability to perform the standards.

A systemic model for differentiating school technology integration

School technology integration rarely begins with school or educator choice. It is part of a wider context where external and internal factors have direct influence on the goals and tools that are adopted over time. The objective of this study is to investigate the systemic conditions that contribute or inhibit the development of different activities by teachers making use of new media. We compiled a list of well-known conditions for technology integration success and mapped these in the historical and culturally bound perspective of activity theory (cultural historical activity theory). We conducted a multiple case study analysis of four schools, public and private. The results point to unique and distinctive scenarios even when homogeneity would be expected, reinforcing the argument that material conditions do not determine pedagogical outcomes nor do they determine changes in practice. Beyond this, the study proposes a methodology that can help elicit tensions in technology integration, pointing to avenues for school development. Keywords: school; new media; technology; systemic (Published: 19 July 2016) Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2016, 24 : 31856 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v24.31856

Seeing the system: Dynamics and complexity of technology integration in secondary schools

This paper introduces system dynamics modeling to understand, visualize and explore technology integration in schools, through the development of a theoretical model of technology-related change in teachers' practice. Technology integration is a dynamic social practice, within the social system of education. It is difficult, if not nearly impossible, for the human mind to fully conceptualize complex social systems. Therefore, it is necessary to use conceptual frameworks designed to examine these phenomena. The model presented in this paper draws together known factors of integration and findings from a large-scale technology initiative in Australia to create a preliminary casual-loop model of technology integration in secondary school teaching. The preliminary model illustrates feedback and multiple effects in the system of education. The use of system models can potentially support a shift from focusing on teachers' technology use to student outcomes, and the feedback loop of students' technology use on teachers' practice. Implications for technology integration, teacher change and learning are discussed.

Integrating Technology: The Principals’ Role and Effect

There are many factors that influence technology integration in the classroom such as teacher willingness, availability of hardware, and professional development of staff. Taking into account these elements, this paper describes research on technology integration with a focus on principals’ attitudes. The role of the principal in classroom practice was found to be substantial. The purpose of this research was to assess the current attitudes concerning technology integration in schools from the school principal’s perspective. This research investigated the value principals place on using technology in student learning, what principals believe prevents teachers from succeeding in technology integration, what can best facilitate teacher development, and if principals perceive peer coaching or mentoring to be a viable option. The research herein consisted of a survey and an interview to help assess principals’ attitudes regarding the importance of technology integration, the perceived challenges and whether or not teacher coaches are a viable option for the future. This examination concluded that most principals in this research study value technology in education, perceive teacher willingness and professional development to be the strongest obstacles, and think teacher coaches would be a viable option for success. This study sheds light on a couple of paths for future research.

Administrator Insights and Reflections: Technology Integration in Schools

There are numerous technology tools that educators utilize to support student learning. Often, technology is mandated from the top down with school administrators’ responsible for overseeing the implementation. Innovative technological approaches to learning often meet resistance within schools. The pervasive culture in education is counteractive to technology integration, which may be useful to pedagogy and in the long run may help students deal with the ever growing level of technology present in today’s society. Characteristics are identified at two out of four schools as a way of assessing the progress of technology integration and locating individuals who will help move the process forward. This knowledge, combined with competent leadership, makes the difference between success and failure of an innovation implementation.

A framework for Information and Communication Technology integration in schools through teacher professional development

The demands of the twenty-first century require effective and sustainable use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education. Various ICT strategies and initiatives across South Africa have not resulted in system-wide, sustainable ICT integration in schools. Although the roles of principals are acknowledged in educational management, the question remains how principals influence teachers' effective and sustainable integration of ICT through teacher professional development (TPD). A matrix of theoretical criteria selected seven participants across diverse contexts. In-depth interviews produced an integrated dataset that revealed principals' patterns of influence, their perceptions and experiences, their leadership and management styles, their attitudes towards ICT integration, their knowledge on related ICT and related TPD issues, as well as their strategic thinking on ICT integration. The proposed theoretical framework illustrates the interrelatedness of aspects that influence principals' leadership through open distance learning.

Between continuity and change: identities and narratives within teacher professional development

This year-long ethnographic case study examined high school teachers’ participation in technology-focused professional development. By pairing a dialogical perspective on teacher identity with a micro-level analysis of narratives, findings indicate that teachers use language and other semiotic resources to express their own identity as well as to acknowledge, expand on, and counter others’ identity claims. Moreover, technology integration may challenge teachers’ established identities or threaten their authority in the classroom. This analysis suggests that teacher educators need to value teachers’ established and emergent identities as well as create space for dialogic narratives in order to facilitate technology integration in schools.

Technology Integration in Schools Is We Overinvested and Underprepared?

Technology Integration in Schools Is We Overinvested and Underprepared?

The effectiveness of a university-based professional development program in developing Bahraini school leaders’ management and leadership competencies of implementing effective school-wide professional development and ICT integration

With advances in education, the pressure on public schools in Bahrain to improve and raise their quality standards to the level of international best practices has increased and the demands placed on school leaders in this respect have become immense. Many in leadership positions, however, are inadequately prepared to live up to such demands, which explains the dire need for their professional development (PD). In Bahrain, the effectiveness of the one and only university-based program designed for preparing school leaders – the Educational Leadership Program (ELP) – has never been directly measured and there are no research studies in the literature on Bahrain that even mention PD in general, let alone school leaders’ PD. There is also little empirical evidence in the literature in general for how graduating principals actually perform on the job. Assessing the effectiveness of the ELP was therefore necessary, as was filling a gap in the literature on Bahrain in specific and on school leaders’ preparation programs in general. This study attempted to do just that by assessing the impact of two ELP modules, which focus on the management and leadership of teachers’ PD and information and computer technology integration in schools, on school leaders’ competencies and performance.

The Impact of Learning Design on Student Learning in Technology Integrated Lessons

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of learning design on knowledge transfer in technology integrated lessons where limited technologies are available to students in a third world country. This article includes an evaluation of the learning designs of technology integrated lessons in a private school in Pakistan. Qualitative research methodologies were employed to see the impact of learning design on knowledge transfer of students when similar technologies are used at the same grade level but the learning designs are different. The results revealed that knowledge transfer depends on learning design in technology integrated lessons where limited technologies are available. In third world countries like Pakistan the concept of technology integration in schools is relatively new and the schools do not have access to sophisticated online learning environments like agent based learning or environments where in built scaffolds are provided to students. So technologies like Microsoft office, videos, digital cameras and projector are being used in private schools to improve the teaching and learning experience of students and learning design plays a very important role in knowledge transfer.