Comunicación, lenguaje y discapacidad

A number of theories have emerged to explain why teachers have not

embraced the use of ICT to underpin student learning. Bain and Weston (2012) identified five ‘faulty assumptions’ (p. 7) that have been an ongoing focus in the ICT debate related to the use of ICT in schools. The first assumption relates to access: it was presumed that with access, students would learn how to use ICT

and transfer these skills and knowledge to all of their learning. The authors found that while most students use ICT quite competently, for social media they do not use ICT in a transformative way in relation to their learning. The next assumption was that teachers would automatically change their teaching practice when they gained access to ICT. Likewise, there was no evidence to support the notion that increased access to ICT leads to improved quality of ICT use. Bain and Weston (2012) also queried the assumptions that improved ICT use brought about improved student learning outcomes, and that professional learning for teachers would result in improved student outcomes.

Romano (2003) studied the relationship between teachers, learners and

technology and determined that “the empowerment of teachers with technology would achieve broad based quantifiable improvement in how our youth learn” (Romano 2003, p.13). However, he identified six barriers that prevented teachers from using technology effectively. In summary, they are:

1. No common clear vision of how technology can be used in the classroom. 2. Teachers have not been provided a convincing explanation of how

technology would empower them.

3. Misconceptions regarding the teacher’s role in adapting technology to teaching and learning.

4. The critical significance of course-specific software has not been understood.

5. Little attempt to analyse and then profit from the many failures of the last 50 years.

6. Ample evidence that leaders in education lack a full grasp of technology’s capacity to make teaching and learning more effective and efficient.

Consequently, their potential impact on promoting the use of technology is not fully realised. (Romano 2003, p. 22)

The impact of ICT on teaching practice within the Australian education system is varied, with pockets of creative use through to limited use in some subject areas. The assumption that more technology equalled more learning was flawed; more technology is effective only if it promotes good teaching and

learning (Cuban 2001; Ward 2003). According to Cuban (2009), the majority of teachers employed technology to sustain existing practices rather than develop a new approach or innovate to enhance learning. It is a common misconception that access to technology, on its own, motivates teachers to apply it in their teaching (Hennessy, Harrison & Wamakote 2010).

An additional recurring problem for teachers who are expected to implement change is that they are unclear about what is required. While innovation can involve products and processes (Hall & Hord 2001), the introduction of ICT involves both aspects, with ICT being the product, and enhanced learning the process. Enhanced learning requires teachers to undergo a change process, to redesign their teaching. Researchers such as Hess and Saxberg (2014),

Williamson (2013), Jonassen et al. (2006) and Romano (2003) have

increasingly expanded on the potential of ICT as a key component of the ways students learn and communicate. Prensky (2012) suggests the need to

reconsider the curriculum and the way in which students are educated.

While Australian schools are well resourced, with students having ample access to computer-based information and interactive digital learning resources, along with access to the World Wide Web and electronic mail accounts, issues remained that impacted the uptake of ICT. A number of researchers identified factors that impacted teachers and their efforts to integrate ICT. Table 1

provides a summary of the issues identified by Mumtaz (2000), Romano (2003), Hew and Brush (2007) and Thomson (2015).

Table 1: Issues impacting the integration of ICT

Mumtaz (2000) Romano (2003) Hew & Brush (2007) Thomson (2015)

Lack of teaching experience with ICT

Lack of a coherent vision illustrating how technology could be used in the

classroom

Lack of resources Lack of ICT skills among teachers

Lack of onsite support for teachers using technology Lack of a convincing explanation of how technology would empower teachers along with misconceptions about how teachers adapt ICT for teaching and learning

Limited teacher skills and knowledge

Insufficient time for teachers to plan lessons Lack of help supervising children when using computers

Lack of time to plan Poor vision within the school of the role of ICT

Perceived lack of professional learning resources for teachers Lack of ICT specialist

teachers to teach computer skills to students Lack of national policy on use of computers in school Negative teacher beliefs and attitudes

Lack of incentives for teachers to adopt ICT and integrate it into their classrooms Lack of computer availability Lack of technical support Weak assessment strategies

Lack of time required to successfully integrate ICT into curriculum

Teacher lack of expertise in using ICT

Inability to see a broad application for ICT

Lack of financial support

Reliable internet connection

From her study of factors that impacted ICT adoption, Thomson (2015) concluded that, overwhelmingly, obstacles were connected to skills and

resources, the biggest problem being a lack of ICT skills amongst teachers. She reported that there was a perceived lack of incentive to incorporate ICT into teaching, a lack of effective professional learning and insufficient time to plan lessons, all of which inhibited teacher use. Teacher resistance to computer use fell into several broad-based themes: resistance to overall change, resistance to outside intervention, lack of support from administrators, issues related to time, teacher perceptions of ICT and personal and psychological factors (Robertson, Caldert & Fung 1996).

Through a review of the literature, Bingimlas (2009) identified a range of similar barriers that impacted the successful integration of ICT. The key barriers he identified were teachers’ lack of confidence and competence, and access to resources. He concluded that the provision of ICT resources and professional development, along with sufficient time and technical support for teachers, would assist teachers; he found they had a strong desire to integrate ICT but the barriers impacted their efforts. Bingimlas believes that barriers can be removed or reduced through collaboration between school leaders and teachers to provide time, resources, technical support and training.

When looking at school change and technological innovation, key elements impacting teaching and learning identified by Whitehead, Boschee and Decker (2013) were summarised as time, relationships, technology, teaching style, learning style and flexibility. However, Brown (2004) considers a broader whole- school view of the issues associated with integration of ICT. He identified areas such as curriculum integration, pedagogical integration, temporal integration, spatial integration and attitude. Curriculum and pedagogy relate to the learning goals and content, and how the ICT choice is aligned with the teaching

approach. Temporal relates to how ICT connects to learning, and spatial considers how ICT is embedded in the learning. Attitude takes into

consideration the extent to which teachers and students view ICT. Using a whole-school approach, an improvement in all aspects would collectively contribute to the integration of ICT.

The curriculum framework has often been defined as the knowledge, skills and attitudes planned for student learning. A need exists for schools to move beyond an information-centred view of education to one that embraces the pervasiveness of ICT. The introduction of ICT requires teachers to structure their classroom learning differently; successful integration is reliant upon the ability of a teacher to structure their learning environment to allow for the merging of ICT and pedagogy (Hennessy, Harrison & Wamakote 2010). Romano (2003) suggested the need to recognise that substantial learning can occur while teaching and learning with the students. The Right to Learn

promoted the adoption of a new perspective that requires educators to rethink how, when and where learning occurs, and to consider knowledge construction and how to empower learners.

Despite investment in ICT by various governments, many teachers are yet to use ICT to transform their classrooms to a student-centred, inquiry-based learning environment (Moersch 2014). The teacher-centred instructional approach continues to prevail. While some teachers effectively embrace ICT, system-wide reform in the way ICT is used in the classroom is not yet evident. The ability to change pedagogy has often been regarded as the difficult part of the ICT revolution in schools. Researchers such as Cuban (2001), Harris (2010), Romano (2003) and Watson (2001) identified teachers as having a pivotal role in effecting change. An improvement in approaches to meet current and future student needs requires teachers to rethink what they do in relation to teaching and learning and consider the impact of ICT on pedagogy.