Diferencias entre información y comunicación

The data was broken down according to gender, age, qualifications, years of teaching, training, access, attitude, expectation and confidence. These categories were drawn from the bank of questions presented on the questionnaire. Gender, age, qualification, years of teaching were the demographic questions (1, 2, 3 and 4). Training (CPD taken up/not taken up) related to questions (9, 10 and 21). Access (low access/mid access/high access) was covered by questions (5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17). Attitudes (positive attitudes/less positive) were covered by statements (attitude section). Confidence (more confident and less confident) was covered by statements (22, 23, 24, 25 and 26). Expectation (low sense of expectations/high sense of expectations) was covered by statements (20 and 33). I became interested in exploring the top and bottom levels of users of ICT. To do so, I aimed to identify the top and bottom quartiles. The top 38 teachers represented the top quartile, the lowest 38, the bottom quartile. From within this quartile we also wanted to consider the very top users and the least likely to use ICT and took the top and bottom 9 users from each quartile.

The data were explored and broken down relative to variables of gender, age, qualification, years of teaching, training, access, attitude, confidence and expectations. In order to deal with the relatively small sample size I needed to compact these variable. For example, years of teaching were divided into „newish‟, which extended from 1-6 years of teaching, „mid-career‟ from 7-10 years of teaching and later career, from 11 to more than 15 years. Age was also divided into two categories; younger and older. Younger respondents were aged from 22-39 and older respondents from 40 to over 59. For training, access and attitudes I used summated mean scores to derive categories of high, medium and low access; positive and negative attitudes, strong and weak perceptions of the expectation to use ICT.

106 Table (4-25) shows that the most frequent users of ICT were more likely to be females; whereas, the very lowest users were more likely to be males and the lower quartile were more likely to be male. The top users were much likely to be younger than older; the upper quartile was more likely to contain younger teachers. Whereas, the very lowest users were more likely to be older respondents, and the lower quartile was also more likely to be older respondents. The top users were much more likely to be the newish teachers than teachers in their mid and later career. The upper quartile users were more likely to be mid-career. The very bottom quartile users were more likely to be in later career. BA, MA and PhD degree holders were represented in both the top and bottom quartiles. However, the upper quartile was more likely to comprise MA degree holders than BA and PhD degree holders. The lower quartile was more likely to be BA degree holders than MA and PhD degree holders. It was important to note that these were raw figures and only 17 teachers held PhD degrees (n=17) in comparison to a greater proportion of MA degree holders (n=80) and BA degree holders (n=55).

In respect to training the very top users were more likely to agree to have experienced training as were those in the upper quartile. The very lowest users were more likely not to have undertaken training were those in the lower quartile.

In respect to access, the top users are more likely to agree that they had access to ICT as well as those in the upper quartile. Whereas, the very lowest users are more likely to agree that there was low access to ICT and the lower quartile are more likely to agree that they had low access to ICT. In respect to attitude, the very top users were more likely to have a positive attitude towards the use of ICT in teaching English, as were teachers in the upper quartile. The least frequent users were more likely to have a less positive attitude toward the use of ICT in teaching English. The lower quartiles were more likely to have a less positive attitude toward the use of ICT in teaching English. However, there was no major difference between top and bottom users in relation to confidence. The most frequent users were more likely to have high expectations. The very lowest

107 users were more likely to have low sense of expectation, as well as lower quartile was more likely to have a low sense of expectation.

Table ‎4-25: Comparing top and bottom users of ICT Most frequent users (n=9) Top quartile of users (n=38) Least frequent users (n=9) Bottom quartile of users (n=38) Gender Male 1 15 7 21 Female 8 23 2 17 Age Younger 6 22 1 20 Older 3 16 8 18 Qualification BA 4 12 4 19 MA 4 23 3 15 PhD 1 3 2 4 Years of teaching Newish 4 11 2 14 Mid 1 8 1 4 Longer/Older 4 19 6 20 Training CPD taken 6 24 4 18 Not taken up 3 14 5 20 Access Higher 5 20 1 10 Mid 3 10 3 12 Lower 1 8 5 16 Attitude Positive 7 25 4 15 Less positive 2 13 5 23 Confident More confident 6 22 5 23 Less confident 3 16 4 15 Expectation

High sense of expectation 7 24 4 13

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4.10

Summary

The data in table 4-25 reveals that ICT use was differentiated, but that most teachers were often able to: use the Internet to prepare resources; record students‟ grades, absences and other data on the computer; search out online resources; use the CD-ROM that came with the textbook in the class; and, ask students to use the CD-ROM at home. ICT was also widely used for communicating with students and for presenting work to students in the class. Most of the teachers used ICT at home and prepared lessons using ICT.

As regards access, most had access to computers at home and the majority had access for administrative and teaching purposes in their offices and classrooms. However, the majority of respondents did not have more than one computer in the classroom.

There were differences in terms of gender. More female teachers than males found time at home to work with computers for teaching purposes. Male teachers were slightly more confident about using ICT. Teachers with Master‟s degrees tended to use ICT „often‟; certainly more than of those with bachelors and PhD degrees.

As regards training, although most had attended training courses many teachers did not feel they could access the training they needed, females felt this more strongly than males. The overall mode for all the statements about confidence and competence in regard to using ICT was „Neither agree/nor disagree‟.

The most frequent users of ICT (the top ten percent and upper quartile) were more likely to have a positive attitude towards the use of ICT, than the least frequent users of ICT. They were also more likely to report greater access to ICT; and were more likely to have experienced training and to have a higher sense of expectation that they should use ICT.

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5 CHAPTER FIVE: QUALITATIVE DATA FINDINGS (INTERVIEWS)

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the findings from the interview data collected from EFL teachers. As described in the chapter on methodology, interviews were carried out with volunteer teachers (n=24; 16 females and 8 males). In the interviews, the teachers were asked around 8 questions designed to cover a number of themes about their teaching experience. These included: (1) their reasons for teaching; (2) aspects that gave them both satisfaction and dissatisfaction in their teaching career; (3) what course they teach and how much it meets their students‟ needs; (4) their use of ICT and its value to the teaching and learning process; (5) the elements that encourage, or discourage, them to use ICT.

The interviews were transcribed and read through carefully more than once. A coding scheme (including themes and sub coding themes) was developed by reading through the data and noting issues relating to the use of ICT in the wider literature. For example, F/NO stated:

If the classes weren’t well prepared or they don’t have all the material or equipment that helps. It will is hard to carry all this stuff with you, so this may be the only thing that will stop me for using ICT. If all equipment is available and working, then it’s very helpful.

This raises the issue of the availability of hardware and software (she needs to have “the right material”) and it was interesting to note that she felt a responsibility to address shortages by “carrying what was needed herself”, and that she felt a responsibility for addressing problems. However there was “only so much you can do”.

These open codes were condensed into more general categories, which in this case related to the use of ICT, i.e. discouragement and the sub themes concerning lack of access to computer/not operated computers/not operated data projections. (The themes are shown in Appendix E). While developing the coding, I was open to the possibility of raising new issues that had not

110 been previously covered in depth in the literature, but which appeared to be of importance. For example, questions concerning teachers‟ satisfaction provided a perspective on their perception of their role as teachers. This went into more detail than the more well researched topic of teachers‟ beliefs. Satisfaction later appeared as a factor in encouraging teachers to use ICT, as it explained teachers‟ concern for autonomy and creativity, both associated with the use of ICT.

Satisfaction with teaching was associated with motivation. One teacher (F/SY) said she was motivated when:

my students’ response and feedback is positive. I can tell how much I am doing and how much they are learning and gaining from me and this satisfies me a lot.

This was coded under the theme of „satisfaction‟ with the sub theme „seeing impact‟.

The findings in respect to ICT are reported in two sections: the first focuses on the encouragers and discouragers in relation to ICT use, and the second focuses on its use and perceived value of its use. In order to understand the teachers and the context in which they work, along with the nature of their work, a number of general themes are first explored.