Sustancia pensante y principio de separabilidad

a) Developing pedagogical and technological skills

It has been clarified earlier, in chapter two, that the teachers are the key source of change and modernisation in the education system, since they are the drivers of ICT promotion. In addition, their roles and practices in using ICT tools in classroom activities is crucial, as its success depends on every individual teacher’s skills, desire and competence (Thokchom, 2013).

However, Saudi teachers frequently explain their reluctance to use ICT tools in classrooms because they believe that their skills are poorer than those of their students. Teachers’ anxiety about their potential failure evokes their denial of the usefulness and effectiveness of ICT in education. In contrast, teachers’ confidence in using technology supports their belief in technology’s contribution to teaching and individual development and the necessity to expand the application of ICT in the future (Bingimla, 2009). Hence, pedagogical and technological skills have always been considered as an important requirement for teachers to achieve successful ICT usage in the teaching process (Al-harbi 2014).

The lack of teachers' ICT skills, in general, is actually the most commonly cited barrier in the successful implementation of ICT in teaching and learning (Bingimlas, 2009; Balanskat et al. 2006; Hakami et al. 2013; Buabeng-Andoh, 2012). This case is the same in Saudi Arabia, since the research evidence shows that Saudi teachers lack the basic skills for using ICT in classrooms, which greatly influences the implementation of ICT technologies in schools (Al- Mulhim 2013; Al-harbi, 2014). Al-Oteawi (2002) presented research results showing that 98% of teachers in Saudi Arabia feel the urgent need to improve their ICT skills and knowledge. Al-harbi (2014) believes that the failure of Saudi teachers to carry out their roles regarding ICT in the classroom relates to the shortcomings in the government's role. He sees that the Saudi government does not provide teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver information in a modern manner. As a result of insufficient training in digital literacy, teachers are less likely to use ICT tools as they are not confident in their skills.

Though ICT training is necessary, it is important for educators to be competent in other areas such as technology, pedagogy and content (Koehler and Mishra, 2009). Bingimlas (2009) also

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support this view and argues that rather than just ICT training, pedagogical training should also be provided to teachers. He adds that even after receiving ICT training, educators still face the challenge of incorporating the knowledge acquired. For effective utilization of ICT in the teaching and learning process, teachers must have comprehensive knowledge in technology, pedagogy and content.

Aldhahi (2011) noted that training programs in Saudi Arabia do not meet all quality standards and do not address all teachers’ needs. Hence, all educators agree that the first step the government should take in order to ensure long-term ICT implementation is to provide teachers with quality training (Tearle, 2003; Bingimlas, 2009; Al-harbi, 2014).

Cheong & Kim (2009) believe that technical knowledge is not enough and that communication, motivation, reinforcement, questioning and classroom management are also extremely important for the formation of a positive attitude regarding ICT tools. Thus, educators should realize that addressing the problem of insufficient skills and training could help to motivate teachers to use ICT as much as possible.

According to Koehler and Mishra (2009), these elements interact to provide an understanding of delivering content using the most appropriate pedagogy and technology. Knowledge of these aspects places teachers in a better position to use ICT in specific activities to improve student learning. In essence, teachers knowledgeable in these aspects are better placed to use ICT effectively as opposed to those with ICT training only. The implication is that teachers should receive not only ICT training, but also pedagogical training. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, teachers’ poor preparation on how to select and use ICT tools in teaching is regarded as a key constraint to implementing technologies in science education (Bingimlas, 2009).

Therefore, teachers should be encouraged and motivated to take courses in computer use. Such training should provide guidance in choosing and applying ICT tools throughout the pedagogic process. Thus, it is essential to create an ICT capability among teachers to make ICT tools an integral part of the educational process and assist them with building the ICT capability of learners (Bingimlas, 2009; Kaino, 2008). Furthermore, the educational system needs to modify programs of teachers’ education and training to create qualified teachers. Hence, the issue of teachers’ competence in computer use is crucial; proper competence is likely to provoke confidence and positive attitudes towards change.

Oyaid (2009) explained that inadequate ICT skills create anxiety in teachers and prevent them from applying technology. This author also presented research results showing that some

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teachers may feel overwhelmed by the fast development of ICT and that they fear students may be more confident in ICT use than they are.

To conclude, the success of the development of teachers' technological and educational skills, are down in the first place to teachers’ desire and their self-motivation. Hence, the role of the teachers in the ICT application starts from their desire to develop their skills, which helps to raise their awareness about the importance of ICT in education (Burkhart and Older, 2003; Bingimla, 2009).

b) Employing ICT in classrooms

Another important factor about teachers' roles regarding ICT is to employ it in their classrooms. Tezci (2009) stated that ICT only becomes significant when teachers actively use it in classroom practices, otherwise it does not have any educational value. Hence, to form positive student attitudes towards technology and make them perceive technology as an interesting and enjoyable tool that saves time and effort, teachers are required to employ ICT in their lessons and engage students in using ICT.

In Saudi schools, studies revealed that there are variations in the employment of ICT by teachers in schools. This is due to factors such as the schools’ condition. For example, Alenezi (2015) investigates the 'Influences of the mandated presence of ICT in Saudi Arabian Secondary Schools'. He stated that the obligatory uses of ICT tools in education had increased the presence of ICT in the Saudi secondary school.

However, it seems that Saudi teachers are not applying these tools in their classrooms for reasons such as: they feel there is no coordination and collaboration in a school setting concerning ICT implementation as well as no administrative support; and even if this support is available, it is not sufficient. Furthermore, they are rarely rewarded for their initiatives (related to ICT). Finally, there is no well-defined conception of a teacher that is capable of integrating ICT into a subject domain.

Almaghlouth (2008) examined the role of Saudi teachers in secondary schools regarding ICT, with questions like, “which of the following tools do you use in your school?” and, “how often do you use these tools?” Almaghlouth found the projector device came out as the most used tool (56%) and only 2% of the teachers that were interviewed use the internet in school. The study also noted that students and teachers are limited in terms of access to the internet and computer labs by school administration.

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Albugami and Ahmed (2015c) found that a significant percentage of the ICT tools were brought by teachers and some of the devices had broken-down. The researchers also noted that most of the secondary school administrators did not have enough resources to fix the broken devices. Similarly, it emerged that some of the schools were not connected to the internet. These factors could explain the failure of implementation of ICT in most Saudi secondary schools.

However, Al Asmari (2011) stated that the teachers suffer from lack of time because of too much material that needs to be explained in insufficient time. Also, teachers need to be equipped with sufficient training. That will enable them to implement ICT in classrooms properly. This is worsened by the lack of motivation and encouragement from the administration.

Teachers’ reluctance to use ICT tools in classroom activities is explained by a variety of obstacles, including their competence, school digital infrastructure and access to ICT tools. Hence, teachers lacking ICT skills are enthusiastic about using computers in their teaching practices and integrating supplementary learning, which creates a vicious cycle precluding full- scale ICT integration in education (Bingimlas, 2009).

Lindfors (2007) highlighted in his model that the teacher’s role in attaining this depends on their confidence in using ICT. He pointed out that pedagogical use of ICT has three main concerns: availability of information and knowledge, the independency of time and place and collaboration opportunities to work under different conditions. This study employ this principle to investigate these factors and to what extent they can be used to form the study framework by reviewing teachers’ views concerning the value of using ICT in teaching, the ICT teachers’ competencies, the pedagogical challenges of using ICT in teaching and the future of ICT in pedagogical use. The following section discuss the ICT external factors.

71 3.5.2 EXTERNAL FACTORS (Government Level)

This section aims to review the literature related to the Saudi government’s role (Ministry of Education) regarding ICT implementation in schools, as an external factor. The review of literature will be presented in sequential order according to the table below.

Table 3.4: External factor (Government Level)