Integrating Information and Communication Technology into the School Curriculum:
A Case for Professional Development Models
Helda A. Francis
Instructor
Continuing Education Department
St. Clair College
E-mail: hfrancisa99@hotmail.com
and
Anthony N. Ezeife, Ph.D.
Professor
Faculty of Education
University of Windsor
E-mail: aezeife@uwindsor.ca
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is becoming more available in many schools worldwide and as such it is increasingly important that teachers be familiar and comfortable with new uses of ICT. To help meet the constant challenge of motivating students to learn, teachers must change their traditional roles to become facilitators of learning. In today’s classrooms, teachers are required to use computers for multi-media presentations, word-processing assignments, researching on the Internet, and several other learning activities. Teachers also need to teach in computer laboratories where students are provided hands-on experience with software applications. The ability to utilize ICT has become the norm for the 21st century. Thus, for future generations to maximize their capability to operate within competitive and knowledge-driven economies, it is critical to foster the latest skills at every level of education, and teachers are central to this endeavor.
For more than a decade, teacher educators and the organizations that accredit teacher education programs in the USA have recognized the importance of preparing teachers to use ICT effectively in the classrooms (Duhaney, 2001; Willis & Raines, 2001). In Canada there have been several programs geared to the effective integration of ICT into the regular school curriculum. A good example is the three-year innovative curriculum of the province of Alberta, the goal of which is “the effective infusion of technology for communicating, inquiring, problem-solving and decision-making in core curricula” (Jacobsen, Clifford, & Friesen, 2002, p. 363). Research has shown that teachers usually teach the way they were taught (Russell, 1997), and a good way to prepare teachers for careers in teaching is to provide a variety of experiences and opportunities to use computers and technology (Wetzel, 1999).
Recently, job search portals are increasingly advertising for teachers with technological skills. Technologically literate teachers are effective in guiding the students in various subject matters. As teachers begin to integrate technology into the curriculum, they also need alternative ways to assess their students’ performance. Newer assessment tools are being introduced as often as technology changes occur in educational systems and, therefore, teachers need to plan ahead in updating their skills formally or through informal methods.
Broadly speaking, educators, policy makers, and researchers all seem to agree on the potential of ICT to have a significant and positive impact on education. Although access to technology is a prerequisite for obtaining the benefits of ICT, an increasing number of school boards have been focusing on technology-related professional development for their educators to improve the use of technology in classrooms. Research indicates that the extent to which teachers are trained to use technology influences how they use it in teaching and its impact on student achievement (Ryan, 1991; Wenglinsky, 1998). Information from the 1999 National Center for Education Statistics survey of public school teachers (NCES, 2000) indicates that teachers who spend more time in training feel more prepared than teachers with less training to use computers and the Internet for instruction.
Developments in society and business, and related changes in education and lifelong learning, require educators and educational designers or technologists to rethink education. Examples of such changes are the growing importance of mastering complex tasks, the integration of learning and work into education, and the need for improved flexibility with regard to time, place, and individual needs. These changes cannot simply be responded to by adding technological solutions implemented according to existing educational approaches. Instead, an integrated view of ICT is necessary, characterized by a well-oiled combination of pedagogical, technological, social, and organizational factors, as illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Factors essential for effective ICT integration into the curriculum.
Over the last 20 years, substantial investments have been made in educational technology. Not surprisingly, in today’s pattern of educational accountability there have been increasing calls for empirical, research-based evidence that these massive investments are actually affecting the lives of teachers and students (McNabb, Hawkes, & Rouk, 1999). While there is a strong desire to examine the effect of technology on student learning, effects on learning must be placed in the context of teacher and student use. In other words, before the outcomes of technology integration can be studied, there must first be a clear understanding of how teachers and students are using technology. Currently, what is meant by teachers’ use of technology varies widely. In some cases, teachers’ use of technology is specific to their use while delivering instruction to students. In other cases, teachers’ use includes e-mail, lesson planning, and record keeping as well as personal use. Despite the many ways in which teachers may use technology to support their teaching, research on technology often lacks a clear definition of what is meant by teachers’ use of technology.
Fortunately, a great deal of research has been conducted during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s on the effects of computer use on student achievement, attitudes, and other variables, such as learning rate. This research covered a wide range of topics, from computerized learning activities which supplement conventional instruction, to computer programming, computerized record keeping, the development of databases, writing using word processors, and other applications (Cotton, 1991).
In a reported survey of school principals by Statistics Canada for the academic year 2003/2004, most teachers possess the required skills to use ICT for administrative purposes such as preparing report cards, taking attendance, or recording grades, while fewer had the necessary qualifications to effectively engage students in using ICT to enhance their learning. About three out of four principals (76%) reported that more than 75% of teachers possessed the required technological skills to use ICT for administrative purposes. By contrast, not quite half (46%) of principals reported that more than 75% of teachers had the necessary qualifications to engage students in using ICT effectively. Private schools reported a lower proportion of teachers possessing such qualifications than did public schools. Similarly, elementary schools reported lower proportions of teachers possessing ICT skills as compared to secondary schools. Secondary school teachers are often subject specialists, so it may be that ICT instruction is undertaken by particular teachers in secondary schools. Furthermore, ICT instruction in secondary schools may require more advanced skills.
Not all researchers agree, however, that ICT has positive learning outcomes on the students. Stoll (1999) and Healy (1998) have criticized investments in educational technologies arguing that there is little evidence that they impact teaching and learning in a positive way and, in fact, asserted that computer use may be harming children and their learning. Cuban (2001) argued that computers have been oversold as a vehicle for reforming educational practices and are generally underused as an instructional tool by teachers at all levels of education. Specifically, Cuban argues that despite widespread use of computers by teachers outside of the classroom, instructional practices and school culture have not incorporated computer-based technologies into regular instructional practices. From Cuban’s perspective, the problem is two-fold. First, teachers lack an understanding of how technology can be integrated into regular classroom instructional practices. This notion is supported by a 1999 U.S. Department of Education survey in which only one-third of teachers reported feeling prepared enough to use computers and the Internet for classroom instruction (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). Second, school systems have not been restructured to fully support the integration of technology during instruction. As a result, computer use during class time is often treated as a special event or an add-on to the traditional curriculum.
Given the rapid changes in technology in recent years, the development of knowledge and skills for teachers is more important than ever. Education policymakers are increasingly aware of the need for more efficient professional development policies. Evidence from research indicates that although teachers use ICT in the learning environment, they do not feel they are using them in the most effective and efficient ways (O’Haire, 2003).
As such, this article addresses the following key questions:
- What factors influence the integration of ICT into the curriculum by classroom teachers?
- What role should administrators play in support of teachers’ professional development for ICT?
- What approaches should teachers take to effectively integrate ICT into their respective curriculums?
Teacher attitudes, beliefs, and philosophy towards ICT
Decisions made by teachers about the use of computers in their classrooms are likely to be influenced by multiple factors including the accessibility of hardware and relevant software, the nature of the curriculum, personal capabilities, and time constraints. However, there is substantial evidence to suggest that teachers’ beliefs in their capacity to work effectively with technology constitute a significant factor in determining patterns of classroom computer use. Understanding teachers’ beliefs toward technology plays an essential role in successful technology adoption. In fact, teachers’ beliefs are essential in considering how they teach, think, and learn (Richardson, 1996).
Several technology studies reported that teachers who received laptop computers as part of the study increased their technology confidence and skills and were more likely to remain in teaching (Falba, Grove, Anderson, & Putney, 2001). Germann and Sasse (1997) found that teachers who participated in a two-year technology integration program improved their technology self-efficacy and their interest in learning more about how technology could impact the curriculum.
Research reveals that before teachers use technology for instruction they must be personally convinced of its benefits and must see the utility of a particular technology. Instead of using computers for drill and practice, more confident teachers use technology as an instructional tool to enhance students’ learning (Lam, 2000). Successful technology adoption in teachers’ classrooms is also dependent upon school administrators providing an individualized, differentiated process of training and implementation (Gray, 2001).
Pajares (1992) found that there was a “strong relationship between teachers’ educational beliefs and their planning, instructional decisions, and classroom practices” (p. 326) and that “educational beliefs of pre-service teachers play a pivotal role in their acquisition and interpretation of knowledge and subsequent teaching behavior” (p. 328). Indeed, it seems that “beliefs are far more influential than knowledge in determining how individuals organize and define tasks and problems and are stronger predictors of behavior” (Pajares, 1992, p. 311).
Honey and Moeller (1990) interviewed 20 elementary and secondary school teachers and found that teachers with student-centered pedagogical beliefs were successful at integrating technology except in cases where anxiety about computers prevented them from appropriating the technology. In contrast, teachers with more traditional beliefs faced a much greater challenge in their practice in order to integrate technology. A case study approach to the use of computers by four special education teachers found that, for the most part, they adapted computers to meet their overall goals and fit their routines, with their beliefs and attitudes strongly influencing how the computers were used (MacArthur & Malouf, 1991). According to Bandura (1997), who first described the construct, “perceived self-efficacy refers to beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given achievements” (p.3). As proposed by Bandura, self-efficacy is specific to a particular set of behaviors and comprises two components, efficacy expectations and outcome expectations which respectively relate to belief in personal capacity to effect a behavior and belief that the behavior will result in a particular outcome.
A specific Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI) developed by Riggs and Enochs (1990) has been used to investigate the impact of variations in course design on elementary science teachers (Watters & Ginns, 1997). The STEBI was used by Enochs et al. (1993) as the basis for development of a Microcomputer Utilization in Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MUTEBI) which was used in the evaluation of a staff development program designed to encourage microcomputer use in science teaching. This study demonstrated that when teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in their ability to use computers were increased through appropriate professional development they were more likely to incorporate computers into their teaching strategies.
Although there do not appear to be any other studies that specifically link self-efficacy with computer use in teaching, several studies (Albion, 1996; Downes, 1993; Handler, 1993; Summers, 1990) have identified the lack of confidence in teaching with computers as a factor influencing the levels of use of computers by student and beginning teachers. From the standpoint of self-efficacy theory, the ideal method for developing teachers’ self-efficacy for computer use would be to provide them with training and support to work successfully with computers in their classrooms. The study conducted by Borchers et al. (1992) demonstrated that a professional development program which included several workshops over an extended period and on-site support for participants could be effective in increasing both self-efficacy and computer use.
Taken together, the studies referenced above point towards teachers’ beliefs, and self-efficacy beliefs in particular, being useful indicators of likely success at technology integration. Certainly, the studies cited here provide sufficient reason to undertake further investigations in this area and to consider what approaches to teacher education and professional development might be effective in increasing self-efficacy for integrating ICT into teaching.
School Administrators and ICT
Administrators who promote ICT as a tool for collaboration and stimulation for authentic, learning experiences can allow for far greater student achievement than ever before. Research indicates that teachers need considerable support to integrate technology into the curriculum including a nurturing work environment that provides opportunities for teachers to take risks and collaborate with one another (Bailey, 1995). Furthermore, Bailey, Ross, and Griffin (1995) have identified ten major barriers to technology integration. Among them are the failure to develop a shared vision of how technology should be used to improve teaching and learning, the failure to design and implement effective technology staff development programs, and the failure to empower teachers and students to engage in risk taking and experimentation with new technologies.
While studies indicate that the proper and appropriate use of technology to support instruction has improved student academic gains across the curriculum, research exists which identifies factors within the school structure that promote higher student achievement (Bulach, 1994). One of those factors is leadership.
An understanding of the relationship between administrative leadership styles and the implementation of technology would assist effective reform efforts in schools. As researchers continue to investigate how to most effectively utilize technology to not only prepare students for the next century but also to reframe the way teaching and learning is viewed, it would be reasonable to investigate the leadership qualities of productive schools through successful school reform efforts of the Information Age. Productive schools are defined as those organizations that have a clear and defined vision of high-quality learning, curriculum, instructional strategies, staff development and assessment (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory [NCREL], 2001). Experts would agree that the success or failure of technology integration could be linked to the behaviors and ideologies of the instructional leader. In a survey of educators in the United Kingdom, 81% percent of the educators indicated that “more commitment” by leaders was an important component, while only 38% percent felt as strongly about more hardware and software (Cafolla & Knee, 1995). The innovation inherent in exemplary technology use requires more than hardware, software, and ongoing training. Successful leaders not only challenge the existing educational process and inspire a vision for meaningful change but also provide the necessary support and modeling strategies to enable teachers to become part of a learning community. Modeling and coaching strategies make the vision clear and more attainable for teachers and reinforce how others perceive what instructional leaders value.
Many of the problems organizations encounter could be traced back to leadership or the lack thereof (Senge, 1990). As technology continues to drive changes in society as well as education, educational leaders must be equipped to welcome and manage conflict. Perhaps the single most important thing a school leader can do is foster professional interaction and reflective dialogue where members are given opportunities to refine beliefs and skills about teaching and learning. Bailey and Lumley (1997) have identified effective technology leaders as those who value technology as the primary tool that will change the way teaching and learning is viewed. They maintain that leaders who will successfully integrate technology must be able to model the technology, understand how technology can be used as an instructional tool across all disciplines, and continually focus on assisting their staff through the transformation of teaching and learning.
Rationale for Professional Development
Professional development is “a key tool that keeps teachers abreast of current issues in education, helps them implement innovations, and refines their practice” (Cook & Fine, 1996, p.1). Since the roles of educators require interpersonal skills such as communication, cooperation, negotiation, and teamwork, professional development must allow educators time to learn, reflect upon, discuss, and debate with their peers the various concepts and issues related to career development theories, teaching and learning strategies, school-to-work practices, school/business linkages, and technology use for career development. Professional development cannot occur as a result of one-day workshops or single training sessions. It must be ongoing, designed with teacher input, foster critical reflection and meaningful collaboration, and allow for follow-up and support that is sustained over the long term.
Professional development can come in a variety of forms such as “mentoring, modeling, ongoing workshops, special courses, structured observations, and summer institutes” (Rodriguez & Knuth, 2000, p.4). It must provide opportunities for teachers to explore new roles, develop new instructional techniques, refine their practice, and broaden themselves both as educators and as individuals. Jones (as cited in Cook & Fine, 1996) contends that “effective professional development is necessary for all teachers involved in educational reform” (p. 3). It must enrich teaching and improve learning, support teacher development, be ongoing and long-term, be job-embedded and inquiry-based, support current beliefs about teaching and learning, be clearly related to reform efforts, be modeled after learning experiences considered valuable for adults, and support school-wide change.
The goal of professional development for ICT should be to help teachers become more productive professionals. What teachers learn about ICT should be personally valuable for the things they need to do in the classroom; learning and integrating technology should be exciting and exhilarating. The location where teachers obtain professional development is also of importance since school is where they need to apply learned skills. Ongoing professional development expands the capacity of teachers to adapt to new challenges and develop the requisite skills and knowledge. However, professional development has largely been left to the discretion of individual Canadian teachers rather than being structured as a collaborative model which meets specific instructional goals. Innovative practices, such as the development of Teacher Led Professional Development Centers in the USA, provide models for much greater improvement of this aspect of teacher quality.
Action Research as an ICT Professional Development Model
The term “Action Research” is used to describe a particular process of research, which involves teachers as researchers in their own classrooms. An advantage of Action Research as a means of professional development is its emphasis on teachers’ reflection on their current practice. It is both an active process in which teachers learn by doing, and a reflective process in which they develop educational theories from analysis of both their process and practice. In the UK, Action Research has been found to be one of the best ways of effecting curriculum development. Action Research combines curriculum development and teacher professional development in a single process; in this way it gives teachers ownership of the change they are implementing with the result that real change is more likely to take place.
Action Research models generally involve participants keeping a reflective learning journal as a means of recording their experiences and personal development and learning as a result of involvement in the project. These journals could be viewed on a timely basis and revised if necessary as changes occur. ICT by its very nature requires teachers to explore new approaches to learning and teaching. Invariably, this will involve a process of triangulation, the use of a particular technology followed by a period of reflection upon practice. Teachers will then make changes to their approach based upon this reflection and then re-try the adapted approach. This process is cyclical and can often involve two, three, four or more reflection phases before an approach is truly refined. If Action Research is to be used effectively as a professional development model then it is important for teachers to understand how the reflective process works in an ongoing cyclical manner.
All teaching takes time—for preparation, assessment, and evaluation. And all traditional in-service training takes time—for meetings, workshops and organization. Action Research will take at least as much time as other kinds of in-service training. Some of the time spent on Action Research would normally be time spent on lesson preparation, assessment and evaluation and is primarily for the teacher concerned. Any data collected belongs to the teacher, and the teacher controls the reporting of the research findings. It will be a pity if no one else ever gets to hear the outcomes of the research, but the teacher-researcher has the right to make that decision. Action Research is based on the notion that teaching is a complex activity in which there is always the possibility of deepening understanding and improving the process. This means that Action Research engages honestly with the very real problems that teachers face everyday, especially when taking on an innovation like ICT. Although teachers must be free to keep their research to themselves if they so wish, for many it is an added incentive if they are offered the opportunity to report on their work when it has reached an interesting stage.
In summary, Action Research has a potential as a professional development tool for individual teachers in that it gets teachers moving, provides opportunities for collaboration, deals with the core concerns of teachers, and is learning-centered. While collaborative learning through inquiry is the key, Action Research is the vehicle that enables all this to happen. Within schools as centers of inquiry, teachers need a process framework to structure their professional development activities. Action Research, therefore, is the missing link (Lieberman and Miller, 1991).
Teacher Collaboration as ICT Professional Development Model
Teachers typically spend their day in their classrooms with students and have few opportunities to interact with other teachers to develop their skills and expand their knowledge base. Except for occasional in-service programs, teachers often have no time built into the school day for their own professional development. For teachers to be lifelong learners, they need time for collaboration, reflection, observation of peers, mentoring, research, building teacher networks, acquisition of new skills, and continued learning (Dalheim, 1994). When professional development activities are conducted after school, teachers may not have the energy necessary for engaging in learning. This viewpoint was reinforced by Burgos (1998) who found that professional development activities done at the end of the school day produced the least effective results. Some researchers suggest that the ideal time for teachers to participate in professional development activities is during the summer, when students are not a consideration and teachers do not have as many demands on their time. However, teachers are more likely to apply new instructional strategies if they receive feedback and support while implementing the new strategies in their classrooms. Some researchers advocate embedding professional development time into the school day and school year to maximize its impact.
Personal and Educational Weblogs
Weblog is one of the functions of ICT, and over the last few years personal blogging has been adapted for use as a research tool and has been swept up by the education system where it serves cultural, emotional and information-based purposes (Downes, 2004). Educational blogging is used in education to disseminate information between teachers, librarians, scholars, parents and students. These people are harnessing the power of personal blogging in the education system by creating Web Sites that are centrally focused on improving the way that students learn (Richardson, 2004). The Education Queensland Website has recently developed the The Learning Place, a Weblog site that enables teachers to share their class notes, post questions on the message board, chat in forums specific to the students they teach, and search for information. The Learning Place captures everything that teachers need to help them teach more effectively and efficiently and, therefore, have confidence in their ability to help students learn (Education Queensland, 2004).
Access, privacy and security issues are some of the reasons why educators have been slow to adopt Weblogs. In terms of Weblog security, educators must set the level of access students and other participants are given in order to adhere to State and Federal privacy laws (Richardson, 2004). Richardson, one of the leading advocates of educational blogging and maintainer of Weblogged, believes that more teachers and schools are beginning to experiment with the technology as a communicative tool for students and parents, a place to publish student work and manage the information that members of the school community create – it has also been seen as a cheap alternative to course management systems (Downes, 2004). According to a Pew Charitable Trust study cited by Armstrong (2003), middle and high school students are far ahead of their teachers and principals in taking advantage of online educational resources such as Weblogs. To counter this problem some schools, particularly in the USA, are beginning to use class blogs as a way to share assignments and receive feedback.
A relatively new concept for schools is classroom Weblogs, which are becoming increasingly popular with teachers as a forum of expression for students regardless of age or subject. In these blogs students write about their science experiments and also write stories or display pictures of their latest art pieces. In the classroom, with their ease of maintenance, built-in labor and simplicity of use, Weblogs have replaced the more elaborate, labor-intensive classroom Websites (Selingo, 2004). Teachers who use blogs say that students put a lot more thought and effort into their blog writing, knowing that parents and others may read their work on the Web. These teachers also say that they are more concerned about the content of their students’ work than the grammar (Selingo, 2004). It is evident that personal blogging will continue to play an important role in the education system as a form of information, learning, mentoring, networking, collaboration, and expression.
Web-chatting for Collaboration
Web Chat is real-time, interactive communication on the Web that takes place on a dedicated discussion channel. Web Chatting is very much a modern mode of communication that is about to become part of network-based education. Informal social activity and chatting have a place in any communal online education because interaction that is built around factual content alone falls short of what is needed to create an online community. There are different kinds of learners with their personal learning styles. A passive student can suddenly become active and empowered when chatting. In certain learning and study situations, in which fast feedback and interaction are needed, chat has many benefits and is much easier to use than e-mail. At its best, chat constitutes a forum where a small group of people can engage in a rapid exchange of ideas and experiences—a brainstorming and a knowledge building session of sorts. Web chatting highlights simultaneous interactivity and fosters a sense of community between participants.
Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Approach
In the past, teachers exercised little control over their professional lives. In today’s effective schools, however, teachers make important decisions about their teaching and their life at school as a whole. Teachers’ responsibilities have grown beyond the isolated classroom walls to embrace the success of all children and adults who work in the school. Teachers are assuming a greater role in their own professional development and that of their colleagues.
Regardless of the ready availability of technology and its level of sophistication, it cannot be put to effective use unless teachers have skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to infuse it into classroom teaching. Ultimately, teachers are the most important agents of change within the classroom arena as they direct their own learning. Some basic assumptions underlie the notion that self-direction in learning is possible. For example, the mature adult is quite capable of assuming personal responsibility for planning and carrying out learning activities. Thus, an adult teacher is a person who fulfills adult social roles and who possesses self-directed abilities and beliefs (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991). Some formats of SDL available for teachers as listed by Hiemstra (1985), include:
- journals/magazines/manuals/workbooks
- cassette tapes/television/radio
- learning modules/kits/films/video tapes
- CD-ROMs/interactive software applications
- video conferencing/multimedia applications
- internet resources/on-line courses
- self-help books
At present, the Internet seems an ideal medium for fostering and supporting informal adult learning and “could possibly be classified as one of the most powerful and important self-directed learning tools in existence” (Gray 1999, p. 120). The Internet has facilitated informal learning because it allows teachers to seek out and use resources independently, control the pace and direction of their learning, chat, and consult with colleagues (Boshier & Pisutova, 2002). In summary, self-directed learners, then, are people who have a great deal of self-understanding and insight. They are creative individuals who are not afraid to deal with unstructured situations, especially when it comes to working with technology. Self-directed individuals are consistently working toward higher levels of personal growth and, in doing so, are able to utilize existing resources to their greatest potential (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991).
Conclusions and Recommendations
Although it is clear from this article that there is a substantial body of research into the use of ICT in education, more research and evaluation of practice are needed to determine that universal application of ICT is always desirable for quality education. Teachers will be required, and should be positively encouraged, to assume new roles and responsibilities for integrating ICT into the school curriculum.
Pre-service teacher education for all teachers should include mandatory ICT training to an adequate level of competence and skill. All teachers should have the right to a minimum amount of continual professional development on ICT skills in the course of their careers, the amount to be determined in negotiations between educational authorities and representatives of teachers’ unions.
Further, teachers’ pedagogical practices with ICT can vary over time with the grade level they teach, both as a result of learning more about the ICT resource and their students’ skills and also because some topics in the curriculum are more suitable for using ICT than others. As a result, researchers who have observed the same teachers over a longer period have been able to obtain a more comprehensive picture of their pedagogical practices than those researchers who only observe one or two lessons. Yet research over long periods has been relatively rare. For this reason, and to understand the longer-term impact of ICT on classroom practice, more evaluations like longitudinal studies covering two to three years are required.
Comparing the evidence of teachers using ICT in schools 20 years ago with that available today, it is found that there is a steady growth of teachers’ ability to use ICT to improve their students’ achievement. To maintain this momentum, teachers should be provided adequate planning time to enable them to continue to grow in this direction.
Consultations on ICT use within schools based on informal networking between teachers should be encouraged as essential to practical problems. Informal processes should be considered as complementary to formal processes of consultation and negotiation established by law, collective agreement, and national practice. Students and parents through their elected representatives in school councils/boards and other education stakeholders should be fully involved in school decision-making, including decisions on integrating ICT. Teachers must be involved in identifying, selecting, and evaluating the ICT resources appropriate to their needs.
Systems are required in each school to publicize and inform all teachers about the availability of ICT resources. Teachers need to be made aware of the existence of ICT in their school (location and availability) as well as its potential to encourage self-directed learning and Action Research. Access to ICT is not simply a matter of providing more ICT resources. Much can be done to ensure that existing resources are managed effectively to increase awareness and use.
Support for ICT is an essential component. Teachers must be provided with adequate on-site technical support and advice, to ensure that they do not feel intimidated when technical problems are encountered. Additionally, teachers need support in learning the range of resources that are available to them. They need to decide what makes sense for their own use, and they need access to equipment in order to become proficient with the medium of their choice. For many teachers, intrinsic rewards drive their efforts to learn about technology and to make changes in their teaching. These rewards may include satisfaction in finding tools that support students’ learning and engage their interest and enthusiasm, meeting new people and working with colleagues, increasing knowledge and competence, reflecting on alternative teaching strategies, developing mastery of new skills, and final, gaining recognition and respect.
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