Computer-assisted literacy formation in a secondary school? : WHY not?

Abstract

Many authors that publish on the subject of educational technology, agree that ICT Integration in schools has not been achieved ( Ertmer, 2005) . When implementing ICT solutions in schools, many barriers need to be considered. Ertmer (1999) described two types of barriers, known as First and Second-order barriers. First order barriers refer to missing or inadequately provided resources such as equipment, training and support. Second-order barriers are 'core beliefs' that teachers hold , that influence the process of fundamental change , such as the Integration of ICT in the classroom. According to Ertmer (2005) ,these beliefs might be the most significant and resistant to change. Other studies , by Anderson & Maninger, ( as cited in Belland,2009) show that teacher professed pedagogical beliefs , have not been good predictors of teachers use of ICT .Two conceptual frameworks , habitus and folk pedagogy , will be used to gain a different understanding on what kind of factors could be influencing the process of ICT Integration. Because educational change is dependent on 'what teachers do and think ' (Ertmer, 1999) , it is important to explore what type of barriers are present. This research will set out to explore what 5 Maltese teachers 'do and think' about ICT Integration . This will be done by describing an attempt to integrate an ICT-based resource (the Kurzweil 3000 assistive learning software) in a school and to elaborate on these issues