In this paper we critically analyze extant approaches to technology integration in teaching, arguing that many current methods are technocentric, often omitting sufficient consideration of the dynamic and complex relationships among content, technology, pedagogy, and context. We recommend using the technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework as a way to think about effective technology integration, recognizing technology, pedagogy, content and context as interdependent aspects of teachers’ knowledge necessary to teach content-based curricula effectively with educational technologies. We offer TPACK-based “activity types,” rooted in previous research about content-specific activity structures, as an alternative to existing professional development approaches and explain how this new way of thinking may authentically and successfully assist teachers’ and teacher educators’ technology integration efforts.

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Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Learning Activity Types: Curriculum-Based Technology Integration Reframed

Global investment in ICT to improve teaching and learning in schools have been initiated by many governments. Despite all these investments on ICT infrastructure, equipments and professional development to improve education in many countries, ICT adoption and integration in teaching and learning have been limited. This article reviews personal, institutional and technological factors that encourage teachers’ use of computer technology in teaching and learning processes. Also teacher-level, school-level and system-level factors that prevent teachers from ICT use are reviewed. These barriers include lack of teacher ICT skills; lack of teacher confidence; lack of pedagogical teacher training; l lack of suitable educational software; limited access to ICT; rigid structure of traditional education systems; restrictive curricula, etc. The article concluded that knowing the extent to which these barriers affect individuals and institutions may help in taking a decision on how to tackle them.

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Factors influencing teachers' adoption and integration of information and communication technology into teaching: A review of the literature

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of teachers’ individual characteristics and perceptions of environmental factors that influence their technology integration in the classroom. A research-based path model was developed to explain causal relationships between these factors and was tested based on data gathered from 1,382 Tennessee public school teachers. The results provided significant evidence that the developed model is useful in explaining factors affecting technology integration and the relationships between the factors.

Factors Affecting Technology Integration in K-12 Classrooms: A Path Model.

Studies have indicated that when teachers believe technology uses are valuable, they are more likely to incorporate those uses into their practices. This hermeneutical phenomenology study investigated the value beliefs that underlie teachers' uses of technology. To measure value beliefs, teachers' uses (and reasons for those uses) of technology for teaching and learning were examined. Data were collected from eight award-winning teachers through an interview, observation, and electronic portfolio. Findings indicated that teachers used technology to address professional (e.g., creating customized classroom materials, improving classroom management by engaging students) and student needs (e.g., enhancing student comprehension, equipping students with technology skills), all of which related to the underlying value belief of promoting student learning. Based on these findings, professional development activities should emphasize the potential impact of specific technology uses on student learning.

Teacher value beliefs associated with using technology: Addressing professional and student needs

This case study examines 18 elementary school teachers' perceptions of the barriers to technology integration (access, vision, professional development, time, and beliefs) and instructional practices with technology after two years of situated professional development. Months after transitioning from mentoring to teacher-led communities of practice, teachers continued to report positive perceptions of several barriers and were observed engaging in desirable instructional practices. Interviews suggest that the situated professional development activities helped create an environment that supported teachers' decisions to integrate technology. Implications for teacher professional development and technology integration are discussed in conjunction with the strengths and limitations of the study.

Teachers' perceptions of the barriers to technology integration and practices with technology under situated professional development

This article reports on an exploratory, longitudinal study, which examined six teachers' views on the factors that affect technology use in classrooms. The research examined teachers of grades 4, 5, and 6—for three years, studying the teachers both as a group and as individual case studies. Three case studies were selected for analysis, with the aim of exploring the relation between the changes that occurred in the teach-ers' educational views and practices as a result of their exposure to teaching and learning with the aid of rich technology and their views on factors affecting technology integration. The findings point to two developmental patterns in teach-ers' views on the factors affecting technology use in the classroom: the first is concerned with the source of influence on technology adoption, and focuses mainly on the human factor; the second is concerned with the nature of the influence when using technology in the classroom, ranging from technical to cognitive transformation. The three case studies reveal three different profiles of change and demonstrate the complex relations between teachers' orientations concerning the conditions affecting technology use, and the changes that occur in teachers' views and practices.

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Teachers’ Views on Factors Affecting Effective Integration of Information Technology in the Classroom: Developmental Scenery

The use of Information technologies in the classrooms: Patterns of change and development in educational beliefs and in educational practices among teachers and their students

MOOC courses in the fields of new media, entrepreneurship and innovation require pedagogical developers to create a clear and measureable peer assessment process of the innovative plans and projects developed by students The objectives of our action research are to improve evaluations of students’ plans and their innovativeness in a MOOC based on project-based learning (PBL) We analyzed 789 written peer assessments and grades of 89 PBL plans, which were submitted as part of the requirements in a new MOOC course 'New Media in Education' targeting student teachers Correlations between final peer project grades and other assessment categories were calculated A regression analysis model indicates that innovativeness and compatibility of student plans to educational needs are the strongest predictors final peer grades Based on the research findings, we propose potential improvements in the peer assessment process, including additional guidelines for the assessment of innovativeness and other categories of PBL plans based on new media and digital pedagogy

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"New Media in Education" MOOC: Improving Peer Assessments of Students’ Plans and their Innovativeness

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the greatest known disruption to the education system in Israel and in many countries around the globe, resulting in decisions to switch to online learning in all subjects. In the current study we examined lecturers' opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of online teaching from various aspects, from a systemic, multi-institutional perspective. The findings indicate that only about a third of the lecturers expressed a preference for online learning. The lecturers mentioned the lack of social and emotional interactions (SEL) between students and lecturers as one of the main disadvantages of online learning. In addition, most of the lecturers do not consider online learning as providing an advantage in the quality of teaching and learning. The study also indicates the need for perceptual changes among lecturers, so that they will reexamine the teaching and learning processes and adapt their role and responsibilities to the new opportunities enabled by today's technological tools and learning environments. The findings also indicate that the success of online learning requires appropriate pedagogical educational approaches rather than replication of traditional frontal teaching patterns on digital platforms. The findings call for in-depth discussion among higher education policymakers and academic institutions on the new and effective purpose of the campus in the post-covid period, the distinction between the virtual and the real in academic instruction, and the challenges and ways of coping with the new reality. © 2021 by the authors.

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Rivka Wadmany

Papers

Teachers’ Views on Factors Affecting Effective Integration of Information Technology in the Classroom: Developmental Scenery

The use of Information technologies in the classrooms: Patterns of change and development in educational beliefs and in educational practices among teachers and their students

"New Media in Education" MOOC: Improving Peer Assessments of Students’ Plans and their Innovativeness

2020 - The lecturer at a crossroads of teaching and learning in academia in Israel

Learning from Experience:Teachers’ views on factors enhancing or inhibiting effective use of information technology in rich-technology classroom