Analysis of Articles about Education - Literature review Example

Article Summary Shihkuan, H., & Ping-Yin, K. . The impact of multilevel factors on technology integration: the case of Taiwanese grade 1-9 teachers and schools. Educational Technology Research & Development, 61(1), 25-50. The integration of technology to improve the quality of learning is affected many factors that are related to the teacher and the environment. Studies have been conducted to examine that factors that influence the use of Information and Communication Technology. Regardless, there has been a growing need to examine the factors that influence the use of ICT by the teacher using multilevel modeling. Multi-level analysis can distinguish the impact of the teachers from the school environment and analyze the factors at each level. The study was conducted because of the significant role that technology plays in enhancing the learning experience. The study employed multi-level modeling to analyze data obtained from 3,652 teachers who specialize in handling students in grade 1-9. The study was conducted in 289 schools in Taiwan. According to the article, both school-level factors and teacher-level factors affected the integration of ICT in the process of teaching. The teacher-level factors identified by the study are the beliefs of a teacher and the amount of hours spent in training in the previous year positively influenced ICT Integration. The school level factors that affect ICT integration are hours of training and the way teachers perceive the support from the school. The other factors influencing ICT integration are internet access, quality of computers, number of projectors available and stability of the available computers. The results indicate the significant role that teachers and schools play in the integration of ICT to improve the quality of the learning experience. Teachers play a significant role in the process of ICT integration. Ayub, A. M., Bakar, K. A., & Ismail, R. (2012). Relationships between school support, school facilities, ICT culture and mathematics teachers attitudes towards ICT in teaching and learning. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1450(1), 196-200. Doi:10.1063/1.4724139 The study examines the relationship between school support, facilities, ICT culture and attitudes of mathematics towards ICT integration in learning and teaching. ICT enables students to widen their sources of the information because of the web. Teachers have the opportunity to use the available technology to create a relatively more interactive and informative learning process. According to the study, the integration of ICT in learning relies on the attitude of the teachers and the school involved. Some of the barriers that prevented mathematics teachers from using ICT are: The lack of materials required to integrate ICT successfully. Lacking competency in the use of ICT to teaching. Pedagogical knowledge also influences attitudes towards ICT. The aim was to examine the factors that affect the attitudes of mathematics teachers towards the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning processes. The study used the descriptive survey design. The study data was obtained from 191 Mathematics teachers from several districts in Malaysia. The teachers that were randomly selected for the study were all part of a group that was trained by the Ministry on ICT use in teaching and learning. Researchers designed an instrument that would obtain background information on the respondents, measure the attitudes of teachers towards ICT integration and learning, information on school facilities and school support. The findings of the study reveal that the attitude of teachers towards integration of ICT, school support, school facilities and ICT culture encouraged ICT integration. In conclusion, teachers need support and facilities to achieve ICT integration in learning and teaching. Lee, E., Park, H., Whyte, J., & Jeong, E. (2013). Information and Communication Technology: Students Health Education in 1st- to 6th-Grade South Korea Elementary Schools. Journal of School Health, 83(9), 647-653. The provision of health education in elementary schools can help one to establish a good foundation for one to adopt a healthy lifestyle. It is very easy to alter the lifestyle of a child compared to that of an adult. Therefore, health education is a necessary factor for elementary school children. Health education improves the quality of education in a school in a major way. ICT integration can help improve the effectiveness of health education among elementary school children. The objectives of the study include: I. Determine if school nurses are aware that information and communication technology can be used to improve the effectiveness of health education for the students. II. Explore are the barriers that stand in the way of full adoption of ICT in school nursing practice. III. Give recommendations that can facilitate the application of ICT in practice. The study used a descriptive and cross-sectional research design to gather data and conduct the analysis. The data was obtained from 395 nurses working elementary schools. The study was in K province, which is in South Korea. The final sample of the study was reduced to 209 elementary school nurses. The researchers developed suitable questionnaires, which were then sent to schools. The data collected was analyzed for chi-square, frequency and percentages. The findings show that ICT can help boost the confidence of schools nurses in proving health education to the students. The major challenges to the adoption of ICT are limited time for preparation of all the needed educational materials, lack of software and the lack of basic computer skills among teachers and even the students. In conclusion, it is imperative to examine the barriers and opportunities that come with integration of ICT in health education. Wikan, G., & Molster, T. (2011). Norwegian secondary school teachers and ICT. European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(2), 209-218. Technological advancements and the increasing demand for quality education has led to strong campaigns for the integration of ICT in almost all the aspects of school practice. In Norway, the integration of ICT in school practice is emphasized because it will facilitate the development of individuals who can function in a scientific world, and it enhances the effectiveness of learning a subject. Therefore, it is paramount for all teachers to integrate ICT into their teaching practices. However, a number of teachers have refused to use ICT in their teaching practice. The study explores the extent of ICT integration in the classroom and the teacher-level factors that affect the use of ICT. The study conducts analysis based on qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data was obtained from a group of teachers who receive ICT training for two years. A quantitative survey was carried to compare the views of the ICT trained teachers and that of the other teachers from around the area. The research involved the analysis of 10 interviews from the focus group and quantitative exploration of 59 teachers from different schools found in Hamar, Norway. The results of the study show that teachers are committed to ICT. However, very few teachers saw the educational significance of ICT except for the increased access to educational materials and motivate learners. Many teachers did not have confidence in the ability of ICT to deliver quality education. The primary finding is that ICT integration is a gradual process that must be left to develop. The attitudes of teachers have so much to with the performance of the students. Solar, M., Sabattin, J., & Parada, V. (2013). A Maturity Model for Assessing the Use of ICT in School Education. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 206-218. Studies have shown that multiple factors can influence technology integration in the school environment. A careful analysis of all the parameters that affect the implementation should be analyzed effectively to reduce the risk of failure. The article describes an ICT based model that is driven by capability. The model can be used to assess ICT in education capability and school maturity. School heads should have an imagination on what should be done to ensure successful implementation. The model is known as ICTE-MM (ICT in School Education Maturity Model. The model has three elements that support the process of education. They include ICT resources, information criteria and leverage domains. The model is important because it provides a working formula to guide technology implementation in schools. Public school do not have enough money to hire professionals to guide the implementation process. The ICT maturity model will give the school head a virtual map to guide the implementation process. The model can help in identifying new ICT ventures or improving the current system. The study defines the key leverage domains, which are administrators, educational management, students, infrastructure, and teachers. The leverage domains possess a hierarchical structure and the second level is called key domain areas. The areas must be controllable and measurable. The third level is the Critical variables. It permits the elements of the model to associate both qualitatively and quantitatively. The model is founded on strong ICT principles. It is meant to ensure the implementation of ICT cannot be deterred by anything. The validation of the model was made possible via data collection instruments. Read More