Database of Publications

Homepage > Teacher Training > Database of Publications > Publication's Form

PUBLICATION INFORMATION

TITLE OF PUBLICATION

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE PROBLEM OF TEACHER TRAINING: MYTHS, DREAMS AND HARSH REALITY

NAME OF AUTHOR(S)

Vosniadou, S. and Kollias, V.

NAME OF PUBLISHER

Themes in Education

YEAR OF PUBLICATION

2001

LANGUAGE OF PUBLICATION

English

PUBLICATION TYPOLOGY

Research

TARGET GROUP OF PUBLICATION

Researchers, Teachers, Policy Makers

SIZE OF THE PUBLICATION

Over 10 pages

DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS

This article presents (a) a brief review of the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education; (b) a review of the studies that provide information about ICT uses in Greek education: the attitudes of teachers, evaluation studies of current ICT use, and studies that attempt to introduce innovation; and (C) the authors’ recommendations for teacher training in ICT. The article focuses on teacher training in pedagogical uses of ICT.
Authors argue that computers failed to bring about the desired educational changes in the 80’s for many reasons. One of the reasons was the lack of the clearly articulated educational objectives to accompany the technological innovations. Teachers did not change their educational practices because there were no well accepted and clearly defined alternative practices that were consistent with the goals of the information society.
The presented review of various evaluation studies which have been done in Greece shows that ICT has not been incorporated in the subject matter teaching activities of the largest majority of the Greek public schools. Based on these studies, authors argue that in the cases where ICT is used in the schools, the innovation usually stays in the periphery and does not touch the everyday “traditional” teaching practice of subject matter. The “traditional” teaching practice is characterized by a teacher-centred environment; it is dominated by a transmission-oriented philosophy and the teachers’ perceived need to “cover the material”.
Finally, in the third section of the article authors discuss their recommendations both for teacher training in ICT and for changes in the national educational objectives. Authors believe that teachers should be trained on using ICT to create more student-centred learning environments that focus on the development of student skills as a person capable of critical, independent, and self-reflecting learning. The success of this training depends on the moving towards a more decentralized education system which encourages teacher development. In the light of this need, the following principles can guide the changes of educational objectives at the national level proposed by the authors: a) material and tasks meaningful to students, b) bring schools closer to real life, c) curricula with less breadth and more depth, and d) test for understanding and not for memorization. “Last but not least”, according to authors, “it is of vital importance to give more freedom to individual teachers to do the job of educating”.

REVIEWER’S COMMENTS ON THE PUBLICATION

Adopting an innovation, as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education, can be influenced by technological, organizational, social, cultural, economic and teacher development factors. Teacher development in ICT skills and knowledge is mainly related by their training in ICT. This selected document discusses research-based recommendations for teacher training in ICT. The authors review studies of teacher attitudes and teacher practice with respect to ICT, in order to identify the factors that can facilitate or hinder the use of ICT to more qualitative and effective learning environments. Taking these factors into consideration, the authors propose (a) the objectives of teacher training in order to take advantage of the aspects of ICT that can facilitate learning and (b) particular changes in educational objectives at national level in order to take advantage of the teacher training in ICT and achieve increased learning.

WHERE TO FIND IT

http://www.cs.phs.uoa.gr/en/staff/60.ICT%20and%20teacher%20training.pdf

PDF OF THE PUBLICATION

6_Publication_1.pdf

NAME OF THE REVIEWING ORGANISATION

T.E.I of Ionian Islands

Comments about this Publication

Your comments are welcome

Date: 2013.11.25

Posted by Funda BALCI (Turkey)

Message: This publication is really relevant. This article illustrates the results of research where introduction and implementation of ICT in Greek schools in 1999-2000 are evaluated. There is mentioned different sort of schools, primary and secondary, private and public.The outcomes illustrate the fact that the most successful situations of ICT application are those when encouraged teachers desire to have ICT in schools and have sufficient information as to how they can use tem. The essay shows the findings of the different studies and emphasizes the fact that ICT hadn’t been separated into the pedagogy of teachers in public schools in Greece. The writers make suggestions for teacher training and changes to educational objectives at a national level in order that they can achieve their goal of education as it is mentioned by the author as “the transmission of certain facts and skills but also the development of the individual student as a person capable of critical, independent, and self-reflecting learning.” Carrying out ITC education in Slovakia is really awful particularly in regional primary and secondary schools. When the teacher haven’t taken any participation in ICT training, they aren’t capable of utilizing the equipment facilitated to schools. It has been investigated that in different types of schools ICT is employed in various ways depending upon the information and abilities of teachers. The author thinks of the fact that the structure of the educational system is in need of a very important change and they also stongly suggest that the teacher should develop clear, research based examples and prototypes of how they create ICT supported student centered learning environments without the teaching losing themselves in the class. Slovakia has the same problem. All schools have common problems such as equipment update, appropriate textbooks and insufficiency of constant equipment maintenance. Another problem is the insufficiency of educational software, technical information and ICT teacher training.

Date: 2013.06.18

Posted by Silvana Saiello (Italy)

Message: The authors make recommendations for teacher training in order to reach the goal of education as “… the development of the individual student as a person capable of critical, independent, and self-reflecting learning.”
The authors’ publication recommend to change the teachers’ perceived role as transmitters of information to that of empowering the individual student as a learner. Teachers have difficulties in setting inquiry orientated activities such as researching on the internet and using this information in projects and other activities due to the amount of material that needs to be covered in the curriculum. The authors also recommend developing clear, research based examples or prototypes of how to create ICT supported student centered learning environments without the teaching losing control the class.
The main obstacle outlined by the authors is a teachers need to “cover the material”. One of the many recommendations made by the authors is to design curricula that cover fewer topics but cover these topics in greater depth. These topics would be assessed on the basis of the students understanding of the topic rather than the student’s ability to memorise information.
Finally I\'d lke to suggest a reflection about the use of ICTs: they do not have to be used as a single and isolated exercise: in this way there is no utility. They must be inserted in a teaching/learning path and be finalized to disciplinary objectives: only in this way these tools will become real resources

Date: 2013.06.11

Posted by Katarína Javorová (Slovakia)

Message: Message: The publication us very relevant for my point of view because I am a high schoold teacher and prepare chemistry teacher for the ITC using especially white board and computer in everyday chemistry teaching. The publication presents the results of research where the introduction and application of ICT in Greek schools in 1999-2000 are assessed. Different types of schools are covered - primary and secondary, private ands public. The results show that the most successful cases of ICT use are those when motivated teachers want to have ICT in schools and know how to use them. The publication presents the findings of the various studies and highlights that ICT had not been incorporated into the pedagogy of teachers in public schools in Greece. The authors make recommendations for teacher training and changes to educational objectives at a national level in order to reach the goal of education as defined by the author as “the transmission of certain facts and skills but also the development of the individual student as a person capable of critical, independent, and self-reflecting learning.”Using ITC education in Slovakia is very bad especially in regional primary and secondary schools. When the teachers have not attended ICT training, they are not able to use the equipment provided to schools. It has been found out that in different types of schools ICT is used in a different way depending on the knowledge and skills of teachers. According to the authors a radical change in the structure of the educational system is required. This is the same problem in Slovakia. We have NO in our schools this ITC eqiupment and when yes that us the problem with teachers preparing. All schools share common problems such as equipment update, appropriate textbooks and lack of continuous equipment maintenance. Another problem is the shortage of time to cover the content of the materials. There is also shortage of educational software, technical knowledge and ICT teacher training.

Date: 2013.05.30

Posted by Radka Krasteva (Bulgaria)

Message: The publication presents the results of research where the introduction and application of ICT in Greek schools in 1999-2000 are assessed. Different types of schools are covered - primary and secondary, private ands public. The results show that the most successful cases of ICT use are those when motivated teachers want to have ICT in schools and know how to use them. When the teachers have not attended ICT training, they are not able to use the equipment provided to schools. It has been found out that in different types of schools ICT is used in a different way depending on the knowledge and skills of teachers. According to the authors a radical change in the structure of the educational system is required. In this respect a pilot programme titled Odiseya has been developed. It aims at introducing and using ICT in the basic curriculum. Various projects have been initiated - How the Internal Heating System Operates, Choosing a Place in the Solar System in Order to Build a Hotel, Alternative Energy Resources for Heating and Their Operation. It has been proved that the educational software enriches the educational environment. ICT is widely used for educational activities related to teaching, for extra-curriculum activities, classroom discussions, cooperation and communication in groups in front of the computer, information search by the students, communication with other schools, as well as for using computer databases.
The constructivist approach in teaching is proposed, where the traditional teacher \"in the centre\" as a basic resource and transmitter of information is replaced by a teacher \"in the periphery\", who only directs the students. All schools share common problems such as equipment update, appropriate textbooks and lack of continuous equipment maintenance. Another problem is the shortage of time to cover the content of the materials. There is also shortage of educational software, technical knowledge and ICT teacher training.

Date: 2013.05.07

Posted by Mairead Glynn (Ireland)

Message: This publication summarises the research conducted in the area of ICT in education, with reference to ICT objectives in teacher training and national curricula. The publication also presents the findings of the various studies and highlights that at that time (2001) ICT had not been incorporated into the pedagogy of teachers in public schools in Greece. The authors make recommendations for teacher training and changes to educational objectives at a national level in order to reach the goal of education as defined by the author as “the transmission of certain facts and skills but also the development of the individual student as a person capable of critical, independent, and self-reflecting learning.”
Similarities may be drawn between Ireland and Greece with regards to investment in ICT in education. Millions of government funding has specifically been targeted towards ICT in the classroom since 2000, this funding has mainly been targeting at buying hardware for schools and some teacher in-services on the technical aspects of using computers in the classroom. On one level it has been very successful as ICT is more evident than ever in Irish schools, digital overhead projectors and laptops are common-place in classrooms and science labs. Over 90% of respondents in a 2011 SAMI survey said they were confident or very confident in using ICT in the classroom. However, very little funding is in place to educate teachers on upgrading their pedagogy to incorporate ICT.
The authors’ publication recommends a two pronged approach to tackling this issue:
1. “Change the teachers’ perceived role as transmitters of information to that of empowering the individual student as a learner.”
The authors discuss the difficulty teachers have in setting inquiry orientated activities such as researching on the internet and using this information in projects and other activities due to the amount of material that needs to be covered in the curriculum. I myself would only feel comfortable setting such activities for students in transition year or perhaps once during second or fifth year when the students and I are not under exam pressure. The authors recommend developing “clear, research based examples or prototypes of how to create ICT supported student centered learning environments without the teaching losing contro; of his/her class.”

2. “Changes in national educational objectives.”
Here the main obstacle outlined by the authors is a teachers need to “cover the material”. One of the many recommendations made by the authors is to design curricula that cover fewer topics but cover these topics in greater depth. These topics would be assessed on the basis of the students understanding of the topic rather than the student’s ability to memorise information.
The imminent implementation of the new junior cycle programme presents an ideal opportunity to incorporate these new teaching practices. It is assumed that in-service training will be available to teachers, this presents an opportunity to educate teachers on upgrading their pedagogy to incorporate ICT.

National Reports on successful experiences to promote lifelong learning for chemistry The national reports on chemistry successful experiences to promote lifelong learning for chemistry are now available on the related section of the project portal. The reports presents examples of successful experiences in the partner countries and the results of testing of ICT resources with science teachers.