ERIC Number: EJ845871
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1449-5554
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
ICT Mediated Study and Teachers: Do They Have Access to the Infrastructure?
Burnip, Lindsay
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, v22 n3 p355-374 2006
Course delivery mediated by information and communication technology (ICT) is increasingly seen as a desirable and cost effective means of providing study opportunities to large numbers of teachers. However, it is unclear to what extent teachers have access to the ICT infrastructure that is required for participation in such study. This paper reports on a survey of teachers' access to ICT infrastructure and offers some insights into the nature and adequacy of that access. A sample of 203 trained teachers was surveyed regarding their access to hardware, software, and the Internet both at work and outside work. Data regarding access to technical support were collected also. Access to adequate levels of ICT infrastructure was not universal among teachers in this sample and access levels varied with teacher characteristics such as age and school type. Teachers in Government schools had slightly poorer levels of access, both at home and at school, when compared with teachers in independent schools. The most problematic area of access overall was in technical support which, when coupled with the reportedly low and variable levels of ICT skills among teachers, would represent a major impediment to successful and satisfactory participation in ICT mediated study for many teachers. These findings have important implications for developers of ICT mediated courses for teachers and for those who seek to encourage teachers' participation in such study. (Contains 3 tables and 8 figures.)
Descriptors: Technical Support, Teacher Characteristics, Information Technology, Educational Technology, Access to Computers, Teacher Surveys, Inservice Teacher Education, Professional Development, Graduate Students, Internet, Computer Assisted Instruction, Electronic Learning, Technology Integration, Foreign Countries
Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. Ascilite Secretariat, P.O. Box 44, Figtree, NSW, Australia. Tel: +61-8-9367-1133; e-mail: info@ascilite.org.au; Web site: http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A