Review article 72
Condie, Rae and Mary Simpson. 2004. The impact of ICT initiatives in Scottish schools: Cultural issues. European Journal of Teacher Education, 27 (1), 73-82.
This article assesses the impact of ICT initiatives in Scottish schools on classroom practice including the nature and quality of the learning experiences as well as factors such as motivation, attainment,
ICT literacy and the use of ICT to support management processes, including communication with parents. The main focus in this study is on the responses from the teachers and the ICT coordinators in both primary and secondary schools. The questionnaires sought information in relation to: their attitude to ICT; their educational experiences; confidence and competence on a range of technologies; access to
ICT; use within the classroom; and their intentions and aspirations for the future. Findings of the study show that both primary and secondary coordinators were responsible for disseminating information on
ICT resources although rather more primary staff advised colleagues on the use of ICT in teaching and learning and on the purchase of software. In secondary schools, ICT coordinators were more likely to be involved in running staff development activities, managing school ICT committee work, and liaising with the education authority on ICT initiatives and developments. Over half of both primary and secondary coordinators indicated that the most pressing staff development needs included the use of ICT as a general teaching tool and the web and e-mail for educational purposes. Coordinators looked to others for support in their role and, for primary staff, the most frequently reported source was the local authority education department while for secondary respondents, support came mainly from colleagues in their own school. Within the primary classroom, the most frequently cited uses of ICT were writing essays, poems or reports and searching for information on the CD-ROM. In the secondary classroom, similar activities were cited, although the figures were lower. Teachers considered a number of benefits as a result of the ICT initiatives such as– improved motivation; enhancement of learning; improved access to information; improved efficiency in management/administration and promoted independence in learning. The most frequently acknowledged obstacles for both sectors were: competing priorities; lack of technical support; time; and underdeveloped skills. The authors argue that the impact of ICT initiatives on Scottish schools was less than might have been anticipated or desired by policy makers. While some of the reasons for this are essentially practical, more serious are the cultural obstacles to development.
Keywords: ICT initiatives; Primary/Secondary education; Motivation; Attainment; Culture;
Scotland.