Computer enthusiastic versus computer-passive attitude. A case study of the
class-teachers.
Piret Luik
University of Tartu, Estonia
Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, University
College Dublin, 7-10 September 2005
Introduction
One of the most important factors of the usage of computers in the classroom is a
teacher. In Estonian schools a teacher decides if he/she does use the computer-assisted
learning (CAL) or not. It depends mostly on teacher if students use effective or
ineffective educational software or if they use such kind of software at all.
The usage of the CAL is influenced besides the personal characteristics of the teacher
(conservative or innovative approach, readiness to take risks etc), computer using
skills and confidence, also by the attitudes towards the usage of computers in learning
process. The teacher's attitude is a basic element within the group of elements which
integrate the teaching with CAL (Fernández Carballo-Calero, 2001).
The experience of teachers is an important factor of applying the computers and
changing their attitudes. Previous studies (Benson, Farnsworth, Bahr, Lewis and
Shaha, 2004) have found out that computer supported instruction and applied field
experience makes a positive difference in skills and attitudes of the pre-service
teachers.
Aim: Therefore it is important to know how the teachers’ attitudes influence the
usage of computers and how these attitudes change during the ICT integration into
education.
The following research questions were investigated:
1.
What are the teachers’ perceptions about the effectiveness of the computerassisted learning (CAL)?
2. Is there any conceptual shift about the teacher’s attitudes and behavior when
teaching with computers?
Method
The case study was carried on with two class-teachers.
The data were gathered by the interviews and through diaries of the class-teachers.
The teachers were interviewed three times: before the study in the first week of the
academic year; at the last week of study; and the last interview was carried out 6
months after the study was over. Three months of the new school year were already
behind. The teachers worked with the same students as in the last academic year.
The teachers filled in the diaries after each lesson with computers: how they used
computers, was this kind of learning effective for students and how they felt
themselves.
Before the study the teachers were instructed how to use computers to teach their
students – they received a lot of digital worksheets and educational software for the
students. It was written in the materials with which subject and with which topic in
curriculum particular educational software is useful and how to use computers to
teach the topic. They were also taught how to use other Internet sources and were
encouraged to seek learning materials themselves.
The study lasted an academic year. Both teachers had to carry out 3-4 lessons every
week, where computers were used by the students. The teachers were permitted to
choose the topic and educational software or electronic worksheets for the students.
Also they were permitted to choose the method they use the computers. There was a
person who offered help (technical or methodical) when it was needed in the school.
Participants
The teachers were selected with the similar background and similar condition of the
work. Both teachers were female (aged 44 and 39), worked in the same school and
with the same-age children (9-10 years old). Both teachers have been working in the
school more than 12 years. The teachers experience with the computers was also
similar. They have participated earlier in the same computer-courses (both 4 courses)
and both teachers used computers to prepare materials for their students.
Results
Teacher A had positive and enthusiastic attitude towards the usage of the CAL. The
teaching methods of Teacher A were different in the computer-lab and in the
classroom. In the computer-lab she used more group-work, active learning and
individual tasks. She felt that their students change her partners:
We have several educational software in our school. For example the
programmes like KidPix Studio and LinguaLand are used by my students. And,
also, I have used digital worksheets. They have drawn pictures and written
stories and practiced some skills.
Students ask more and they have several problems and they work in different
pace. I can consider their different abilities more while teaching with computer.
But sometimes I feel that they tear me up. Despite that it is not easy to teach
with computers I like it. It is worth that trouble. … Sometimes I feel that they
know more than I do and we are more equal in the computer-lab.
The attitudes towards the usage of the computers of Teacher A were stable during this
study. She continued with her methods already obtained by her. There was nothing
surprising for her, she was just thankful for the digital worksheets and educational
software she got for the study.
Some fragments from the diary of Teacher A:
October the 2nd
The students were engaged and satisfied. So was I. It is pleasure to work with
these digital worksheets.
April the 28th
How much should I write that we like it very much! I reread my recordings from
this diary and I think that everything is already said. It is effective learning
indeed and nothing can change my opinion.
6 months after the study Teacher A had been used computers in this school year many
times already. Her attitudes towards the usage of the computers in the education were
still positive and enthusiastic. She and her students are used to computers and
educational software, so they could not imagine the learning without possibilities of
such technology.
Teacher B was a passive user whose attitude was that computer is an effective tool
for preparing printed learning materials for students, but not effective tool of teaching
process. The teaching methods of Teacher B were the same in the computer-lab and in
the classroom.
I have used the help of computers for preparing the printed worksheets for the
students. I, also, have been using e-mail and my students are satisfied with that.
Many of them have computers at home and they have skills to use the computers.
… Some lessons I have carried out in the computer-lab and I have taught them
MS Word. They have to get typing skills on elementary level otherwise the
teachers of higher grades blame me that I have taught them poorly.
There is not anything different while I teach the students in classroom or in
computer-lab. I as a teacher order what to do and all my students follow my
instructions. I have always discipline in my class.
During the study Teacher B had to use computers not only for the preparing printable
worksheets and for teaching how to type with the MS Word, but she had to use some
educational software and digital worksheets also. Her attitudes were changing more to
positive during this study, but not from the beginning. It should be mentioned that the
improvement of the attitudes started already in one and a half month, but a rapid
improvement of the attitude took place in three months. And the improvement
continued until the end of the study.
Here are some fragments from the diary of Teacher B:
September the 19th
For example it is not convenient for me or for children to leave their
comfortable classroom and sit behind the computers somewhere else to learn
mathematics. They are troubled and they ask more in different time and they talk
more loudly which they never do in the own classroom and when I control the
lesson. … And there is lot to do in the classroom to repeat that material.
October the 7th
I can’t say that my students and I don’t like it, but is that really educating? I
don’t trust the computers and some of my students say the same.
January the 9th
I can’t complain anything. The children were engaged the entire lesson. They
even continued the work in the break. And it is interesting that they don’t want
only play, but they like the educational software. They can work more
independently. … I should change my opinion. With good educational software
the computers can educate students. And parents of my students are very
satisfied, too. I have got many thanks from them.
May the 19th
Students are more motivating and interested in learning. It is the same in the
classroom, not only in the computer-lab, but especially in the computer-lab. And
their thinking skills are so developed. They are so independent and they help
each others. Sometimes I feel that I am not needed in the computer-lab, they can
manage themselves. … Sometime I just look their faces – they are so selfconfident and so thoughtful. I like it. They like to demonstrate what they have
learnt and what they have discovered.
So that at the end of the academic year she was even more enthusiastic than Teacher
A. She intended to use computers more in teaching and learning process and to think
the ways, how to use them.
I think that I should use computers more with the students and I certainly will. It
is effective indeed and now I like to use this way of teaching very much.
Six months after the study Teacher B, despite the promises given at the end of last
school year, had used computers only one time within these three months of the new
academic year. She complained that she had no time to compose or seek for learning
materials. It was interesting that her attitudes towards the usage of the computers in
education were not so positive as at the end of the last school year. The only positive
shift was that Teacher B used to use more active methods of teaching in her
classroom.
My students get good preparation to succeed in higher grades. We do group
work and they raise problems themselves and they teach each other. But all that
can be done by us without computers. They have already good computer-skills
and now the use of computers is not so important. Last year my students had
been at the age of games, but now they should play less and study more. And
after all I have no time to compose or seek for learning materials for them. We
have text-books and work-books and I satisfied with these materials.
Conclusion
This study raised a question: what is the real problem of the teachers not using CAL?
Maybe the attitude is just an excuse for himself/herself. It sounds better ‘I do not use
computers because I think that they are not effective in the teaching’ than ‘I do not
use computers because I do not take the trouble to prepare or seek the materials for
the students or think how to use computers in teaching’. Therefore the studies
investigating besides the attitude of teachers towards the usage of the computers also
the other factors should be taken into consideration.