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Malaysian Teachers’ Perception of Applying Technology in the Classroom
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
13th International Educational Technology Conference
Malaysian Teachers’ Perception of Applying Technology in the Classroom Samira Nikian, Faizah Mohamad Nor and Marzila A. Aziz* /a/b/c Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Abstract Although application of technology in the classroom has been introduced for the last two decades, some teachers are still resistance to use technology in the classroom. This study is designed to investigate Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of using technology in the classroom. In this study perception is regarded as interpretation of events among Malaysian teachers due to past experiences, current understanding, present situation and information. Qualitative research is used as the mode of inquiry for this research study. The main mode of data collection is the questionnaire that elicits information on the respondents’ views of the use of technology on the classroom. Participants for this study were seven local English teachers in Malaysia. The findings indicate that although Malaysian English teachers were using technology and have positive perceptions towards using technology in the classroom, they feel it is crucial for them to undergo training in this aspect. They view time constraint and access to equipment as the main obstacles to implementing technology in the classroom. This research concludes that although Malaysian teachers are faced with some difficulties in implementing technology in the classroom, they see a value in technology and want to use technology in the classroom. © 2013 2013The TheAuthors. Authors. Published by Elsevier © Published by Elsevier Ltd. Ltd. Selectionand andpeer-review peer-review under responsibility of Association The Association of Science, Education and Technology-TASET, Selection under responsibility of The of Science, Education and Technology-TASET, Sakarya Sakarya Universitesi,Turkey. Turkey. Universitesi, Key Words: Technology, Malaysian teachers, perceptions.
1.
Introduction
The idea of applying technology in the classroom comes from the United States but the efficiency of Technology programs is still a controversial topic. “Technology is only a tool; it allows us to develop dialogue and interaction, but is a means, not an end in and of itself. Tech-based global education has the capacity to improve critical thinking and cultural pluralism but requires far more than just fancy technology; it requires careful, thoughtful curriculum development and the * Corresponding author. Tel.: 0060107062438; fax: +0-000-000-0000 . E-mail address: [email protected]
1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of The Association of Science, Education and Technology-TASET, Sakarya Universitesi, Turkey. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.380
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Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
support of organizations whose goal is to build authentic global communities online” (Klein, 2010, p. 86).The introduction of computer technology among the society has changed the way people live, work and learns. The application of technology has improved the teaching and learning in many schools especially in the last two decades. The latest studies on the use of technology for teaching and learning shows promising results for teachers, students and education. Using technology in the classroom prepares learners to be autonomous and active in their learning. By using technology such as computers, learners will be able to create their own knowledge based on past experiences with new information (Bitter and Pierson, 2005). Creating each technology is for a specific purpose so Winner (1980) felt that educators should deconstruct the “purpose” of a given technology in the classroom according to the biases and systems in each classroom. Scholars (Winner,1980, 2000; Bromley, 1998; Postman, 1998) have called on teachers to pay more attention to the objective of using technology in a purposeful and meaningful way before applying it in the classroom. We need to remember that using technology in the classroom will only be useful if it is applied to meet its purpose (Bromley, 1998; Klemm, 2007). 2. Background and Theoretical understanding There are two contrasting perspectives in support for and against using technology in the classroom; constructive and critical. Constructivism means “how people learn and what needs to be learned” (Duffy and Jonassen (1992). Constructivist Andrea Gooden (1996) perceives technology as a toolbox filled with skills for better learning by creating new materials not a tool for performing a particular task. Constructivists consider the advantages of classroom technology while critical theorists perceive technology as a tool, an agent of change, and also as an object with political motivation that causes isolation so critical theorists tend to add or delete technology into an environment to change that environment. Critical theorists believe that using technology in the classroom has a significant role in the students’ interpretation of materials. 3.
Classroom Technology Use
Teachers repeatedly use technology if they receive enough equipment and supports (Yan and Zhao, 2006) but recent findings (Cuban, Kirkpatrick, and Peck, 2001; Russell, Bebell, O‘Dwyer, and O‘Connor, 2003; Solomon and Wiederhorn, 2000; Zhao and Frank, as cited in Yan and Zhao, 2006) reveal that. Yan and Zhao (2006) suggest that technology adoption lies with teachers’ goals and perceptions. The results of their study show that teachers are more pessimistic about using technology in the classroom because of the lack in training needs in applying technology. The result of their study suggest that maintaining the status quo and avoiding disturbance have a higher priority on the hierarchy of teachers’ goals after balancing the costs and benefits of using technology (Yan and Zhao, 2006). Some researchers (Snoeyink and Ertmer, 2001–2002; and Zhao et al., 2006) believe that teachers’ adaptation of technology are influenced by their skills and beliefs about technology. From the perspective of Zhao and Frank (2003) teachers’ beliefs, pedagogy, and technology skills influence on technology integration into the school culture. Beliefs are personal, are difficult to address in staff development, and take time to change. Even if they do changes, the process can take years. Cuban (1990) observed that teachers will use technology based on their
Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
personal perspectives about curriculum and instructional practice. Although billions of dollars (NCES, 2008) and much focus have been put on technology in education (ISTE, 2010; NCES, 2008), instruction has not changed much (Cuban et al., 2001). The use of technology in the classroom is also much related to their attitudes towards the technological barriers inherent in the traditional deployment of technology in schools. These barriers reflect the school culture and affect a teacher‘s personal belief system or self-efficacy and the ultimate impact of using technology in the classroom. Brzycki and Dudt (2005) believe that there are some difficulties and challenges such as time, support, models, infrastructure, and culture that persist and even reappear with new technologies in applying technology in the classroom. The barriers of implementing technology are classified into First- order or extrinsic factors and second-order or intrinsic barriers (Brickner, 1995; Ertmer, 1999). First-order barriers include environmental or institutional issues and resources while second-order barriers related to a teacher’s personal instructional beliefs, experiences and strategies. Teachers are faced with many difficulties due to these intrinsic which affect their decision-making processes and classroom practices (Ertmer, 1999). The majority of teachers believe that first-order barriers prevent teachers from using technology in the classroom. In support for this, Cuban, Kirkpatrick, and Peck (2001), and Bauer and Kenton, (2005) cite time to learn and prepare instruction as barriers that hinder teachers from utilizing technology in the classroom. Poor professional development (Koehler and Mishra, 2005) and access to equipment (Yan and Zhao, 2006) also contribute to first order or extrinsic barriers. 4.
Importance of the Study
Previous research have shown that using technology improves the learning experience and students’ academic performance. In Emdin’s (2008) opinion, by integrating technology into the curriculum, education practices will be improved and teachers will be able to expound upon the textbook and prepare more authentic and studentcentered classroom learning materials. Stoll (1999), however disagreed with using technology because this sends students the message that “illegible handwriting, grammar, analytical thought, and human dealings don’t matter” (p. 158). The reason for placing focus on technology is to produce definite outcomes (Masgoret and Gardener, 2003; p. 4). Many schools provide technology in the classroom to create more academic opportunities for students’ academic development and growth. However, using technology in the classroom depends on the way technology is allied by teachers (Sinclair, 2009). There are a few studies on teachers’ perceptions of applying technology in the classroom. Malaysian teachers’ perception of using technology in the classroom practices is described in the current study. The teachers were located at multiple schools in Johor Bahru. 5.
Methodology
Quantitative survey methods cannot describe the interaction as among perceptions and actions (Brookhart and Freeman, 1992; Richardson, 1996 ). As such qualitative research is used for the mode of inquiry for this study.
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Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
One of the unique components of qualitative research is the small number of participants in the study ( Russel, 2003 ). However, while the number of participants may be fewer than is found in quantitative studies, the depth of questioning and the richness of the data that qualitative research uncovered cannot be compared to quantitative research (Slauen White and Simpson, 1998). The pool of participants in this study was small, thus effort to focus in-depth on the findings and themes coming out of the data was possible . Survey questionnaire in this study (Appendix A) was adapted from UTAUT Survey Study URL: http://www.educ.uvic.ca/tie/utaut/. The UTAUT Model was developed by Venkatesh et al. in 2003. The questionnaire composed of two parts. Part I relates to the personal information of participants. Part II comprises questions on the use of technology in teaching. Definition of technology also encompasses computer hardware (e.g. scanners, cameras, and videoconferencing tools), software applications (e.g. word processing, excel, internet, PowerPoint, webpage construction) and any technology specific to the teaching area. Regarding the academic degrees earned by the participants, most of them hold a Master of Arts (MA) degree majoring in Teaching English as Second Language while some of them possess a Bachelor Degree. With respect to the age range, the majority of the participants are 20-29 years old and some of them are in their 30s. The teaching experience of the participants varies from three to eight years. six of the participants are female while one is a male. 6.
Analysing the Data
Data analysis is a complicated process used to try and make sense of the data. It involves “consolidating, reducing, and interpreting what people have said and what the researcher has seen and read. Analysis involves working with data, organizing them, breaking them into meaningful units, synthesizing them, searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what is to be learned, and deciding what you will tell others”. (Merriam, 1998; p.145) .Glesne and Peshkin (1992) pointed out that “data analysis is the process of organizing and sorting data in light of increasingly sophisticated judgments and interpretations” (p.130). The purpose of data analysis is to locate crucial meanings, patterns, and themes within what the researcher has extracted as the theme through the questionnaire. 7.
Findings
The reason for conducting the current study is to determine Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of applying technology in the classroom and the challenges they may face in implementing technology. The results are categorized under several major themes, i.e. skills in handling technology for instruction in the classroom, difficulties and challenges in applying technology in the classroom and perceptions of using technology in the classroom. Skills in handling technology for instruction in the classroom Almost all the participants reported that they use the technological devices every day. All of them use the Internet regularly, all of them claim they have the necessary knowledge for using the technology, and again, the participants are in unison in their view that it is easy to become skillful at using these technology.
Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
All but one of them have the experience of using the computer to deliver presentations, all have used the Internet to access curriculum, and all of them have used the computer to deliver design and also to perform database. Most of the participants claim they can also accomplish tasks using technology quickly. These findings show that the participants have a sound knowledge in the use of technology and in using these technological devices in the classroom, for teaching and learning purposes. This is because all the participants of this study belong to the category of “digital natives”, whom Presky (2001, cited in Bennett et al, 2008) defines as the generation born in the years between 1980 and 1994 and are familiar with and rely much on ICT in their daily lives. Difficulties and challenges in applying technology in the classroom Almost all of them felt that time to learn computer skills is not the obstacle to implementing the use of technology in the classroom. They felt that they have enough time to learn computer skills. However, almost all of them felt that it was difficult to use technology in the classroom and this is related to several factors. The participants were in unison when identifying the lack of computers as the major obstacle to using computer-based teaching in the classroom. The next major constraints reported by the participants are insufficient time (6 participants), the absence of access to equipment (5 participants) and the lack of technical support (4 participants). Insufficient time would usually relate to the amount of time a teacher needs to prepare his teaching and learning resources for use with his learners. The finding that time is a constraining factor, is consistent with the findings of Peirson (2001), Carlson and Reidy (2004) and Friedman (2006). The absence of access to computers has, time and time again been the complaint of many teachers in schools in Malaysia. Computers are insufficient not just for the use of the students, but also for the teachers who would need them to prepare their computerbased lessons. Other equipment that include the LCD projector, the server, and all other related technological devices that are required to make computer-based teaching a success, are also usually hard to come by. The lack of technical support, in the form of technicians who would assist in the set up of these devices in the classrooms and to help maintain these resources, is another challenge that would need sound financial back-up from the schools or the Ministry of Education. The participants have all ruled out that personal beliefs would hinder their use of technology in the classroom. This, again, is attributed to the fact that these participants are all digital natives who would not have any inhibitions or fear or negative beliefs about the use of technology as they are familiar with ICT. All but one also felt that administrative support was also not a problem. Thus, this study concludes that insufficient time, and access to equipment as well as the lack of technical support are the main obstacles in using technology in the classroom. Perceptions of using technology in the classroom Although there were several variables that constrained the use of technology among these teachers of English, they had positive perceptions of the implementation of technology in enhancing learning. Most of the participants felt that computer instruction is useful and most have also expressed their intention to use technology in their teaching. Although they are adept in their use of technology, all of them hoped to attend more training in the use
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of computers as this would motivate them to apply more technology for instruction in the classroom. This finding is also similar to that reported by Roach (2010). 8. Limitations of this study Despite the researcher’s aiming to design a quality research study, it is important to note that this research study has limitations in its design and implementation. The research was limited in several ways. The primary limitation was related to the sample size. It should be noted that the sample size was not large enough. If a largerscale quantitative study was to be developed, a larger number of participants could be surveyed—either teachers from different regions. It would be more reliable if the researcher used multiple data sources such as interview, reflective journals and observations as additional instruments. Moreover, the analysis of the data was limited since the students were neither questioned nor interviewed. Using data from multiple sources would have allowed triangulation, and thus benefit the overall results of this study 9. Conclusions In general, we can conclude that these participants, who are teachers of English, are very familiar with the use of ICT and have no qualms with implementing technology in the classroom. However, the only drawbacks they have in using technology would be the lack of computers, insufficient time in preparing technology-based lessons and the lack of technical support. Although there were constraints faced by these teachers, they were motivated in undergoing more training in the use of technology in the classroom and were in general, positive towards the use of computers in education. References Bauer, J., & Kenton, J. (2005). Toward technology integration in the schools: Why it isn't happening. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13 (4), 519-546. Bitter, G. G., & Pierson, M. E. (2005). Using technology in the classroom. Massachusetts: Pearson. Brickner, D. (1995). The effects of first- and second-order barriers to change on the degree and nature of computer usage of secondary mathematics teachers: A case study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Bromley, H., & Apple, M. (1998). Education/Technology/Power: Educational computing as a social practice. Albany: State University of New York Press. Brookhart, S. M., & Freeman, D. J. (1992). Characteristics of entering teacher candidates. Review of Educational Research, 62, 37-60. Brzycki, D., & Dudt, K. (2005). Overcoming barriers to technology use in teacher preparation programs. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(4), 619- 641. Carlson, Bethany, and Sharon Reidy( 2004). Effective access: Teachers’ use of digital resources (research in progress). OCLC Systems & Services 20 (2): 65–70. Cuban, L. (1990). Reforming again, again, and again. Educational Researcher, 19(1), 3- 13. Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused computers in the classroom. Harvard University: Harvard University Press Cuban, L., Kirkpatrick, H., & Peck, C. (2001). High access and low use of technologies in high school classrooms: Explaining an apparent paradox. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 813-834. Duffy, T.M. and Jonassen, D.H. (1992). Constructivism and the Technology of Instruction: A Conversation, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Emdin, C. (2008). The three C's for urban science education. Phi Delta Kappan, 89(10), 772-775. Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Addressing first- and secondorder barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 47–61. Friedman, A. (2006). World history teachers' use of digital primary sources: The effect of training. Theory and Research in Social Education, 34(1), 124-141. Glesne, C., and Peshkin, A. (1992). Becoming qualitative researchers. New York: Longman.
Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627 Gooden, A. R. (1996). Computers in the classroom: How teachers and students are using technology to transform learning (1st ed.). California: Jossey-Bass: Apple Press. Hernandez-Ramos, P. (2005). If Not Here, Where? Understanding Teachers' Use Of Technology In Silicon Valley Schools. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, (38)1, 39-64. Masgoret, A. M. & Gardner, R. C. (2003). Attitudes, motivation, and second language learning: A meta-analysis of studies conducted by Gardner and Associates. Language Learning 53(S),167- 210. Kingsley, K. V. (2007). Empower diverse learners with educational technology and digital media. Intervention in School & Clinic, 43, 1. Klemm, W. R. (2007). Computer slide shows: A trap for bad teaching. College Teaching, 55(3), 121- 124. Klien, A. (2010). Education budget plan wielded as policy lever. Education Week, 29. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/02/10/21budget_ep- 2.h29.html.. Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2005). Teachers learning technology by design. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 21(3), 94-102. Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. National Centre of Education Statistics. (2005a). Internet access in U.S.Public schools and classrooms:1994-2003.Retrieved October 19, 2006, from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/frss/publications/2005015/. Pierson, M. E. (2001). Technology integration practice as a function of pedagogical expertise. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33(4), 413-430. Plester, B, Wood C, Jushi P. (2009). Explories the relationship between childerensknowledge of text message abbriviations and schools outcomes.Developmental Psychology, 27 (1). Pp 145-161. Postman, N. (1998). Five things we need to know about technological change. In P. D. Palma (Ed.), Annual Editions: Computers in Society 06/07. Iowa: McGraw-Hill. Richardson, J.T.E.( ed.) (1996). Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for Psychology and the social sience. Leicester, BPS Books. Roach, B (2010). Educational technology in the classroom from the teacher's perspective.published Doctoral thesis. Fielding graduate University. Russell, K. C. (2003). An assessment of outcomes in outdoor behavioral healthcare treatment. Child and Youth Care Forum, 32(6), 355–381. Sinclair, G. B. (2009). Is Larry Cuban right about the impact of computer technology on student learning? Nawa: Journal of Language & Communication, 3(1), 46-54. Slauenwhite, C. A., & Simpson, P. (1998). Patient and family perspectives on early discharge and care of the older adult undergoing fractured hip rehabilitation. Orthopaedic Nursing, 17(1), 30-36. Snoeyink, R., & Ertmer, P. A. (2001/2002). Thrust into technology: How veteran teachers respond. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 30(1), 85–111. Stoll, C. (1999). High-tech heretic. New York: Doubleday.
Topper, A. (2004). How are we doing? Using self-assessment to measure changing teacher technology literacy within a graduateeducational technology program. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 12(3), 303–317. Sue Bennett, Karl Maton and Lisa Kervin . 2008. The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 39 No 5: 775–786 Venkatesh, V., Morris, M., Davis, G.B., and Davis, F.D. (2003).“User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View,” MIS Quarterly (27:3), pp. 425-78. Winner, L. (1980). Do artifacts have politics?. In D. M. Kaplan (Ed.), Readings in the Philosophy of Technology (pp. 289-203). Albany: Rowman & Littlefield. Yan, B., & Zhao, Y. (2006). Benefits or problems, what teachers care about most when integrating technology? Paper presented at the 2006 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California. Zhao, W and Cao, Y (2006). New Generation of Predictive Technology Model for Sub-45nm Design Exploration. {Wei.Zhao, Yu.Cao}@asu.edu Zhao, Y. & Frank, K. (2003). Factors affecting technology uses in schools: An ecological perspective. American Educational Research Journal, 40(4), 807-840
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13th International Educational Technology Conference
Malaysian Teachers’ Perception of Applying Technology in the Classroom Samira Nikian, Faizah Mohamad Nor and Marzila A. Aziz* /a/b/c Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Abstract Although application of technology in the classroom has been introduced for the last two decades, some teachers are still resistance to use technology in the classroom. This study is designed to investigate Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of using technology in the classroom. In this study perception is regarded as interpretation of events among Malaysian teachers due to past experiences, current understanding, present situation and information. Qualitative research is used as the mode of inquiry for this research study. The main mode of data collection is the questionnaire that elicits information on the respondents’ views of the use of technology on the classroom. Participants for this study were seven local English teachers in Malaysia. The findings indicate that although Malaysian English teachers were using technology and have positive perceptions towards using technology in the classroom, they feel it is crucial for them to undergo training in this aspect. They view time constraint and access to equipment as the main obstacles to implementing technology in the classroom. This research concludes that although Malaysian teachers are faced with some difficulties in implementing technology in the classroom, they see a value in technology and want to use technology in the classroom. © 2013 2013The TheAuthors. Authors. Published by Elsevier © Published by Elsevier Ltd. Ltd. Selectionand andpeer-review peer-review under responsibility of Association The Association of Science, Education and Technology-TASET, Selection under responsibility of The of Science, Education and Technology-TASET, Sakarya Sakarya Universitesi,Turkey. Turkey. Universitesi, Key Words: Technology, Malaysian teachers, perceptions.
1.
Introduction
The idea of applying technology in the classroom comes from the United States but the efficiency of Technology programs is still a controversial topic. “Technology is only a tool; it allows us to develop dialogue and interaction, but is a means, not an end in and of itself. Tech-based global education has the capacity to improve critical thinking and cultural pluralism but requires far more than just fancy technology; it requires careful, thoughtful curriculum development and the * Corresponding author. Tel.: 0060107062438; fax: +0-000-000-0000 . E-mail address: [email protected]
1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of The Association of Science, Education and Technology-TASET, Sakarya Universitesi, Turkey. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.380
622
Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
support of organizations whose goal is to build authentic global communities online” (Klein, 2010, p. 86).The introduction of computer technology among the society has changed the way people live, work and learns. The application of technology has improved the teaching and learning in many schools especially in the last two decades. The latest studies on the use of technology for teaching and learning shows promising results for teachers, students and education. Using technology in the classroom prepares learners to be autonomous and active in their learning. By using technology such as computers, learners will be able to create their own knowledge based on past experiences with new information (Bitter and Pierson, 2005). Creating each technology is for a specific purpose so Winner (1980) felt that educators should deconstruct the “purpose” of a given technology in the classroom according to the biases and systems in each classroom. Scholars (Winner,1980, 2000; Bromley, 1998; Postman, 1998) have called on teachers to pay more attention to the objective of using technology in a purposeful and meaningful way before applying it in the classroom. We need to remember that using technology in the classroom will only be useful if it is applied to meet its purpose (Bromley, 1998; Klemm, 2007). 2. Background and Theoretical understanding There are two contrasting perspectives in support for and against using technology in the classroom; constructive and critical. Constructivism means “how people learn and what needs to be learned” (Duffy and Jonassen (1992). Constructivist Andrea Gooden (1996) perceives technology as a toolbox filled with skills for better learning by creating new materials not a tool for performing a particular task. Constructivists consider the advantages of classroom technology while critical theorists perceive technology as a tool, an agent of change, and also as an object with political motivation that causes isolation so critical theorists tend to add or delete technology into an environment to change that environment. Critical theorists believe that using technology in the classroom has a significant role in the students’ interpretation of materials. 3.
Classroom Technology Use
Teachers repeatedly use technology if they receive enough equipment and supports (Yan and Zhao, 2006) but recent findings (Cuban, Kirkpatrick, and Peck, 2001; Russell, Bebell, O‘Dwyer, and O‘Connor, 2003; Solomon and Wiederhorn, 2000; Zhao and Frank, as cited in Yan and Zhao, 2006) reveal that. Yan and Zhao (2006) suggest that technology adoption lies with teachers’ goals and perceptions. The results of their study show that teachers are more pessimistic about using technology in the classroom because of the lack in training needs in applying technology. The result of their study suggest that maintaining the status quo and avoiding disturbance have a higher priority on the hierarchy of teachers’ goals after balancing the costs and benefits of using technology (Yan and Zhao, 2006). Some researchers (Snoeyink and Ertmer, 2001–2002; and Zhao et al., 2006) believe that teachers’ adaptation of technology are influenced by their skills and beliefs about technology. From the perspective of Zhao and Frank (2003) teachers’ beliefs, pedagogy, and technology skills influence on technology integration into the school culture. Beliefs are personal, are difficult to address in staff development, and take time to change. Even if they do changes, the process can take years. Cuban (1990) observed that teachers will use technology based on their
Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
personal perspectives about curriculum and instructional practice. Although billions of dollars (NCES, 2008) and much focus have been put on technology in education (ISTE, 2010; NCES, 2008), instruction has not changed much (Cuban et al., 2001). The use of technology in the classroom is also much related to their attitudes towards the technological barriers inherent in the traditional deployment of technology in schools. These barriers reflect the school culture and affect a teacher‘s personal belief system or self-efficacy and the ultimate impact of using technology in the classroom. Brzycki and Dudt (2005) believe that there are some difficulties and challenges such as time, support, models, infrastructure, and culture that persist and even reappear with new technologies in applying technology in the classroom. The barriers of implementing technology are classified into First- order or extrinsic factors and second-order or intrinsic barriers (Brickner, 1995; Ertmer, 1999). First-order barriers include environmental or institutional issues and resources while second-order barriers related to a teacher’s personal instructional beliefs, experiences and strategies. Teachers are faced with many difficulties due to these intrinsic which affect their decision-making processes and classroom practices (Ertmer, 1999). The majority of teachers believe that first-order barriers prevent teachers from using technology in the classroom. In support for this, Cuban, Kirkpatrick, and Peck (2001), and Bauer and Kenton, (2005) cite time to learn and prepare instruction as barriers that hinder teachers from utilizing technology in the classroom. Poor professional development (Koehler and Mishra, 2005) and access to equipment (Yan and Zhao, 2006) also contribute to first order or extrinsic barriers. 4.
Importance of the Study
Previous research have shown that using technology improves the learning experience and students’ academic performance. In Emdin’s (2008) opinion, by integrating technology into the curriculum, education practices will be improved and teachers will be able to expound upon the textbook and prepare more authentic and studentcentered classroom learning materials. Stoll (1999), however disagreed with using technology because this sends students the message that “illegible handwriting, grammar, analytical thought, and human dealings don’t matter” (p. 158). The reason for placing focus on technology is to produce definite outcomes (Masgoret and Gardener, 2003; p. 4). Many schools provide technology in the classroom to create more academic opportunities for students’ academic development and growth. However, using technology in the classroom depends on the way technology is allied by teachers (Sinclair, 2009). There are a few studies on teachers’ perceptions of applying technology in the classroom. Malaysian teachers’ perception of using technology in the classroom practices is described in the current study. The teachers were located at multiple schools in Johor Bahru. 5.
Methodology
Quantitative survey methods cannot describe the interaction as among perceptions and actions (Brookhart and Freeman, 1992; Richardson, 1996 ). As such qualitative research is used for the mode of inquiry for this study.
623
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Samira Nikian et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 103 (2013) 621 – 627
One of the unique components of qualitative research is the small number of participants in the study ( Russel, 2003 ). However, while the number of participants may be fewer than is found in quantitative studies, the depth of questioning and the richness of the data that qualitative research uncovered cannot be compared to quantitative research (Slauen White and Simpson, 1998). The pool of participants in this study was small, thus effort to focus in-depth on the findings and themes coming out of the data was possible . Survey questionnaire in this study (Appendix A) was adapted from UTAUT Survey Study URL: http://www.educ.uvic.ca/tie/utaut/. The UTAUT Model was developed by Venkatesh et al. in 2003. The questionnaire composed of two parts. Part I relates to the personal information of participants. Part II comprises questions on the use of technology in teaching. Definition of technology also encompasses computer hardware (e.g. scanners, cameras, and videoconferencing tools), software applications (e.g. word processing, excel, internet, PowerPoint, webpage construction) and any technology specific to the teaching area. Regarding the academic degrees earned by the participants, most of them hold a Master of Arts (MA) degree majoring in Teaching English as Second Language while some of them possess a Bachelor Degree. With respect to the age range, the majority of the participants are 20-29 years old and some of them are in their 30s. The teaching experience of the participants varies from three to eight years. six of the participants are female while one is a male. 6.
Analysing the Data
Data analysis is a complicated process used to try and make sense of the data. It involves “consolidating, reducing, and interpreting what people have said and what the researcher has seen and read. Analysis involves working with data, organizing them, breaking them into meaningful units, synthesizing them, searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what is to be learned, and deciding what you will tell others”. (Merriam, 1998; p.145) .Glesne and Peshkin (1992) pointed out that “data analysis is the process of organizing and sorting data in light of increasingly sophisticated judgments and interpretations” (p.130). The purpose of data analysis is to locate crucial meanings, patterns, and themes within what the researcher has extracted as the theme through the questionnaire. 7.
Findings
The reason for conducting the current study is to determine Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of applying technology in the classroom and the challenges they may face in implementing technology. The results are categorized under several major themes, i.e. skills in handling technology for instruction in the classroom, difficulties and challenges in applying technology in the classroom and perceptions of using technology in the classroom. Skills in handling technology for instruction in the classroom Almost all the participants reported that they use the technological devices every day. All of them use the Internet regularly, all of them claim they have the necessary knowledge for using the technology, and again, the participants are in unison in their view that it is easy to become skillful at using these technology.
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All but one of them have the experience of using the computer to deliver presentations, all have used the Internet to access curriculum, and all of them have used the computer to deliver design and also to perform database. Most of the participants claim they can also accomplish tasks using technology quickly. These findings show that the participants have a sound knowledge in the use of technology and in using these technological devices in the classroom, for teaching and learning purposes. This is because all the participants of this study belong to the category of “digital natives”, whom Presky (2001, cited in Bennett et al, 2008) defines as the generation born in the years between 1980 and 1994 and are familiar with and rely much on ICT in their daily lives. Difficulties and challenges in applying technology in the classroom Almost all of them felt that time to learn computer skills is not the obstacle to implementing the use of technology in the classroom. They felt that they have enough time to learn computer skills. However, almost all of them felt that it was difficult to use technology in the classroom and this is related to several factors. The participants were in unison when identifying the lack of computers as the major obstacle to using computer-based teaching in the classroom. The next major constraints reported by the participants are insufficient time (6 participants), the absence of access to equipment (5 participants) and the lack of technical support (4 participants). Insufficient time would usually relate to the amount of time a teacher needs to prepare his teaching and learning resources for use with his learners. The finding that time is a constraining factor, is consistent with the findings of Peirson (2001), Carlson and Reidy (2004) and Friedman (2006). The absence of access to computers has, time and time again been the complaint of many teachers in schools in Malaysia. Computers are insufficient not just for the use of the students, but also for the teachers who would need them to prepare their computerbased lessons. Other equipment that include the LCD projector, the server, and all other related technological devices that are required to make computer-based teaching a success, are also usually hard to come by. The lack of technical support, in the form of technicians who would assist in the set up of these devices in the classrooms and to help maintain these resources, is another challenge that would need sound financial back-up from the schools or the Ministry of Education. The participants have all ruled out that personal beliefs would hinder their use of technology in the classroom. This, again, is attributed to the fact that these participants are all digital natives who would not have any inhibitions or fear or negative beliefs about the use of technology as they are familiar with ICT. All but one also felt that administrative support was also not a problem. Thus, this study concludes that insufficient time, and access to equipment as well as the lack of technical support are the main obstacles in using technology in the classroom. Perceptions of using technology in the classroom Although there were several variables that constrained the use of technology among these teachers of English, they had positive perceptions of the implementation of technology in enhancing learning. Most of the participants felt that computer instruction is useful and most have also expressed their intention to use technology in their teaching. Although they are adept in their use of technology, all of them hoped to attend more training in the use
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of computers as this would motivate them to apply more technology for instruction in the classroom. This finding is also similar to that reported by Roach (2010). 8. Limitations of this study Despite the researcher’s aiming to design a quality research study, it is important to note that this research study has limitations in its design and implementation. The research was limited in several ways. The primary limitation was related to the sample size. It should be noted that the sample size was not large enough. If a largerscale quantitative study was to be developed, a larger number of participants could be surveyed—either teachers from different regions. It would be more reliable if the researcher used multiple data sources such as interview, reflective journals and observations as additional instruments. Moreover, the analysis of the data was limited since the students were neither questioned nor interviewed. Using data from multiple sources would have allowed triangulation, and thus benefit the overall results of this study 9. Conclusions In general, we can conclude that these participants, who are teachers of English, are very familiar with the use of ICT and have no qualms with implementing technology in the classroom. However, the only drawbacks they have in using technology would be the lack of computers, insufficient time in preparing technology-based lessons and the lack of technical support. Although there were constraints faced by these teachers, they were motivated in undergoing more training in the use of technology in the classroom and were in general, positive towards the use of computers in education. References Bauer, J., & Kenton, J. (2005). Toward technology integration in the schools: Why it isn't happening. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13 (4), 519-546. Bitter, G. G., & Pierson, M. E. (2005). Using technology in the classroom. Massachusetts: Pearson. Brickner, D. (1995). The effects of first- and second-order barriers to change on the degree and nature of computer usage of secondary mathematics teachers: A case study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Bromley, H., & Apple, M. (1998). Education/Technology/Power: Educational computing as a social practice. Albany: State University of New York Press. Brookhart, S. M., & Freeman, D. J. (1992). Characteristics of entering teacher candidates. Review of Educational Research, 62, 37-60. Brzycki, D., & Dudt, K. (2005). Overcoming barriers to technology use in teacher preparation programs. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(4), 619- 641. Carlson, Bethany, and Sharon Reidy( 2004). Effective access: Teachers’ use of digital resources (research in progress). OCLC Systems & Services 20 (2): 65–70. Cuban, L. (1990). Reforming again, again, and again. Educational Researcher, 19(1), 3- 13. Cuban, L. (2001). Oversold and underused computers in the classroom. Harvard University: Harvard University Press Cuban, L., Kirkpatrick, H., & Peck, C. (2001). High access and low use of technologies in high school classrooms: Explaining an apparent paradox. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 813-834. Duffy, T.M. and Jonassen, D.H. (1992). Constructivism and the Technology of Instruction: A Conversation, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Emdin, C. (2008). The three C's for urban science education. Phi Delta Kappan, 89(10), 772-775. Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Addressing first- and secondorder barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 47–61. Friedman, A. (2006). World history teachers' use of digital primary sources: The effect of training. Theory and Research in Social Education, 34(1), 124-141. Glesne, C., and Peshkin, A. (1992). Becoming qualitative researchers. New York: Longman.
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