A multidimensional approach to determinants of computer use in primary education: teacher and school characteristics

نویسندگان

  • Jo Tondeur
  • Martin Valcke
  • Johan van Braak
چکیده

The central aim of this study was to test a model that integrates determinants of educational computer use. In particular, the article examines teacher and school characteristics that are associated with different types of computer use by primary school teachers. A survey was set up, involving 527 teachers from 68 primary schools in Flanders. A separate questionnaire was administered to information and communication technology (ICT) coordinators from the same schools to gather additional information about cultural and contextual school characteristics. The combined impact of both teacher and school characteristics was explored through a multilevel analysis. Besides the importance of school characteristics, the results reveal differential effects of specific characteristics on specific types of computer use. Cultural school characteristics for instance, such as the schools’openness to change and the availability of an ICT school policy plan, are positively related to the use of computers as a learning tool and to the adoption of ICT in view of basic computer skills. In contrast, no cultural school characteristic seem to be associated with the use of computers as an information tool. In a comparable way, teacher characteristics are associated with specific types of computer use, e.g. the variable gender. In general, male teachers report integrating computers more often. In this study, it appears that gender differences only exist in relation to the adoption of computers as an information tool. The results demonstrate that a multidimensional approach provides more insight into the characteristics affecting computer use.

برای دانلود رایگان متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

The Comparison of the Influence of the Use of Information Technology on Creative Thinking between Primary Education and Computer Students in Islamic Azad University of Zanjan

The aim of this research was to compare the influence of the use of Information Technology (IT) on creative thinking of students of computer (software branch) and education (primary school education) in Islamic Azad University of Zanjan. The population included all the male and female students of software engineering and primary school education during the semester of 90-91, amounting to 100 pa...

متن کامل

Multidimensional Approach to Frailty among Rural Older People: Applying the Tilburg Frailty Indicator

Introduction: Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome. Studies of frailty and old age have been able to help reduce its underlying causes and complication. Understanding the frailty and its associated factors in developing countries such as Iran, can help gather information on conditions of the elderly and better plan for this age population. Therefore, the present study was implemented to inves...

متن کامل

A survey of the safe use determinants of pesticides in Ardakan pistachio farmers according to the Health Belief Model

Background: To eliminate the pests of their crops and gardens, farmers use pesticides, where the unsafe use and lack of knowledge of using them inflict irreparable physical harms to them and those around them. Therefore, this study was done to find out which behaviors are the determinants of the safe use of pesticides among pistachio farmers in Ardakan city based on the Health Belief Model. Ma...

متن کامل

وزن‌ دهی و اولویت‌بندی عوامل و نشانگرهای ارزشیابی برنامه درسی علوم تجربی دوره ابتدایی

Hierarchical analysis is one of the prioritization methods of phenomena. This method provides comparison and use of expert people. In this research, the men-tioned method was applied in order to weight and prioritize valuation factors and indicators for applied science in primary school. The methodology of this research is descriptive survey. The statistical population is all experts (education...

متن کامل

The Prevalence and Types of Child Abuse among Teachers and its Relationship with their Demographic Characteristics and General Health in Primary Schools

Introduction Teachers are one of the groups that in addition to teaching the students can have a role in control and identification of child abuse and violence in schools. Certainly, before doing any action and choose an approach to reduce misbehavior, we should be aware of situation, how and prevalence of child abuse in schools. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence and types of...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • J. Comp. Assisted Learning

دوره 24  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2008