Bořivoj Brdička
Charles University Prague, Faculty of Education, Czech Republic
Charles University Prague, Faculty of Education,
Abstract:
This paper serves as a reflection of current
situation in the field of educational technology and an introduction to
conference proceedings made by the conference organizer. It is dedicated mainly
to the application of technology in schools in Europe .
It addresses the problems in the area of integration of technology to everyday
life of teachers. The models of this adoption are discussed, the various
positions of different European countries are mentioned and the necessity of
certain level of European school system integration is recognized. This
requirement is viewed as a condition for larger expansion of transnational
educational projects, in which we are particularly interested.
Given proposition is based mainly on the
results of the newest already finished IEA research SITES (The Second
Information Technology in Education Study) Module 2 [5]. The author was involved as a national coordinator.
The process
of adoption
I am sure that every teacher has his/her own
particular opinion how to use computers in the classroom. Naturally, this
opinion is not constant, it develops continuously. This innovative process is
influenced by the level of diffusion of technology to schools, by the technical
development of technology itself, and by the ability of the teachers
to realize the appropriate implementation. The results of the current research
show that the last factor – teachers – is most important. As we wish to
influence this process in some way we have to know as much as possible how it
works.
There are several models describing the
innovative processes in detail. The Rogers
There are two main differences between the
general adoption of some new invention and the process of technology
integration by teachers. First, teachers have only a little space for making
their own decision. Although they know that the use of technology is the necessity
for prospective survival in the job. Second, the final stage – adoption
– is impossible to be explicitly defined in this case. Innovation of education
initiated by technology is different then e.g. the adoption of mobile phones.
Modern educational technology is able to fulfill many different tasks. It helps
teachers to enhance very different procedures. It is possible to say that the
final stage of the adoption of modern technology by teachers could make for a
subject for further study.
The goal of
innovation
The above mentioned models show the
significant necessity of creating something new in the final stages of
adoption. The terms as Renewal, Reorientation or
simply Innovation mean that the implementation of technology is
not only the process of integration of computers into the given curriculum. The
great power of technology, which strengthens teachers, forces them also to make
changes in the enrooted habits – to use new innovative methodology. I am sure
that we all know what to imagine under the term “innovative methods”. Our
projects belong to the most progressive innovative school activities.
The results of the SITES research
seem to support our point of view on the necessity of the project work. Its aim
was to find and describe the innovative pedagogical practices in using the
technology in 28 countries around the world on qualitative basis. There were
the 174 cases nominated by the national research boards, for which the case
studies were developed and published. As they are fully accessible on the Internet
(http://sitesm2.org/sitesm2_search/),
they could serve for further research of professionals and as a source of
inspiration for teachers.
The analysis of all studies shows that the
most frequently recognized innovative school activity is collaboration of
students with others in their own classes (referenced by 83% of the cases). On
the second place is the search for information (74%). Very often Web as a
resource (71%) and Email (68%) are used. Students create products (61%),
conduct research (39%) and solve problems (33%).
What is especially important for the topic of
our conference is the fact that the SITES research recognized only 26% of
cases, where students collaborated with outside actors included other students
in the remote class. The final SITES M2 report considers this finding as a
surprise and something what would be changed. This is probably the task for us.
The importance of this task is even higher in the current stage of European integration,
where the direct contacts among the students represent the easiest way how to
increase the common European integrity and awareness. The direct “face to face”
contacts are always better, but they are too expensive. So, we have to suffice
mainly with the online Internet cooperation.
This way of cooperation in the form of
Internet projects could be done in very different contexts and could have very
different contents. Thanks to ECOLE project the classification of Internet
educational projects was developed and was published as a taxonomy with
necessary description of typical examples. Here is the mindmap overview:
The full description of all categories
couldn’t fit to the article of this purpose and size. You can find it in my
book “The Role of Internet in Education” [1], which is fully on disposal on the Internet.
Changes at
school
The requirement of the higher involvement of
the international projects in school activities leads us to closer investigation
of the necessary conditions for such progress. We can identify several
important factors: technology saturation, teachers’ preparation, educational
system support. The first one is so evident that we don’t need to discuss
it in detail. Don’t forget only the fact that there is something like a critical
mass of ICT required within a school for successful adoption of innovative
approach [3]. The critical level is determined somewhere around
the ratio of 5 students per 1 computer at school today. The
appropriate equipment for all teachers ready for using the technology is
obvious. According to Fishman and Pinkard [2] head-teachers should avoid so-called “false
equity” in which technology is either centralized in one place or donated
to every teacher to minimize staff conflict. Rather, resources should be
allocated in a way that is most likely to accomplish the vision of
innovation.
The second factor – teachers – is much more
important. This factor is somehow connected to the first one. Reaching the
critical mass of technology is the essential condition for creating
a culture of innovation in school. But this condition is insufficient.
Similar to critical mass of technology there is also a critical mass of
practising teachers [9]. To fulfil the first condition is relatively very
easy in comparison to the second one. Teachers are very conservative and don’t
like to change the procedures they have developed for years. There is a
significant danger that given technology could be used only as a support
for traditional instructive methods (electronic textbooks, drill and practice,
testing etc.). The adoption of the real innovative approach could be done only
in team through cooperation with colleagues. The head-teacher has usually the
leading role. The general recommendation on the implementation of changes is to
proceed with the school development plan that would include a special chapter
dedicated to technology and its place in curriculum. In this way the vision of
a modern school could be realized.
The technology adoption is easier for teachers
living in such an environment where the constructive methodology as e.g.
projects has been already used for a long time even without technology. For
example, so-called “experimental” schools have been realizing project methods
for more than hundred years. It is possible to say that the schools from
European countries with the former protestant history are much closer to the
constructive approach in contrast to schools from the former catholic block,
where the word “instruction” has its original meaning until now. The Czech Republic
Changes in
the system
Everywhere the process of current reform of
education has the same direction – from instructive approach to constructive
one. Unfortunately in some states this reform is still on the beginning. The
realization of transnational projects is accompanied with serious obstacles
there. It is difficult to find space in regular school hours; the curriculum is
described very precisely, school managements don’t support any innovations,
parents have the only one wish – to prepare children for higher school entry
exams. Obviously, the teachers working in these conditions have serious
problems to cooperate on projects with such schools that fully support
innovative methods.
The Comenius project has a big credit
in this field. Even if the school systems of EU countries remain independent,
the Comenius support to international project work slowly helps to change
mainly the traditional systems. The head-teachers can’t refuse the financial source
for school on the beginning, later the online cooperation and face to face
meetings give teachers the possibility to meet new methods and finally the
innovation would be adopted by all the national school systems in Europe . Maybe even more official recommendations for
harmonization of the conditions, in which international projects in EU are
realized, would be implemented in the future.
The Czech
Republic Czech Republic
What is the
best way of adoption?
One of the side findings of the SITES research
is the confirmation of already known acquaintance that the main way how the new
methods of the use of technology are promoted is not the study of books or
Internet sources but the direct over-handing through the personal contacts
among teachers. This could be done on the meetings at schools, through the
observation of the colleagues in the class, or at specialized lectures, etc.
Definitely, an excellent opportunity for promoting the new ideas are social
events like our conference. Let’s start Bridging the Visions for Learning!
References:
1. BRDIČKA, B. The Role of Internet
in Education, Kladno : AISIS, 2003, ISBN 80-239-0107-9
Available at: <URL: http://omicron.felk.cvut.cz/~bobr/role/>
Available at: <URL: http://omicron.felk.cvut.cz/~bobr/role/>
3. HARRISON C, YOUNGMAN M, et al. Multimedia
portables for teachers, pilot project report, London
4.
HECK,
S., STIEGELBAUER, S. M., HALL, G. E., & LOUCKS, S. F. Measuring
Innovation Configurations: Procedures and applications. Austin , TX
5. KOZMA R. M. Technology,
Innovation, and Educational Change: A Global Perspective. Eugene
6.
MANDINACH,
E. B., & CLINE, H. F. Classroom dynamics: Implementing a
technology-based learning environment. Hillsdale , NJ
