Concerns Of Administrators and Teachers In The Diffusion Of IT In Schools: A Case Study From Turkey

Petek Askar & Yasemin UsluelFaculty of Education

Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Introduction

Diffusion of an InnovationIT is an innovation.Use of information technology is a

diffusion process.Innovation: “any idea practice or object that is perceived

as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”.

( Rogers, 1995)

Introduction

IT as a relatively new building block in the educational system causes

innovations which ranges from way of communications ,

& teaching and learning.

Turkey’s ExperienceBefore 1998 10 % ( 5 000 of the schools have

computers. Basic Education Project (World Bank): 1998-1999/1842 schools-2210 IT classrooms 1999-2000/5510 schools-6612 IT classrooms 2000-2001/5511 schools-6613 IT classrooms

Total: 16 243 schools18 815 IT classroom

The Structure of Educational System in

Turkey

S chools

Subprovincia l D irector of Educa tion

Provincial D irector of Education

M inistry of National Education

Therotical Framework

This research is based on

four main elements in the diffusion of innovations defined by Rogers (1995); and seven stages of concern by Hall and

Hard (1987)

Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers 1995)

Innovation characteristics,

Communication channels,

Time,

Social system.

Stages of Concern (Hall&Hard 1987)

Awareness

( Contextual),

Information,

Personel,

Management,

Consequence,

Collaboration,

Re-focusing

The Study

In this study,

27 teachers, 3 principals and 3 deputies

from three schools were interwieved.

Method

The data were analysed qualitatively.

Content Analysis was used and coding

categories were created.

Profile of Schools ( Elementary schools)

School A, a private school. It has been using computers for seven years.

School B, a public school, is a curriculum laboratory, which has received computers three years ago.

School C, a public school, has started to use computers in the beginning of this year.

Profile of AdministratorsGender Four male, two female Age Between 40-49 IT familiarity 1 of them approx. 20 years2 of them more than five years3 of them approx. ten years

Profile of TeachersGender

1 male, the others females.Age

3 teachers 20-29, 5 teachers 30-39, 14 teachers 40-49 fourteen, 2 teachers 50-59

IT familiarity15 teachers between 6-10 years, 2 teachers between 11

16, 1 teacher 20 years.Subject taught

12 general, 7 science and maths., 3 art, 2, social sciences, 1 sport

Findings

Innovation Characteristics ( the degree to which an innovation is perceived as advantageous)

1. Relative advantage2. Compatibility3. Complexity4. Triability5. Observability

Relative Advantage Administrators

All except one find IT as a useful in managament

Teachers More than half of the teachers agree

that using computers is an advantage for many tasks.

Only one teacher stated its advantage for teaching.

Compatibility

Administrators Yes 1, No 2, Little 2Teachers Yes 2, 13 Medium, 12 Little

Physical conditions, training, crowded classrooms, overload, support

Triability

As a management tool IT is perceived as triable.

All administrators Most of the teachers.

School A all teachers School B and C most of them.

Complexity

Administrators and teachers Could be categorized in two groups:

Complex and easy.Age is an important factor. Complexity ratings increase as age

increases.

Observability

Administrators and teachers Most of them stated that computers

are around in their environment ( home, office)

As a management tool, preparing lesson plans, grading...

As an instructional tool, teachers haven’t observed enough examples.

Findings

2. Communication( participants create and share

information with one and another in order to reach a mutual understanding)

Communication ( Obstacles) Administrators

The negative attitudes of teachers who have no knowledge

Not interested in Insufficient teacher and labs. Ministry of Education

Communication ( Obstacles) Teachers

Insufficient computers and labs. ( All schools)

No time for extra work ( School A and B) Not interested in ( School B and C) No support ( School B and C) No computer coordinator ( School B and

C) Not enough information ( School C)

Reasons

Reasons for deciding to use IT Information Age Students know Easy and quick way of doing things

Findings (Stages of Concern) Overall 30% teachers has no concern about

computers as a management tool.(Most of them are at School B)

40% teachers are between awareness and management stages (Most of them are at school A- C)

30% teachers are at the management stages (Most of them are at school A). Only one teacher is at the consequence stage.

(School A) No teacher or administrator at higher levels

( Consequence, Collaboration, Re-focusing)