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)