Preparing teachers to integrate tablet computers into teaching and learning

Abstract

This paper presents on-going research at one of the pilot school sites involved in the HP- National Education Technology Assessment (HP-NETa) project which investigates innovative ways of collecting and understanding learning outcome data that emerge from effective technology implementation in the classroom. This paper reflects on teachers' initial self-reported level of Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills, confidence level in integrating tablet computers into teaching and learning as well as their attitudes towards the use of tablet computers with a view to ensuring that they could effectively use the ICT pedagogical tools and related services to support teaching and learning. A total of 24 teachers from our targeted school participated in the survey. From the analysis of the survey and interview data, it was found that teachers have positive attitudes towards the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool but they have very little understanding of the various methods that can be used in integrating ICT into teaching and learning processes. Moreover, finding and using appropriate instructional hardware and software technologies were also discovered to constitute barriers to integrating technology into teaching and learning.