A cross-country comparison of mathematics teachers’ beliefs about technology in education

The purpose of this study was to determine how South African learners compared with their selected international counterparts according to their teachers’ views. The analysis was based on predictor variables that are related to the use of computer activities in teaching and learning. These variables were extracted from the 2011 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study teachers’ datasets and linked to the learners’ data. The results revealed that regardless of the socio-economic status between South Africa and each of the countries, it could be claimed that some similarities can be fostered. Similarity does not imply being totally identical, but rather demonstrates which teachers responses between South Africa and each of the countries might have the same structure after the statistical analysis. The differences in teachers’ beliefs between South Africa and all the countries provided vital information about the scope of possible classroom practice and teachers’ inclination to different teaching approaches.

A Cross-Country Comparison of Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs About Technology in Education

The purpose of this study was to determine how South African learners compared with their selected international counterparts according to their teachers’ views. The analysis was based on predictor variables that are related to the use of computer activities in teaching and learning. These variables were extracted from the 2011 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study teachers’ datasets and linked to the learners’ data. The results revealed that regardless of the socio-economic status between South Africa and each of the countries, it could be claimed that some similarities can be fostered. Similarity does not imply being totally identical, but rather demonstrates which teachers responses between South Africa and each of the countries might have the same structure after the statistical analysis. The differences in teachers’ beliefs between South Africa and all the countries provided vital information about the scope of possible classroom practice and teachers’ inclination to different teaching approaches.

What Can We Learn about Science Teachers’ Technology Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The purpose of this qualitative research was to describe teachers’ experiences in a technology-mediated teaching context during the COVID-19 pandemic. We mainly focused on teachers’ experiences with technology use (change and variety of the use) and their willingness to use technology in teaching. We designed an interview-based study. The participants were Estonian science teachers who voluntarily agreed to share their experiences about teaching in new and—for most of them—unexpected, distanced learning conditions. Based on teachers’ reflections on technology use we could distinguish between three groups in which teachers described different levels of willingness to use technology, change in technology use from pre-COVID to distanced learning, and variety in the use of technology. Our results revealed that the higher teachers’ perceived willingness to use technology, the easier it was for them to overcome potential obstacles and cope with the unexpected distanced learning. The main obstacles there were grouped as external (e.g., issues with internet connection, lack of students’ digital skills) and internal (e.g., teachers’ beliefs about technology use for teaching). I was observed that some obstacles were shared by all teachers (such as limitations on students’ digital skills) whereas others where more prevalent in separate groups. This highlights the importance of understanding and considering the variability in the possible obstacles that emerge in using technology in education for teachers with different levels of experience.

Direct and Indirect Associations of Personality With Audiovisual Technology Acceptance Through General Self-Efficacy

Increasing consensus among information systems researchers suggests that personality accounts for the effective use of several technologies, yet less is known about the process through which personality affects user perceptions of technology acceptance. This study, therefore, examined whether personality is associated with student perceptions of audiovisual technology acceptance, and whether general self-efficacy mediates this association. In total, 244 students completed an online survey including measures of personality, general self-efficacy, and perceptions of audiovisual technology acceptance. Canonical correlation uncovered significant associations between personality and student beliefs about technology use. Results further revealed that general self-efficacy fully mediated the effects of openness to experience and neuroticism on Perceived Ease of Use, whereas the association between agreeableness and Perceived Usefulness was partially mediated by self-efficacy beliefs. The fact that personality influences students’ perceptions of technology acceptance both directly and indirectly should not remain unnoticed, especially when designing intervention programs to enhance their academic performance.

Sociotechnical and Pedagogical Barriers to Technology Integration

This chapter explore barriers to technology integration in school-based learning environments. Recent research suggests that such barriers play a significant role in reproducing digital education inequities, otherwise known as the “Educational Digital Divide” (Hohlfeld, Ritzhaupt, Barron, & Kemker, 2008). Indeed, barriers to integration significantly impact the frequency and purpose of technology use in the classroom, as well as students' opportunities to develop critical 21st century skills that can be utilized for the betterment of their personal and academic lives. From a sociocultural perspective, many of these barriers implicate elements of institutional structures, as well as teachers' attitudes and beliefs about technology and learning.

Language Teacher Beliefs About Technology

Much of the work done on language teacher beliefs about technology remains limited to the individual or institutional scales. This study responds to calls to reinsert language teaching and learning into a larger ecosystem by examining language teacher beliefs and uses of technology from an ecological theoretical perspective. Using a case study research design comprised of interviews and participant observations, the study analyzed two language teachers' beliefs and uses of technology in terms of beliefs (language, learning, technology) and scales (temporal, spatial). Analysis revealed multiple beliefs, such as language for cultural understanding and technology as a threat, that were produced at multiple scale levels. Analysis also revealed layered interactions between beliefs and scales that has led to tensions in both beliefs and uses of technology, such as the societal pressure to include technology that clashed with personal and institutional understandings of learning. Implications for how to address this complexity are discussed.