A multidimensional approach to determinants of computer use in primary education: teacher and school characteristics.

The central aim of this study was to test a model that integrates determinants of educational computer use. In particular, the article examines teacher and school characteristics that are associated with different types of computer use by primary school teachers. A survey was set up, involving 527 t...

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Published in:Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 494 - 507
Main Authors: Tondeur J, Valcke M, van Braak J
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Dec2008
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Dec2008
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
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        10.1111/j.1365-2729.2008.00285.x
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        atl: A multidimensional approach to determinants of computer use in primary education: teacher and school characteristics.
      aug:
        au:
          Tondeur J
          Valcke M
          van Braak J
        affil: Department of Educational Studies, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, B9000 Ghent, Belgium. Email: jo.tondeur@ugent.be
      sug:
        subj:
          Computers and Computerization Utilization
          Faculty Attitudes
          Schools, Elementary
          Teachers
          Adult
          Belgium
          Computer-Assisted Instruction
          Female
          Learning Environment
          Male
          Multivariate Analysis
          Null Hypothesis
          Questionnaires
          Summated Rating Scaling
          Human
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Female
          Male
      ab: The central aim of this study was to test a model that integrates determinants of educational computer use. In particular, the article examines teacher and school characteristics that are associated with different types of computer use by primary school teachers. A survey was set up, involving 527 teachers from 68 primary schools in Flanders. A separate questionnaire was administered to information and communication technology (ICT) coordinators from the same schools to gather additional information about cultural and contextual school characteristics. The combined impact of both teacher and school characteristics was explored through a multilevel analysis. Besides the importance of school characteristics, the results reveal differential effects of specific characteristics on specific types of computer use. Cultural school characteristics for instance, such as the schools' openness to change and the availability of an ICT school policy plan, are positively related to the use of computers as a learning tool and to the adoption of ICT in view of basic computer skills. In contrast, no cultural school characteristic seem to be associated with the use of computers as an information tool. In a comparable way, teacher characteristics are associated with specific types of computer use, e.g. the variable gender. In general, male teachers report integrating computers more often. In this study, it appears that gender differences only exist in relation to the adoption of computers as an information tool. The results demonstrate that a multidimensional approach provides more insight into the characteristics affecting computer use.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
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        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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