“Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: current knowledge

gaps and recommendations for future research”

Khe Foon Hew and Thomas Brush

Article's Target

• Research studies in education show that the use of technology can help student learning. However, its use can be affected by certain barriers

• In this research study, general barriers typically faced by K-12 schools and the solutions are identified

Technology Barriers

• When integrating technology into education, a few general barriers are present:

• Resources

• Institution

• Attitudes and beliefs

• Knowledge and skills

• Assessment

Resources

• Without adequate hardware and software, there is little opportunity for teachers to integrate technology into curriculum

• Examples: lack of access to available computers, time, insufficient devices and software

Institution

• This barrier includes leadership, school time-tabling, and school planning problems

• Examples: administration may not understand technology, classes aren’t long enough, and no executive planning on what to with technology once the schools acquire it

Attitudes and Beliefs

• Whether, or how, to use technology for instruction ultimately depends on the teachers themselves and their attitudes and beliefs on technology

• A teacher with a positive attitude and belief will use technology more effectively

• A teacher with a negative attitude might not utilize or accept technology

Knowledge and Skills

• Some teachers do not have adequate knowledge on how to use technology in their classrooms

• Thus, their skills will not be effective enough for the use of technology

Assessment

• Teachers are so pressed for their students to produce better tests grades, that they have little time to attempt new instructional methods involving technology

Strategies to overcome technology barriers

The article states a few strategies and solutions for overcoming these barriers

• having a shared vision and technology integration plan

• overcoming the scarcity of resources

• changing attitudes and beliefs

• conducting professional development

• reconsidering assessments

Conclusion

• Research has shown that successful technology integration requires a holistic approach to the situation

• As we all know, the success of technology is dependent on the teachers ability to integrate the technology correctly

• However, technology will never replace the importance of a teacher in the classroom

Resources

Hew, K., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research & Development, 55(3), 223-252. doi:10.1007/s11423-006-9022-5