Barriers to Systemic, Effective, and Sustainable Technology Use in High School Classrooms / Obstacles à l’utilisation systémique, efficace et durable de la technologie dans les salles de classe des écoles secondaires

Authors

  • Jason Scott Daniels University of Alberta
  • Michele Jacobsen
  • Stanley Varnhagen
  • Sharon Friesen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21432/T2SG67

Keywords:

Technology use, barriers, 21st Century skills

Abstract

The purpose of the Technology and High School Success (THSS) initiative was to encourage innovative strategies focused on improving provincial high school completion rates, using technology and student-centered learning to engage student interest. The primary purpose of this paper is to report on barriers that impede systemic, effective and sustainable technology integration within schools. Even with teacher and administrative support and commitment for THSS, evaluative research indicated minimal change in system capacity as a result of the initiative. Three primary barriers to program sustainability were: 1) schools and school districts did not leverage the opportunity to revisit their existing vision(s), 2) schools and school districts did not use data to make changes, and 3) limited access to technology. Le but de l’initiative « Technology and High School Success (THSS) » était d'encourager des stratégies novatrices visant à améliorer le taux d’achèvement des études secondaires dans la province de l’Alberta en utilisant la technologie et un apprentissage centré sur l'élève afin de susciter l'intérêt des élèves. L'objectif principal de cet article est de rendre compte des obstacles entravant l'intégration systémique, efficace et durable de la technologie dans les écoles. La recherche évaluative a révélé des changements minimes dans la capacité systémique à la suite de l'initiative, et ce, malgré l’appui et l’engagement des enseignants et des administrateurs envers le THSS. Les trois obstacles principaux à la viabilité du programme sont les suivants: 1) les écoles et les districts scolaires n'ont pas profité de l’occasion pour revoir leur(s) vision(s), 2) les écoles et les districts scolaires n'ont pas utilisé les données pour effectuer des changements, et 3) l'accès limité à la technologie.

Author Biography

Jason Scott Daniels, University of Alberta

Jason Daniels is Associate Director of Evaluation and Research Services in the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta. Jason Daniels has a PhD in Cognitive Development. Jason has expertise in the fields of decision making and motivation. As both a researcher and instructor, Jason has a vested interest in improving education and training. Jason’s is interested in studying how cognitive factors impact peoples’ decisions about and their uses of technology. Specifically, he would like to understand how people find and make decisions about health information on the internet; what strategies they use, and how they critically appraise information they find. He is also interested in better understanding how students use technology in the classroom and in how student engagement can be increased.

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Published

2014-01-18

Issue

Section

Articles