Practical considerations informing teachers' technology integration decisions: the case of tablet PCs

The unique characteristics of Tablet-PCs promise important benefits for education. Yet, little is known about the rationale underlying teachers’ decisions concerning its educational uses within the constraints of daily classroom practice. The current multiple case study investigated the practical considerations informing nine secondary school teachers’ decision-making processes regarding the use of Tablet-PCs. Stimulated recall interviews revealed ten criteria underpinning teachers’ instructional decisions. Four criteria influenced the degree of congruence with teachers’ previous practices: familiarity, alignment with course content, opportunities to achieve (new) instructional goals efficiently, and compatibility with established pedagogical beliefs. Costs and benefits of Tablet-PCs were determined in terms of educational added value, lesson preparation requirements, and potential disruptions to the learning environment. Finally, access to a solid technology infrastructure, supportive school policies, and knowledge of how to effectively integrate Tablet-PCs with course content, were identified as important pre-conditions for sustainable implementation. Overall, our results suggest that practical concerns constitute a critical element in teachers’ decision-making, influencing not only teachers’ intention to adopt Table-PCs, but also the ways in which they use this technology to support instruction.

Publication year:2018

Keywords:mobile technology, Tablet PCs, teacher decision making, technology integration

BOF-keylabel:yes

BOF-publication weight:1

CSS-citation score:2

Authors:International

Authors from:Higher Education

Accessibility:Closed