A Study on the Feasibility of Promoting the Functions of Traditional Schools in Line With the Implementation of Smart Schools in Iran

Abstract

This article describes how today's traditional Iranian schools need to be reorganized to comply with the requirements established in the knowledge and communication fields, based on modern societies, because they are part of an increasingly globalised and complex world. Since 2010, this has been important because the Iranian Government required schools to become “smart,” with particular attention given to the knowledge and the skills that come from using modern technology, such as computers and the internet. Because of this there has been a large research effort promoting and monitoring the approach of schools to ICT. In this article, the results of one of the researches carried out in Karaj (the second biggest city in Iran) are reported. This research investigated the availability of ICT structures through a survey on the point of view of teachers and headmasters. The random sampling method regarded 300 teachers and 20 headmasters to whom two sets of questionnaires were given in order to verify and collect their opinions on the different aspects of ICT implementation. The reliability of these questionnaires has been evaluated by Cronbach's alpha (0/87). The research findings have clearly shown that in Karaj the teachers' knowledge and skills of integrating information technology in everyday teaching are at intermediate level, while infrastructures and equipment considered essential for the implementation of smart schools are at a low level.