There is an urgent need to understand how often teachers use information and communication technologies (ICT) in mathematics instruction. This information can provide vital links that can help stakeholders make connections about ICT use in mathematics instruction and student learning experiences with ICT. Scholars in the field have reported on the numerous challenges in schools facing ICT integration beyond availability of ICT. Understanding the frequency of ICT use can also shed light on areas that need continued research, such as examining the trends of ICT use in mathematics instruction among teachers and across countries. Additionally, in an effort to understand how teachers use ICT, there is a need to investigate the various factors that may impact ICT use in content areas such as mathematics. This study offers an international perspective that focuses on eight countries using the TALIS 2013 dataset to investigate frequency of ICT use, and examine factors that may have contributed to teachers' ICT use in mathematics instruction. This analysis shows limited ICT use in mathematics instruction and differences in ICT use among the countries. Teacher cooperation, mathematics self-efficacy, and professional development in ICT skills were significant predictors of ICT use. Implications for research and policy are discussed.
Accepted: 18 July 2017
Keywords
ICT
Mathematics International Self-Efficacy Teacher
IntroductionIn the 21 st century, information and communication technologies (ICT) have become ubiquitous and integral in daily living. ICT refer to electronic devices (e.g., laptops, chrome books), handheld devices (e.g., iPads®, iPods), interactive devices (e.g., interactive white boards), application software, and social media tools. They are used for commerce, communication, information gathering, learning, and a myriad of other purposes. Although many K-12 schools in the United States have computers in the classrooms, some have argued little has changed in terms of teaching practices or student outcomes (Cuban, 2001(Cuban, , 2013. It is often assumed that the mere presence of technology in the classroom will lead to changes in instructional practices and enhance student learning.Other scholars have continued to search for reasons that seem to contribute to ICT less than transformative edge in teaching and learning. Zhao, Pugh, Sheldon, and Byers (2002) posited that most professional development for teachers tends to focus on the technical aspects of the technology and neglects the social and organizational aspects of technology integration. The authors argued that teachers with an understanding of the social and organizational culture in a school are more likely to negotiate some of the barriers that get in the way of technology integration such as existing school patterns towards technology use. These teachers may negotiate the barriers through collaborating with multiple parties in the school either to have access to technology resources or to garner peer support. The organizational culture refers to the ...