Teacher and Context Factors Associated with the Educational Use of ICT: A Costa Rican Case Study

Abstract

This paper studies the factors that influence the progress of teachers in Costa Rica with regards to their educational use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in teaching and learning processes with their students. It addresses both the analysis of factors related to the figure of the teacher, their professional profile, and other factors that are external to them and are related to the context in which they practice. A qualitative method involving a case study of seven teachers was selected according to relevant and maximum variation sampling based on expert criteria. The information was collected utilizing in-depth interviews and systematic observation. The analysis of the information was based on the qualitative data analysis software program ATLAS.ti. The results highlight two categories of factors, those of the teacher, such as vocation, beliefs, teaching model, desire for personal fulfillment, or personal issues, and those of context, such as technical support and support of the management structure of the school, with more significant influence on the processes of appropriation and use of ICT in teaching practices of those factors linked to the teachers themselves.

Media Studies, Audiovisual Media Communications, and Generations: The Case of Budding Journalists in Radio Courses in Greece

“…Finally, effective integration of audiovisual media technologies at all educational levels and disciplines (including adult education) also requires dedicated and talented educators (see Guillén-Gámez and Mayorga-Fernández 2020;Nicolaou and Kalliris 2020;Ngah et al 2019), especially regarding educators of media studies education, due to their scientific field (see Crawford et al 2020;Matsiola et al 2019;Nicolaou et al 2019). In conclusion, all the educators, regardless of which educational levels and disciplines they work in, should need to combine communication techniques through audiovisual media communications within the educational process and the processes of appropriation and use of ICTs in teaching practices (see Brenes-Monge et al 2020;Esteve-Faubel et al 2020;Nicolaou 2020;Frolova et al 2019;Griva et al 2019;Ryabova et al 2018;Veglis and Avraam 2001). Furthermore, they should facilitate broadening the educational process from the curriculum (see Seamon 1999;Nicolaou et al 2019;Nicolaou and Kalliris 2020), while their textbook-centered material should be based on real-world Internet applications and services (see Seamon 1999;Hennessy et al 2005;Nicolaou 2018b) from and/or through transactional and interactive distance (see Xalkidou and Gasparinatou 2020), always taking into account the inherent and specific characteristics-such as the culture, the needs (including special needs), the habits, the profile, and the digital identity-of students/learners (see Muñoz-Rodríguez et al 2020;Nicolaou and Kalliris 2020;Ortiz-Jiménez et al 2020;Nicolaou et al 2019;Vuleta 2018;Courau [1993Courau [ ] 2017Giannoumi et al 2017;Rogers andHorrocks [1986] 2010;Jacobs 1989;…”

ICT Integration in a Multigrade Context: Exploring Primary School Teachers Experiences

“…Teachers must find ways to use technology to transform their teaching practice and create new learning opportunities. However, factors such as a lack of resources (Porter & Graham, 2016), access to computers and appropriate software (Habibu et al, 2012), a lack of training (Erduran & Ince, 2018), lack of time (Koh et al, 2015) and connectivity issues (Brenes-Monge et al, 2020), as well as lack of motivation from teachers and learners to use ICT (Habibu et al, 2012) hamper teachers' integration of technology in their classrooms. Of concern to teachers is that integrating ICT in the teaching and learning process could create extra workload, challenges and stress for teachers (Dong, 2020).…”

Meaningful ICT integration into deprived rural communities’ multigrade classrooms

“…Therefore, ICT usage represents a solution to improve rural school performance compared to urban ones and the families' opinion toward multigrade schools (Mangione & Cannella, 2021, p. 846). In developing countries, on the contrary, studies point out the lack of internet connectivity and, in some cases, even cellphone signals (Brenes-Monge et al, 2020). Moreover, national contexts sharply undermine the social mobility expectations based on schooling.…”