Positive to a Degree: The Effects of ICT Use in New Zealand Secondary Schools

摘要

A key question for educational researchers is whether information and communication technology (ICT) use enhances teaching and learning. In this paper, the authors report findings from a three-year study (2001-2004) investigating teaching and learning effects of ICT use in 26 secondary schools in New Zealand as perceived by teachers. The most obvious effects did not include changes in teaching philosophy or pedagogy but rather increased efficiency of management and administration of teaching, including lesson preparation and presentation. In terms of student learning teachers considered that improved presentation was the biggest impact of ICT use. In addition to the positive consequences of ICT use in education, negative aspects were also reported by teachers, with plagiarism being a frequent concern. Overall, social and motivational effects were more frequently observed in comparison to learning and cognitive effects so that, although the study identified some positive effects of ICT use on teaching and learning, these were mostly surface or indirect and did not change pedagogical beliefs or practice to a great extent.