A Needs Analysis for Technology Integration Plan: Challenges and Needs of Teachers

Abstract

Lack of technology leadership and technology integration plans are important obstacles for using technology effectively in schools. We carried out a large-scale study to be able to design a technology integration plan for one of the pilot provinces that Fatih Project was initiated. The purpose of this research is to examine the perceived challenges and needs of K12 teachers when integrating technology into their classes, which would be used as the needs analysis data of the technology integration plan. A mixed design was used and 844 teachers participated in the study. An online survey was used to gather both the quantitative and qualitative data. The findings showed that there are three major issues for teachers to integrate technology into their instruction: Executive, infrastructural, and instructional. Executive issues are mostly related to managerial and financial challenges, Infrastructural issues include technological and physical challenges, and instructional issues consist of challenges related with instructional materials, students’ readiness, and teacher competencies.

Keywords

• FATİH project, Technology integration plan, Needs analysis, Teacher training, Change management

References

1. Afshari, M., Bakar, A., Luan, W. S., Samah, B. A., & Fooi, F. S. (2009). Factors affecting teachers’ use of information. International Journal of Instruction, 2(1), 77-104.
2. Akcaoglu, M., Gumus, S., Bellibas, M. S., & Boyer, D. M. (2014). Policy, practice, and reality: Exploring nation-wide technology implementation in Turkish schools. Technology, Pedagogy, and Education. Retrieved on 3 July 2015 from http://www.tandfonline.com/ doi/pdf/10.1080/1475939X.2014.899264. DOI: 10.1080/1475939X.2014.899264.
3. Akgun, E., Yilmaz, E. O., & Seferoglu, S. (2011). Vizyon 2013 strateji belgesi ve Firsatlari Artirma ve Teknolojiyi İyileştirme Hareketi (FATİH) projesi: Karsilastirmali bir inceleme. Akademik Bilişim, 2(4), 1-9
4. Akinci, A., Kurtoglu, M., & Seferoglu, S. (2014). Bir teknoloji politikasi olarak FATİH projesinin basarili olmasi için yapilmasi gerekenler: Bir durum analizi calismasi. Retrieved on 10 April 2014 from http://ab.org.tr/ab12/bildiri/160.pdf.
5. Akkoyunlu, B. (1995). Bilgi teknolojilerinin okullarda kullanimi ve ögretmenlerin rolü. Hacettepe University The Journal of Education, 11, 105-109.
6. Albirini, A. (2006). Teachers’ attitudes toward information and communication technologies: The case of Syrian EFL teachers. Computers & Education, 47(4), 373-398.
7. Allan, H. K., Yuen, N. L. & Wong, K. C. (2003). ICT implementation and school leadership: Case studies of ICT integration in teaching and learning. Journal of Educational Administration, 41(2), 158-170
8. Baylor, A. L. & Ritchie, D. (2002). What factors facilitate teacher skill, teacher morale, and perceived student learning in technology-using classrooms? Computers & Education, 39(4), 395-414.

9. Brickner, D. L. (1995). The effects of first and second order barriers to change on the degree and nature of computer usage of mathematics teachers: A case study. (UMI No. 9540219).
10. Cakir, R. & Yildirim, S. (2009). What do computer teachers think about the factors affecting technology integration in schools?. İlkögretim Online, 8(3), 952-964.
11. Ciftci, S., Taskaya, S. M., & Alemdar, M. (2013). The opinions of classroom teachers about Fatih project. Elementary Education Online, 12(1), 227-240.
12. Ertmer, P. A. & Ottenbreit-leftwich, A. T. (2010). Teacher technology change: how knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal of Research and Technology in Education, 42(3), 255-284.
13. Fullan, M. (1992). Successful school improvement: The implementation perspective and beyond. London: Open University Press.
14. Fullan, M. ve Hargreaves, A. (1996). What’s worth fighting for in your school? New York: Teachers College Press.
15. Genc, M. & Genc, T. (2013). Ögretmenlerin mesleki gelişmeleri takip etme durumlari: Fatih projesi örnegi. Ahi Evran Universitesi Kirsehir Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi, 14(2), 61-78.
16. Grundmeyer, T. (2013). Adopting technology: Using student qualitative data and Gartner’s Hype Cycle. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 2(1), 207-216.
17. Gulbahar, Y. (2007). Technology planning: A roadmap to successful technology integration in schools. Computers & Education, 49, 943-956.
18. Hew, K. F. & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: Current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research & Development, 55, 223-252.
19. Miles, M. B. and A. M. Huberman. (1994). An expanded sourcebook: Qualitative data analysis (2nd Ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
20. ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). (2009). National educational technology standards for administrators. Retrieved on 10 April 2014 from http://iste.org/standards/nets-for-administrators/nets-for-administrators- standards.aspx.
21. Karaca, F., Can, G. & Yildirim, S. (2013). Technology utilization in elementary schools in Turkey’s capital: A case study. Educational Studies, 39(5), 552-567. DOI: 10.1080/03055698.2013.807726
22. Kaufman, R. & English, F. (1979). Needs assessment: Concept and application. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
23. Kayaduman, H., Sirakaya, M. & Seferoğlu, S. S. (2011). Investigation of “Increasing Opportunities and Improvement of Technology” project in terms of teacher competencies. XIII. Akademik Bilişim Konferansi Bildirileri. 2-4 Subat 2011, Inonu Universitesi, Malatya.
24. Koh, J. H. L. & Divaharan, S. (2013). Towards a TPACK –fostering ICT instructional process for teachers: Lessons from the implementation of interactive whiteboard instruction. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 29(2), 233-247.
25. Kurt, A. A., Kuzu, A., Dursun, O. O., Gullupınar, F., & Gultekin, M. (2013). FATİH projesinin pilot uygulama sürecinin degerlendirilmesi: Ogretmen gorusleri. Journal of Instructional Technologies and Teaching, 2(1), 1-23.
26. Lai, K.W., Pratt, K. & Trewern, A. (2001). Learning with technology: Evaluation of the Otago secondary schools technology project. The Community Trust of Otago, Dunedin.
27. Marshall, E. & Rossman, G. B. (1989). Designing qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
28. MEB. (2012). Milli Egitim Bakanligi FATIH projesi. Retrieved on 10 April 2014 from http://fatihprojesi.meb.gov.tr.
29. Mishra, P. & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
30. Mosenson, A. B. & Johnson, J. M. (2008). Instructional strategies and resources: Exploring the use of technology. Journal of Family Consumer Sciences Education, 26, 17-35.
31. Mundy, M. & Kupczynski, L. (2013). A qualitative study of technology integration into culture and sustainability in schools. Vol. 2013, Article ID 967610. Retrieved on 10 April 2014 from http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/967610
32. NOAA Manual. (2009). Designing education projects: A comprehensive approach to needs assessment, project planning and implementation, and evaluation (2nd ed.). NOAA: Washington DC.
33. Pamuk, S., Çakir, R., Ergun, M., Yilmaz, H. B., & Ayas, C. (2013). The use of tablet PC and interactive board from the perspectives of teachers and students: Evaluation of FATIH Project. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 13(3), 1815-1822. DOI: 10.12738/estp.2013.3.1734
34. Pelgrum, W. J. (2001). Obstacles to the integration of ICT in education: Results from a worldwide educational assessment. Computers & Education, 37(2), 163-178.
35. Moeller, B. & Reitzes, T. (2011). Integrating technology with student-centered learning: A report to the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. Quincy, MA: Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
36. Roblyer, M. D. (2006). Integrating educational technology into teaching. New York: Pearson Education.
37. Saban, A. (2007). Seçmeci okul teknoloji planlama modeli ve Ozel Konya Esentepe Ilkogretim Okulu teknoloji profili. Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu Dergisi, 22(1), 23-43.
38. Strauss, A. M. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
39. Sugar, W. & Holloman, H. (2009). Technology leaders wanted: Acknowledging the leadership role of a technology coordinator. TechTrends, 53(6), 66-74.
40. Thompson, A. D., Schmidt, D. A., & Davis, N. E. (2003). Technology collaboratives for simultaneous renewal in teacher education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 51(1), 124-128.
41. Tondeur, J., Braak, J. V., Sang, Guoyuan, Voogt, J., Fisser, P., and Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2012). Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology in education: A synthesis of qualitative evidence. Computers & Education, 59, 134-144.
42. Uzoglu, M. & Bozdogan, A. E. (2012). An examination of preservice science teachers’ views related to use of tablet PCs in science and technology course in terms of different variables. Mevlana International Journal of Education, 2(1), 1-14.
43. Correspondence: Sirin Karadeniz, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Education and
44. Instructional Technologies, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey