What factors affect teachers’ professional use of ICT outside the classroom? Evidence from Spain

Abstract

Background: In the recent years there has been wide interest in the implementation of the ICT in educational institutions. Most of the research conducted to date on this topic highlights how ICTs reconfigure classroom practice, create new variety of learning practices, and improve students’ engagement and outcomes, among others. While these studies mainly focus on the use of ICT in teaching and learning, little is known about the factors influencing the use of ICT as a professional tool outside the classroom.

Objective: To develop and test a model of the factors influencing teachers’ professional use of ICT, particularly the internet, outside the classroom.

Method: This study was conducted as part of the project “Integration of the Internet in Spanish school education: The current situation and prospects for the future” funded by the Telefónica Foundation. One thousand four hundreds and five (1,405) teachers from a random, representative sample of 536 primary and 273 secondary schools in Spain were surveyed. The dependent variables included the attitudes towards professional uses of ICT and the use of the Internet in professional practice. The explanatory variables were socio-demographic characteristics, school-level attributes, school Internet access, educational ICT training, digital literacy and organisational development. Multiple regression analyses were performed.

Findings: Organisational development and technological measures (e.g. digital literacy, educational ICT training and Internet access in the school) favour positive attitudes towards the educational use of ICT. Both variables are also important predictors of ICT appropriation for professional purposes. Furthermore, findings indicate that schools that modify its organisational context (e.g. approaches, structures, relations and procedures) also promote digital practices. Further research is needed to understand the unequal distribution of teachers’ opportunities to cope with the obstacles and challenges of ICT integration in their professional practice outside the classroom.