iPads i undervisningen: En kvalitativ undersøgelse af læreres didaktiske udvikling og barrierer herfor, ved implementering af iPads i undervisningen i folkeskolen

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to research on teachers’ adoption of the iPad into the classroom. Main focus has been to gain knowledge about how teachers experience the iPad in a learning context, and what factors are influencing teachers’ didactical skills when using the iPad in their teaching. The study uses a phenomenological approach, and is based upon semi-structured interviews, where teachers express their experiences related to the use of iPads at two schools in Rudersdal Municipality in the North of Sealand, Denmark. The participating schools represent two different areas within the Danish school system. One characterized, as a school conducting teaching for children of special needs while the other school is a normal school with only a few students who demands a special engagement. Both schools teach children from the age of six to sixteen. The schools operate in the context of the given laws made by the state, region and the municipality, but are independent units with authority to make decisions regarding their own organisation. Twelve teachers and two leaders were interviewed, and with consent from these respondents, all interviews and discussions were digitally recorded and transcripted for further analysis. Barriers and potentials were categorised and analysed to underline areas of meaning more clearly. Results The findings indicate that the iPad holds potentials, but teachers are facing barriers at different levels in adopting the iPad into the classroom. Barriers that goes from the individual level to the organisational level. All of the respondents have adopted the iPad on a personal level to help them plan and organize their teaching practices, but the problems and concerns are unavoidable when students are added to the equation. The schools involved had a clear vision about iPads in education. The principals where convinced that iPads where a device to empower students learning and found the finances to invest in getting iPads for both of the schools. Later both schools found that getting the finances for the iPad from the budget was one thing, but investing in the use of them another and much more complicated matter. ”Nobody really knew what to do”, said one principal while the other principal was determined of the importance of a lead user to guide and accelerate the adoption process. This acknowledgement had a significant impact on how the other teachers at the school adopted the iPad. The study clearly shows that a lead user is important as a change agent, bringing in curriculum innovations and emerging practices at the school. This person get’s new ideas and provides appropriate professional support and development for the colleagues in a developing collegiality. The use of iPads on this particular school revealed some positive results, as the iPad helped as an inclusive tool for students with special needs. They did not feel stigmatized while the teachers where still able to activate individual helping tools. The research also found that there was a growing resistance among the teachers for the students with special needs school, against the iPads. The teachers were frustrated because of the chaos the iPad could bring into the classroom. The students’ lack of ability to concentrate determined that the teachers had to change from using creative and productive apps to using only training apps with a tight instructional design. The teachers felt a loss of control in the learning processes and could not see the benefits of teaching special students with iPads. Furthermore the teachers all felt it difficult finding relevant educational content, which came out to be a significant barrier for the use of iPads in both schools. Discussion The empirical data was obtained and held up against Hooper and Rieber’s model for ICTadoption development to be able to determinate the didactical improvement of the teachers. This improvement model is based on levels, which define to what point teachers are adopting ICT, this model could be questioned as an outdated approach to interpreting meaningfulness. The understanding of ’didactical’ is related to a didactical theory - Didaktik 2.0 – and the theory operates with several categories to embrace the complexity of a teacher practise. This approach is used to gain knowledge and make conclusions about the educational capabilities of iPad adoption and the didactical improvement of the teacher - it is discussed weather this didactical approach is suitable when the teaching is aimed towards students with special needs. Thesis in Master of Science in Information Technology, Specializing in: ICT, Learning and Organizational Change By Stine Bøgh & Lars Westh

A master thesis from Aalborg University

iPads i undervisningen: En kvalitativ undersøgelse af læreres didaktiske udvikling og barrierer herfor, ved implementering af iPads i undervisningen i folkeskolen