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How to Achieve Student Engagement with the Rising Presence of Technology in the Classroom
Technology has become the most rapidly growing resource of our time. It is, therefore, a
large influence on how teachers should apply the use of information and communication
technology (ICT) within the school setting (Yuen et., al, 2003). The teacher’s role within all
subjects is to acquire engaging practice to support the teaching of their students (Aaronson,
Barrow, & Sander, 2007; Goldhaber & Anthony, 2003). However, many teachers face
challenges whilst adapting technology within their pedagogical practices. The prevalence of
also a significant source for teachers to assess student learning. The following review will
discuss potential issues teachers in the classroom face as they implement technology as a
source of engagement and what strategies they use to overcome any concerns.
A recurring theme that many articles have simultaneously identified to the technological
challenges within a classroom have stated that teachers face a lack of confidence/expertise in
regard to ICT resources (Laurillad 2009, Ertmer, 2006 & Ryan et., al, 2010). Laurillard
students learning. She further exploits the idea of the many procedure’s teachers undertake to
continues to explain that technology is not the most valuable asset within the classroom.
However, she also continues to add that teachers should work alongside the context of their
students to allow for a focus on building up their conversational skills through the utilisation
technological challenges. The diagram is broken down into four parts; explicit instructions,
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reflection, discussing different perspectives and collaborative learning (2009). Each sector is
thoroughly supported by theories, the article has also been an updated version from many of
her previous articles to form the sense of reliability. This can also be easily implemented in
the classroom to combat challenges. She has used a wide range of educational research on
students to also provide accuracy to overcome the challenges of the use of technology in the
classroom setting. Laurillard (2009) has also adopted a practical approach which is useful for
As the growing age of technology comes about, Ertmer (2006), Goos, M., Galbraith, P.,
Renshaw, P., & Geiger, V. (2003)., likewise, believe that many teachers are afraid of
challenging their own teaching efforts with the use of technology within the classroom. The
teacher’s actions. Ertmer (2006) also uses a wide range of statistics, surveys and
questionnaires to recognise that ICT is easily accessible, teacher programs to improve ICT
skills exist and the internet is also accessible in majority of areas. However, teachers still
neglect to implement the use of ICT in their classrooms. The use of quantitative data builds
examines strategies to widen teacher beliefs, with the supporting idea of self-efficacy. Its
changes that will eventually lead to larger ones in the classroom. Ertmers articles is a
thorough investigation that allows teachers to aim to pass the hurdles of technology in order
Similarly, Ryan et al (2010), identifies that the growing use of technology means that
teachers need to keep up with updates and developments (Aaronson, D., Barrow, L., &
Sander, W. 2007). Therefore, generating complications within the context of classrooms due
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to the difficulties teachers may face as a result. Although, throughout, the curriculum stresses
the use of ICT through each subject area. Their main argument within the article is that often
students are ahead of teachers with the growing use of technology, thus, teachers fall behind
in the skillset of ICT. The study focusses on the Multiliteracies Pedagogy Framework which
al, 2010, p. 478). Ryan et al, further explains that visual literacy, specifically, digital literacy
should be adapted within the class through ICT. The utilisation of multimodal texts
emphasizes on the variety of resources teachers can adopt within their classroom, however,
do not proceed to due to their lack of confidence. The investigation includes research projects
that effectively apply the framework within the classroom to focus on pedagogical literacy
learning. As a result of the research project, students felt motivated when exposed to literacy
practice through ICT (Ryan et al., 2010 Meyer, E. J., Abrami, P. C., Wade, A., & Scherzer,
R. 2011). Therefore, the use of technology is a crucial learning tool for students learning
experience. Furthermore, discussing that teachers should allow for students to be facilitators
as they develop self-directed teaching skills. The presence of technology may seem
overwhelming, however, if teachers refuse to build a sense of self efficacy to overcome their
fears, then they will be negatively affecting student abilities to learn in multiple strategies.
The study made thoroughly explored how students benefit from the research project rather
technological challenges.
Groff, J., & Mouza, C. (2008) also explore the issues that have been reflected in the above
articles. It also concludes that there is a lack of outcomes that integrate technology in school,
there is not enough support to meet student’s needs, inadequate technology-based projects in
the school and problems that both students and teachers face with its unreliability (Mifsud, L.
Conclusion
Through the study of multiple articles, the recurring theme amongst them often accused
teachers for their lack of technological skill sets when faced with the use of ICT. However,
many articles did not focus on strategies for teachers to overcome this matter, rather, most
articles formulated research on the importance of implementing ICT and the impact it had on
students. Much of the research indicated gaps in data and research as a result. Furthermore,
only one article used both, qualitative and quantitative data to strengthen their argument,
which became a well proposed article that additionally had explored implementation of
theoretic ideas and the use of diagrams was also used to provide a further breakdown of the
analysis. Overall, the articles chosen had simultaneously reflected the research conducted for
each, although gaps were present, many articles did not find solutions for the issues teachers
faced.
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References
Aaronson, D., Barrow, L., & Sander, W. (2007). Teachers and student achievement in the
Chicago public high schools. Journal of Labor Economics, 25, 95-135.
Signed: __________________________________
Name: __________________________________
Date: __________________________________
Interview Questions
Interview protocol: write teachers name, KLA, school/school context at the beginning of
interview. Participant must have been informed of the purpose of the interview as a research
project for RTL2 and its ethical purpose. Interviews may run for about 5-10mins, depending
on responses. Interviews will be recorded for further clarification.
3. What are some issues other teachers/yourself may face using ICT?
5. What forms of ICT applications have you seen to be most effective in the classroom?
Interview Protocol
The interview questions were derived from the research that made up the literature review.
the interview questions are focussed on participants that have a teaching background in order
to reflect on the literature review findings. The purpose of targeting teachers is to compare
their application of ICT to the demonstrate or challenge the research found in the literature
review. the interview questions will give researchers a further insight to how often and
effectively ICT is being provided within the classroom. The action research project aims to
plan, act, reflect, this allows for a form of validity to revitalise teaching practices (Bradbury,
H., & Reason, P., 2003). Action Research Project allows to build clarification for the research
in order to come to their own conclusions through thorough investigations and interviews.
Interviews are viewed as an effective source of collecting data (Kitzinger, J.,1994). They help
build formal relationships with the participants and a trusting environment is also an effective
element in collecting further data within the interview (Kitzinger, J. 1994). The purpose of
the questions allow researcher to further dig into not just what participants thought but how
they thought and why they thought in certain ways. This will be done as we look into a
diverse network of people to compare the effects of perspectives on the topic of technological
Furthermore, the interview questions demonstrate an in depth approach of the issues faced in
the literature review. the questions aim to allow teachers to be comfortable enough to respond
using their personal experiences and views to allow for participants to reflect on their
teaching setting and explore the over use or lack thereof ICT in the classroom. The questions
allow participants to look further into their teaching practices to find issues and also find
strategies to retaliate against concerns with ICT. Thus, allowing data to be thoroughly
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investigated and used for the purpose of the Action Research Project, inherently achieving
accurate results.
The qualitative data allows participants to express their views and concerns in relation to
ICT. It allows for teachers to express the procedures they implement to allow for them to
voice the concerns they face whilst employing ICT, whether it be due to students, other
Moreover, the sub-topic acts as a pillar for the over-arching topic, allowing researchers to
educate teachers, faculties, principals, parents and students of the analysis of interview
questions, along with a comparison to the literature review. the results of the overarching
topic will allow researcher to further explore on how to improve teacher skillset, the
implementation of ICT and find solutions for further issues that will come to be.
Kitzinger, J. (1994). The methodology of focus groups: the importance of interaction between
research participants. Sociology of health & illness, 16(1), 103-121.
Bradbury, H., & Reason, P. (2003). Action research: An opportunity for revitalizing research
purpose and practices. Qualitative social work, 2(2), 155-175.