Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (39 download)
Book Synopsis Teachers' Professional Uses of Computers and Perceptions of Their Value for Work Productivity by :
Download or read book Teachers' Professional Uses of Computers and Perceptions of Their Value for Work Productivity written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the role computers play in their workplace performance. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed to provide a multifaceted description of teachers' current professional computer uses, including how often, when, where, for what tasks, and why they use computers. Additionally, teachers' perceptions of the effects of the computer on their work were examined. The study incorporated an approach, advocated by many authors, which parses the individual, organizational, and environmental factors influencing workplace performance. Sociotechnical systems theory was the basis for selecting a range of individual and organizational facilitators of, and barriers to, computer use. Subjects in the study were 142 secondary public school teachers. A 71-item questionnaire was used to collect initial data. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with 15 carefully selected subjects to provide more depth. Teachers in the study generally perceived computers as having a positive impact on their work. A majority felt they were more professional, more creative, better informed, and generally better educators as a result of their computer use. Surprisingly, improved interaction with colleagues did not emerge as a particularly important factor. Creating more effective materials and saving time were rated as the most important reasons for using the computer. A majority currently used the computer to create instructional materials, while few (11.3 percent) used it to communicate with colleagues, a use that might potentially ease the isolation of the profession and foster continuing professional development. Accessibility to e-mail and Internet access was moderate or high for only 33.8 percent. Results reflect the dynamic nature of computer integration and raise further questions regarding how changes in accessible resources will alter the nature of teachers' computer integration, their reasons for using computers, and their perceptions of how the computer influences their work.
