Review

The reviewed articles included 8 articles that focused on the general use of computers and the role of teachers. The studies covered different subject areas and different levels of school classes. The articles concentrated on the change of teacher’s role towards more constructivist or student-centred practices when using computers. Three of the reviewed studies explored some specific technological tools or implications; one was a study about use of a specific program (WinEcon), and two studies were about students with 24-hour access to laptop computers.

The majority of the research papers examined in this review were case studies. Many of the studies concentrated on innovative projects and processes with a connection to researchers and other supporting institutes.

The changes in teachers’ work because of ICT were dependent always on several things, and it is difficult to find straight correlations. Teachers’ pedagogical conceptions affect how they use computers. It seems that teachers who have more learner-centred pedagogical orientation use more open-ended applications and practices. ICT should not be expected to change the practices on its own.

The computer is not yet used in a new innovative way very often. However, computers can help teachers to change their practices, and with computers teachers were more often acting as coaches rather than just lecturers or information givers. Correlations between the use of constructivist teaching practices and the use of ICT have been found, although it is difficult to say what underlies the correlations. It is difficult to say if the causal impacts are limited to teachers who were already inclined to teach in a constructivist way and have just needed appropriate resources to do so, or if the experiences of computer usage leads teachers to rethink their pedagogical conceptions and practices. It obviously seems that computers can lead to change in a teachers’ work if a teacher is interested in developing pedagogical practices. Long experience of using ICT seems also to help in changing the ways of using computers with students. The supporting structures in the school are also meaningful for teachers.

References

Long answer

Review Process