Relationship between pre-service and practising teachers' confidence and beliefs about using ICT

Abstract

ICT curriculum integration is the apparent goal of an extensive array of ICT initiatives in all Australian states and territories. However, the reported impact of ICT use by teachers on learning and teaching is by no means consistent. Explanations offered for this in the literature include the influence of teacher confidence and expertise, and teacher beliefs about the potential for ICT to make a difference to student learning, as well as issues around teacher professional development, school technological infrastructure and technical support along with the need for leadership. This paper re-analyses data sets from two previously unlinked studies to investigate the relationship between pre-service and practising teachers’ confidence in using ICT with students and beliefs about the extent to which computers can improve student learning outcomes. The results show that differences between male and female teachers in their confidence to use ICT with students are not a reflection of undergraduate teacher beliefs about computers. Gender differences would appear to emerge post-graduation. The results from this study warrant further investigation into why female teachers are less confident than their male colleagues and therefore why their students use ICT less frequently than students of more confident male teachers. Given that70% of the teaching workforce in Queensland state schools is female, this has major implications for student use of ICT.