Hong Kong home economics teachers' adoption of ICT for learning and teaching

Abstract

The Hong Kong government has implemented policies to increase both the availability of ICT in schools and the capabilities of teachers for using them. This paper reports the responses of Hong Kong Home Economics teachers using a theoretical framework informed by educational change theory and prior research about the adoption of ICT by teachers. A questionnaire distributed to 350 Hong Kong secondary schools elicited 252 responses that appeared to be representative of the population. Data revealed that typical respondents had attained at least the intermediate level on the HK IT competence standards for teachers, held positive attitudes toward the use of ICT in teaching, and had access to ICT in their teaching spaces. However, the mean rate of use of ICT for teaching was 1.5 hours per week and the major uses were for lecturing or explanation. Although most had encountered problems when using ICT in their teaching they generally agreed that technical support was adequate. A large proportion saw a need for additional subject specific ICT resources and professional development in pedagogy.