Differences in ICT Usage Across Subject Areas A Case of an Elementary School in Singapore

• Published in: Journal of educational computing research Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 75 - 94
• Main Authors: Tay, Lee Yong, Lim, Cher Ping, Lim, Siew Khiaw
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.09.2015
• Subjects: Discriminant analysis; Educational Technology; Elementary School Students; Elementary School Teachers; Elementary Schools; English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; Human factors; Information technology; Infrastructure; Instructional Program Divisions; Intellectual Disciplines; Interviews; Leadership; Learning; Mathematics Instruction; Mixed Methods Research; Multivariate Analysis; Native Language Instruction; Online Surveys; Questionnaires; Science Instruction; Second Language Instruction; Singapore; Student Attitudes; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Teaching; Technology Integration; Technology Uses in Education; Singapore; elementary school; future schools; factors affecting ICT usage; subject area culture; ICT usage; barriers to ICT usage
• ISSN: 0735-6331; 1541-4140
• DOI: 10.1177/0735633115585930

Many factors affect the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for teaching and learning in schools: policy and school leadership, physical and technological infrastructure, teachers’ practices and beliefs, curriculum and assessment, and professional development. The subject area, that has not been given as much attention in previous research studies, may be another factor that affects ICT usage for teaching and learning in schools. This article examines how subject areas at an elementary school in Singapore affect the use of ICT for teaching and learning. This mixed-method study suggests that the subject area is another factor that could affect the ICT usage rates in teaching and learning, vis-à-vis the contextual, infrastructure, and human factors. Multivariate analysis of variance with follow-up discriminant analysis and teachers’ interviews suggest that there are differences in ICT usage in subject areas and grade levels. Although several factors affect ICT usage, subject area is one other factor that also deserves our further exploration and attention.