Multilevel analysis of the educational use of technology: Quantity and versatility of digital technology usage in Finnish basic education schools

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted learning Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 953 - 965
• Main Authors: Kaarakainen, Meri‐Tuulia, Saikkonen, Loretta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.08.2021; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Age Differences; Attitudes; basic education; Compulsory Education; Context; Correlation; COVID-19; Digital technology; Education; Educational Policy; Elementary School Teachers; Foreign Countries; grouping effects; Hierarchies; Individual Differences; multilevel analysis; Norms; Pandemics; Research Needs; schools; Secondary School Teachers; Self Efficacy; Skills; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Characteristics; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Technological Literacy; Technology Integration; technology usage; Technology utilization; Finland
• ISSN: 0266-4909; 1365-2729
• DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12534

The adoption of technology in teaching has been identified to relate to various factors from attitudes and self‐efficacy to subjective norms and digital references. The aim of this study is to broaden the perspective to hierarchical grouping effects. Multilevel modelling of the study utilizes the data of 2355 Finnish basic education teachers. The results show that, before the coronavirus pandemic, Finnish teachers used digital devices in teaching at least once a week, on average, and many times on a daily basis, varying according to the subject being taught. The variation in teachers' technology usage occurs mainly at the individual level, with a small proportion between schools; higher‐level hierarchies proved redundant in the context of Finland. At the teacher level, digital skills, age, and digital self‐efficacy increase technology usage in teaching. At the end, the significance and limitations of the research and the direction of future research in the post‐pandemic era are discussed. Lay Description What is already known about the topic Technology usage in teaching is related to teachers' attitudes, skills and self‐efficacy. The importance of subjective norms and digital referents has also been identified. There is a need for a multidimensional approach that goes beyond the individual level. What this paper adds Before the pandemic, digital technology was adopted on a weekly basis among Finnish teachers. The subject taught by the teacher has an impact on the quantity of digital technology usage. The technology usage varies at individual‐level, rather than at the higher‐levels. Implications for practice Teachers' digital maturity is expected to influence the experiences of the pandemic period. The dominance of the individual‐level impacts the implementation of education policy. Research needs to take into account the context and hierarchies of different education systems.