Implementing Developmental Changes in the School
Introducing the Interactive Whiteboard Technology to Primary Schools
Introduction
Education is one of the necessities and the rights of each individual in the world. Parents or guardians have the responsibility of providing education to their children, as this serves as the foundation of learning and knowledge. This is why at an early age, children are sent to school to start and establish a good way of looking at things and gathering knowledge. Through knowledge and education, children can become involved to different activities, which do not only develop their mental abilities, but their personalities as well.
(2006) reports that education is the knowledge of putting a person’s potential to maximum use, and is important for training the human mind, which makes man a right thinker and it tells one to think and make decisions. Without education, man is as though a closed room, but through education, he finds himself in a room with all its windows open towards outside world (2006).
With this importance, it is always better to provide some changes and improvement to the system of education. School improvement programs must be planned effectively and implemented efficiently to help the development of the curriculum, for the enhancement of the learning process of each student. Moreover, school change or improvement programs will also help the teachers improve on their understanding on their subject matter, and thus, enhance their teaching skills. The usage of modern technology in education is an important factor for the speedy reception and understanding of many teachers and students. The change in using ICT or interactive whiteboards in teaching primary schools can be beneficial for more receptive and participative students and more enthusiastic teachers. This paper aims to examine and evaluate the nature, processes, theories and outcomes of implementing developmental changes in the school. It discusses the effectiveness of using the ICT or interactive whiteboards in teaching the primary school, as being supported by related texts.
Literature Review
Rationale and Theories
It has been reported that the national curriculum is compulsory in all state schools throughout England, and is formulated and monitored by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (2006). Its aim is to raise standards and to ensure that schools around the country are following the same courses. It is also brought in key stage tests, which mean that students are assessed at various stages throughout their education. These national curriculum tests are popularly known as ‘Sats’ even though the proper term would be ‘national curriculum’ or ‘key stage’ tests (2006). Under this curriculum is primary education, where children five to eleven years old undergo education. Primary schools are often run by the board of governors under Local Management of Schools scheme (2006).
Changes or improvement in the school curriculum is an important determinant of the institution’s desire of further developing the knowledge of their students and teachers. It has been reported that effective school improvement is high on the agenda of the educational policies of most countries, and strongly focuses on student outcomes and the characteristics of schools and classrooms that are associated with these outcomes ( 2004). In the United Kingdom, effective school improvement is also aimed in primary schools, for better development of education. One of the proposed effective school improvement strategies is the implementation of the Interactive Whiteboard technology in the United Kingdom. This is a good application of the technology in education, which could stimulate the interest of students and teachers as well.
It has already been mentioned that changes are essential in the development and improvement of the school curriculum. These changes can be supported by developmental theories, which support the importance of improvement in approach in the learning of students and teachers in an institution. One theory is constructivism, which applies to learners of all ages, acknowledges the individual and social processes associated with meaning making, and stresses the importance of experience and collaboration in learning ( 2006). This theory can support the implementation of using Interactive Whiteboards in the primary school, as it not only allows learning through visual stimulation, but also allows the students and teachers to interact effectively. This theory defines the collaboration of activities, because of using the new technique.
The other theory is the transformative theory. This theory allows adults to examine the socially constructed nature of their current beliefs and consider changes, and helps adults acquire the level of awareness and cognitive skills needed to perform critical processes ( 2006). Through this theory, teachers are able to accept the process of changes being implemented and adopt these changes to be applied to their classes. This also allows the teachers to learn the new process of Interactive Whiteboards, accept them, and be able to relate the new process to their students.
Interactive Whiteboard Technology
The importance of school improvement has already been determined. From this, it is essential to discuss the new program or technique called the Interactive Whiteboard.
Accordingly, it has been reported that high quality direct teaching is an oral, interactive and lively discussion; a two-way process in which students are expected to play an active part by answering questions, contributing points to discussions, and explaining and demonstrating their methods to the class (2002). Through the advancement and development in technology nowadays, ICT or information and communications technology can now contribute in the classroom, supporting the teacher and enabling whole class teaching with the use of the Interactive Whiteboard (2002).
It has been reported that the Interactive Whiteboard technology offers one approach to ICT-based classroom teaching, and its use is becoming increasingly widespread in both the primary and secondary schools (2002). It is said to comprise three main pieces of equipment, namely, a computer, which is connected to a projector, and a touch-sensitive whiteboard. The computer screen image is projected onto the whiteboard, from which an electronic ‘pen’ allows the computer to be controlled (2002). The Interactive Whiteboard technology enables enhanced presentation of content, allows a student to absorb information more easily and to participate in classroom discussions by freeing them from copious taking down of notes (2002). On the part of the teachers, it saves them valuable time for preparation of lessons and visual aids (2002), and allows them to become familiar of using new approaches, such as the application of technology.
Related Study
In relation to the new technology, a study was made by (2002) to explore the perceptions of teachers and learners of the impact of adopting the new technology in two secondary schools, and to investigate some of the issues arising at an early stage of implementation. This study also aims to assess the impact of the Interactive Whiteboard technology on teaching in a range of subject areas and similarly, on its impact on the learning experiences in a range of subject areas of the students (2002). Classroom observations were made as a means of enabling researchers to identify key features of current practice and to develop lines to be followed up by means of interviews with the teachers and students (2002).
The study presented positive results, as educational and support practice in both schools have improved. Many technical and practical difficulties have been resolved, and there has been more extensive staff involvement in training. This lead to the installment of more Interactive Whiteboard units in one of the schools, and resulted to more participation in school activities involving the use of the new technology (2002). More positive results were observed than negative ones, which lead to the conclusion of the study to suggest that implementing and providing the Interactive Whiteboard technology to secondary schools are highly effective in stimulating learning. With this, its implementation to primary schools can be also as highly effective and stimulating to learning.
Survey
Before the implementation of the proposed study, a survey was made to obtain the opinions of how teachers, parents and students would see the benefits and negative aspects of the new technology. For the survey, six student representatives, six parent representatives, and eight teachers were randomly asked to answer a simple questionnaire. The questionnaire has 20 items to answer, where each question corresponds to ways on how they can perceive the implementation of the new technology as a benefit or an added nuisance. The data were gathered and compiled to come up with reliable results. Scores were tallied to see the majority of answers, which will be considered to represent the whole population or community.
Summary of the results of the survey indicates that majority of the participants perceive that the trial of the new technology can be maximized and utilized effectively if it will be implemented six months during the school year. Fourteen participants answered six months, 3 participants answered 3 months and three participants answered 1 month, while no participant would want to implement the technology for the whole year. In relation to the training or briefing of the teachers before the implementation of the technology, all of the participants agreed that teachers must undergo a seminar regarding the use of the new technology. In the questionnaires are provided blanks to where participants can write in their comments and suggestions. Most of the participants suggested that teachers can undergo training in several ways, and these include training through classroom-type discussions, through one-on-one briefing, through hands-on exercises, through modules, examinations, and through an actual simulation of the teaching method. With these methods, the teachers can be taught of the new method and technology efficiently and effectively. Moreover, majority of the participants agreed on the implementation of the new teaching method, in accordance to the method’s aim to improve and develop the learning abilities of students and increase their scores in examinations. In figures, fifteen participants agreed that the new method would be beneficial, while five answered otherwise.
However, results also suggest that the participants also perceive the new method as a disadvantage. All twenty of the participants agreed that the new teaching method is very expensive, and this entails cost cutting of school expenses. In addition, all eight of the teachers and four students, for a total of twelve participants agreed that if the new method will be implemented, then they would have to study new information to be able to cope with the changes. While some teachers are already old, some believe that studying new technologies is essential for them. This leads us to address the problem with technophobia. Moreover, all teachers and students agreed that due to the new method, new lesson and examination modules must be developed, which would double the effort of teachers and students to adopt the new method.
Methodology
Similar to the study made by (2002), two classes in the primary school from different institutions will be selected and will be invited to participate in the study. Each class will have 20 to 30 students, having both males and females. The schools to be considered will vary in location, the one belonging to a rural area, and the other in an urban city. From this, several aspects will be considered, such as the socioeconomic status of the students and teachers, their exposure to technology, and their receptivity with technology. From these considerations, it can be a good basis to measure the effectiveness of introducing the Interactive Whiteboard technology.
The Interactive Whiteboard technology will be simultaneously introduced to both of the classes, as a means of having a new teaching method. The classes will be asked to use the technology for the duration of 3 months. The teachers will be asked to use the new technique in teaching the Science subject, for this subject has various concepts, which requires excellent visual aids for better understanding. From this, the researcher will be taking down notes based on his or her observations during class discussions. The researcher will take note of the teacher’s use of the Interactive Whiteboard, and will assess his or her skills in using the technology based on the teacher’s creativity and enthusiasm. On the other hand, the researcher will also take note of his or her observations on the students based on their facial expressions and interest on the subject matter. Observations will also be obtained through the participation of the students during class discussions.
Aside from the gathering of observation during class discussions, the effectiveness of the use of the Interactive Whiteboard technology will be assessed through the performance of the students in their examination scores. After the 3-month duration of using the Interactive Whiteboard technology in teaching the Science subject, the study will be assessing its effectiveness in learning through visual stimulation by the examination scores of the students in the subject. The higher the scores of the students in the examination, the effective the Interactive Whiteboard technology becomes. A good means of evaluation is through examinations, for these indicate the retention of information in the minds of the students.
In assessing the performance of the teachers, a questionnaire will be asked to be answered by the participating teachers. Obtaining data through the questionnaire will be easier for evaluation of the teacher’s exposure and receptivity to new technologies. The questionnaire will have 20 questions, to be answered by the participating teacher with the supervision of the researcher. In addition, a simple interview will be administered for interaction with the teacher and the students as well.
To check the reliability and the significance of the study, statistical analysis will also be used. Statistical tools will be helpful to assess the significance and the correlations of the identified socio-demographic factors with the data gathered from the participants. All the calculations will be weighed to evaluate and assess the effectiveness of the Interactive Whiteboard as being used in teaching and education. In this light, the researcher can examine its results and can compare them with the recent study done by (2002). Moreover, the researcher can suggest and can make recommendations on its implementation in different institutions for the improvement of education.
Problems in Managing Change
It has been reported that managing school change and improvement is one of the most complex tasks of school leadership (1995). Moreover, it has been pointed out that school leaders need to understand the change process in order to lead and manage change and improvement efforts effectively, and must learn to overcome barriers and cope with the chaos that naturally exists during the complex process of change (1995). Problems still arise despite the intentions of improving a school’s curriculum and improve its educational system. With the implementation of the Interactive Whiteboard technology, several problems can also be encountered, in relation to the teachers, students and the institution itself.
One of the problems that could be encountered is the issue of ‘technophobia’. Technophobia is the fear of or revulsion to modern technology, and its supporters argue that certain technology is too powerful for humanity to be trusted with (2005). The introduction of the Interactive Whiteboard technology might encourage some ‘technophobic’ teachers to decline the use of the proposal of the new teaching technique. In relation to technophobic individuals, some teachers can also be slow in learning new techniques. This could somehow decrease the possibility of implementing the Interactive Whiteboard technology.
Another problem that can be encountered is the cost of the Interactive Whiteboard technology package. This could be very expensive for the institution if every classroom will be provided with the new technology. Aside from these, the installation of the technology in the schools can add to the cost of the package. With this, the institution must make sure that their budget will suffice or surpass the demand for the technology in their institution, if they really aim for the improvement of their curriculum.
Moreover, the health and safety of the students and the teachers can also present some threats, as an implication of using projection equipments. All projectors, if misused, have the potential to cause eye injury, so it is best to make clear to all users that no one should stare directly into the beam of the projector, and to supervise children at all times when a projector is being used ( 2005).
With these possible problems to be encountered, it is best to take note of some guidelines for managing change. , the Executive Director of the National Staff Development Council, offers some tips for managing the complex and difficult change process ( 2006). These include educating the leaders of change, such as the principals and the teachers; using an “systems” approach to ensure that all aspects of the school organization are considered when planning and implementing change; using a team approach that involves many stakeholders in the change process; sharing the power with teachers and others, to encourage the implementation of the change efforts; developing plans, but knowing that they will have to be adapted to change as needs change; realizing the tension between establishing readiness for change and the need to get people implementing new approaches quickly; provide considerable amounts of training and staff development; choosing innovative practices for and with teachers that are research-based and “classroom friendly”; recognizing that change happens only through people; helping educators to develop an “intellectual understanding” of the new practices; seeking out “paradigm shifters” and “idea champions”; and realizing that change takes time and should not be forced to occur too quickly ( 2006).
These tips are helpful in preventing several problems to occur in the academic institution. These can somehow serve as precautionary measures in dealing with future problems in relation to implementation of changes in the school, such as the change proposed in this paper. Implementation of using the Interactive Whiteboard technology in the primary school can be challenging to some of the academic institutions. This is why these tips can be helpful for the institutions, for serving as guides in providing solutions to issues or problems to be encountered.
Survey
After addressing the problems and issues related to the implementation of the new method, another survey was performed. This survey addresses the problem on deciding how to implement the new method to the school and see if the parents, teachers and students see the changes as an advantage and disadvantage. After presenting the changes that will take place on its implementation, twenty participants were asked to answer a questionnaire, which corresponds to their agreement or disagreement on the new method. Likewise, participants were chosen randomly from the population.
Summary of the results shows that all of the participants recognized the changes that happened in the curriculum. To be able to implement the new method effectively, majority of the participants recognized the need for teachers to undergo seminar or training to improve their skills in teaching and adopt the new teaching method. Seventeen participants recognized the need for training, while three participants, specifically teachers thought the training to be a tedious task. In addition, majority of the parents believe that the implementation of this new method would be beneficial for their children, for with the use of advanced and new technology, children will be able to develop their visual and analytical skills that would enable them to enhance their learning ability. However, majority of the teachers and school administration representatives perceive these changes both as an advantage and a disadvantage because it is expensive and entails the modification of the school’s curriculum. As an advantage, they perceive the changes as an edge over other institutions, for they can provide more advanced and improved ways of learning, ensuring the high-standard education of their students.
Conclusion and Recommendation
The saying “change is inevitable” seems to be a good application to this study, as being proved by the different changes in implementations in several academic institutions in the United Kingdom. The introduction and implementation of the Interactive Whiteboard technology to different primary schools in the United Kingdom is one change process that can present a myriad of positive results, as suggested by the study done by in 2002. The use of the Interactive Whiteboard technology would largely improve the learning processes of the many students, especially during primary school years, where visual stimulation is the most effective strategy for easy learning. The introduction of this practice would also improve the teaching skills of many teachers, as they would be able to apply the latest technology for the benefit of better education. Although a handful of problems and issues can be encountered in the implementation of the new technology, several tips in managing change can still be followed, to prevent the adverse effects brought about the these changes. Moreover, changes must not be treated negatively, but perhaps, must be given attention and understanding to maximize its potential and turning it as an advantage.
As recommendations, this study can suggest that to be able for the new method of teaching to be effective, teachers must undergo more training to be able to understand the technique, thus, improving the grades and the learning ability of students. Another point to consider is that despite the number of academic institutions using the technique, few only recognize its advantages and its benefits. This is why, this study can be an effective tool in informing authorities and other academic institutions to use the method. In addition, many organizations can focus on developing instruments for the Interactive Whiteboard, for it to become less expensive. Moreover, this study can inform the government to disseminate the information regarding this new technology to the entire United Kingdom. This would somehow help the other academic institutions and the parents to become aware of the latest development in technology in the country. The government can fund some events, such as forums and conventions, to present the technology to the nation, and to other countries as well. They could also disseminate information through leaflets or flyers and through the internet. Another recommendation is that the government can help provide academic institutions the new technology, especially if these institutions have no means for providing for themselves. The government can set aside budget for this project and aim to provide schools with the technology for the betterment of their education.
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