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Classroom management issues in ICT-based learning environment
Author
Pek, Meow Sien
Supervisor
Lim, Cher Ping
Abstract
In the recent years, there has been an increasing popularity in using information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. Amidst this current emphasis on developing educational use of ICT in schools, classroom management issues have been somewhat taken for granted and assumed to have been addressed. Research studies have shown that effective classroom management is a necessary condition for the creation of a conducive learning environment that facilitates the effective integration of ICT in the schools. Drawing upon the 'successful' and 'unsuccessful' classroom management in the ICT-based learning environment, this qualitative study aims to identify the activities and factors that facilitate or hinder the creation of a conducive learning environment that provides the necessary condition for the effective integration of ICT in the primary schools.
The case study method is adopted in the research design as it provides the investigator an opportunity to examine in greater depth, the contemporary events within its real-life context. Qualitative research methods such as observations, face-to-face interviews with teachers and focus group interviews with students are employed for the data collection. In order to identify and examine the elements in the learning environment where ICT is situated, the conceptual framework of activity theory is adopted. The 'case' for the study in this thesis was a primary school in Singapore. This school had been selected based on its high degree of ICT integration reported in a questionnaire survey of all Singapore schools conducted by National Institute of Education (Singapore).
The findings of the study revealed that the whole configuration of classroom management-related activities during ICT-based lessons is the key to the creation of a conducive learning environment. When an ICT-based lesson is well-managed, a conducive learning environment is created. In such an environment, students are more likely to be task-oriented and reflective, and hence, more likely to engage in higher order thinking. The teacher, as a facilitator for learning and an executive in the classroom, plays a crucial role in the creation of a conducive environment for ICT-based learning. Besides helping and guiding the students in their learning, the teacher is also consistently and actively involved in orchestrating and managing classroom management-related activities to ensure that the students are actively engaged in their learning tasks. The findings in the case study have identified the elements of a well-managed ICT-based lesson as the availability of ICT tools, establishment of rules and procedures, supporting ICT and non-ICT tools for the ICT-based activities, and the division of labour among the teachers, students and technical assistant.
The findings of this study will be useful to teachers as it will provide insights on the classroom management issues in managing the ICT-based learning environment. Teachers will be better equipped with teaching and classroom management ideas that they can implement in their ICT-based lessons.
The case study method is adopted in the research design as it provides the investigator an opportunity to examine in greater depth, the contemporary events within its real-life context. Qualitative research methods such as observations, face-to-face interviews with teachers and focus group interviews with students are employed for the data collection. In order to identify and examine the elements in the learning environment where ICT is situated, the conceptual framework of activity theory is adopted. The 'case' for the study in this thesis was a primary school in Singapore. This school had been selected based on its high degree of ICT integration reported in a questionnaire survey of all Singapore schools conducted by National Institute of Education (Singapore).
The findings of the study revealed that the whole configuration of classroom management-related activities during ICT-based lessons is the key to the creation of a conducive learning environment. When an ICT-based lesson is well-managed, a conducive learning environment is created. In such an environment, students are more likely to be task-oriented and reflective, and hence, more likely to engage in higher order thinking. The teacher, as a facilitator for learning and an executive in the classroom, plays a crucial role in the creation of a conducive environment for ICT-based learning. Besides helping and guiding the students in their learning, the teacher is also consistently and actively involved in orchestrating and managing classroom management-related activities to ensure that the students are actively engaged in their learning tasks. The findings in the case study have identified the elements of a well-managed ICT-based lesson as the availability of ICT tools, establishment of rules and procedures, supporting ICT and non-ICT tools for the ICT-based activities, and the division of labour among the teachers, students and technical assistant.
The findings of this study will be useful to teachers as it will provide insights on the classroom management issues in managing the ICT-based learning environment. Teachers will be better equipped with teaching and classroom management ideas that they can implement in their ICT-based lessons.
Date Issued
2003
Call Number
LB3013 Pek
Date Submitted
2003