Using IT in teaching and learning science in an in-service teacher education workshop

This paper reported on teachers' attitude towards the use of TT in an in-service teacher education workshop. Though the use of IT was not the focus of the workshop, there were frequent use of IT, which included the use of PowerPoint to present teaching materials, data-logging experimentation and an introduction to the use of PowerPoint in the teaching of science at primary level. The aim of such activities was to enhance primary school teachers' awareness, competence and confidence to use IT in Education. A survey was conducted at the end of the workshop to explore participants' attitudes towards the use of IT in education. In measuring teachers' attitude, the design of the questionnaire was made reference to the four constructs identified by Kay (1993), Davis (1993), and Selwyn (1997) in measuring teachers' attitude towards the use of computer. Some items of the four constructs were re-defined in the present study to measure teachers' attitude towards the use of IT in science education. The four constructs are: affective (feelings towards use of IT in education); behavioural (behavioural intentions and actions with respect to the use of IT in education); perceived control (perceived ease, or difficulty, of using IT in education; and perceived usefulness (the degree to which one believes using IT will enhance their teaching). The findings showed that teachers had positive attitudes towards the use of IT in both learning and teaching. However, some teachers expressed reservation in using IT in their teaching. The main reasons cited being lack of resources and technical support as well as other constraints in the school environment. The paper attempts to summarise the concerns and needs of teachers in using IT in their teaching.