A Survey on the Application of Computer Aided Learning Environments in schools of six European Countries

The aim of the survey, which took place during January 2009, was to gain useful insight concerning a whole spectrum of possible conditions, needs and actual practices in using ICT in science classrooms. The final target was to extract the specific information needed to construct a teacher-training course applicable to the school conditions in different European countries, while maintaining their national (local) cultural context.

Creating a teacher training course cannot be regarded as a one-way street – from theory to practice. The success and failure also depends on whether many different and complex contextual conditions are taken into account(Kirkman 2000[1]

Reference

Kirkman, C. 2000. A model for the effective management of information and communications technology development in schools derived from six contrasting case studies. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education. 9:37-52., Lavonen et al. 2006 [2]

Reference

Lavonen, J, Juuti K, Aksela M, Meisalo V. 2006. A Professional Development Project for Improving the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Science Teaching. Technology, Pedagogy and Education. 15(2):159-174., [3]

Reference

Lavonen, J, Lattu M, Juuti K, Meisalo V. 2006. Strategy-Based Development of Teacher Educators' ICT Competence through a Co-operative Staff Development Project. European Journal of Teacher Education. 29(2):241-265.). Besides communicating latest results and findings of international research to teachers and helping them to find means of implementation, an international teacher training course has to address as well the different needs, requirements, competences and also hardships of the teachers (McFarlane & Sakellariou 2002 [4]

Reference

McFarlane, A, Sakellariou S. 2002. The Role of ICT in Science Education. Cambridge Journal of Education. 32(2):p219-32.) as it has to align itself with the diverse cultural habits and the different actual practices of the teachers.

The different infrastructure deployed in school premises need also be taken into account while designing an international teacher training course. The pace of progress in ICT (Information and Communication Technology), both software and hardware, is impressively high. As a result, all ICT systems connected to this development (be that school-specific or otherwise) have to be seen as being in a state of constant change. As it is imperative to acquire up to date data for a teacher-training course in ICT, the results of the present survey will play a vital role in the design of a multi-national training course, aiming to serve the needs and make the best use of the actual conditions in many European countries.

Here are the questionnaires in six languages: