Abstract
The increasing utilization of educational technologies advances the information communication technology (ICT) integration process in higher education. The demand and standard of ICT integration are changing with the development of digital contexts, and while much attention has been placed on building an ICT-enabled teaching and learning environment, little has been given the effectiveness of technology transformation within an institution from a holistic perspective. It is thus difficult to assess a university’s ICT integration level and the outcomes of ICT integration. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe an ICT integration standard that can function as a reliable measurement or guide in the higher education context. The development consisted of three steps: first, through literature review, ICT integration into institutional policy, culture, infrastructure, training, teaching, and learning were established as six constructs of the model, and questionnaire items in this framework were adapted from existing instruments; second, a cross-sectional survey of the model was validated through a pilot study; and last, the final questionnaire survey was completed by 318 teachers in a case university, and the measurement items and structure were tested through exploratory factor analysis indicates and confirmatory factor analysis indicates. A six-dimensional, 28-item assessment instrument was empirically validated to examine the general condition and outcomes of institutional ICT integration, thereby contributing to an in-depth understanding of the necessary components and paths to achieve ICT integration for educators.
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Appendix
Appendix
Evaluation on ICT integration
Domains | Items |
|---|---|
ICT Policy Planning | 1. Local educational ICT policies are effectively integrated into my university |
2. Clear content and explanations of ICT policy plans are provided for all departments | |
3. I understand and positively implement ICT policy plans in my work | |
ICT infrastructure | 4. My university provides enough ICT hardware (i.e., computers, internet, digital tools) and software (i.e., digital teaching and learning resources, OA system) to support ICT-integrated needs |
5. My university has established an ICT-related department to provide technical and management services | |
6. My university provides sufficient funding and a reasonable budget for the implementation of ICT integration | |
ICT training | 7. My university provides ongoing ICT training involving professional learning and technical skills |
8. My university has enough members to participate in ICT training | |
9. I feel that my ICT knowledge and ability have been enhanced by training | |
ICT culture | 10. My university has various communication channels for teaching and management |
11. My university’s ICT climate inspires stakeholders’ innovative thoughts and activities | |
12. My university stakeholders are willing to encounter ICT challenges | |
13. My university stakeholders understand and accept common ICT visions and goals | |
14. My university leaders respect and support my ICT creations at work | |
15. My university colleagues help each other in ICT usage | |
16. I actively implement innovative ideas in the instructional approach | |
ICT for Teaching | 17. I feel confident learning new ICT skills and knowledge |
18. I find it easier to teach by using ICT | |
19. I realize the great opportunities that ICT brings to effective teaching | |
20. ICT-supported teaching makes learning more effective in my curriculum | |
21. The use of ICT improves the quality of teaching at my university | |
22. The use of ICT helps to prepare more updated teaching resources and materials at my university | |
23. The use of ICT ensures that that teachers have more time to cater to students’ need at my university | |
ICT for Learning | 24. ICT-supported teaching makes students more independent, active, creative and engaged in the curriculum |
25. ICT usage enriches students’ professional knowledge paradigms and information paradigms in learning | |
26. ICT usage inspires students to communicate more with classmates and to conduct collaborative learning | |
27. ICT usage promotes students’ confidence to actively participate in the curriculum and practice | |
28. ICT usage increases students’ expressive, analytical, and explorative abilities in learning |
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Zhang, Y., Adams, D. & Lee, K.C.S. Assessing academic staff’s ICT integration in higher education: instrument development and validation. J. Comput. Educ. 11, 75–94 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-022-00248-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-022-00248-6