Abstract
The purpose of this article was to examine the factors affecting a Greek kindergarten teacher to support or oppose ICT in education. This research was carried out during the year 2012; 418 teachers participated and is an extension of a previous analysis (Zaranis et al. 2014). The participants were drawn from kindergarten teachers in the areas of Athens and Crete (Greece). A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire with 30 questions was designed to assess the attitudes of kindergarten teachers towards computers. Then, factor analysis and cluster analysis were applied to obtain three distinct clusters of the kindergarten teachers’ profiles. We used the two extreme groups of these clusters, namely “negative attitude towards ICT” (NA) and “supporters of ICT in education” (S). These are the two categories of the dependent variable in a binary logistic regression model. The explanatory variables of the model were the kind of bachelor studies, the kind of additional studies, the number of in-service years and the level of software and ICT knowledge. Finally, the binary logistic regression analysis found that only the variables “additional studies”, “in-service years” and “level of software and ICT knowledge” are statistically significant. Therefore, these are the factors affecting Greek kindergarten teachers to be positive towards ICT.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Angeli, C. (2004). The effects of case-based learning on early childhood pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the pedagogical uses of ICT. Journal of Educational Media, 29(2), 139–151.
Angeli, C., & Valanides, N. (2005). Preservice teachers as ICT designers: an instructional design model based on an expanded view of pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Computer-Assisted Learning, 21(4), 292–302.
Aubrey, C., & Dahl, S. (2008). A review of the evidence on the use of ICT in the early years foundation stage. British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA): Coventry.
Baron, G.-L., & Harrari, M. (2005). ICT in French primary education, twenty years later: infusion or transformation? Education and Information Technologies, 10(3), 147–156. doi:10.1007/s10639-005-2994-7.
Bebell, D., Russell, M., & O’Dwyer, L. (2004). Measuring teachers’ technology uses: Why multiple measures are more revealing. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37(1), 45–63.
Bingimlas, K. (2009). Barriers to successful integration of ICT in teaching and learning environment: A review of the literature. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 5(3), 235–245.
Chen, J., & Chang, C. (2006). Using computers in early childhood classrooms: teachers’ attitudes, skills and practices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 4(2), 169–188.
Fisher, T., Denning, T., Higgins, C., & Loveless, A. (2012). Teachers’ knowing how to use technology: exploring a conceptual framework for purposeful learning activity. Curriculum Journal, 23(3), 307–325. doi:10.1080/09585176.2012.703492.
Gialamas, V., & Nikolopoulou, Κ. (2010). In-service and pre-service early childhood teachers’ views and intentions about ICT use in early childhood settings: A comparative study. Computers & Education, 55(1), 333–341.
Hair, J. F., Jr, Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. G. (1998). Multivariate data analysis (5th ed.). London, UK: Prentice-Hall.
Hatzigianni, M., & Margetts, K. (2012). ‘I am very good at computers’: young children’s computer use and their computer self-esteem. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(1), 3–20. doi:10.1080/1350293X.2012.650008.
Hinostroza, J. E., Labbé, Ch., & Matamala, C. (2013). The use of computers in preschools in Chile: Lessons for practitioners and policy designers. Computers & Education, 68, 96–104.
Inan, F. A., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Factors affecting technology integration in K-12 classrooms: A path model. Educational Technology Research and Development, 58(2), 137–154.
Jimoyiannis, A., & Komis, V. (2007). Examining teachers’ beliefs about ICT in education: implications of a teacher preparation programme. Teacher Development, 11(2), 149–173.
Kalogiannakis, M. (2010). Training with ICT for ICT from the trainer’s perspective. A Greek case study, Education and Information Technologies, 15(1), 3–17.
Kastis, N. (2004). Professional development for teachers and quality in school education. In A. Aviram & J. Richardson (Eds.), Upon what does the turtle stand? (pp. 121–134). Netherlands: Kluwer Academic.
Kumar, P., & Kumar, A. (2003). Effect of a web-based project on preservice and inservice teachers’ attitude toward computers and their technology skills. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 19(3), 87–92.
Lim, E. M. (2013). The factors influencing young children’s social interaction in technology integration. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal,. doi:10.1080/1350293X.2013.810484.
Livingstone, S. (2012). Critical reflections on the benefits of ICT in education. Oxford Review of Education, 38(1), 9–24. doi:10.1080/03054985.2011.577938.
Loveless, A., & Dore, B. (Eds.). (2002). ICT in the primary school. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Ma, W., Anderson, R., & Streith, K. (2005). Examining user acceptance of computer technology: an empirical study of student teachers. Journal of Computer Assisted learning, 21(6), 387–395.
Minaidi, A., & Hlapanis, G. (2005). Pedagogical obstacles in teacher training in information and communication technology. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 14(2), 241–254. doi:10.1080/14759390500200204.
Morgan, A. (2010). Interactive whiteboards, interactivity and play in the classroom with children aged three to seven years. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(1), 93–104. doi:10.1080/13502930903520082.
Pelgrum, W. (2001). Obstacles to the integration of ICT in education: Results from a worldwide educational assessment. Computers & Education, 37(2), 163–178.
Petrogiannis, K. (2010). The relationship between perceived preparedness for computer use and other psychological constructs among kindergarten teachers with and without computer experience in Greece. Journal of Information Technology Impact, 10(2), 99–110.
Robinson, W. I. (2003). External and internal factors which predict teachers’ computer usage in K-12 classrooms. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University.
Saiti, A., & Saitis, C. (2006). In-service training for teachers who work in full-day schools. Evidence from Greece. European Journal of Teacher Education, 29(4), 455–470. doi:10.1080/02619760600944779.
Shade, D., & Davis, B. (1997). The role of computer technology in early childhood education. In J. Isenberg & M. Jalongo (Eds.), Major trends and issues in early childhood education (pp. 90–103). New York: Teachers College Press.
Shields, M., & Behrman, R. (2000). Children and computer technology: Analysis and recommendations. In R. E. Behrman (Ed.), Future of children (pp. 4–30). Los Altos: David and Lucille Packard Foundation.
Sime, D., & Priestley, M. (2005). Student teachers’ first reflections on information and communications technology and classroom learning: implications for initial teacher education. Journal of Computer Assisted learning, 21(2), 130–142.
Snoeyink, R., & Ertmer, P. A. (2001). Thrust into technology: How veteran teachers respond. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 30(1), 85–111.
Sorgo, A., Verckovnik, T., & Kocijancic, S. (2010). Information and communication technologies (ICT) in biology teaching in Slovenian secondary schools. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 6, 37–46.
Stephen, C., & Plowman, L. (2003). ‘Come back in two years!’ A study of the use of ICT in preschool settings. Dundee: Learning & Teaching Scotland. Retrieved June 8, 2008, from http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/earlyyears/resources/publications/ltscotland/ComeBackinTwoYears.asp.
Tao, Y.-H., & Rosa Yeh, C.-C. (2008). Typology of teacher perception toward distance education issues—A study of college information department teachers in Taiwan. Computers & Education, 50, 23–36. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2006.03.005.
Tondeur, J., van Braak, J., & Valcke, M. (2007). Towards a typology of computer use in primary education. Journal of Computer Assisted learning, 23, 197–206. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2006.00205.x.
Tsitouridou, M., & Vryzas, K. (2003). Early childhood teachers’ attitudes towards computer and information technology: The case of Greece. Information Technology in Childhood Education, 187–207.
Tsitouridou, M., & Vryzas, K. (2004). The prospect of integrating ICT into the education of young children: the views of Greek early childhood teachers. European Journal of Teacher Education, 27(1), 29–45.
van Braak, J., Tondeur, J., & Valcke, M. (2004). Explaining different types of computer use among primary school teachers. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 19, 407–422.
Willis, E. & Raines, P. (2001). Technology in secondary teacher education. Journal Online. Retrieved from http://www.thejournal.com/magazine
Yildirim, S. (2000). Effects of an educational computing course on preservice and inservice teachers: a discussion and analysis of attitudes and use. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32(4), 479–496.
Zaranis, N., & Oikonomidis, V. (2009). ICT in Preschool Education. Athens: Grigoris Publications (Text in Greek).
Zaranis, N., Oikonomidis, V., & Linardakis, M. (2014). Factors affecting the profile of Greek early childhood teachers towards ICT. Proceedings of the X International Symposium EUTIC 2014: The role of ICT in the design of informational and cognitive processes (pp. 693–702). CITI: Lisboa, Portugal.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Zaranis, N., Oikonomidis, V., Linardakis, M. (2017). Factors Affecting Greek Kindergarten Teachers to Support or Oppose ICT in Education. In: Anastasiades, P., Zaranis, N. (eds) Research on e-Learning and ICT in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-34127-9_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-34127-9_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-34125-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-34127-9
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)