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The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010.

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Other Authors: Cronje, Johannes Christoffel
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Cronje, Johannes Christoffel
author_browse Cronje, Johannes Christoffel
author_facet Cronje, Johannes Christoffel
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2009 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Pages 241-246 are withheld by request of the author.
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:54.964Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/24869 The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools Cronje, Johannes Christoffel maryreynolds@telkomsa.net Reynolds, Mary Elizabeth Information and communication technology (ICT) Secondary school teachers Icts UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. This qualitative case study explores how secondary school teachers innovate in the face of complex simultaneous and ongoing mandated changes and in particular, how they innovate with ICTs. The study argues that by understanding the whole-school context, the integration of ICTs can be better understood. The research setting is a complex independent, monastic secondary school in South Africa. Rather than select exemplary projects which are the usual focus of ICT research, the school was chosen for its combination of highly developed ICT infrastructure, but relative lack of exemplary achievement with ICTs. Using Sherry and Gibson’s (2005) terminology – convergence, mutuality and extensiveness – derived from their sustainability research, this study investigates the interplay of contextual factors that affects teachers’ ability to innovate in their practice, focussing on process innovation and arguing from a complexity and innovation theory point of view. Contextual factors were identified broadly as organisational factors, collegial and professional relationship factors, and ICT factors. Although all teachers were willing to innovate in practice, particularly in response to radical mandated curricular change and an inclusive philosophy, it was found that contextual factors have differing effects on their individual ability to innovate. The study identifies patterns in which not only positive factors converge, but negative factors (termed disconvergent factors) also converge. Collegial and professional relationship factors affect the diffusion or extension of innovation. These are limited by a lack or under-exploitation of lateral communication means. The study concludes that the effects of context are unique to each individual teacher and that their professional learning trajectory needs to be scaffolded and personalised. Both ICT-based and collaborative opportunities should be provided in support of a professional learning community to address the need to diffuse innovation laterally and to enable sharing that will reduce current overload and stress levels. Science, Mathematics and Technology Education unrestricted 2013-09-06T18:37:30Z 2010-05-24 2013-09-06T18:37:30Z 2010-04-29 2010-05-24 2010-05-22 Thesis Reynolds, ME 2009, The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24869 > D10/279/ag http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24869 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05222010-164715/ © 2009 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Pages 241-246 are withheld by request of the author. application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Information and communication technology (ICT)
Secondary school teachers
Icts
UCTD
The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
title The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
title_full The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
title_fullStr The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
title_full_unstemmed The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
title_short The effect of context on teachers’ ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
title_sort effect of context on teachers ability to innovate with information and communication technologies in secondary schools
topic Information and communication technology (ICT)
Secondary school teachers
Icts
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24869
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05222010-164715/