Teachers' Perceptions of Factors Affecting the Successful Teaching of ICT

358 Pages·2017·3.69 MB·English

Teachers’ Perceptions of Factors Affecting the
Successful Teaching of ICT

by

Ms Christine A McLachlan
BIS, BCom (Hon)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Deakin University

February 2017

Acknowledgements
This thesis is dedicated to all those who believed in me, even before I believed in
myself, to list them all would take a PhD. If it were not for the encouragement
from so many, I would never have persisted. Prior to starting the PhD journey, I
asked many for their opinion and received comments on the grounds of “Go for it,
Girl.” Even with this level of encouragement, I still felt unfit for the task.
Completion came as a huge surprise, with the path extremely long, arduous, time-
consuming, and enduring multiple interruptions. On at least two occasions, I
wanted to quit. I still think that I was crazy to undertake such a pilgrimage.
The first and probably the most important to thank are my supervisors (and
mentors), Annemieke and Jo, whose duty it was to guide and encourage me. I
cannot say how many times I felt lost and confused and became off track. They
gently, although, with a very firm hand, guided me back on.
Equally important, I wish to thank my children, Rorie, Kathleen and Aimee-
Lauren, who, over the years, have had to adjust to schedule changes, undone
housework, quick meals, and rushed mornings. I also acknowledge other family
members and all of our beloved pets, among whom, Anastasia and Midnight’s
prized company endured most of the path, but sadly did not make it to the end.
Next, I thank my various work colleagues and the boss, Dirk, who have supported
and encouraged me through not only this journey but through my many life’s
hicups and daily struggles. Additionally, I wish to thank the many acquaintances
of mine at the various activities I am involved. These include other Deakin staff,
fellow HDR students, and church parishioners for their general enquiries,
comments and assistance. Finally, I would like to thank all of the participants.
You may ask, well what have I learnt on this adventure. To start with there is
diligence and perseverance, multitasking, working independently, problem-
solving, skill sharing, and honing research skills. Accompanied closely behind
these are time management, staying on task, and the fine art of procrastination.
Am I any smarter for undertaking this journey? Only time will tell? A mirror
above my desk at home notes:
“I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m an expert at it.”
Teachers' perceptions of factors affecting the successful teaching of ICT
Poem

Be not afraid
Do not dwell in the past
Yesterday is only a memory
Concentrate on the present
Experience mind moments today
Think, learn, grow, and practice
Find truth, power, and wisdom
Tomorrow is but today’s dream
Experience the now
But
Dream of the future

Christine McLachlan 2014
Teachers' perceptions of factors affecting the successful teaching of ICT
Publications During this Research

McLachlan, CA, Craig, A & Coldwell-Neilson, J 2016, ‘Students’ Computing
Use and Study: When More is Less’, Australasian Journal of Information
Systems, vol. 20, pp. 17.

McLachlan, CA, Craig, A & Coldwell, J 2010, ‘Student Perceptions of ICT: A
Gendered Analysis’, in T Clear & J Hamer (eds), Twelfth Australasian Computing
Education Conference (ACE2010), Brisbane, Australia, vol. 103, pp. 127-36.

Presentations During this Research

McLachlan, CA, Craig, A & Coldwell, J 2011, ‘The Delivery and Impact of ICT
Curricula in secondary schools’, presented at Australasian Computer Education
Conference Doctoral Consortium 17 January 2011, Australasian Computer
Science Week, 17-20 January, Perth, WA.

Teachers' perceptions of factors affecting the successful teaching of ICT