Differences in ICT Usage Across Subject Areas

Many factors affect the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for teaching and learning in schools: policy and school leadership, physical and technological infrastructure, teachers’ practices and beliefs, curriculum and assessment, and professional development. The subject area, that has not been given as much attention in previous research studies, may be another factor that affects ICT usage for teaching and learning in schools. This article examines how subject areas at an elementary school in Singapore affect the use of ICT for teaching and learning. This mixed-method study suggests that the subject area is another factor that could affect the ICT usage rates in teaching and learning, vis-à-vis the contextual, infrastructure, and human factors. Multivariate analysis of variance with follow-up discriminant analysis and teachers’ interviews suggest that there are differences in ICT usage in subject areas and grade levels. Although several factors affect ICT usage, subject area is one other factor that also deserves our further exploration and attention.

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