Laptops for Teachers: An evaluation of the TELA scheme in Auckland schools

1. Introduction to TELA, the policy context and the evaluation

In this first chapter of the report we briefly describe the TELA scheme before considering the strategic and operational policy contexts within which the scheme was both developed and implemented. This policy environment has shifted considerably since the scheme was first introduced. Where appropriate, references to relevant literature have been included. We also briefly outline our approach to the evaluation.

The TELA scheme

The Laptops for Teachers (TELA) initiative began with the provision of laptops to Secondary School teachers in 2002 (STELA).The scheme was then extended to teachers of Years seven and eight in the 2003/2004 Budget and Years four to six in 2004/2005.Years one to three teachers became eligible as of the 1st of July, 2005.Therefore, all permanent full-time and part-time teachers (at least 50% full-time equivalent (FTE)) in state and integrated schools became eligible for a laptop under the TELA scheme.

The TELA scheme was implemented in recognition of “the value of the laptop as a teaching tool” (Ministry of Education, 2005a, p.4). The objective of the scheme was:

"to encourage teachers to develop greater confidence and competence in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), so that they increase their use of ICT for teaching and learning, class management and administration."

A key objective for the Ministry, therefore, was the increased confidence and competence of classroom teachers in the use of ICT in all aspects of their professional lives. The implication here, and the view taken in this evaluation, is that one aspect of successful impact of the laptops could be to increase the use of other digital technologies,¹ such as desktop computers and peripherals (smart-boards, cameras, iPODS etc).

More specifically, the goals of the scheme, as outlined in the Request for Proposal for case study research, were, firstly, to enable teachers to:

1. develop new ICT skills
2. access online professional development and support
3. create and access quality curriculum and assessment resources.

The subset of goals was to provide schools with:

1. an additional resource to support their ICT development programme
2. an opportunity to motivate teachers who have yet to engage with ICT
3. a tool for professional development initiatives.

The strategic policy context

The broader strategic policy context within which the TELA scheme sits is a constantly evolving one, which has had, at best, mixed success in terms of its implementation. The TELA scheme was launched under the umbrella digital policy of the time: Digital Horizons – Learning through ICT. (Ministry of Education, 2002).This strategic policy focused on the challenge of integrating ICT more fully into the curriculum. It superseded the 1998 strategic policy, Interactive Education: An Information and Communication Technologies Strategy (Ministry of Education, 1998), which had focused on building infrastructure and school capability. Arguably, if one considers the implementation of both, the aims of the earlier strategy have been achieved (for evidence of levels of infrastructure and professional development see Johnson, Kazakov & Svehla, 2005; Sullivan & Anso, 2000).

Whether either has been truly effective in terms of impacting on the classroom experiences of students and the learning that occurs, the desired outcomes of the second strategy, remains a moot point at best. A number of international, and New Zealand, studies suggest that the integration of ICT into classrooms, into pedagogical practices, has not yet been achieved to any real extent (Becker, 2001; Cox et al 2003a, 2003b; Hayes 2007; Lai et al 2001; Ward & Parr, 2010).A comment by Shakeshaft (1999, p.4), although made some time ago, would still seem to be relevant in many schools: “just because ICT is present does not mean that students are using it”. The reality is that in many instances digital technologies still seem to have barely begun to “dent the daily routines of classrooms” (Loveless, 1996, p. 448).

More recently, an e-Learning action plan entitled Enabling the 21^st Century Learner (Ministry of Education, 2006) was developed. This action plan shifted the focus of ICT integration further towards notions of 21^st century learning and a learner-centred education system. In this action plan e-learning is defined as “learning and teaching that is facilitated by or supported through the smart use of information and communication technologies” (p.2).Very clear statements are made linking e-learning with educational reform.

These three strategic policy documents have all informed a number of initiatives that have been introduced by the Ministry over the past decade including the TELA scheme. These are briefly described in the following section.

Operational policy

In 2005 the Ministry of Education distributed a booklet outlining all initiatives designed to facilitate 21^st century learning in early childhood education centres, schools and tertiary institutions (Ministry of Education, 2005b). These initiatives were grouped into three categories: confidence and capability, content and connectivity. Within the first category, confidence and capability, were 17 initiatives, the majority of which were professional learning websites related to a range of topics and content areas. Only two initiatives were primarily focused on raising capability in the area of digital technologies.

The second category, content, again contained primarily professional resources stored in an electronic medium. The TELA scheme lies within the third category, connectivity, which contained ten initiatives.

The purpose of these initiatives is to provide teachers with the necessary resources to change the experiences of their students should they wish to do so. They do not directly promote educational reform nor do they make explicit how to implement 21^st century learning – or even what that really looks like. A leap of faith is required, whereby teachers are able and willing to implement the vision that underpins these initiatives. One of the key foci, in the latter part of this evaluation, was to consider the extent to which this vision had been implemented and under what constraints.

It is within this policy environment that the evaluation of the TELA initiative, described in this report, was largely undertaken. Indeed, as the subsequent methodological chapter explains, the nature of the evaluation shifted in 2007 to reflect this changing policy context.

It is important to note here that this evaluation occurred within primary schools. Other evaluations, such as those of the ICTPD contracts (Information and Communication Technologies Professional Development) suggest primary schools are more receptive than secondary to the pedagogical innovation possible through the integration of digital technologies into the classroom (Ham, 2008). It is also important to note that what is deemed an innovative use of digital technologies in one setting may not be so in another (Grünbaum, Pederson & Nielsen, 2004).

The evaluation²

This evaluation was part of a wider programme of evaluation/research undertaken on the provision of laptops to teachers. Waikato University and the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) have undertaken longitudinal research into the experiences of both secondary and primary school teachers with regard to their laptops. Their work has included baseline and annual surveys, focus groups of teachers and case studies of use. In addition, Otago University has completed case study research.

The purpose of the evaluation, or discrete case study research, undertaken in the study described in this report was to look more closely at teachers’ actual practice and the interplay of teachers’ laptop use with other school factors.

The Ministry in tendering this work wanted to know how the provision of laptops for teachers impacted on teachers’ professional practices and student learning. At the time of the tender process, three key themes had emerged from the TELA initiative relating to an overall objective of strong teaching practices and enhanced student learning. These were:

• professional growth and collaboration opportunities
• access to, and creation of, quality ICT-based teaching, learning and assessment resources
• effective lesson planning, preparation and administration.

This material was the starting point for the design of the case-study research/evaluation discussed in this report. As is explained subsequently in the methodology, the nature of the study changed over time.