World Applied Sciences Journal 18 (7): 939-944, 2012

ISSN 1818-4952
© IDOSI Publications, 2012
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2012.18.07.1243

Barriers to ITC Integration into Teachers’ Classroom Practices:

Lessons from a Case Study on Social Studies Teachers in Turkey

Serkan Unal and Ibrahim Hakki Ozturk

Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Education, Canakkale, Turkey

Abstract: This study analyses the difficulties and obstacles faced by teachers of social studies education while
using ICT-based teaching equipment and methods in their classes. Although ICT-based equipment and
methods create important opportunities for the development of teaching, the literature shows that the ICT
integration into teachers’ classroom practices is not at the desired level. The study aims to use case study
methods to analyze the reasons underlying this situation. Eighteen teachers of social studies education
participated in the study. Classroom observation and semi-structured interview were used as data collection
methods. According to the results of the study, the main barriers against the use of ICT-based methods and
equipment in teachers’ instructional practices are lack of ICT equipment in classrooms, lack of ICT-based
teaching resources, the effect of traditional approaches on teachers’ practices, inadequacies regarding
in-service teacher training and lack of time.

Key words: Social Studies Education Teachers’ practices Information and Communication Technologies
(ICT) Teacher Training Turkey

INTRODUCTION difficult to achieve a meaningful integration. The second-

order barriers relate to teachers' underlying beliefs about
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) teaching and learning, teacher-student roles, curricular
has been developing rapidly in recent years and opens emphases, assessment practices, etc. “Learning to use
new horizons in the field of education. There have been new technology tools and taking major steps to change
many significant developments in ICT-based teaching one's classroom practices will be a challenge for most
techniques and materials. Governments have been teachers. Yet if teachers are prepared to confront both
spending a significant amount of resources on ICT first- and second-order barriers, success will be more
equipment for schools. However, studies [1-5] show likely” [6, p.59].
that in both developed and developing countries, In his paper analyzing the scientific literature related
serious difficulties are being experienced during the to barriers to the successful integration of ICT in
integration of ICT-based techniques and approaches in instructional environments, Bingimlas [7] identifies two
education. main categories of barriers: teacher-level barriers and
The barriers to the integration of ICT into teaching school-level barriers. The major teacher-level barriers are
and learning environments have been discussed in many lack of teacher confidence, lack of teacher competence,
studies. Ertmer [6] divides the barriers into two main resistance to change and negative attitudes. The basic
categories: first-order and second-order barriers. school-level barriers are lack of time, lack of effective
First-order barriers refer to those obstacles concerning training, lack of accessibility to ICT-based resources and
essentially different types of resources (e.g., equipment, lack of technical support in classroom. There are
time, training, support), which are extrinsic to teachers. multifaceted relationships between the barriers and for a
Lack of adequate resources is a constraining barrier to successful integration of ICT into teaching and learning
any integration effort. If teachers do not have sufficient environments, all of these components must be taken into
equipment, time, training, or support, it will be very account in the process.

Corresponding Author: Ibrahim Hakki Ozturk, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Education, Canakkale, Turkey.
Tel: +905059151237, Fax: +902862180524.

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Some studies [7, 8] show that teachers are reluctant MATERIALS AND METHODS
to use ICT in their teaching activities and they indicate
that this is one of the main barriers to the integration of Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this article is to
ICT. However, according to Underwood and Dillon [9], analyze obstacles against the use of ICT-based teaching
while this negative portrayal of the teachers may be valid method equipment and materials in teachers’ classroom
in some cases, the results of longitudinal projects for the practices. Although the huge number of studies in the
integration of ICT show that teachers have a rather literature explore this issue, the difficulties being
positive attitude towards technological change. But the experienced for improving the ICT integration, show that
change of teachers’ attitudes and practices is not linear it is essential to continue to develop a better
and rapid. The integration of ICT into the classroom does understanding of the problem. The research was carried
not automatically bring about new forms of teaching and out at the primary school level and in the teaching of
learning. The change is rather a process of gradual social studies in Turkey. It aims to use a case study to
pedagogical evolution and it is brought about by a set of examine holistically the various impediments against
complex interacting influences. teachers’ development of ICT-based teaching practices.
Although there are different views in the literature on In other words, the main aim is not to state general
the attitudes of teachers towards the integration of ICT, descriptive information about the problem, but rather to
studies clearly state that the teachers’ beliefs about ICT analyze the different aspects of the problem in detail.
affect their attitudes and applications in this respect.
In the context of primary school teachers in China, Research Participants: Eighteen teachers of the social
Sang et al. [10, p.813-814] show that “ICT integration is studies education participated in the study. It was carried
influenced by the complex of teachers’ constructivist out in the province of Canakkale, which is in the western
teaching beliefs, ICT-related policy, computer motivation part of Turkey. Official permission necessary for the study
and computer attitudes in education” and “successful ICT was obtained from the provincial directorate of national
integration is clearly related to the thinking processes of education in Canakkale. The principals and teachers at the
classroom teachers, such as teacher beliefs, motivation examined schools were informed about the study.
and teacher attitudes toward ICT”. Finally, eighteen voluntary teachers were selected to
Important steps have been taken to encourage the participate in the study.
development of ICT equipment and ICT-based teaching In selection of teachers, their gender and years of
and learning in Turkish schools. However, some studies experience were taken into consideration. Teachers from
[11-13] show that there are serious problems in the different age groups and years of experience were chosen.
integration of ICT into classroom practices. Despite Nine of the participants were male and nine of them were
improvements in the level of ICT equipment in Turkish female. Six of the teachers have 1-10 years of experience,
schools in recent years, most teachers do not use or rarely eight of them have 11-20 years of experience and four of
use ICT devices in their lessons. them have more than twenty years of professional
Studies which analyze the barriers to the integration experience. The study took place in the central city and
of ICT show that the obstacles in Turkey are similar to two towns and three villages in Canakkale. Six of the
those in other countries. The inadequacy of ICT participants work in the centre, nine of them work in
equipment at schools and particularly in classrooms is towns and three of them work in villages. The study
the most important of these obstacles [11, 12, 14, 15]. followed teachers in fourteen different schools.
The other primary obstacle is the lack of teachers’
knowledge and skills to use ICT-based teaching methods Method: Semi-structured interview and classroom
[13, 16, 17, 18]. Another obstacle which is frequently observation were used to collect data for the study.
mentioned in the literature is the inadequate ICT The data was collected in the spring term of the 2010-2011
integration in pre-service and in-service teacher education school year. The researchers did not interfere any way
[11, 14, 15, 16]. Other important obstacles are the with the teaching during the observations, because the
difficulties to access the ICT-based teaching software and aim was to observe the natural behavior of the teacher
materials [12], lack of time to develop ICT-based teaching and students. The observations took place in 6 th, 7 th and
materials [15, 17] and the lack of technical staff to help 8 th grade social studies classrooms. Each teacher was
teachers [11]. observed for three class hours.

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After the observation, the researchers interviewed the shared ICT classrooms or laboratories, they cannot use
participants. A semi-structured interview form developed ICT facilities as much as they want and there are even
by the researchers was used for this study. The questions conflicts among teachers.
were asked orally to the participants and their answers Other problems related to ICT equipment also were
were recorded in writing. Extra questions not in the form observed. The Internet connection does not exist in the
were asked when necessary to understand participants’ classrooms in most of the schools where the study was
opinions in detail. carried out. This is one of the most important obstacles
The topic of the research is not limited to the against the use of web-based methods and materials for
integration of ICT into teachers’ practices. By analyzing in-class teaching practices. The other important obstacle
the data collected, researchers hoped to understand the is that ICT equipment in classrooms is old; therefore there
problems faced in the use of innovative teaching methods are inadequacies and breakdowns. Most of the teachers
and materials in general. In this paper, out of the whole participating emphasized such problems.
data collected in the research, only the part related to the
integration of ICT was analyzed. Lack of the ICT-Based Teaching Resources: Within the
scope of this study, it has been observed that the support
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION to teachers by school managers and other authorities is
very limited in terms of ICT-based teaching resources and
Lack of ICT Equipment in Classrooms: The findings of materials. Similarly, the resources obtained from expert
this study show that the facilities of ICT equipment at institutions or bought from professional producers are
schools and particularly in classrooms environment, extremely rare.
significantly affect the use of ICT-based methods and Teachers who use ICT resources in their classes
materials by teachers in their teaching practices. This receive most of their resources from other teachers.
result supports the studies [4, 11, 13, 15, 19] which Teacher resource-sharing websites play a crucial role in
show that issues related to ICT equipment is the most the transmission of ICT resources. All of the participant
important determiner of integration of ICT into teaching teachers who use ICT resources in their classes stated
practice. that they benefit from these websites. This situation is
There are ICT equipment (computer and projector) positive because it facilitates resource sharing among
in eighteen of the participant teachers’ classrooms while teachers. Ultimately, cooperation and collaboration among
there is not any ICT equipment in six of the classrooms. teachers are important factors for a successful integration
There are other types of ICT equipment in schools where of ICT to learning environment [20].
there are not any ICT equipment in the classrooms However, this situation brings some problems in
environment. This equipment includes computer terms of the quality of resources. It has been observed
laboratories, shared classrooms where there are ICT that most of the teaching materials used by the participant
equipment, portable computers and projectors, etc. teachers were provided from resource-sharing websites
Most of the teachers observed in this study, who and many of them were rather inadequate in both content
have ICT equipment in their classrooms, use ICT-based and teaching methods. Nearly all of these were
methods and materials in their lessons. It was observed PowerPoint presentations. Their contents included mostly
that 8 of the 12 teachers who have ICT facilities in their factual information about the topic, but there is no much
classrooms use them very frequently in their lessons. teaching activities reflecting the innovative and
During the interviews the other 4 teachers stated that they constructivist approaches. Otherwise, their visual
used ICT equipment occasionally in their classes. As a qualities are generally very poor.
result, it can be concluded that the presence of ICT The ICT-based teaching materials used in observed
facilities in the classrooms effectively promote teachers’ classrooms in this study do not much include the
use of ICT in their lessons. However, it was observed that innovative teaching methods offered by ICT. For
six teachers who do not have ICT equipment in their instance, ICT tools provide important innovations for the
classrooms do not benefit much in their lessons from the use of maps in social studies education, particularly in the
ICT facilities of their schools. Studies [4, 11] indicate that themes related to history and geography [21]. Interactive
in cases where there is not enough ICT equipment in and animated maps are particularly beneficial [22, 23].
classrooms and where teachers only have access to In classrooms observed within the scope of the study,

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teachers did not use resources and materials including lesson presentations used by participant teachers
interactive and animated maps. All of the ICT-based maps included informative and visual documents related to the
used by the teachers were two-dimensional maps or class subject. Ample similar knowledge already exists in
images scanned from printed materials. In other words, course books and other printed class materials, however.
digital maps used in the classes did not reflect the Therefore, the only contribution of ICT-based materials in
innovative potential provided by ICT. participant teachers’ practices is that it provides more
Walsh [24, p.4] state that “information technology is visual documents compared to printed examples.
of no value in itself or by itself”. The potential of the Although this is positive, it is still a limited contribution
ICT-based resources depends on their innovative when the vast development of ICT-based methods and
qualities regarding teaching methods and content approaches in recent years is taken into consideration.
knowledge. The ICT-based resources used by the In general, participant teachers are not enough
teachers observed in this study are not adequate in terms knowledgeable about innovative ICT-based instructional
of pedagogic approach, content knowledge or methods and practices. Therefore, the use of ICT-based
technological design. The lack of innovative and quality equipment by teachers does not create a fundamental
teaching resources is a very important obstacle against change in their teaching approaches and practices.
the effective and productive integration of ICT into The study carried out by Usluel et al. [13] show that
teachers’ classroom practices. teachers in Turkey perceive the use of ICT positively but
they are not competent enough to implement ICT-based
Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices; Effects of Traditional methods to their full potential. Teachers generally use
Approaches: As stated above, most of the participant software programs like PowerPoint to prepare class
presentations. On the contrary, they rarely use teaching
teachers who have ICT facilities in their classrooms
software programs or innovative ICT-based methods and
(eight out of twelve) use them frequently. Additionally,
materials [18, 25].
the teachers who could not use ICT-based teaching
This problem has been observed in studies carried
methods due to the lack of adequate equipment have
out in other countries. In his research on Australian case,
positive attitudes towards ICT-based teaching. Most of
Hayes [19, p.394] states that teachers generally use ICT to
those teachers described the lack of ICT equipment in the
replicate comparable tasks completed without ICT and
classrooms as an important deficiency and the teachers
“when ICT is simply substituted for these other
stated that they would use them if they had them.
technologies, the results are often unsatisfying for both
They also believed that using ICT would contribute
teachers and students because of the limited availability
greatly to their teaching. As a result, it can be stated that
and varying functionality of ICT.” Demetriadis et al.
participant teachers, in this study, have generally positive
[26, p.29] show, in Greek case, that teachers express
attitudes towards using ICT methods and materials in
considerable interest in using technology in their teaching
their classroom.
practices, but they mostly adopt “a kind of ICT supported
However, this does not mean that traditional teacher-centered teaching; an adaptation of ICT tools to
approaches and practices do not have an effect on the traditional mode of school teaching directly connected
teachers’ ICT-based teaching activities. The participant to established teacher’s conceptions of how students
teachers’ answers to the interview questions about the should learn.”
function of ICT in their classes reflect their belief that the
function of ICT-based materials is mostly limited to the Problems Related to Teachers’ In-service Training:
visual aspect of the lesson. Almost all the teachers who The fact that teachers are not enough knowledgeable
expressed their opinions about the function of ICT stated about innovative ICT-based methods and approaches
that the use of ICT in the lessons “prospers the lesson brings up problems related to teacher training. Only one
visually” and “increases students’ interests in the third of participant teachers (six teachers) stated that they
lessons.” Apart from that, teachers’ opinions barely focus received in-service training about ICT. The other twelve
on the innovative and student centered methods and teachers did not have any professional formation about
approaches provided by ICT. ICT.
Teachers’ perceptions of using ICT in the lessons are Another related problem is that the training given
also parallel to the quality of materials they use. As about ICT is mostly for general knowledge and skills.
stressed above, the content of most of the ICT-based Interviewed teachers state that the in-service training they

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received did not include generally ICT-based methods classes. However, due to the fact that innovative ICT-
and approaches for teaching social studies. Within the based methods and materials are not used, the use of ICT
scope of in-service training only general skills of using in classes does not provide adequate contribution to the
ICT equipment were emphasized, without relating them improvement of teaching and learning environment.
with teaching methods and content knowledge. Another important cause of ineffective ICT use is
inadequate teacher training. There are problems related to
Problems Related to Lack of Time: The results of the the extensiveness and quality of teacher training
study reveal that problems related to lack of time is programs. Finally, problems related to lack of time impede
another obstacle against the use of ICT-based methods the integration of ICT into teachers’ classroom practices.
and materials. During the interviews with the participant
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