RESEARCH PLAN

RESEARCH PLAN
ROLE OF HEADTEACHER IN INTEGRATING ICT IN EDUCATION
INTRODUCTION
Statement of Problem
This study aims to contribute to the restructuring of the research field of ICT in education from the perspective of the HEAD TEACHER as a focal point to integrate ICT in Education. The main research task of this study will be to describe the paradigms that structure the effective role of Head Teacher in ICT integration in school.
My study will be with a purpose that an effective agent for change in the context of school for ICT integration is the school PRINCIPAL, as without his role proper integration of ICT is impossible. In this research, I will try to probe that the school principal can have a significant impact on the integration of ICT and he/she can play a ground-breaking role in this regard. This research aims to explore the leadership role in ICT implementation based on the data, would be gathered during the study.
Rationale
There are certain reasons that convinced me to conduct this study. Among them following are some main reasons.
1. Teachers or student-initiated ICT projects have been undermined by lack of support from Principals, which I have myself observed in one of the schools in Northern Areas because the Head Teacher was not aware of ICT. For the effectiveness and sustainability of ICT integration, head teachers themselves should be aware in the use of technology, and they should have a broad understanding of the technical, curricular and social dimensions of ICT use in Education, then Leadership will be able to play an effective role in ICT integration in education. I want to probe, its existence on a real ground as in my context the integration of ICT is on its initial stages. Proper and effective preparation for this change is very much necessary. I want to replicate the best practices among the head teachers of Northern Areas as a facilitator.
2. The head teachers’ approach consists mainly of the desire to achieve a certain number of computers (or other kinds of equipment) to students. It sees the sheer existence of technology as progress and as an important aim, and focuses on the quantity and quality of equipment. It does not refer to any other possible aim. This is the approach that usually characterizes head teachers and principals. But, I want to show a different facet of this approach so that leaders could be aware of their positive role in this regard.
Significance of the Study
This study initially will help ‘me’ to understand the issues and strategies to solve them as a facilitator for head teachers, which will contribute to improve my leadership practices in future, keeping my own context of Northern Areas in mind, as integration of ICT is an emerging trend and demand in our area. It will also help to bring the issues related to leadership and management to the forefront. These findings will help management and head teachers to make leadership process smooth in developing schools.
Literature Review
Crawford (1997) has very artistically defined ICT which are very much self explanatory as he says; ICT is a powerful tool, an interesting, patient and responsive teacher, makes learning easier and more attractive, a pupil-centered, independent and flexible learning, gives access to on-line learning resources, promotes sharing and collaboration, promotes diversity, blind to gender, race, age and disability, BUT if not taken the benefit of ICT in its real sense all this theoretical ideas will remain the contents of books and articles.
A study (Balanskat & Blamire, 2007) shows that 86% of teachers state that pupils are more motivated and attentive when computers and the internet are used in class.
Keeping all above facts in mind, I can simply say that technology cannot be integrated into classroom overnight. Technology integration includes different stages. Despite the increasing presence of ICT hardware and software in schools and numerous workshops and training on ICT skill for teachers, the consistent integration of ICT into regular classroom is still a far cry from reality (CEO Forum, 2000). A study found huge variations in ICT usage from classroom to classroom and from school to school (Meredyth, Russell, Blackwood, Thomas, & Wise, 1999).
In my opinion to COPE WITH this situation a head teacher’s role is very much pivotal and he/she can play a very important role in this regard. As it has already been proved through different researches that effective involvement of head teacher in ICT integrating in schools has brought better outcomes. During the 1980s, Hall, Rutherford, Hord, and Huling (1984) found that the interventions used by change facilitators such as principals could be grouped by functions; these included "developing supportive organizational arrangements," "training," "monitoring and evaluating," and "providing consultation and reinforcement."
Literature review further clarifies that principals are the main sources of intervention (Schiller, 2003) in terms of ICT integration. Research shows that the principal expect their staff to use ICT in teaching and learning, and they visit classrooms to observe ICT use and discuss integration strategies with teachers (Schiller, 2003).
The studies of Schiller (1991) & Schiller (2000) highlight the key roles of school principals in helping their staff better use of computers to enhance teaching and learning and to assist with administration and management. While another research of Allan, Yuen, Nancy, & Wong (2003) indicates that to ensure the success in integration of ICT in school, cooperation between school leadership and teachers is essential.
Finally, the area which, I am intending to explore is not that much explored yet as Schiller J. (2003) also mentions and refers that;
‘apart from a few books (Maurer & Davidson, 1998; Picciano, 1998), occasional articles that point principals to more effective uses of technology (Hoffman, 1996; Slowinski, 2000), and small-scale studies that demonstrate the impact of ICT on the ways in which principals work (Gurr, 2001), the ICT literature has largely ignored the role of the principal (Michael, 1998). This omission is odd given that substantial literature on school effectiveness and improvement (Fullan, 1996; Hall & Hord, 2001; Hallinger & Heck, 1996) identifies the leadership of the principal as a key factor in bringing about change’.


Research Question/s
I intend to explore this phenomenon in search of the answer of main research question, “What is the role of Head teacher to promote ICT integration in School, while its subsidiary questions are; what is the understanding of Head teacher about ICT integration; what are the opportunities provided to teachers and students by the school; what are the limitations to integrate ICT in school and what are the existing ICT teaching practices?
RESEARCH DESIGN
Methodology
I intend to choose the qualitative research paradigm and prescriptive method (Anderson, 1998) for my study. It will address my research question which requires studying head teacher’s role in integrating ICT in education. I desire to explore the phenomenon by closely observing the practices, analyzing documents and interviewing to find out my concern and it could only be possible in the actual setting or situation. As Maykut & Morehouse (1994) say that, “Qualitative research emphasis on understanding through looking closely at people, words, actions and records” (p.17). Thus the qualitative research paradigm would help me to get an in-depth understanding of the issue.
Within the qualitative paradigm I will take-up case study method and specifically Particularistic approach (Merriam, 1998), because it will provide a deeper insight and understanding of the phenomenon. This study requires an empirical inquiry to investigate as Yin (1994) also cites in Merriam, “a case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clear evident” (p.27).
Research Place
I intend to conduct this research in a private school in Karachi.
Research Participants
The intended research participants of this study will be non-probability or purposeful samples (Merriam, 1998). The primary source of this study will be a head teacher as a typical sample of a private school, while the ICT facilitator as a unique sample and two other teachers as maximum variation samples will be my secondary sources (Merriam).
Data Generation Tools
For data collection, I will use interview, observation and document analysis. I will use semi-structured interviews, as they will give me the opportunity to probe and expand the respondent’s responses (Hetchcock & Hughes, 1995). Semi-structured interviews are flexible in which the sequence of questions can be altered.
I intend to conduct non-participant observation as Fraenkel & Wallen (2006) mention that in this kind of observation the researcher sits on the sideline and does not disturb the routine activities of the research participants, “but simply observes and records what happens as thing naturally occur” (p.451)
Intended Data analysis procedures
I intend to systematically search and arrange the data - interviews and observations - (Bogdan, 1998) by breaking them into manageable units and by assigning codes for analysis during data collection in the field as well as after data collection.
Apart from coding system, maybe I will be using computer software CAQDAS (Seror, 2005) as it has been (I never used CAQDAS, but I am confident that my computer expertise will enable me to acquire the required knowledge by getting help from an expert of this software) suggested by different researchers.
Ethical Consideration
As it is an academic or educational setting research, I have to consider and be aware of the ethics as “Ethics in research are the principles of right and wrong that a particular group accepts” (Bogdan and Biklen, 1998, p.49). So, I will seek permission of the people who I will be studying to conduct research involving them. I will not do anything that would cause physical or emotional harm to my research participants. I will make sure that my own personal biases and opinions do not get in the way of my research. I will conduct interviews and observations under the assumption that I will keep this data and my findings anonymous. I will be reporting research findings accurately representing what I observed or what I was told.
Limitations in the Study
The selection of the case study design naturally brings many limitations as far as the generalization of the result of the study is concerned. However, by understanding something about this particular case more in depth, we might eventually also learn something about more general phenomena. The findings of this study will not be generalized on the whole population because the study will be limited to one school only.
REFERENCES
Alan, H.K., Law, Nancy, & Wong, K.C. (2003). ICT implementation and school leadership: Case studies of ICT integration in teaching and learning. Journal of Educational Administration. 41(2). 158-170.
Anderson, G. (1999). Fundamentals of Educational Research (2nd. ed.).London: Falmeer Press.
Balanskat, A. & Blamire, R. (2007). ICT in schools: Trends, innovations and issues in 2006-2007. European Schoolnet. V.1.1
Baskin, C. (2006). ICT integration in schools: Where are we now and what comes next? Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 22(4), 455-473
Bogdan, R.C. (1998). Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods (3rd ed.).Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Bogdan, R.C., & Biklen, S.K., (1998). Qualitative Research for Education: An introduction to theory and methods. (3rd. ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
CEO Forum. (2000). The power of digital learning: Integrating digital content. CEO Forum School Technology and Readiness. Year 3 Report. Retrieved January 16, 2008 from http://www.technologysource.org/view=article&id=243
Crawford, R. (1997). Managing Information Technology in Secondary Schools. London: Routledge.
Gurr, D. (2001). Principals, Technology, and Change. The Technology Source. 21(1), 12-22
Hall, G.E., Rutherford, W. L., Hord, S. M., & Hulling, L. L. (1984). Effects of three principal styles on school improvement. Educational Leadership. 41(5). 22-29
Haughey, M. (2006). The impact of computers on the work of the principal: changing discourses on talk, leadership and professionalism. School Leadership and Management. 26(1). 23-36
Hitchcock. G. & Hughes, D. (1995). Research and the Teacher (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
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Meredyth, D., Russel, N., Blackwood, L., Thomas, J., & Wise, P. (1999) Real time: Computers, change and schooling. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Retrieved January 13, 2008, from http://www.detya.gov.au/archive/schools/publications/1999/realtime.pdf
Merriam, S.B. (1998) Qualitative Research and Case Study Application in Education. (Rev. ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Schiller, J. (1991). Implementing computer education: The role of the primary principal. Australian Journal of Educational Technology. 7(1). 48-69
Schiller, J. (2003). The Elementary School Principal as a Change Facilitator in ICT Integration. The Technology Source. 26(1). 12-22
Seror, J. (2005). Computers and qualitative data analysis: Paper, pens and highlighters vs. Screen, Mouse and Keyboard. TESOL Quarterly. 39(2). 321-328
Tomei. L.A. (2003). Challenges of Teaching with technology Across the Curriculum: Issues and Solutions. USA: IRM Press.