WHY DO TEACHERS EDUCATORS NOT PRACTICE WHAT THEY BELIEVE: ICT INTEGRATION GAPS

Abstract

Research findings indicate that teachers' beliefs play an important role in their deciding how they will integrate technology into the classroom. The author used qualitative research methods to explore the relations between teachers' pedagogical beliefs and technology integration. Participants were 12 Taiwanese high school teachers, and findings indicated inconsistency between the teachers' expressed beliefs and their practices. The author categorized the reasons for the inconsistency into 3 interrelated aspects: (a) the influence of external factors, (b) teachers' limited or improper theoretical understanding, and (c) teachers' other conflicting beliefs. The author presents suggestions for school settings, professional development, and future research.