ICT SUPPORT AND ICT USE IN ROMANIAN SECONDARY EDUCATION

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT's) is a mandatory task for all teachers working in Romanian secondary education. Teachers have to use ICT during computer science classes, but also as an instrument to develop other subjects. However, despite the investments oriented towards increasing ICT access and ICT teachers training, the use of technology during the educational activities is not as high as expected. Therefore, analyses focusing on factors that influence the ICT use in education are required. This paper aims to identify the role played by the ICT support on the ICT use in secondary schools. The study involved 282 teachers from lower secondary (N=125) and upper secondary (N=157) schools. The analysis took into account the peers support, school's manager support, school's inspectorate support and ICT coordinator support. The results indicate that the main support structure that enhances the ICT use is the peer support. Romanian secondary teachers who work in schools where teachers use ICT, discuss about ICT and look for new ways of integrating technology during the activities are those who use more ICT's and report about the benefits. The ICT access is no longer a major issue for secondary school teachers but further studies must take a step further and analyze teachers' ICT beliefs, their ICT experiences and other factors which may impact on the ICT use. While discussing about the ICT coordinator' support, the results revealed higher levels of encouragement received from the Information and Communication Technology Coordinator.