Recommending a way to create the climate to integrate technology in a school setting in Aleppo, Syria

Abstract

The twenty-first century confronts its citizenship with new choices, opportunities, and challenges due to the universal presence of technology in all spheres of life, especially in education. Technology made a shift in the academic field and created new possibilities that shook the traditional teaching and learning paradigms; teachers and trainers are confronted by challenges that range from the acquisition of skill and literacy in the usage of technology to the delivery of the necessary tools that will guide students to become knowledge creators and users. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the readiness of the Syrian teachers in private schools toward ICT integration in education and to make recommendations for the effective reach of the innovation. A descriptive survey was utilized in three purposively sampled schools to review the infrastructure on technology integration, cultural perceptions (attitude and belief), computer competence, computer access, and demographic variables (including computer training background). A qualitative method was employed to collect data on the population of teachers in the city of Aleppo. A questionnaire was developed and was distributed to teachers selected from the population. The questionnaire stage was followed by in-depth phone interviews with a purposeful sample of 3 principals. In light of the questionnaire findings, results were analyzed and a technology integration improvement plan was recommended to empower and encourage ICT integration into the instructional repertoires.