Perceived benefits and barriers to the use of high-speed broadband in Ireland's second-level schools

Abstract

As part of Ireland's National Digital Strategy, high-speed broadband is being rolled out to all second-level schools to support greater use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education. This programme signals a move from slow and unreliable broadband connections for many schools to a guaranteed high-speed connection with technical support. Theoretically, this should allow for behaviours and pedagogies to adapt, incorporating ICT into education. Research shows that integrating ICT into teaching and learning is a gradual process for most teachers and is influenced by a complex mix of socio-technical factors. Our data set consists of survey data from teachers and principals from a sample of second-level schools. The survey collected factual and attitudinal variables including attitudes towards ICT integration, current availability of infrastructure and barriers to ICT use, before schools received high-speed broadband connectivity. We examine the factors influencing teachers’ attitudes to ICT and their perceived barriers in adopting new technologies in their day-to-day teaching. Analysis of this baseline period is essential in an iterative digital strategy, informing future strategies, targeting policy most effectively and achieving policy objectives. While attitudes towards the potential of high-speed broadband and use of ICT are consistently positive across sub groups of schools and teachers, perceived barriers to ICT usage differ.

Keywords:

• high-speed broadband
• ICT barriers
• second-level education
• student learning
• ICT integration

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the support received from Amárach, DES, DCENR, PDST and HEAnet in conducting this study. We would also like to thank the ISNE conference, the attendees at a DCENR seminar, Dorothy Watson, Merike Darmody, Mary Mulcahy and Derek Byrne for their helpful comments. Finally, we would like to thank the teachers and principals who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Bryan Coyne is a Research Assistant in the Economic Analysis division of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin, Ireland. Bryan has an MA in Economics and a BA in Finance and Economics from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. His current research areas include telecommunications, education and energy economics.

Niamh Devitt was a Research Assistant in the Economic Analysis Division of the ESRI. She has an MSc in Behavioural Economics from the University of Nottingham and a BA in Mathematics and Economics from Trinity College Dublin.

Seán Lyons is an Associate Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin and an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). He specialises in applied microeconomics, with a particular focus on policy modelling and regulated sectors, and he heads the ESRI's Programme of Research in Communications. Seán has a PhD in Economics from Trinity College Dublin, an MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a BA in History from TCD. He joined the ESRI in 2007, and his former posts include Partner at Indecon Economic Consultants, Senior Adviser at ComReg and Managing Consultant at London Economics.

Selina McCoy is an Associate Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin and an Adjunct Professor at TCD. Selina holds a PhD in Sociology from The Queen's University, Belfast, and M.Soc.Sc and B.Soc.Sc. degrees from UCD. She has published on an extensive range of educational issues, with her current research focusing on ICT in education, educational disadvantage and post-school transitions. She is the Irish national expert at the European Commission Independent Experts on Education and Training.

Notes

1. The profile of the sample schools closely matches the national population of schools in terms of school type, size and designated disadvantaged (DEIS) status, the main classifying criteria for Irish second-level schools.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the ESRI Programme of Research in Communications, with contributions from Ireland's Department for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Commission for Communications Regulation. The usual disclaimer applies.