Information use by science teachers in Canterbury secondary schools : a study of the information environment of these teachers, investigating the information resources they use and an evaluation of the factors affecting this use

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the Information Environment of Secondary School Science teachers in Canterbury. What information resources do science teachers' use and what they would like to use9 What impediments are there to using different information resources and is there any correlation between what is used and a number of social factors including school funding, location, and size and teacher sex. age, experience and specialist subject area. Earlier research and experience indicated a lack of use of modern information technologies in science teaching in New Zealand, possibly fuelled by a high level of teacher uncertainty about the use of these technologies. A survey was presented to 115 of approximately 260 secondary school science teachers in Canterbury, and 73 (28%) of the estimated population responded. The teachers were asked to indicate how much they used and valued various information, and these results were cross tabulated with the variables under investigation. Special interest was paid to their use of Libraries and computer use with classes. The research found some evidence of correlation between types of information used and teacher age. sex. specialist subject area and years of experience; and with school size, location, and (to a lesser degree) funding.