A Critical Analysis of the Incorporation of Information’s

Communications Technology (ICT) and eLearning Platforms at

Second Level Education

Brian Flannery – G00323339

Submitted for the Award of

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Education
(Design Graphics and Construction)
to
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterfrack

Research Supervisor: Dr Susan Rogers

Readers: Dr Pauline Logue-Collins, Mr Anthony Clare

Programme: Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Education (Design Graphics and Construction)

Module Title: Dissertation

Date Submitted: 23/March/2018

PLAGIARISM DISCLAIMER

PLAGIARISM DISCLAIMER

STUDENT NAME: BRIAN FLANNERY

STUDENT NUMBER: G00323339
PROGRAMME: B.SC. IN EDUCATION (DESIGN GRAPHICS AND
CONSTRUCTION)
YEAR: 4TH
MODULE: DISSERTATION
ASSIGNMENT TITLE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMATIONS
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AND ELEARNING
PLATFORMS AT SECOND LEVEL EDUCATION
DUE DATE: 23rd OF MARCH 2018
DATE SUBMITTED: 23rd OF MARCH 2018
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
I understand that plagiarism is a serious academic offence, and that GMIT deals
with it in accordance with the GMIT Policy on Plagiarism.
I have read and understood the GMIT Policy on Plagiarism and I agree to
the requirements set out therein in relation to plagiarism and referencing. I
confirm that I have referenced and acknowledged properly all sources used in
preparation of this assignment. I understand that if I plagiarise, or if I assist
others in doing so, that I will be subject to investigation as outlined in the GMIT
Policy on Plagiarism.
I understand and agree that plagiarism detection software may be used on my
assignment. I declare that, except where appropriately referenced, this
assignment is entirely my own work based on my personal study and/or
research. I further declare that I have not engaged the services of another to
either assist in, or complete this assignment.
Signed___________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________
Please note: Students MUST retain a hard/soft copy of all assignments

i
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to analyse how Information’s Communication Technology (ICT)
and eLearning platforms have been incorporated into twenty first century Second Level
Education in Ireland. ICT is important for progression in education, particularly in a world
where the use of mobile phones and computers amongst children has become an accepted norm
incorporated into their daily routine. Consequently, it is essential for the education system to
follow suit and utilise the technology available to educators. Increase in the utilisation of
technology can increase the student-teacher contact time by enabling students to explore new
content both at home and in the classroom. This paper questions whether the addition of ICT
and eLearning platforms at second level education has an influence on the education of the
students. The paper considers how ICT and eLearning platforms have been incorporated into
the classroom and what infrastructures are currently available in schools to support increased
use of ICT and eLearning platforms amongst students. The paper highlights some of the key
barriers facing schools in the integration of ICT and eLearning platforms at second level, and
finally considers the potential to incorporate eLearning platforms into lessons to allow greater
exploration of topics in various subjects. This paper discovered there are many barriers facing
school’s incorporation of ICT and eLearning platforms with one of the main barriers being that
the teachers lack confidence in using technology. Research carried out for this paper also
highlights that eLearning platforms are readily available and link in well with pedagogy if used
correctly. Finally, the paper explains how teacher training in eLearning platforms can benefit
the incorporation of such platforms in the delivery of content within the classroom.

Key Words: ICT, eLearning Platforms, Technology, Pedagogy

ii
Introduction
This paper aims to investigate the benefits associated with the integration of ICT and

eLearning platforms in education throughout post-primary schools. The aim is to investigate

the impacts, both positive and negative, associated with the integration of ICT and eLearning

platforms on both students and teachers within the second level education system. The paper

also explores previous research conducted in the field of third-level education as it provides

further information on the application of ICT and eLearning platforms evidently relevant to

ICT and eLearning platform use in second level education.

Technology platforms can lead to the provision of the desired student-centred environments,

the opportunity of using multimedia-rich learning resources and expanded interactivity within

the learning environment (Jung 2001; McConnelll, 2002; Dede, 2004). The addition of e-

learning platforms at post-primary level increases access to content and resources while also

leading to a more student-centred, content-centred, assessment-centred and community-

centred lesson which can all be linked into the key skills in education (Anderson, 2004). This

emphasises the promising influences ICT and eLearning platforms can have on education at

second level.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the positive and negative influences ICT can have on a

student’s education and on the teacher’s confidence in teaching. This paper also provides a

significant insight into the influence of ICT and eLearning platforms on education

perspective while investigating the factors effecting the incorporation of ICT and eLearning

platforms in post-primary education.

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the integration of Information’s

Communications Technology (ICT) and eLearning platforms in the preparation and delivery

of a topic throughout the subjects available at Second Level Education. The author

1
investigates numerous factors influencing the incorporation of ICT and eLearning platforms.

The paper will consider the following topics:

1. ICT already being utilised in the modern-day classroom: Analysis of ICT

infrastructure available in schools throughout Ireland in today’s education by investigating

the utilisation of these resources. In this section, the author aims to explore the addition of

eLearning platforms to the delivery and planning of a teacher’s lesson. The topic will also

investigate the addition of the computer tablet in second level education. Computer tablets

are expected to replace the need for school books in the education system which has

potential health benefits for students.

2. Barriers facing the integration of ICT in education: Analysis of the various aspects of

ICT which have been met with a stubbornness. Such aspects include attitudinal problems

faced as well as infrastructural problems encountered. These are of significant importance

to the integration of ICT in second level education. The paper will provide detailed

analysis of the difficulties ICT and eLearning platforms encounter.

3. Analysis of the incorporation of eLearning Platforms in lessons: Critical analysis of

the addition of eLearning platforms in second level education. This involves highlighting

the positive and negative aspects of incorporating eLearning platforms into a teacher

delivery of the curriculum. The paper will discover if the addition of an eLearning

platform is a beneficial resource for a teacher to utilise or whether the addition of an

eLearning platform can hinder the working ability of the student in addition to their ability

to maintain communication with their teacher.

Secondary and primary research methodology is used in this dissertation. The author

analysed secondary data in the field of Technology in Secondary Level Education with a

special focus placed on the present use of eLearning platforms and ICT in post-primary schools.

The author used the secondary data gathered to highlight both the advantages and

2
disadvantages of eLearning platforms at secondary level. Primary research was also carried

out by the author to investigate the availability of eLearning platform links on secondary

school websites. This phase involved investigating five secondary school websites from each

province to establish whether there were eLearning platforms present on their website.

There are several advantages associated with the use of secondary data. One major advantage

is the fact that research may have been conducted by “teams of expert researchers, often with

large budgets and extensive resources way beyond the means of a single student” (Walliman,

2011). Additionally, the time spent conducting primary research is avoided and data which

has been collected over a long period of time provides the opportunity to conduct a

longitudinal study (tracing the developments over time), an opportunity achievable with data

collected in short projects (Walliman, 2011). Therefore, the use of secondary data is both

beneficial and sensible as it allows more time for research to be carried out making it a

sensible option for the research methodology of this dissertation.

3
Information’s Communications Technology (ICT) and eLearning

Platforms at Second Level Education

In 2015 the Department of Education and Skills launched a €210 million strategy to help

students develop Information’s Communications Technology (ICT) skills (McGrath, 2015).

Recent decades have seen a change in focus from the technological innovations themselves,

for example Information and Communications Technology (ICT), to the intricate interactions

between ICT, the teachers and the learners (STEM Education, 2016). Since 1998, the

Department of Education and Skills have endeavoured to link the use of ICT in teaching and

learning with the progression of pupil’s digital literacy (Department of Education, 2017),

primarily through the use of the ICT in Schools Programme. The ICT in Schools Programme

focuses on four areas:

1. The delivery of essential ICT infrastructure within schools. Schools must have the

sufficient infrastructure in the schools in order to incorporate ICT into the curriculum

and to ensure that the use of the ICT is effective when delivering the lessons.

2. The provision of access to broadband connectivity to schools.

3. Continuous professional development for teachers in ICT. This is to help the teachers

gain a confidence in ICT and help the breakdown of the barriers encountered in

Figure 2.

4. Integrating ICT within the curriculum and providing curriculum-relevant digital

content and software.

Furthermore, it is estimated that by 2020 there will be in excess of 21 billion connected

internet devices, with wearable technology estimated to grow faster than both smartphones

and tablets resulting in an explosion of data and resources which can be used to support

teaching, learning and assessment STEM Education (2016). Reports carried out by STEM

4
Education (2016) and PDST Technology in Education (2017) report that the world is moving

with technology, therefore education too must embrace these technologies to maintain a

freshness and continuity of relevant education. The introduction of ICT is undoubtedly

evident as many secondary schools have employed the use of tablets and eLearning platforms

in their teaching methods: for example, an article produced by McGrath (2015) detailed that

“Keith Young, a PhD candidate in the School of Education, NUI Maynooth, has been

working with St Mary's CBS Secondary School, Portlaoise, Co Laois, to research the impact

of using iPads in the classroom”. Research has shown that the increasing availability,

adoption and use of tablets amongst the general population in several aspects of life outside

the school environment is placing increased pressure on the education system to reflect

further on the use of technology within schools as a learning tool (PDST Technology in

Education, 2017). This is of significant importance in an era where technology is rapidly

growing, forcing teachers to consider the possibility of incorporating new and existing

technologies into the classroom in an attempt to deliver the relevant content associated with

the syllabi of second level education. While PDST Technology in Education (2017) state that

teachers should reflect on the potential use of tablets in the school environment, they also

suggest that the devices should only be used to support, enhance and transform the learning

experience to ensure an improvement in the learning outcomes for the students. Another

aspect of ICT in education in Ireland which must be taken into consideration is the

infrastructure needed for the technology to be utilised in the correct manner. Infrastructure

refers to resources which include computer hardware, data and networks, information

resources, interoperable software, and technical support (Department of Education and Skills,

2015). Therefore, this shows that there are many other resources that must be put in place in

addition to ICT often resulting in an increased cost to the school.

5
Teachers were asked in their national surveys what peripherals they used in their teaching and

how often they used them. The range of peripherals used and the extent of their use are

publicized in the graph below (Fig.1).

Figure 1: ICT peripherals teachers used in the year 2008. Provided by (Department of Education and

Skills, 2008)

Figure 1 above provides an insight into the use of ICT in second level education at the beginning of

the last decade of education. It is evident from Figure 1 above that the majority of teachers are not

incorporating ICT into their teaching on a regular basis. For example, less than 5% of teachers were

6
using interactive whiteboards at any stage in their teaching with just 3% of teachers using it at least

once a week. Printers were the most common form of ICT used in teaching with 33% using printers

at least once a week. Findings presented in figure 1 highlight the potential to increase the use of ICT

in teaching amongst teachers. However, it must be noted that the results presented in figure 1

above were derived from a survey conducted with post-primary teachers in 2008. Therefore, the

modern-day use of ICT may differ significantly from results presented in figure 1 above as there has

been a vast progression in technology over the last decade with many secondary schools now using

iPads in their teaching. An iPad is a line of tablet computers developed by Apple Inc. which was

released into the computer market in January 2010, a device which did not exist in 2008 when the

results from the survey presented in figure 1 above were published.

The fact that figure 1 conveys such simple teaching peripherals ties in with the idea of aged methods

of teaching being used in the classroom. The teachers in modern day second level education can

create more positive learning environments with the aid of the lower percentile peripherals such as

digital video cameras and interactive whiteboards (Figure 1). Through the addition of such

peripherals to teaching infrastructure the lessons will become more student centred and will allow

the students to become the leaders of their own education. For example, the idea of using

technology for story telling aids the students with learning without the awareness of their learning.

Digital storytelling supports students actively participating in the learning instead of passively

watching (Ohler, 2005). This conveys how the improvement of peripherals involving technology can

aid the teachers in creating students centres, active lessons but it also helps the teacher keep in

contact with the technological world in which the students are so immersed through the use of their

smartphones.

7
Influence of e-learning and Technology on education

This paper investigates the impact of eLearning platforms and technology on the education

sector by providing a detailed analysis of the literature and secondary data collected by other

researchers. The author also investigates the use of ICT and eLearning platforms on five post-

primary schools to understand the extent to which ICT and eLearning platforms are being

used in the present post-primary education system. The aim of this section is to provide

clarity on how eLearning platforms are being delivered in lessons throughout second level

education. This section will analyse (i) the availability of eLearning platforms to schools, (ii)

the link between eLearning platforms and pedagogy, and (iii) evidence of eLearning platform

use throughout secondary schools in Ireland to date.

1.1 Availability of e-learning platforms to schools

Research into eLearning platforms for second level education has shown that the

eLearning platforms are becoming increasingly popular within the education sector in

Ireland. However, the use of these platforms is more evident at third level with institutes

such as GMIT, NUIG and UCD, for example, using eLearning platform sites. The

eLearning platforms being used by these institutes include Moodle and Blackboard.

(Galway Mayo Institute of Technology’s Moodle (Services, 2017) page), (National

University of Ireland Galway’s Blackboard (NUIG, 2017) page) and (University College

Dublin’s Blackboard (UCD, 2018) page). Schools are beginning to incorporate such

platforms into their infrastructure as they begin to use platforms such as Google

Classroom. However, the availability of such eLearning platforms was unknown to the

author but further investigation revealed that an eLearning platform such as Google

classroom is relatively quick and easy to set-up. The Google Classrooms website clearly

states that a virtual classroom can be set-up in minutes allowing the teacher to manage

assignments and communicate with the students and their guardians in one accessible,

8
 manageable and convenient location (Google, 2017). Google also publicise that their

service is affordable with Google classroom being free for schools in addition to offering

best-in-class security free with their google classroom service (Google, 2017). Further

investigation of another eLearning platform such as Moodle suggested that it too is quite

easy to avail of. Moodle differs slightly from Google Classroom as it is often used by

companies, schools and universities as opposed to Google Classroom which is aimed

solely towards education in second level schools. Moodle is run by Moodle HQ in Perth,

Australia and allows each individual institution to build their Moodle platform in a way

that suits their individual needs (Moodle, 2017). The cost of Moodle to an institution

depends on the size of the institution. For example, an institute with 5,000 members using

Moodle will cost far more than it would for a second level school made up of 450 or so

students (Moodle, 2013).

Further primary research conducted by the author on the availability of such eLearning

infrastructures revealed that eLearning platforms are readily available to schools who

wish to avail of them. The first step in the attainment of eLearning platforms is to make

an enquiry with the relevant eLearning platform company. In conclusion, eLearning

platforms are relatively quick and easy to set-up, however the cost associated with setting

up such platforms varies greatly depending on the size of the institution. Consequently, in

order to increase the use of eLearning platforms in post-primary schools, these schools

must be willing to endure the costs associated with setting up these platforms to allow for

effective use of such platforms.

1.2 The link between eLearning platforms and pedagogy

The link between e-learning platforms and pedagogy depends on the ability of the user to

exploit the potential of the eLearning platform and the effectiveness of the exercise

9
 created on the platform. The link is greatly affected by the way in which the teacher uses

the eLearning platform and the regularity in which they use it. In today’s world where the

computer is a significant part of a 21st century students learning, teachers should be

exploiting this by increasing student’s exposure to computers in the learning environment

through the use of eLearning platforms. However, this teaching approach requires a ‘new

pedagogy” (Shulamit Kotzer, Yossi Elran, 2012). In mathematics and science this new

pedagogy approach exploits three pedagogical skills: (i) high-order thinking and learning

skills, (ii) a constructivist approach to science teaching and learning, (iii)information,

communication, and scientific literacy skills using digital means and advanced

technologies.

This so called “new pedagogy” ties in very well with the addition of eLearning platforms

as present-day learners are very comfortable with and confident in using technical devices

like computers and tablets, compared to that of the generation of learners gone before

them. The constructivist methods of teaching used in eLearning platforms resemble the

theories presented by Jean Piaget in the sense that students do not learn by absorption of

ideas from the real world but through experimentation and observation (Sharpe et al,

2007). Consequently, the influence eLearning platforms and ICT have on education are

simple. However, digital tools enable information to be produced quicker, in larger

quantities than could previously be achieved which can often result in information

overload for the teacher meaning they must change the pedagogy of the older teaching

techniques slightly (Martin, Allan and Madigan, Dan, 2006).

Therefore, in conclusion, the effect eLearning platforms can have on pedagogy are

evident when applied to the delivery of a curriculum. It is evident that ICT and eLearning

platforms have an influence on pedagogy; however, these influences are not drastic.

10
 Teachers have the ability to train both themselves and their students to become digitally

literate and confident in using the ICT infrastructure available to them. Consequently,

both teachers and students can benefit from the increased availability of information as a

result of such infrastructures.

1.3 Evidence of eLearning platform use throughout Secondary Schools in Ireland

As part of this dissertation the author wished to investigate the use of eLearning platforms

in secondary schools in Ireland. One research question developed as a result of the

author’s review of the literature was “Are many schools throughout Ireland utilising e-

learning platforms?” This research question resulted in the author conducting primary

research to investigate the extent to which secondary schools in Ireland are availing of

ICT and eLearning platforms. To gather such information the author investigated the

availability of eLearning platforms to teachers in five schools from each of the provinces

in Ireland: Connaught, Leinster. Munster, Ulster. Therefore, twenty schools in total were

investigated. Each school was selected at random from each province and their school

website was extensively explored for evidence of an eLearning platform on their website.

The results showed that only two of the five schools chosen in Connaught, three of the

five schools chosen in Leinster, five of the five schools chosen in Munster, and finally

three of the five schools chosen in Ulster had an eLearning platform evident on their

school’s website. Therefore, from quick investigation of the twenty selected school’s

websites, 65% of them displayed availability of an eLearning platform on their website.

This simple investigation is very interesting as 86% of the people in the republic of

Ireland own or have access to smart phones (McHugh, R. ,2016). This is of significant

importance as it provides some evidence of the use of ICT and eLearning platforms

across Ireland. As mentioned previously, the computer plays an important role in the life

of the learner as they use technology daily (Shulamit Kotzer et al, 2012). Consequently,

11
 these results are somewhat surprising given that the current generation of learners are

very familiar with ICT which presents an increased opportunity to increase the utilisation

of ICT and eLearning platforms within secondary schools as current students of the 21st

century are very capable in terms of technology use.

Therefore, in conclusion, previous research conducted by third parties has highlighted the

many benefits associated with ICT and eLearning platform use in the classroom

(discussed in previous sections). In addition, a brief investigation of the availability of

eLearning platforms across twenty secondary schools in Ireland highlighted the level of

eLearning platform availability within these schools. Combining these result’s, it can be

seen that there is an opportunity to increase the availability of eLearning platforms across

the twenty secondary schools as just 65% of those schools showed evidence of eLearning

platform use on their website. In addition, the literature discussed in previous sections

outlines the many benefits associated with eLearning platform use.

Barriers to the uptake of ICT by Teachers

There are several barriers associated with the teacher’s ability to use technology in education.

This section will detail the barriers that prevent teachers from using ICT in the classroom.

One barrier preventing teachers from using ICT is the teachers lack confidence in using ICT

and the negative experiences associated with ICT use in the past (Snoeyink, R, & Ertmer, P,

2001).

12
Figure 2: Sourced and adapted from the Becta study, (Becta, 2008).

As mentioned, many of these barriers preventing teachers from using ICT in their preparation

and classroom delivery are as a result of the teacher’s low confidence levels in their ability to

use ICT and is not as a result of an outside source. As can be seen in (Fig 2) above there are

several other barriers affecting teacher’s ability to incorporate ICT into their lessons.

13
A second aspect preventing teachers use of ICT in the classroom, as can be seen in figure 2,

is teachers fear of being embarrassed in front of students and peers. A similar barrier was

discovered in a study conducted by Russell, G. & Bradley, G. (1997) where the fear of

embarrassment in front of the pupils and their fellow colleagues if something was to go

wrong lead to the educator feeling like they had fallen in status and lead to them doubting in

their professional knowledge and skills. This barrier is one of significant meaning as it

highlights that some teachers fear that students know more about technology than the teacher

themselves which potentially could lead to teachers doubting their own professional ability.

Furthermore, a third aspect preventing teacher’s ICT use is their technical knowledge

regarding ICT use. Perhaps there is a link between teacher’s confidence in the use of ICT and

their level of technical knowledge regarding ICT usage. Unfortunately, there was insufficient

time in this study to investigate this relationship but it is one which potentially could be

investigated in the future. Finally, a fourth barrier which stood out to the author was some

teachers ignorance towards changing times resulting in an unwillingness to engage in new

pedagogical practices. This suggests that culture may also have a role to play in ICT usage.

Resource Related Obstacles Institutional Obstacles Attitudinal Obstacles

Availability of Resources Inadequate Funding Fear of going wrong

Lack of Sufficient Education Lack of Time Users resistance to change

and negative attitudes

Lack of knowledge and skills Lack of Pre-service teacher’s self-

Rewards/Incentives efficacy

Lack of leadership Lack of Commitment Attitudes

Table 1: Shows a table of barriers from the International Journal of Education & Lifestyle

Studies, (Mirzajani, H. et al, 2015).

14
Table 1 above highlights the many barriers associated with ICT use in education from the

teacher’s perspective, in addition to those highlighted in figure 1. These barriers were

discovered by Mirzajanii et al. (2015) and published in the International Journal of

Education & Literacy studies. In contrast, these barriers are presented under three main

obstacles; (i) resource related, (ii) institutional, and (iii) attitudinal. The results presented in

table 1 highlight the importance of providing adequate support to teachers in incorporating

ICT into the classroom. Furthermore, in the study conducted by Mirzajanii et al. (2015),

reference was made to the lack of investment and progress made in the Departments of

Education globally as there was an extensive gap between the Becta study and Merzajanii’s

study. Therefore, as a consequence, this causes the author to question whether ICT is truly

being incorporated into second level education.

Research has shown that the integration of ICT into second level education is a slow process

for most teachers and is influenced by a mix of complicated socio-technical factors (Coyne,

B. et al, 2015). Research conducted by the National Digital Strategy shows that the adoption

of ICT in teachers planning and execution of lessons will be a slow process. Furthermore, an

article produced by Irish Education Studies reported that ICT has many influences

surrounding its involvement in education. These influences include the socio-technical

factors which may highlight the availability of technology to some people depending on their

socio-economic status. However, there are also barriers associated with these factors which

effect teacher’s engagement with ICT in their planning and delivery of lessons. Other

sections of the article explored the factual and attitudinal variables influencing the integration

of ICT as well as the availability of ICT infrastructure within schools (Coyne, B. 2015). The

findings presented in this section highlight and provide evidence for the barriers facing

teachers in relation to ICT usage within the classroom.

15
In conclusion, the integration of ICT is a slow process as the barriers it faces are quite

challenging and vast. There is great potential to increase the use of ICT in post-primary

schools, however, there cannot be an onus placed on students to pay for this service, it must

be down to the individual institution to provide the service in-full. Research conducted to

date has highlighted the many barriers associated with the integration of ICT in the classroom

with training having a significant role to play in increasing teachers confidence in using ICT

within the classroom. Training will also help support teachers who have doubts or worries

about changing from a more traditional pedagogy to a new pedagogy. Extensive review of the

literature highlighted two very prominent issues associated with the integration of ICT in

education. These issues included the great variations that exist between the current socio-

economic status of Ireland and the lack of training for teachers in the application of ICT in

their lessons and lesson planning.

Analysis of the influences effecting the incorporation of ICT and e-learning

platforms throughout post-primary education

Many schools throughout Ireland are now incorporating eLearning platforms and ICT

infrastructure into the delivery of the curriculum. The technical subject areas appear to be

paving the way when it comes to the utilisation of infrastructure made available to them. For

example, the Leaving Certificate Design & Communications Graphics (DCG) class design

and model their project through a programme called “SolidWorks.” Many of the teachers

teaching Materials Technology: Wood also use programmes such as SolidWorks to create

working drawings of projects they will construct with students. DCG teachers are also

expressing keen interest in three-dimensional printers with several schools throughout Ireland

possessing a three-dimensional printer. Like these tools the application for Augmented

16
Reality Apps is becoming relevant in the education of the technology based subjects such as

that of a Construction Studies and Design and Communication Graphics teacher’s classes.

This tool is becoming very useful for students to view their models as a 3D object in the room

in front of them. The author was exposed to such examples during their time on school

placement as they taught their respective subject areas.

The curve is beginning to change throughout Ireland in relation to how subjects are delivered

in secondary schools as many teachers are beginning to incorporate ICT and eLearning

platforms into the delivery of the curriculum content. This progression in the increased use of

ICT and eLearning platforms within secondary schools is as a result of work being conducted

by bodies such as the Professional Development Service for Teacher’s (PDST) as they

promote the integration of ICT in education and support teachers and institutions in

increasing the availability of ICT facilities within education (PDST, 2017). The PDST are

supporting educators with the use of ICT in second level education as they have provided an

eLearning roadmap enabling schools to see how efficient they are at utilising the eLearning

infrastructure (Table 2).

17
 ICT in the Curriculum
Initial e-Enabled e-Confident e-Mature
Teacher Teachers have a Several teachers Most teachers Teachers have
Understanding general understand understand how e- determined their own
understanding of methodologies to learning can be used methodologies for
how e-learning can integrate ICT into in the curriculum to integrating ICT into the
improve teaching the curriculum. improve student curriculum.
and learning learning.
Planning There is little There is planning Teachers plan in a The school devotes time
planning for ICT for ICT integration, structured way for to exploring new
integration, with ICT with focus on the ICT integration in approaches to using e-
activities focused on teacher’s their lessons and learning to improve
students’ acquisition preparation, group classroom activities. student learning.
of ICT skills, e.g. and individual
word processing. work.
Teacher Use Teachers use Teachers use ICT Teachers use ICT to Teachers have embedded
computers primarily for lesson planning provide learning ICT into their practice to
in isolation from and as a teaching opportunities that facilitate student directed
regular classroom tool. support cross- learning. There is
learning activity curricular, subject- consistent evidence of
based and collaborative, discovery-
constructivist based and authentic e-
learning approaches. learning activities
throughout the school.
Student Experience Students Students Students experience Students are facilitated to
occasionally use ICT experience e- e-learning activities use ICT to support and
as part of the learning activities regularly and use ICT assess their learning, e.g.
learning process. regularly. to collaborate on creating digital content
curriculum activities and eportfolios
both within the
school and with
other schools.
SEN Teachers are aware Teachers use of ICT Teachers use ICT ICT is integral to all
that ICT can enhance focuses on the diagnostic tools, aspects of SEN teaching
the learning development of assistive and learning as well as in
opportunities of literacy and technologies and ICT the development of IEPs.
students with special numeracy for resources to address ICT resources and
educational needs. students with curriculum assistive technologies are
special educational objectives with incorporated into all
needs. students with special levels of school planning.
educational needs.

Table 2: Table illustrates PDST’s map for ICT in the curriculum (PDST, 2017)

A study conducted by Anderson (2004) discovered and recommended that the provision of

eLearning platforms to post-primary education would provide students and teachers with a

vast body of content and knowledge, and differentiate interactions between students, teacher

18
and content. The curriculum becomes student-centred, content-centred, assessment-centred

and finally, community-centred as a result of incorporating ICT in education. This can result

in a more holistic education for students as the teacher creates a student-centred learning

environment resulting in the student learning more about themselves as well as the

curriculum. Consequently, the student is not just expected to memorise and regurgitate facts

but must become actively involved in the learning process. Therefore, there are significant

positive consequences associated with the utilisation of eLearning platforms.

While there is evidence to support the many benefits associated with the integration and

utilisation of eLearning platforms it must also be noted that it is important the student is given

adequate exposure to the eLearning platform as they must be comfortable with the use of ICT

and eLearning platforms. Consequently, the student’s perspective is very important when

investigating the incorporation of ICT in education. Rodgers (2004) considered student’s

thoughts on the practice of online learning and found that 79% of students felt the use of

online learning had a positive impact on their learning. Therefore, the utilisation of online

learning tools such as eLearning platforms, e.g. Moodle, Blackboard, Google classroom, etc.,

have a positive impact on the student learning experience.

Condie and Livingston (2007) conducted a study on online programmes designed for students

in post-primary education in Scotland and found that online learning did impact positively on

student’s attainment of content but could be improved if the teacher used blended learning

methods by incorporating traditional teaching methods with that of online learning. Singh

(2006) reports that the use of blended learning is not just the various teaching methods but

also incorporates the modes of delivery. To be successful, blended learning must focus on the

delivery technologies so as to ensure they match the learning objectives and transfer the

appropriate knowledge and skills to the learner in the appropriate manner. This can be viewed

as an influencing factor as the teacher must be willing to put in the required preparation to

19
ensure the effectiveness of lesson delivery leading to effective and enhanced attainment of

knowledge. Wilson and Christopher (2008) suggest that the teacher has a crucial role in terms

of ensuring the effective use of the eLearning platform, from planning and management to

design and delivery, as well as providing leadership for the students.

Conclusion
Many relevant, interesting points have been discussed in this paper while investigating the

use of ICT and eLearning platforms in second-level education. The paper has analysed and

highlighted many different factors involving the use of ICT and eLearning platforms at

second level education. As a result of the research conducted the paper highlights what

infrastructure the teachers are using most often in order for preparing and delivering their

lessons. Taken from figure 1 the highest percentile of peripherals, teachers are using printers

and scanners, but in order for the lessons to become more student centred the lower percentile

must be utilised also as if the students are using video camera throughout a lesson they are

able to shape the learning to the strategies which suit them best. The paper also highlights the

availability of eLearning platforms to schools and found that eLearning platforms such as

Moodle are very easy to avail of. This means that schools can utilise such infrastructure to aid

the application of the so called “new pedagogy” formed when using ICT and eLearning

platforms. This new pedagogy leads to a higher order, more critical education which the

students shape through their participation in class. It also allows the students to access a

greater amount of information in less time than it would have prior to the utilisation of ICT.

Following the information gathered the author then began to question if the eLearning

platforms are being used throughout Irelands second level education sector. To do this the

20
author took it upon himself to research if schools have access to eLearning platforms on their

websites. The research conducted displayed that of the 20 schools selected at random, 65%

had in fact a link for their eLearning platform. This answered the authors question to see if

schools are in fact using the platforms made available to them. This also links with many

schools who are adding IPad’s to their school’s infrastructure as opposed to the more

traditional use of books. The authors research then led to the question, “Why don’t all schools

use eLearning Platforms if they are so readily available?” This question led to the author

doing further research into the barriers which are facing the uptake of ICT by teachers. Table

1 demonstrates that there are three main barriers which face the uptake of ICT by teachers.

The three areas highlighted in the table are, (i) Resource related obstacles, (ii) Institutional

obstacles and (iii) Attitudinal obstacles. Table 1 and Figure 2 both illustrate quite plainly

what influences teachers to create a negative outlook on the addition of ICT in their planning

and delivery of content.

The final topic researched influences which effect the incorporation of ICT and eLearning

platforms throughout post-primary education. The author highlights that there are many

positive influences effecting ICT and eLearning Platforms incorporation as at one point the

author states that 79% of students found that online learning had a positive effect on their

learning. The author also demonstrated the PDST’s roadmap which allows the teacher to see

how well their students can use the ICT and eLearning Platforms facilities. Although the

positives are evident Table 2 also conveys that the ability of the students is impacted on how

well the teacher can use the technology as professionals.

In order for ICT and eLearning Platforms to become effective tools in the education industry

there are a few recommendations the author has compiled as a result of his research. In order

for the infrastructure to become more effective the author believes that teachers must

incorporate the use of interactive tools, such as cameras, applications and data logging tools,

21
all of which fall into the lower percentile infrastructure in figure 1. This will lead to a

communal education where the use of group work can be applied in each lesson leading to

the students gaining a more holistic education. This will also benefit the teacher as it will free

up their time to provide formative feedback to the students as the teachers are able to observe

the students work. Due to the availability of eLearning platforms schools should embrace the

utilisation of the eLearning Platforms capabilities as it allows the students more online

learning time which was found to be positive taken from the study which found 79% of

students said online learning has a positive effect on their learning. Teachers should also be

encouraged to embrace the use of ICT and eLearning Platforms as this will increase the

confidence with technology and will have a positive impact on the barriers facing ICT in

second level education in Ireland.

The author believes that ICT and eLearning platforms can be very beneficial to teachers as it

allows the students to become leaders of their own education. This in turn allows the teacher

more time for observation and critical analysis of the students work which will provide a

more sincere and effective formative feedback for the students on their work. This is all

reliant though on the teacher’s ability to use the technology correctly ensuring that they have

good classroom management and very strategic, well planned lesson plans. It allows the

teacher to form a new pedagogy which leads to a higher order, more critically thought out

education which gives the student a more holistic education due to the problem-solving skills

they have acquired. The author found that it allows the teacher to contact the students outside

of school hours if they use eLearning platforms as the students have the ability to access class

notes while they are doing homework or studying from their homes. ICT and eLearning

Platforms also give the opportunity for students who are absent from class to catch up on

work.

22
Technology is always advancing and progression is very important for education to maintain

relevance, the author found that in order for education to maintain its relevance it needs to

progress along with technology, this is evident from the fact that 86% of Irelands population

have access to smartphones. Technology is all around us and education will benefit if

teachers begin to utilise the infrastructure which is now being made available to them.

“Technology is just a tool in terms of getting kids working

together & motivating them, the teacher is most important”

- Bill Gates

23
Bibliography
Anderson, T., 2004. Toward a theory of online learning. In: T. Anderson & F. Elloumi (Eds),
Theory and practice of online-education. Canada: Athabasca University, pp. 33-60.

Becta, 2008. Harnessing tecnology review 2008: The role of technology and its impact on
education, Coventry: Becta.

Bell, M., Martin, G., Clarke, T., 2004. Engaging in the future of e-learning: a scenaios-based
approach Journal of Education. 46(6/7), pp. 296-307.

Bersin, J., 2004. The blended learning book: Best practices, proven methodoligies, and
lessons learned, San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Condie, R., & Livingston, K., 2007. Blending online learning with traditional approaches:
Changing practices. British Journal of Educational Technology, pp. 337-348.

Cosgrave, J., 2013. The 2013 ICT Census in Schools-Summary Report. [Online]
Available at: www.erc.ie/documents/ict_census2013_summaryreport.pdf
[Accessed 9 October 2017].

Coyne, B. D. N. L. S. M., 2015. Perceived Benefits and Barriers to the Use of High-speed
Broadband in Ireland’s Second-level Schools. Irissh Educational Studies, 34(4), pp. 355-378.

Dede, C., 2004. Enabling distributed learning communities via emerging technologies.. The
Journal, 32(2), pp. 12-22.

Department of Education and Skills,, 2017. Information & Communications Technology (ICT)
in Schools. [Online]
Available at: https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Information-
Communications-Technology-ICT-in-Schools/
[Accessed 10 October 2017].

Department of Education and Skills, 2008. ICT in Schools. [Online]

Available at: https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-
Publications/Evaluation-Reports-Guidelines/ICT-in-Schools-Inspectorate-Evaluation-
Studies.pdf
[Accessed 9 October 2017].

Department of Education and Skills, 2015. Digital Strategy for Schools. [Online]
Available at: https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/Digital-Strategy-for-
Schools-2015-2020.pdf
[Accessed 9 October 2017].

Google, 2017. Google Classroom. [Online]

Available at: https://edu.google.com/k-12-solutions/classroom/?modal_active=none
[Accessed 20 November 2017].

Hassan Mirzajani, Rosnaini Mahmud, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub, Wong Su Luan , 2015. A
Review of Research Literature on Obstacles that Prevent Use of. International Journal of
Education & Literacy Studies, 3(2), p. 26.

24
 Jung, I., 2001. Building a theoretical framework of web-based instruction. British Journal of
Educational Technology, pp. 531-540.

Martin, Allan and Madigan, Dan, 2006. Digital Literacies for Learning.. Londan: Facet
Publishing.

McConnell, D., 2002. The experience of collaborative assessment in e-learning. Studies in

Continuing education, pp. 173-192.

McGrath, M., 2015. Making e-learning work in schools tablets, s.l.: Irish Independent.

McHugh, R., 2016. 86% of Irish Consumers own or have access to a Smartphone. Business
World, 1 December.

Moodle, 2013. About Moodle FAQ. [Online]

Available at:
https://docs.moodle.org/23/en/About_Moodle_FAQ#How_much_does_it_cost_to_downloa
d_and_use_Moodle.3F
[Accessed 20 Novemeber 2017].

Moodle, 2017. Moodle Overview. [Online]

Available at: https://moodle.com/moodle-lms/
[Accessed 20 November 2017].

NUIG, 2017. NUI Galway. [Online]

Available at: http://www.nuigalway.ie/blackboard/
[Accessed 20 November 2017].

PDST Technology in Education, 2017. Tablets for Learning. [Online]

Available at: http://www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/en/Technology/Advice-
Sheets/Tablet-PC-or-Tablet1.pdf
[Accessed 9 October 2017].

PDST, 2017. The e-Learning Roadmap. [Online]

Available at: http://www.ncte.ie/elearningplan/roadmap/
[Accessed 21 November 2017].

Rogers, G., 2004. History, learning technology and student achievement-Making the
difference?. The Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and SAGE
Publications, 5(2), pp. 232-247.

Services, G. I., 2017. GMIT Learnonline. [Online]

Available at: https://learnonline.gmit.ie/
[Accessed 20 November 2017].

Sharpe, H. B. a. R., 2007. Learning Theory and Pedagogical Design. In: H. B. a. R. Sharpe, ed.
Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital Age. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 15-20.

Shulamit Kotzer, Yossi Elran, 2012. Learning and teaching with Moodle-based E-learning
enviornments, combining learning skills and content in the fields of Math and Science &
Technology. London: Davidson Institute of Science Education.

25
 Singh, H., 2006. Blending learning and work; Real-time work flow learning.. In: C. J. Bonk & C.
R. Graham (Eds.), the handbook of blended learning. San Francisco: John Wiley &Sons, pp.
474-490.

STEM Education, 2016. A Report on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

(STEM) Education, s.l.: STEM Education.

26