New technologies and the struggle for the classroom: Investigating the attitudes of teachers and a teachers' professional organization toward the implementation of new communications and information technologies

The introduction and adoption of new computing and information technologies in North American primary and secondary classrooms has occurred at the same time as significant pressure for reform and restructuring of educational systems. This study investigated the relationship between teacher attitudes towards the adoption of computing and information technology and teacher attitudes towards educational restructuring and constructivism. A 92-item survey (including 45 Likert-style items) was administered to three groups of teachers belonging to the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA): delegates to the ATA Annual Representative Assembly, attendees at the annual meeting of the ATA Computer Council, and a stratified sample of teachers from the largest local association within the ATA. Three research questions were addressed through quantitative statistical analyses to develop descriptive statistics, ANOVAs, and Gamma (gamma) correlations. Post hoc analysis was carried out using Fisher's LSD and the Games-Howell test.;A statistically significant correlation was found between attitudes towards restructuring of education and attitudes towards the adoption of new educational technologies. The political leadership group of the ATA showed statistically significantly less support than Computer Council attendees towards the adoption of technology on 18 of 19 items and statistically significantly less support than the stratified sample on 10 of 19 items. A statistically significant correlation was found between constructivist attitudes and attitudes in favour of the adoption of technology. In all three groups strong opposition was expressed to two key components of educational restructuring: the encouragement of competition between schools for students and a reduction in expenditures on public education. All three groups generally supported the adoption of technology.;Recommendations to government include providing funding to support the introduction of technology, addressing equity issues, clarifying the scope and limitations regarding expectations for new technologies, and reexamining regulations and policies in the context of new technologies. Recommendations to school jurisdictions include ensuring that each teacher has the equipment necessary for effective use of new technologies and encouraging such use. Recommendations to teacher organizations include developing a preferred future incorporating the most positive aspects of new technologies and building alliances with technology advocates based upon common interests.