| Most research regarding information and communication technology implementation has focused on teachers' technology use for personal, administrative, and preparatory purposes. Very little is known about how technology is authentically used to improve active student learning and enhance 21st century skills. The need for investigating how Cypriot teachers currently implement technology in regular and all-day elementary schools has stemmed from economical and educational concerns. This quantitative, causal-comparative study was designed to compare the level of teaching innovation (LoTi), regarding authentic technology use in the classroom, between regular and all-day school teachers. A total sample of 165 teachers participated in the study. Participants were administered a Greek paper-based version of the LoTi Digital-Age survey. Teachers' LoTi level was compared based on their type of school, gender, educational level, and professional development training. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 16.0). Hypothesis H1 was tested by conducting an independent samples t test. Hypotheses H2 and H4 were tested by performing two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), whereas separate Mann-Whitney U tests were used to test Hypothesis H3. No statistically significant differences were found between regular and all-day teachers' LoTi levels in the specified research questions. An additional analysis revealed that there was a significant difference in regards to teachers' educational level as a main effect in both school types (U= 2434.50, Z = -3.079, p = .002). Although no significant differences were found in any of the four research questions, the results showed that both regular and all-day teachers obtained a LoTi level 2 (Exploration) indicating that digital tools and resources are mainly used to supplement the curriculum. It is, therefore, necessary for educational administrators and curriculum developers to design more organized and need-specific professional development trainings emphasizing instructional applications of technology on a curriculum-based level. Further similar studies are necessary as this is the first one to compare teachers' LoTi level in all-day and regular schools. Increasing the sample, as well as examining teachers' personal computer use and current instructional practices, are recommended for future research. Longitudinal studies and qualitative investigations should be considered for follow-up research. |
