Implementing and sustaining ICT integration in schools: A case study of two primary schools in Taiwan

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to explore the reasons why some schools are successful in pedagogical innovations in ICT integration, while others are less so. This research centres on two rural schools in Taiwan with different levels of sustainability of ICT implementation. In this research, ‘School A’ was identified as successfully sustaining pedagogical innovations in ICT integration; ‘School B’ was identified as not yet successfully sustaining pedagogical innovations in this regard. Questionnaires, interviews and documentary reviews were the research sources. The results confirmed a clear difference between School A and School B in their leadership approaches in the processes of implementing ICT. Leadership in School A was collaborative and proactive. Leadership in School B was limited to ICT experts and formal leaders. Moreover, compared with ICT resources and training, perceived compatibility of the ICT-integrated pedagogy and informal learning had a greater impact on teachers’ persistence of ICT integration. Finally, compared with parents’ support and cross-school learning, the governmental support was found to be more influential to ICT implementation in school settings. Currently, there is still limited research examining ICT implementation in Taiwanese rural schools. This study could serve as a reference for further research in this regard.