Greek Nursery School Teachers' Thoughts and Self-Efficacy on using ICT in Relation to Their School Unit Position: The Case of Kavala

Introduction In the last decade, a very broad debate has been launched on the integration of new technologies in the educational process and how it benefits students and also teachers both in cognitive and educational level (Jimoyiannis, 2008). Although teachers acknowledge the importance of the usage of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in teaching practice, they seem reluctant to apply them in their daily teaching practice; when using them they apply them as teaching assistance means (for example, collection of information from the internet, worksheets in word, PowerPoint presentations) and not as a meaningful learning tool (Jimoyiannis, 2008). One of the factors that hinder the integration of ICTs in the educational process is the inability of teachers to utilise them pedagogically. It seems that the training that enhances their knowledge about the handling of these instruments and cultivates the technical skills of the learners is not enough for their use as learning tools (Jimoyiannis & Komis, 2006; Sim & Theng, 2007). One would therefore expect that after training on the didactic use of ICTs according to one's specialty, things would change radically. But such a change did not happen. Surveys in various educational disciplines have shown that even after the completion of the B-Level Informatics training of teachers program, they continue to use new technologies as a tool or with the traditional teacher-centered way (Passa, 2010, Trapsioti, 2010). Also, studies have shown that, although the programs that were carried out have had positive results on the use and utilisation of ICTs in the learning teaching process, they remained in the presentation rather than the practical side. This is something that both trainers and the trainees agree with (Mainas, 2009; Zetta, Papaconstantinou, & Apostolidis, 2009). Theoretical Framework--Clarification of Conditions The current study makes use of the terms "usage and utilisation of ICTs in the learning process" and "self-efficacy. " By using the term "usage and utilisation of ICTs in the learning process" we mean the exploitation of the capabilities that new technologies offer in an educationally appropriate way so that the educational and learning process yields positive results (EAITY, 2009). By using the term "self-efficacy" we describe the strength of one's belief in one's own ability to use the capabilities one possess (Bandura, 1997, referring to Kassotakis & Roussos, 2006). In this way, the beliefs of the person in his or her ability to use a personal computer constitute self-efficacy in computer usage (Kassotakis & Roussos, 2006). According to international researchers, self-efficacy plays an important role in the development of computer abilities and in one's decision to use them (Compeau & Higgins, 1995). The degree of self-efficacy in an individual's computer use can be measured with appropriate scales. Literature Review There exist quite a few studies regarding the pre-school usage and utilisation of ICTs. Lovari and Charalambous (2006) realised that the usage of ICTs in the process of teaching and learning can increase the knowledge and the interest of pre-school aged kids in learning in comparison to conventional means of teaching. In addition, through the results of this research it is obvious that teaching ICT skills can start from the pre-school age when this happens through games and creative activities. Furthermore, Gialamas, Zaranis, and Tsara (2009) have shown that in general Greek female pre-school teachers form a positive opinion regarding the usage of technology as a means of teaching and learning of mathematical concepts by kids in the pre-school age. Goti and Ntinas (2010) attempted to record the change of opinion of teachers for the usage of PCs in nurseries throughout a period of time. Studying the findings it can be seen that for a period of twelve years (1998-2010) the presence of PCs in the direct environment of the pre-school teachers is not restrained anymore and that its usage is wider. …