The impact of international computer driving license (icdl) training on classroom computer use by secondary school teachers

Abstract

It has become mandatory that the teaching community acquire expertise in the computer to ensure that they cope effectively with the future demands of the knowledge society with respect to the class room set up. Therefore, The Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka urges all teachers to receive International Computer Driving License (ICDL) training. The ICDL training aims to improve teachers’ ICT proficiency at three levels: ICT skills, pedagogical skills, and curriculum training. The purpose of this study is to examine how teachers apply practical experiences from ICDL coursework to their teaching. It also examines whether ICDL training increased teachers’ professional, ICT and pedagogical skills in their day to day teaching and learning process, whether the ICDL training results in the teachers’ use of new software applications in the classroom and the factors that affects teacher use of ICT in the class room after ICDL training. Mixed method was selected as the research design. Purposive sampling has been used to select the teacher sample for this study. A sample of 85 teachers was selected from Badulla district. A questionnaire with attitude scales and interviews were the data collecting methods, and data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods, to achieve the objectives of the study. It was revealed that an average of the ICDL participants (51%) stated that ICDL training resulted in their use of new software applications in the classroom. Most of teachers can apply what they had learned in the Presentation module and a majority of the teachers can not apply data base applications and spreadsheet applications in their teaching learning process. However, the findings show that computer knowledge and skills have not affected them at all in the use of ICT in the teaching learning process among the teachers who had undergone ICDL training. It was recommended the duration for ICDL training needs to be extended. Additional vendor-specific training might be required for all teachers after obtaining ICDL certification. These findings, conclusions and recommendations would be useful to the authorities to improve ICDL training.