Professional Documents
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to analyse how Information’s Communication Technology (ICT)
and eLearning platforms have been incorporated into twenty first century Second Level
Education in Ireland. ICT is important for progression in education, particularly in a world
where the use of mobile phones and computers amongst children has become an accepted norm
incorporated into their daily routine. Consequently, it is essential for the education system to
follow suit and utilise the technology available to educators. Increase in the utilisation of
technology can increase the student-teacher contact time by enabling students to explore new
content both at home and in the classroom. This paper questions whether the addition of ICT
and eLearning platforms at second level education has an influence on the education of the
students. The paper considers how ICT and eLearning platforms have been incorporated into
the classroom and what infrastructures are currently available in schools to support increased
use of ICT and eLearning platforms amongst students. The paper highlights some of the key
barriers facing schools in the integration of ICT and eLearning platforms at second level, and
finally considers the potential to incorporate eLearning platforms into lessons to allow greater
exploration of topics in various subjects. This paper discovered there are many barriers facing
school’s incorporation of ICT and eLearning platforms with one of the main barriers being that
the teachers lack confidence in using technology. Research carried out for this paper also
highlights that eLearning platforms are readily available and link in well with pedagogy if used
correctly. Finally, the paper explains how teacher training in eLearning platforms can benefit
the incorporation of such platforms in the delivery of content within the classroom.
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Introduction
This paper aims to investigate the benefits associated with the integration of ICT and
the impacts, both positive and negative, associated with the integration of ICT and eLearning
platforms on both students and teachers within the second level education system. The paper
also explores previous research conducted in the field of third-level education as it provides
further information on the application of ICT and eLearning platforms evidently relevant to
Technology platforms can lead to the provision of the desired student-centred environments,
the opportunity of using multimedia-rich learning resources and expanded interactivity within
the learning environment (Jung 2001; McConnelll, 2002; Dede, 2004). The addition of e-
learning platforms at post-primary level increases access to content and resources while also
centred lesson which can all be linked into the key skills in education (Anderson, 2004). This
emphasises the promising influences ICT and eLearning platforms can have on education at
second level.
The aim of this paper is to investigate the positive and negative influences ICT can have on a
student’s education and on the teacher’s confidence in teaching. This paper also provides a
significant insight into the influence of ICT and eLearning platforms on education
perspective while investigating the factors effecting the incorporation of ICT and eLearning
Communications Technology (ICT) and eLearning platforms in the preparation and delivery
of a topic throughout the subjects available at Second Level Education. The author
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investigates numerous factors influencing the incorporation of ICT and eLearning platforms.
the utilisation of these resources. In this section, the author aims to explore the addition of
eLearning platforms to the delivery and planning of a teacher’s lesson. The topic will also
investigate the addition of the computer tablet in second level education. Computer tablets
are expected to replace the need for school books in the education system which has
2. Barriers facing the integration of ICT in education: Analysis of the various aspects of
ICT which have been met with a stubbornness. Such aspects include attitudinal problems
to the integration of ICT in second level education. The paper will provide detailed
the addition of eLearning platforms in second level education. This involves highlighting
the positive and negative aspects of incorporating eLearning platforms into a teacher
delivery of the curriculum. The paper will discover if the addition of an eLearning
eLearning platform can hinder the working ability of the student in addition to their ability
Secondary and primary research methodology is used in this dissertation. The author
analysed secondary data in the field of Technology in Secondary Level Education with a
special focus placed on the present use of eLearning platforms and ICT in post-primary schools.
The author used the secondary data gathered to highlight both the advantages and
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disadvantages of eLearning platforms at secondary level. Primary research was also carried
out by the author to investigate the availability of eLearning platform links on secondary
school websites. This phase involved investigating five secondary school websites from each
province to establish whether there were eLearning platforms present on their website.
There are several advantages associated with the use of secondary data. One major advantage
is the fact that research may have been conducted by “teams of expert researchers, often with
large budgets and extensive resources way beyond the means of a single student” (Walliman,
2011). Additionally, the time spent conducting primary research is avoided and data which
has been collected over a long period of time provides the opportunity to conduct a
longitudinal study (tracing the developments over time), an opportunity achievable with data
collected in short projects (Walliman, 2011). Therefore, the use of secondary data is both
beneficial and sensible as it allows more time for research to be carried out making it a
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Information’s Communications Technology (ICT) and eLearning
In 2015 the Department of Education and Skills launched a €210 million strategy to help
Recent decades have seen a change in focus from the technological innovations themselves,
for example Information and Communications Technology (ICT), to the intricate interactions
between ICT, the teachers and the learners (STEM Education, 2016). Since 1998, the
Department of Education and Skills have endeavoured to link the use of ICT in teaching and
learning with the progression of pupil’s digital literacy (Department of Education, 2017),
primarily through the use of the ICT in Schools Programme. The ICT in Schools Programme
1. The delivery of essential ICT infrastructure within schools. Schools must have the
sufficient infrastructure in the schools in order to incorporate ICT into the curriculum
and to ensure that the use of the ICT is effective when delivering the lessons.
3. Continuous professional development for teachers in ICT. This is to help the teachers
gain a confidence in ICT and help the breakdown of the barriers encountered in
Figure 2.
internet devices, with wearable technology estimated to grow faster than both smartphones
and tablets resulting in an explosion of data and resources which can be used to support
teaching, learning and assessment STEM Education (2016). Reports carried out by STEM
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Education (2016) and PDST Technology in Education (2017) report that the world is moving
with technology, therefore education too must embrace these technologies to maintain a
evident as many secondary schools have employed the use of tablets and eLearning platforms
in their teaching methods: for example, an article produced by McGrath (2015) detailed that
“Keith Young, a PhD candidate in the School of Education, NUI Maynooth, has been
working with St Mary's CBS Secondary School, Portlaoise, Co Laois, to research the impact
of using iPads in the classroom”. Research has shown that the increasing availability,
adoption and use of tablets amongst the general population in several aspects of life outside
the school environment is placing increased pressure on the education system to reflect
further on the use of technology within schools as a learning tool (PDST Technology in
growing, forcing teachers to consider the possibility of incorporating new and existing
technologies into the classroom in an attempt to deliver the relevant content associated with
the syllabi of second level education. While PDST Technology in Education (2017) state that
teachers should reflect on the potential use of tablets in the school environment, they also
suggest that the devices should only be used to support, enhance and transform the learning
experience to ensure an improvement in the learning outcomes for the students. Another
aspect of ICT in education in Ireland which must be taken into consideration is the
infrastructure needed for the technology to be utilised in the correct manner. Infrastructure
refers to resources which include computer hardware, data and networks, information
resources, interoperable software, and technical support (Department of Education and Skills,
2015). Therefore, this shows that there are many other resources that must be put in place in
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Teachers were asked in their national surveys what peripherals they used in their teaching and
how often they used them. The range of peripherals used and the extent of their use are
Figure 1: ICT peripherals teachers used in the year 2008. Provided by (Department of Education and
Skills, 2008)
Figure 1 above provides an insight into the use of ICT in second level education at the beginning of
the last decade of education. It is evident from Figure 1 above that the majority of teachers are not
incorporating ICT into their teaching on a regular basis. For example, less than 5% of teachers were
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using interactive whiteboards at any stage in their teaching with just 3% of teachers using it at least
once a week. Printers were the most common form of ICT used in teaching with 33% using printers
at least once a week. Findings presented in figure 1 highlight the potential to increase the use of ICT
in teaching amongst teachers. However, it must be noted that the results presented in figure 1
above were derived from a survey conducted with post-primary teachers in 2008. Therefore, the
modern-day use of ICT may differ significantly from results presented in figure 1 above as there has
been a vast progression in technology over the last decade with many secondary schools now using
iPads in their teaching. An iPad is a line of tablet computers developed by Apple Inc. which was
released into the computer market in January 2010, a device which did not exist in 2008 when the
The fact that figure 1 conveys such simple teaching peripherals ties in with the idea of aged methods
of teaching being used in the classroom. The teachers in modern day second level education can
create more positive learning environments with the aid of the lower percentile peripherals such as
digital video cameras and interactive whiteboards (Figure 1). Through the addition of such
peripherals to teaching infrastructure the lessons will become more student centred and will allow
the students to become the leaders of their own education. For example, the idea of using
technology for story telling aids the students with learning without the awareness of their learning.
Digital storytelling supports students actively participating in the learning instead of passively
watching (Ohler, 2005). This conveys how the improvement of peripherals involving technology can
aid the teachers in creating students centres, active lessons but it also helps the teacher keep in
contact with the technological world in which the students are so immersed through the use of their
smartphones.
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Influence of e-learning and Technology on education
This paper investigates the impact of eLearning platforms and technology on the education
sector by providing a detailed analysis of the literature and secondary data collected by other
researchers. The author also investigates the use of ICT and eLearning platforms on five post-
primary schools to understand the extent to which ICT and eLearning platforms are being
used in the present post-primary education system. The aim of this section is to provide
clarity on how eLearning platforms are being delivered in lessons throughout second level
education. This section will analyse (i) the availability of eLearning platforms to schools, (ii)
the link between eLearning platforms and pedagogy, and (iii) evidence of eLearning platform
Research into eLearning platforms for second level education has shown that the
eLearning platforms are becoming increasingly popular within the education sector in
Ireland. However, the use of these platforms is more evident at third level with institutes
such as GMIT, NUIG and UCD, for example, using eLearning platform sites. The
eLearning platforms being used by these institutes include Moodle and Blackboard.
University of Ireland Galway’s Blackboard (NUIG, 2017) page) and (University College
Dublin’s Blackboard (UCD, 2018) page). Schools are beginning to incorporate such
platforms into their infrastructure as they begin to use platforms such as Google
Classroom. However, the availability of such eLearning platforms was unknown to the
author but further investigation revealed that an eLearning platform such as Google
classroom is relatively quick and easy to set-up. The Google Classrooms website clearly
states that a virtual classroom can be set-up in minutes allowing the teacher to manage
assignments and communicate with the students and their guardians in one accessible,
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manageable and convenient location (Google, 2017). Google also publicise that their
service is affordable with Google classroom being free for schools in addition to offering
best-in-class security free with their google classroom service (Google, 2017). Further
investigation of another eLearning platform such as Moodle suggested that it too is quite
easy to avail of. Moodle differs slightly from Google Classroom as it is often used by
solely towards education in second level schools. Moodle is run by Moodle HQ in Perth,
Australia and allows each individual institution to build their Moodle platform in a way
that suits their individual needs (Moodle, 2017). The cost of Moodle to an institution
depends on the size of the institution. For example, an institute with 5,000 members using
Moodle will cost far more than it would for a second level school made up of 450 or so
Further primary research conducted by the author on the availability of such eLearning
infrastructures revealed that eLearning platforms are readily available to schools who
wish to avail of them. The first step in the attainment of eLearning platforms is to make
platforms are relatively quick and easy to set-up, however the cost associated with setting
up such platforms varies greatly depending on the size of the institution. Consequently, in
order to increase the use of eLearning platforms in post-primary schools, these schools
must be willing to endure the costs associated with setting up these platforms to allow for
The link between e-learning platforms and pedagogy depends on the ability of the user to
exploit the potential of the eLearning platform and the effectiveness of the exercise
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created on the platform. The link is greatly affected by the way in which the teacher uses
the eLearning platform and the regularity in which they use it. In today’s world where the
through the use of eLearning platforms. However, this teaching approach requires a ‘new
pedagogy” (Shulamit Kotzer, Yossi Elran, 2012). In mathematics and science this new
pedagogy approach exploits three pedagogical skills: (i) high-order thinking and learning
communication, and scientific literacy skills using digital means and advanced
technologies.
This so called “new pedagogy” ties in very well with the addition of eLearning platforms
as present-day learners are very comfortable with and confident in using technical devices
like computers and tablets, compared to that of the generation of learners gone before
them. The constructivist methods of teaching used in eLearning platforms resemble the
theories presented by Jean Piaget in the sense that students do not learn by absorption of
ideas from the real world but through experimentation and observation (Sharpe et al,
2007). Consequently, the influence eLearning platforms and ICT have on education are
quantities than could previously be achieved which can often result in information
overload for the teacher meaning they must change the pedagogy of the older teaching
Therefore, in conclusion, the effect eLearning platforms can have on pedagogy are
evident when applied to the delivery of a curriculum. It is evident that ICT and eLearning
platforms have an influence on pedagogy; however, these influences are not drastic.
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Teachers have the ability to train both themselves and their students to become digitally
literate and confident in using the ICT infrastructure available to them. Consequently,
both teachers and students can benefit from the increased availability of information as a
As part of this dissertation the author wished to investigate the use of eLearning platforms
author’s review of the literature was “Are many schools throughout Ireland utilising e-
learning platforms?” This research question resulted in the author conducting primary
research to investigate the extent to which secondary schools in Ireland are availing of
ICT and eLearning platforms. To gather such information the author investigated the
availability of eLearning platforms to teachers in five schools from each of the provinces
in Ireland: Connaught, Leinster. Munster, Ulster. Therefore, twenty schools in total were
investigated. Each school was selected at random from each province and their school
website was extensively explored for evidence of an eLearning platform on their website.
The results showed that only two of the five schools chosen in Connaught, three of the
five schools chosen in Leinster, five of the five schools chosen in Munster, and finally
three of the five schools chosen in Ulster had an eLearning platform evident on their
school’s website. Therefore, from quick investigation of the twenty selected school’s
This simple investigation is very interesting as 86% of the people in the republic of
Ireland own or have access to smart phones (McHugh, R. ,2016). This is of significant
importance as it provides some evidence of the use of ICT and eLearning platforms
across Ireland. As mentioned previously, the computer plays an important role in the life
of the learner as they use technology daily (Shulamit Kotzer et al, 2012). Consequently,
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these results are somewhat surprising given that the current generation of learners are
very familiar with ICT which presents an increased opportunity to increase the utilisation
of ICT and eLearning platforms within secondary schools as current students of the 21st
Therefore, in conclusion, previous research conducted by third parties has highlighted the
many benefits associated with ICT and eLearning platform use in the classroom
eLearning platforms across twenty secondary schools in Ireland highlighted the level of
eLearning platform availability within these schools. Combining these result’s, it can be
seen that there is an opportunity to increase the availability of eLearning platforms across
the twenty secondary schools as just 65% of those schools showed evidence of eLearning
platform use on their website. In addition, the literature discussed in previous sections
There are several barriers associated with the teacher’s ability to use technology in education.
This section will detail the barriers that prevent teachers from using ICT in the classroom.
One barrier preventing teachers from using ICT is the teachers lack confidence in using ICT
and the negative experiences associated with ICT use in the past (Snoeyink, R, & Ertmer, P,
2001).
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Figure 2: Sourced and adapted from the Becta study, (Becta, 2008).
As mentioned, many of these barriers preventing teachers from using ICT in their preparation
and classroom delivery are as a result of the teacher’s low confidence levels in their ability to
use ICT and is not as a result of an outside source. As can be seen in (Fig 2) above there are
several other barriers affecting teacher’s ability to incorporate ICT into their lessons.
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A second aspect preventing teachers use of ICT in the classroom, as can be seen in figure 2,
is teachers fear of being embarrassed in front of students and peers. A similar barrier was
discovered in a study conducted by Russell, G. & Bradley, G. (1997) where the fear of
embarrassment in front of the pupils and their fellow colleagues if something was to go
wrong lead to the educator feeling like they had fallen in status and lead to them doubting in
their professional knowledge and skills. This barrier is one of significant meaning as it
highlights that some teachers fear that students know more about technology than the teacher
themselves which potentially could lead to teachers doubting their own professional ability.
Furthermore, a third aspect preventing teacher’s ICT use is their technical knowledge
regarding ICT use. Perhaps there is a link between teacher’s confidence in the use of ICT and
their level of technical knowledge regarding ICT usage. Unfortunately, there was insufficient
time in this study to investigate this relationship but it is one which potentially could be
investigated in the future. Finally, a fourth barrier which stood out to the author was some
pedagogical practices. This suggests that culture may also have a role to play in ICT usage.
Rewards/Incentives efficacy
Table 1: Shows a table of barriers from the International Journal of Education & Lifestyle
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Table 1 above highlights the many barriers associated with ICT use in education from the
Education & Literacy studies. In contrast, these barriers are presented under three main
obstacles; (i) resource related, (ii) institutional, and (iii) attitudinal. The results presented in
ICT into the classroom. Furthermore, in the study conducted by Mirzajanii et al. (2015),
reference was made to the lack of investment and progress made in the Departments of
Education globally as there was an extensive gap between the Becta study and Merzajanii’s
study. Therefore, as a consequence, this causes the author to question whether ICT is truly
Research has shown that the integration of ICT into second level education is a slow process
for most teachers and is influenced by a mix of complicated socio-technical factors (Coyne,
B. et al, 2015). Research conducted by the National Digital Strategy shows that the adoption
of ICT in teachers planning and execution of lessons will be a slow process. Furthermore, an
article produced by Irish Education Studies reported that ICT has many influences
factors which may highlight the availability of technology to some people depending on their
socio-economic status. However, there are also barriers associated with these factors which
effect teacher’s engagement with ICT in their planning and delivery of lessons. Other
sections of the article explored the factual and attitudinal variables influencing the integration
of ICT as well as the availability of ICT infrastructure within schools (Coyne, B. 2015). The
findings presented in this section highlight and provide evidence for the barriers facing
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In conclusion, the integration of ICT is a slow process as the barriers it faces are quite
challenging and vast. There is great potential to increase the use of ICT in post-primary
schools, however, there cannot be an onus placed on students to pay for this service, it must
be down to the individual institution to provide the service in-full. Research conducted to
date has highlighted the many barriers associated with the integration of ICT in the classroom
with training having a significant role to play in increasing teachers confidence in using ICT
within the classroom. Training will also help support teachers who have doubts or worries
about changing from a more traditional pedagogy to a new pedagogy. Extensive review of the
literature highlighted two very prominent issues associated with the integration of ICT in
education. These issues included the great variations that exist between the current socio-
economic status of Ireland and the lack of training for teachers in the application of ICT in
Many schools throughout Ireland are now incorporating eLearning platforms and ICT
infrastructure into the delivery of the curriculum. The technical subject areas appear to be
paving the way when it comes to the utilisation of infrastructure made available to them. For
example, the Leaving Certificate Design & Communications Graphics (DCG) class design
and model their project through a programme called “SolidWorks.” Many of the teachers
teaching Materials Technology: Wood also use programmes such as SolidWorks to create
working drawings of projects they will construct with students. DCG teachers are also
expressing keen interest in three-dimensional printers with several schools throughout Ireland
possessing a three-dimensional printer. Like these tools the application for Augmented
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Reality Apps is becoming relevant in the education of the technology based subjects such as
that of a Construction Studies and Design and Communication Graphics teacher’s classes.
This tool is becoming very useful for students to view their models as a 3D object in the room
in front of them. The author was exposed to such examples during their time on school
The curve is beginning to change throughout Ireland in relation to how subjects are delivered
in secondary schools as many teachers are beginning to incorporate ICT and eLearning
platforms into the delivery of the curriculum content. This progression in the increased use of
ICT and eLearning platforms within secondary schools is as a result of work being conducted
by bodies such as the Professional Development Service for Teacher’s (PDST) as they
promote the integration of ICT in education and support teachers and institutions in
increasing the availability of ICT facilities within education (PDST, 2017). The PDST are
supporting educators with the use of ICT in second level education as they have provided an
eLearning roadmap enabling schools to see how efficient they are at utilising the eLearning
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ICT in the Curriculum
Initial e-Enabled e-Confident e-Mature
Teacher Teachers have a Several teachers Most teachers Teachers have
Understanding general understand understand how e- determined their own
understanding of methodologies to learning can be used methodologies for
how e-learning can integrate ICT into in the curriculum to integrating ICT into the
improve teaching the curriculum. improve student curriculum.
and learning learning.
Planning There is little There is planning Teachers plan in a The school devotes time
planning for ICT for ICT integration, structured way for to exploring new
integration, with ICT with focus on the ICT integration in approaches to using e-
activities focused on teacher’s their lessons and learning to improve
students’ acquisition preparation, group classroom activities. student learning.
of ICT skills, e.g. and individual
word processing. work.
Teacher Use Teachers use Teachers use ICT Teachers use ICT to Teachers have embedded
computers primarily for lesson planning provide learning ICT into their practice to
in isolation from and as a teaching opportunities that facilitate student directed
regular classroom tool. support cross- learning. There is
learning activity curricular, subject- consistent evidence of
based and collaborative, discovery-
constructivist based and authentic e-
learning approaches. learning activities
throughout the school.
Student Experience Students Students Students experience Students are facilitated to
occasionally use ICT experience e- e-learning activities use ICT to support and
as part of the learning activities regularly and use ICT assess their learning, e.g.
learning process. regularly. to collaborate on creating digital content
curriculum activities and eportfolios
both within the
school and with
other schools.
SEN Teachers are aware Teachers use of ICT Teachers use ICT ICT is integral to all
that ICT can enhance focuses on the diagnostic tools, aspects of SEN teaching
the learning development of assistive and learning as well as in
opportunities of literacy and technologies and ICT the development of IEPs.
students with special numeracy for resources to address ICT resources and
educational needs. students with curriculum assistive technologies are
special educational objectives with incorporated into all
needs. students with special levels of school planning.
educational needs.
Table 2: Table illustrates PDST’s map for ICT in the curriculum (PDST, 2017)
A study conducted by Anderson (2004) discovered and recommended that the provision of
eLearning platforms to post-primary education would provide students and teachers with a
vast body of content and knowledge, and differentiate interactions between students, teacher
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and content. The curriculum becomes student-centred, content-centred, assessment-centred
and finally, community-centred as a result of incorporating ICT in education. This can result
in a more holistic education for students as the teacher creates a student-centred learning
environment resulting in the student learning more about themselves as well as the
curriculum. Consequently, the student is not just expected to memorise and regurgitate facts
but must become actively involved in the learning process. Therefore, there are significant
While there is evidence to support the many benefits associated with the integration and
utilisation of eLearning platforms it must also be noted that it is important the student is given
adequate exposure to the eLearning platform as they must be comfortable with the use of ICT
and eLearning platforms. Consequently, the student’s perspective is very important when
thoughts on the practice of online learning and found that 79% of students felt the use of
online learning had a positive impact on their learning. Therefore, the utilisation of online
learning tools such as eLearning platforms, e.g. Moodle, Blackboard, Google classroom, etc.,
Condie and Livingston (2007) conducted a study on online programmes designed for students
in post-primary education in Scotland and found that online learning did impact positively on
student’s attainment of content but could be improved if the teacher used blended learning
methods by incorporating traditional teaching methods with that of online learning. Singh
(2006) reports that the use of blended learning is not just the various teaching methods but
also incorporates the modes of delivery. To be successful, blended learning must focus on the
delivery technologies so as to ensure they match the learning objectives and transfer the
appropriate knowledge and skills to the learner in the appropriate manner. This can be viewed
as an influencing factor as the teacher must be willing to put in the required preparation to
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ensure the effectiveness of lesson delivery leading to effective and enhanced attainment of
knowledge. Wilson and Christopher (2008) suggest that the teacher has a crucial role in terms
of ensuring the effective use of the eLearning platform, from planning and management to
Conclusion
Many relevant, interesting points have been discussed in this paper while investigating the
use of ICT and eLearning platforms in second-level education. The paper has analysed and
highlighted many different factors involving the use of ICT and eLearning platforms at
second level education. As a result of the research conducted the paper highlights what
infrastructure the teachers are using most often in order for preparing and delivering their
lessons. Taken from figure 1 the highest percentile of peripherals, teachers are using printers
and scanners, but in order for the lessons to become more student centred the lower percentile
must be utilised also as if the students are using video camera throughout a lesson they are
able to shape the learning to the strategies which suit them best. The paper also highlights the
availability of eLearning platforms to schools and found that eLearning platforms such as
Moodle are very easy to avail of. This means that schools can utilise such infrastructure to aid
the application of the so called “new pedagogy” formed when using ICT and eLearning
platforms. This new pedagogy leads to a higher order, more critical education which the
students shape through their participation in class. It also allows the students to access a
greater amount of information in less time than it would have prior to the utilisation of ICT.
Following the information gathered the author then began to question if the eLearning
platforms are being used throughout Irelands second level education sector. To do this the
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author took it upon himself to research if schools have access to eLearning platforms on their
websites. The research conducted displayed that of the 20 schools selected at random, 65%
had in fact a link for their eLearning platform. This answered the authors question to see if
schools are in fact using the platforms made available to them. This also links with many
schools who are adding IPad’s to their school’s infrastructure as opposed to the more
traditional use of books. The authors research then led to the question, “Why don’t all schools
use eLearning Platforms if they are so readily available?” This question led to the author
doing further research into the barriers which are facing the uptake of ICT by teachers. Table
1 demonstrates that there are three main barriers which face the uptake of ICT by teachers.
The three areas highlighted in the table are, (i) Resource related obstacles, (ii) Institutional
obstacles and (iii) Attitudinal obstacles. Table 1 and Figure 2 both illustrate quite plainly
what influences teachers to create a negative outlook on the addition of ICT in their planning
The final topic researched influences which effect the incorporation of ICT and eLearning
platforms throughout post-primary education. The author highlights that there are many
positive influences effecting ICT and eLearning Platforms incorporation as at one point the
author states that 79% of students found that online learning had a positive effect on their
learning. The author also demonstrated the PDST’s roadmap which allows the teacher to see
how well their students can use the ICT and eLearning Platforms facilities. Although the
positives are evident Table 2 also conveys that the ability of the students is impacted on how
In order for ICT and eLearning Platforms to become effective tools in the education industry
there are a few recommendations the author has compiled as a result of his research. In order
for the infrastructure to become more effective the author believes that teachers must
incorporate the use of interactive tools, such as cameras, applications and data logging tools,
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all of which fall into the lower percentile infrastructure in figure 1. This will lead to a
communal education where the use of group work can be applied in each lesson leading to
the students gaining a more holistic education. This will also benefit the teacher as it will free
up their time to provide formative feedback to the students as the teachers are able to observe
the students work. Due to the availability of eLearning platforms schools should embrace the
utilisation of the eLearning Platforms capabilities as it allows the students more online
learning time which was found to be positive taken from the study which found 79% of
students said online learning has a positive effect on their learning. Teachers should also be
encouraged to embrace the use of ICT and eLearning Platforms as this will increase the
confidence with technology and will have a positive impact on the barriers facing ICT in
The author believes that ICT and eLearning platforms can be very beneficial to teachers as it
allows the students to become leaders of their own education. This in turn allows the teacher
more time for observation and critical analysis of the students work which will provide a
more sincere and effective formative feedback for the students on their work. This is all
reliant though on the teacher’s ability to use the technology correctly ensuring that they have
good classroom management and very strategic, well planned lesson plans. It allows the
teacher to form a new pedagogy which leads to a higher order, more critically thought out
education which gives the student a more holistic education due to the problem-solving skills
they have acquired. The author found that it allows the teacher to contact the students outside
of school hours if they use eLearning platforms as the students have the ability to access class
notes while they are doing homework or studying from their homes. ICT and eLearning
Platforms also give the opportunity for students who are absent from class to catch up on
work.
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Technology is always advancing and progression is very important for education to maintain
relevance, the author found that in order for education to maintain its relevance it needs to
progress along with technology, this is evident from the fact that 86% of Irelands population
have access to smartphones. Technology is all around us and education will benefit if
teachers begin to utilise the infrastructure which is now being made available to them.
- Bill Gates
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