Primary school teachers' perceptions of their experience in using ICT for project-based learning

by Luk, Kim-fong

In recent years, project-based learning (PBL) and the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning have

been given a prominent place in the national educational goals of many

governments. Nowadays, ICT-assisted PBL is a widely discussed topic

in the local school sectors. However, researches on its actual practice

are scarce. ICT-assisted PBL is a relatively new teaching and learning

strategy and the study of the frontline educators' perceptions of the

actual practice of PBL is imperative for understanding the

practicability and limitations of the strategy. This research primarily

aimed at acquiring a deeper understanding of the implementation of

ICT-assisted PBL in primary schools through exploring the teachers'

perceptions of their PBL experience in using I CT. Ten primary

teachers who have been adopting PBL with the assistance of ICT were

interviewed. Issues pertaining to their PBL goals and learning

outcomes, student autonomy, the teacher's facilitation, students'

collaborative work and the computer infrastructure and ICT usage are

the discussion foci.

The research findings provide a deeper

understanding of the problems faced by the teachers in PBL and the

methods and strategies they used in PBL. The specific roles of the use

of ICT in their current PBL practices are also identified. The findings

provide useful groundwork for further investigations about how the

usage of ICT can be more closely tied to the problems faced by teachers

in PBL, and assisting their own professional development.

MSc[ITE] dissertation - Luk Kim Fong