ICT in Francophone and French immersion secondary schools: from integration to illusion!*

A presentation by

Sylvie Roy

Assistant Professor

Brigitte Lépine

Med student in Educational Technology and

Research Assistant

*MT3 project called «In the new era of technopedagogical knowledge: Francophone and French immersion schools in Alberta». Principal investigators: Dr. Roy and Dr. Ouellet (University of Calgary)

Goals of the study

To examine the use and integration of ICT in Calgary`s Francophone and French immersion schools. To explore partner teachers’ beliefs and their interpretation of their experiences of the use and integration of ICT.

Methodology and data analysis

Questionnaire Semi-structured interviewsObservation

Analysis of data Use of Access (data base) Qualitative analysis

Theoretical concepts

Socioconstructivism How knowledge is build and shared ?

Critical Pedagogy How one could be critical when using

technology ?

Second Language Learning How the use of technology helps

students to acquire more knowledge of French ?

The data collection

Number of teachers interviewed: 21Number of schools: 11

Number of Junior High: 7 Number of Senior High: 5

(note 1 school fits in both J.H & S.H.)

Number of Public school: 6 for a total of 9 teachersNumber of Catholic school: 3 for a total of 7

teachersNumber of Francophone school: 2 for a total of 5

teachers

Some results:

1. Training

2. Use of technology

3. Needs and challenges

Training

Some workshops offered by School Boards or schoolsSelf-taught and personal interests

ConferencesCourses from other organization

Few training at the post-secondary level (only one teacher with Computer Science degree)

Use of technology

Word ProcessingE-mailsPowerPointUse of ProjectorUse of Calculator (Senior High)Internet search French, English,

Arts, Social StudiesUse of Specific Sites Frog Dissection

MultimediaPublishing Tools Use of program The Learning

Equation (math) Available in French

WebCT 1 Senior High

school

Needs and Challenges (1)

Training More training at different levels

(beginner to advanced workshops)

Use of software How to integrate

Needs and challenges (2)

Lack of time (and money!)

For teachersLearn Prepare themselvesShare with others

Needs and Challenges (3)

Lack of resources Computers that are not working Not enough computers Slow network No connections to the Internet Labs not always available No techniciens in Junior High

Needs and Challenges (4)

Teachers feel uncomfortable because some students know more than themVarieties of skills and knowledge within the students populationSome students know some technology, others are genius !!

Needs and Challenges (5)

French teachers face these challenges: Students write in English or find

information in English. They use a translation site to convert from English to French: Desaster!!

Some teachers don’t know where to find resources in French or they lack time!

To conclude

If more teachers use technology and integrate technology in their subjects, their needs will become higher. They will need more machines and more training. (Comments from a teacher)

Let’s return to the theoretical conceptsFor futur research and comments