ICT integration : Newly qualified primary teachers in Ireland classroom and school experiences.

This research explored the school and classroom experiences of thirteen newly qualified primary teachers (NQPTS) in Ireland in relation to Information and Communication Technology. These teachers had access to personal laptop computers as student teachers and participated in the ICT elective module in their final year in college. The research adopted a case study qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews and observations in the classrooms of the participants. Thirteen in-depth interviews were audio recorded in the participants' schools, transcribed and later analysed using Nvivo. Further evidence was gathered through unstructured and unrecorded conversations with the principals of the schools along with documentary evidence from the NQPTs inspectors' probationary reports. As a result, this thesis examined the issues faced by these young teachers as they attempted to integrate ICT into their daily professional lives. The research further explored the role of the ICT school co-ordinator, the principal teacher, the community, the school inspectorate and the national ICT advisory service and how they supported or hindered the NQPTs in relation to ICT classroom use. The main findings of this study indicated that these thirteen NQPTs: Were striving to integrate and infuse ICT into their daily work; Were satisfied with their pre-service experience of ICT, including the laptop programme; Argued that more time be allocated to ICT classroom management issues during pre-service; Suggested that ICT integration should play a more prominent role during teaching practice; Suggested that teaching practice supervisors be more supportive of the role of ICT; Acknowledged the support of their head teacher and school based ICT coordinator regarding ICT integration; Questioned the lack of support they received from the school inspectorate during their probationary year in relation to ICT; Had very little support from the national ICT advisory service during their probationary year. The thesis concludes with six recommendations, posed as questions, relating to the role of the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE, Ireland), the role of the school inspector, in particular during the young teacher's probationary year, the role of the school's ICT policy, the role of the colleges' of education supervisors in Ireland during teaching practice, the value of laptop technology during pre-service and finally what form of ICT in-service is relevant to NQPTs and how these recommendations may support young teachers in future years.