ICT use in education: different uptake and practice in Hebrew-speaking and Arabic-speaking schools in Israel

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted learning 2010-12, Vol.26 (6), p.492-506
• Main Authors: Nachmias, R., Mioduser, D., Forkosh-Baruch, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administrator Attitudes; Allocations; Arabic-speaking schools; Arabs; Coordinators; Cross Cultural Studies; Delivery Systems; Education; Educational Experience; Educational Policy; Educational Practices; Educational Technology; Foreign Countries; Gaps; Grade 8; Hebrew-speaking schools; ICT; implementation; Information systems; Infrastructure; Israel; Learning; Levers; Mathematics Teachers; Performance Factors; Principals; Program Implementation; Questionnaires; Science Teachers; Semitic Languages; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Technology Uses in Education; Use Studies
• ISSN: 0266-4909; 1365-2729
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2010.00374.x

Closing educational gaps between sub‐populations in Israel, particularly between students in Hebrew‐speaking and Arabic‐speaking schools, persists to be one of the priorities of Israel's education system. In the field of information and communication technology (ICT), this goal refers to infrastructure as well as practice, i.e. teaching and learning. A secondary analysis of Second Information Technology in Education Study 2006 study findings portrays a multifaceted state of affairs on some issues, e.g. vision and goals, attitudes on ICT importance in general and as a lever for paradigmatic change in particular. This is contrary to expectations due to the inequality in allocation (mainly of infrastructure) between the two sectors. Arabic‐speaking mathematics teachers indicate greater ICT usage in their target class, while among science teachers, Hebrew‐speaking teachers report greater usage and influence on their pedagogy, indicating innovative usage. Conclusions suggest that further effort is needed to close the gaps between Hebrew‐ and Arabic‐speaking schools as well as collaboration and exchange of ideas, information and educational experience between staff members from both sectors.