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St.John's
A Study Examining Divisionsinthe Value of EducationalTechnologyBetween Students
inIsolated CommUDities of Newfoundland and Labrador.
by Della E.Healey, B.A.B.Ed.
A thesis submitted to the School or Graduate Studiesin partlalful/llment of the requirements
for the degree or Master or Education
1998
Newfoundland
. +.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract• •• •• •• •••••• •• •• • • • •• •••••••••••• •• ii
Acknow ledgement!••• • • •• •••••••••••••••••• iii Listof TablesandFlgUI'ts • • •••• •• •• ••••••••••• vii Chapter1:Introduction totheStudy ••• ••••• •.•••••• 8 A Statementof theProblem • •• •••• • ••••• ••••• ••• 10 Location of theStudy ••• •••• •• • • •• •• •••• ••• • [2 Limitatio M ofStudy ••• • •• •• ••• • • • ••• • •• • • •• 16 DeftnitiooofKey Terms • •••• • ••••• ••••••• •• • • 17 Chapter 2:ReTiewof Relatedl.Jteratureand ReseardJ ••• •••••18 Chapter3:MajorResearchQoestiODSandMetbodolOC' ••• •••• 29 Researc h Questio ns••• •••••• • • •• •••• ••• •• ••• 29 Designof Study ••.•• ••• • •••••• •••••• ••••• 30 Questio nnaires •• •••••• •• •• ••••••••••• • •• • 34 Imerve ws •• •••• •• ••••• ••••• ••••• • • • • • 35 AnalysisofData •••• •••• •••••• ••••• • • • •• •• 36 Organizing the Data ••••• • ••• ••• • •• • •••••• • • 37 Geoeratin&:Categories.Themesand Patterns •••••• •• • • ••• •37 Testing Emerge nt Hypotheses ••••••••• •••••••••• • 38 SearchingforAlternative Explanations •••• •• • •••• •• ••• 38 Writing theReport •• • ••••••••• •• •• • ••• •••• 38
jy
Pog.
Chapter4:Results aodDiscm.siOD • •••••••••••• • ••• 39 AnOverviewoftheChapter •• •• • ••• ••••••••••••• 39 Introduction ••••••• ••••• •• • •••• •••• 39 ResearchQuestionI •• ••••• •• •••• •••• •• 41 Research Question2 ••••• • • • • • ••• •• •• •• SS Research Question3 ••••• • ••••••••• •••• 7S ResearchQuestion 4 ••• • •• • • ••••• • • • • • • 79 Research QuestionS ••• • ••• • • • •••• • •• • • 84 Ch.pttrS: Aaswtn to R.esean:h Questiou••••••••• ••• •• ••.92 Research Question I •••••••• •• • •• •• • •• •••• •• • ••••92 Reseaccb.C)oestion2 •••• ••• •••••• ••••••. . . • •••••.93 Research Questio nJ •••••• ••••• •••• • •.• •• ••.• •. .•9S Research Question 4 •• • •• ••••••• ••• •••• 96 ResearchQues tion5 •• ••• •• • •• • • • • •••• • 96 Chapttr'6: ImplicatioDS,Recommendations aod Condunon •••• • 98 ReflectionODMethodology •••• •• •• ••• ••••• 98 ImplicationsfurSchools • • • • ••••• ••• • •••• 99 ImplicationsforPolicy •••••• •••• • •••••• •• • •• 104 Recommendations ••• • • •• •• • •• ••••••••• • • • 111 Conclusion
Refere nces
111
\12
AppendixA
Questionnaire Appendix B• Letterto Participants
121 121 129 129
Append ixC.• • •••. . ... . . . .• • ••• • . •• • • •. 132
Letterto NorthCommunitySchoolBoard 132 AppendixD.... . .... ... ... .. . . .. . . ... . .. . . 134
Letterto SouthCommunitySchoolBoard .. . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . 134
Appendix E. .. . .. ... . . .. .•• •• •..• ..••• ••. . . . 136
Letterto Administration of North Community School.. . ..... . . . . 136
Appendix F 138 Letterto Administration of South Community School. .. . . ... . ... 138
vi
UST OF TABLESAND FlGURES
Tab le4.[•ValueofcurrentteeImologyineducation • •••• • • • •• 46 Table 4.2• Value of particular aspects of currentt.eehnoIogyineducation. •46 Table4.3 -Grade averagesofsnxlcoa • •• ••••••• •••• • •63 Table4.4 -PareDta.loc:cupatioos ••••• •••••• ••• • • •• 66 Tab le4.5 - Parental occupations •••• •• • • •• •• •• • • •. 66 Tab le 4.6 - Parentaleducation ••• .•• •••• • • •• ••••• 68 Table4.7• Parentaleducation ••• •••••••• ••••• ••• 69 Table 4.8• Student travel ••••.• ••••• ••• • • ••• • • 71 Table4.9-Stude nttravel •• ••••• • •• ••• •••• • • •• 71 Table 4.10-Fam ily income •••• •• ••••• •• ••• •••• • 74 Table4.11-Family income •• •••.•.•• •••• ••••• •• 74 Table 4. 12-Careerchoices andpostsccoDdary education ••••• •••78 Table 4.13 - Careerchoices andpostsecoDdary education •••• • •• •78 Figure1.1-MapofCanada •• •••• ••• ••••••• •• • •• [3 Figure1.2 - MapofNewfound.landandLabr3doc • • • •• • ••• • • 14
Chapter1 Introduction totheStu dy
Forasecondaryeducationsystem tofuoctioaeffectively,itmustsatisfythe needs ofthe studeD1Swhoarethemajorstakeholders.This would require equality ofservices forstudentsacrossdistrictsandwithinschools.TheNewfoundland educatio n systemis noexcep tiontothisrule.IftheNewfoundlandand Labradoreducationsystemasto function effectively itshouldequallysatisfy theneedsof tbe studenu(Government of Newfoundlandand Labrador,1989)
For years,educationalinequalityhasbeenan area of great interest to many researchers(Angus.1993).Education systems are not always designed to ensure equality ofservices to studenu, especially thoseinremote,isolatedcommuni ties.According to Craig(1994),themor eremot e anarea. thelesscbaDcestudents have toavailthemselv es of educati onal oppo rtunitieseccessbleto studenuinwbaoareas.[solatio n hasalways posedaproblem forstudentsinmanyofthes.mallcolllItl.U1itiesof Newfoundlandand labrador."Therealityisthatisolat edruralareashave fewerservices"(Departmen t of Educati o n..1991). Thetwo isolatedcommunitiesinthisstudyare locatedin Newfoundland and Labrador.Toprotecttheiridentity they havebeen giventhe pseudo nyms. SouthCommunityandNo rth Community.Itisrecognized that thedeliv ery of educational servicesiniso lat ed communities suchasthese,hasnot beenup to par with the morewban areas of the province(Fizzard, 1991,Department of Education,19 90 and Department of Education,1991)
TheGovernmentofNewfoundland and Labrador realizes thatisolatio nhascaused
aninequalityineducational services for studenuinisolated areas such u North Community and South Community.(Departme:Dtof Education,1990 and Department of Education.1991).~Hatt on (1994)writesthe outcome ofschooliug forisolatedcbildren should notbean educationaldisadvantage. Tohelp conquerthisproblemofinequalityin educational servicesinisolatedareas,distanceeducatio ncour seswere offeredto stu dents inmany such communitiesincluding thoseinNorthCommunityandSouth Community (Department of Education,1990 ).Itisbelieved thatdistance educationhashelped narrow thegapbetween studeatsinruralareas and thoseinwban areas with regard to accessibilityof educational senicesOames., 1987,Barker,1990,Barl:erand Taylor,1993 andBarker andDickso n. 1996). Today,distanceeducationin theform cfcarrent technologiessuch a, computers,electronicmailand faxes is believedtobeproficientin thedelivery ofeducation torural, isolated areas (Lundin. 1994 ,Hughes,1993,Bar ker and Hall, 1995,Barker ,HallandWood, 1995,and Stevens. 1994).However, manyrural schoolsdonot havethefunding to supplylarge numben ofcomputers ortele- conferencing equipment for their students(Governmentof Newfoundland and Labrador.
1989).There also appears tobe..disparityofaecess tothese educational toolsbetween studentsinschools (Sutton.1991).SchoolsinNorth Community and SouthCommunity may be no different. [tis possiblethatonlya partiallargroupof students have access to CUITent technologies. It mightbethatonlyafewruralstudentsvaluethe usage ofcurrent technologiesintheir education.Ifthisisso,thenthe Departmentof Educationmight be failingto meet theneedsofmost studentsinsome ruralcommunities.All studentsmight DOtbe benefitingfromcurrenteducationalteclmology;allstudents might not have access
'0
toit.Currenteducationtechnology couldbeelitistandmay onlybemeetingthe needs of
• particulargroupofstUdentswhilehavingDOvalueforthemainstreamstudent.
To allowallstudentsinisolatedcommunities equal access to current educational technology.we mayhaveto considerchangingthe technologyprogram. Ifchanges are DOtmade,itmaybethatonly •small percentage of studentsinisolatedcommunities.
such as NorthCommunityandSouthCommunity,willvalue educationaltechnology asit isavailableintheir schools.Changes mayhavetobemade toallo w equ alityof oppo rtunity forallstudentsinisolated regio nstoutilize andvalueCUTTenteducational technology.
A Statement of theProblem
Theformalbigb-scbooJeducational program ofNewfoundJandandLabrador is designedtoallowstudents optionsincourse selections (Departmeot of Education, 1991).
Inspite ofthis.coune opbOD! arelessnu.merousinmanyisolated areas ofNc:wfoundland andLabrador (DepartmeDtofEducation, 1990).Geognphic isolation hasbeen perceived as a majori:mpedimenttothe formal education ofyoung peoplein isolatedpartsof the province(Department of Education, 1991).Present dayeducatiooal technology,inmany ways, has been designed tohelpovercome suchaproblem.(BarterandTaylo r,199 3, DepartmentofEducation,1991andBarker,1990).However,currenttechnologyis rather expensive and may notbe available forallstudents (Gillespie, 1994). lfthisisso, it maybethateducatio nal technology, asitispresentl y available tothe studentpopul ation inisolatedcommunitiesof NewfoundlandandLabrador,ismore divisivethanitis inclusive.Thequestionthatneedsaskingiswhetherornot currenteducational
\I technologyismeeting theneedsofallstudeotsin thesecommunities.,oris rtinherently elitist. Inotherwords.iseducationaltechnology meetingsome oftheneedsof a partiadargroup of students.,while at the same timebavinglittle orDOimpactDOthe majority?
Thisstudyisbeing done because technology,asitiscurrentlyavailableinthe Newfoundland and Labndor education system,may befailingtomeet itsobjectives.
A~totecbnologyappears tobeelitist bavinglittle or no valueforthe mainstream student.Iftechnologyinour educationsystemis workingfor the benefitofallstudents.
thenaUshouldvalue technologyequally and haveaccesstoit.Should this prove notto bethe case, then this studymay demonstntethatinruralNewfoundland andLabrador thereisadivisioninthe access oftechnologyto our studeats.Thus.,a revision of this aspectof our educational program mayberequired.
Acomparisoo of students who have greater access to carrear technologywith studenuwhohave less accesstoCUITeI1ttechnology,inisolatedcommunities of Newfound1aad,mayshedsome light ontheissue.Itshouldidentify existing problems witheducatiooal technology forruralstudentsandprovide some suggestions on bow to dealwiththese problems.
Thestudyaims toachieve the followingfive objectives:
(I) Determineifthere are differences in the perceivedvalueofcurrenteducatio nal technologyamong students in isolated communitiesof Newfoundland and Labrador.
(2) Identifywhetherthereis •sociologicaldivisioo between studentswhohave
12 greater access to technologyandstudentswhohavelessaccess.
(3) IdentifywhetherorDOCthecareer choices ofstudcmswhohave greater accessto currenteducationaltechno logy differsinterms oftheamountoftimerequiredina postsccoodaty institutionas opposed tostudentswhohave lessaccess to CWTtDl educational technology.
(4) IdentitY whether ornot currenteducational technologybasexpandedthe career options ofstudentsinisolated communitiesof Newfoundlandand Labrador.
(5) Elicit,fromstudents.ideasthatmaylead to a technologicalprogramthat optimizesstuden tinvolvement.
Loutionof theSt udy
This studyislocatedinNewfoundlandandLabradorwhichisaprovince onthe eastcoastof Canada (RefertoFigure[.1).Thetwo isolatedcommunities., North Communityand SouthCommunity , arelocat edinLabradorwhichispartaCtbeprovince ofNewfoundlandandLabrador (Refer to Figure1.2).
NorthCommuni tyislocatedin theNo rth of Labradorand has a populationof 1,069 people(Encyclopedia of Newfoun dlandandLabrador.1993 ).Itislocatedonthe northsideof a smallinletand iswell-protectedbynumerousislands(Refer to Figure 1.2) . Itisinhabited predo mina telybynative peoples.The summers at North Community are quite short andcoolwhereas thewintersarelongandverycold.
NorthCo mmunitywas establishedinthelate 1700's.Moravianmissionari es built 11church.atradingpost and a missionbome.Thefirstschoolwasbuiltin179 1.Most of the inhabitants did Dot liveinNonhCommunity yearround.lastead, theymoved
AGUREI.I
CANADA
13
RGURE12
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
Y l'(ORT H Cmll lUl\llY
V
SOlITlIcos enxnv
15 seasonallytosurroundingcommunitiestohum,fishaDdtrap (EnGyclopediaof NewfoundlandandLabrador,1993).
In199 1, NorthCommunitywas describedasthecentreof government servicesto the NorthCoastOf LabradOf.NonbCommunitybasseveralfederal aDd provincial agencies.Themainstayof thecommunityisArcticChatfishing.ScallopIisbing. and mining exploratio n.
Theall-grad e schoolatNorthCommunitybas.populatio nofapproximately 400 students.It basastaffofthirtyteachers.Instruction isprovidedinbothEnglishand lnukitut.Enrollmenthasremainedstable.
SouthCommunity islocatedinthe South cf'Lebra dcrandbasa populatio oof approximately520people(Encyclopedia of NewfoundlandandLabrador,1993).Itis located onthenorthshore aCthe Stnit ofBc:UeIsle (RefertoFigure1.2).The climate consistsof short,coolsummersandlong.cold wintcn.
Intheearly1700's.South Communitywascstabli.sbedasafishingvillage.Itwas thought to haveoneoftbebestfishingshipharbours.SouthCommunitywasfirstsettled by theFrench. Bythe1800's.however,itwasthelargestBritish settlementonthe LabradorStraits (W.B.TitfordLtd.•1988).
Today.SouthCommunity canbedescribed as the administrativecentrefor communities oftheLabradorStraitsarea. SouthCommunitybasseveralfederal and provincialagencies.The mainstay of the community is fishing and tourism..
TheschoolatSouthCommunityservesstudents fromtwoothersurrounding communities.Thisall-gradeschoolhasa populationof approximately200students.It
'6
basa teaching staffof thirteenteachers.Enrollmentbu beensJowlydeaeasing.
LimitatiolUlofthe Study
Thevalidityand reliabilityofthisstudywaslimitedbyseveraJ.factors.There are limitations tousingeitherquestionnairesortousinginterviewsortousing both questionnairesandinterviews.LeCompteand PreissJ.e(1993) observethatself-reportsof behaviour elicitedthroughasurvey,whetherit isaquestio nnair e or an interview,does notalwaysdepictthe actual fee lingsand behaviours oftheparticip ant.Some participants may havea reason for withho lding thetruth(Marshall andRossman,1995).
Thedata were collect ed through justODeinterview andone questionnair e per student.Itispossiblethatthese methodsdidnot exposeallof the salient factorsthat mighthavebeenapparentifthestudyhadfewersubjects., andifthe planhadbeento study theparticipan tsfo r longerperiods oftimewithmore in-depth interviewingand questioning.
ManhallandRossman(1995)DOtethat questionnaires cannot assurethat the results canbeappliedunivetsa1Iy.In this particularstudy,two isolated communitiesin Labrador, NorthCommunityandSouthCommunity,weretheareas ofreseacch.Thedata thatwasfound wasprobab ly representative afmost isolatedNewfoundlandandLabrador communitiesbutmay not necessarilyberepresentative of other isolatedcommunitiesin the coun try.
Every effortwasmadeto convey accuratelythe findings from thequestionnaires andfromtheinterviews.However.someaCtberesponsesmighthavebeenopento some interpr etati ononthepartoftheresearcber.
17 DefiDitioaorKey TttDU
F«me purpose ofthissOJdyeducatiooal technologyreferstocomputersand teleeonfererringequipmenr.Thesearethemost recent technologies available to the studentsinNorthandSouthCommunity.
Thetermsrural.isolated andre mote areall characteristic of NorthandSouth Communities.For thepurposesoftltis study,rural refers10 small townsthatare lKK consideredurban.In meprov ince ofNewfoundlandandLabrado r.mos tof the communities are rural.The majorurban centres are St.John's .MountPearland Corner Brook.Isolatedandremoteare usedsynonymouslvto describetownsthatare not accessibleby roadallyear around•.
Cha pter 2
Review of Related Literatu re and Research
The Department of Education ofNewfoundJand and Labrador (1991) point
outthat
"equity of educational opport unityis a very troubling issue" (p.2)
.Many students in isolated communities do not have access to educational services being offered in urban schools (Griffith, 1994, Fizzard, 1991, Department of Education, 1990 and Department of Education, 199 1). Rural education has been at a disadvantage in many areas (Bell and Sigsworth, 1987). According to Karmel (as cited in Stevens, 1995) rural communities in Australia have had to contend with educational disadvantage for many years. However, in rece nt years, current educational technology has allowed for greate r access to more courses for stude nts in isolated communities (James, 1987, Barker, 1990, Howley and Howley, 1995 and Barker and Dickson, 1996).
It
would be fair to expect that if current educational technology is advantageous for students and ifit were available in a school, then all students would have access to it.
Carol Hughes (1993) writes that in Queensland, Australia, schools are expected to equip students with skills inthe use of information technologies. Holmes and Wynne (1989)
,in their proposed set of educational goals for elementary and secondary schoo ls, maintain that allstudents should learn how to properly use and operate a comp ute r for the purposes of word processing, learning and other everyday applications. Students benefit from advanced learning technologies (Barker et al., 1995, Nevens, 1995, Barker and Hall, 1993, Hill, 1992 and Lundin, 1990). The Illinois State Board of Education has called for using technology as a resource to support student learning (Bar ker et al., 1995).
However, in some cases, current educational technology is available in schools, but is
19 only available to somestudents.Manyeducatorsare concernedthatunequal access to computers at schoolsiscausing disparities (Jonesand Malloy,1996).A study conducted byArias (ascitedinSutton, 1991) revealsthat high-achieving students bad greater access to the new technologiesinthe school.Ifcurrent educational technologyis only available to particularstudentsinsomeruralcommunity schools in Newfoundland and Labrador, thenallare not receivingequal educational opportunity.
Theequalityof educational opportunity is not a new concept.
The issue ofcquaIityofeducationbasexercised the thoughtand imagination of policymakerssincethebeginning of public administration (Margolisand Moses, 1992).
Ifone were tostudytheeducational history of Newfo und1and and Labrador,inequalities ineducationwo uJd bequite prominent.Accordingto Noel'sinterpretation of Newfoundlandand Labrador history, (as citedinSingh, 1990) ,the foUowingpoints should betaken into consideration:
(I) In thepast,classcompositioninNewfoun dlandandLabrador was quiteunique becauseitconsistedonlyofrichand poor peopl e.
(2) Most familiesinNewfoundland depended on thefisheryand belongedtothe poorer class.
(3) Educati o n was directlyrelated tosocio-economicsterusinthat childrenof therich citizens werewell educatedandchildren ofthepoorerfamilies werenot weU educated.
(4) Socialmobility through the educationsystem and through adequatescho oling could onlybeattainedby the rich people' schildren.Thosewhowerepoor remainedpoor and could not expect upwardsocialmobilityviaan education.
(5) Since 1949, Newfoundlandand Labrador societybasbecomemoreaware of educationalproblems and effons are being madefor improvement (p.15).
Iftbeabovecharacteristicsof"old"Newfoun dland and Labradorstill existtodaythenthe educationalsystemoftbe province will require some revamping, Fagan (1995) states that pcrfonnance and accountabilityineducationareveryhighon thepublic agenda
20 toda y. [fonlysome studems have accesstolearningteclmol ogi esinourschoolsin NewfoundlandandLabrador,thensome ofthebistoricaJeducational problemsstill remain.Allstudentsdonot bavetheopportunitytobenefit.lfthisisso,then theremay bea divisionamong studenu. ToeDSI.JCeequality.thisdivisionwillhavetobe eliminated.A restructuring aCthe educational system mayberequiredtoamendthis situation.AccordiDgtoNewell (1986) schools cannot correctaUpersonalandsocial inequalitiesbuttheycan offer equalityofoppo nunitytopursueeducatio nalgoals.To meet such a goalinisolated communitiesinNewfoundlandandLabrador,allstudents musthaveequalaccess to current educational technology.Equalityof accesstothis new technology is ofthe utmostimportance(Webster and ConnoUy,1993).
To ensure a quality education forall$bJdeouinaparticularschool, there mustbe availability ofresources (Margolisand Moses.1992 ).Hawkes(1995) foundthat rural teachers believedthata prob lemwitheducationaltechnology disseminationwas due to the laclr:::ofresoucces. Darndland Higgins(1983).Nachtigal(1992)andTweeteu(as citedinHobbs,1992)allagreethatruraleducationrequiresspecialattentionand numerousresources."TheReportofTask:ForceOQEducationalFinance(Dixon.et.al, 1989) writesthatthe1990' s will demand morefundingforschools asouteducational system becomes adaptedto changingtechnologies.Gaines,Jo hnson andKing(1996) arguethatto secure theeducationofeach student,adequateresources havetobe provided.Even whentheNewfoundlandand Labrado r Governme ntare experiencinga time offiscalrestraint.moniesmayhave tobeallocatedtoruralareasnitisfoundthat thereisadivisionintheava.ilabilityofcurrenteducational technologyto studentsdueto
21 lackof resources.Accordingtothe ReportoftheTaskForce on EducatiooalFinance (1989)preparedfor theNewfoundland andLabrad oreducatiooalsystem.greater equity canbebuiltintothe grants allotted toindividualschool:boards.It statesthatsmaller schoolswouldprobablyrequirehigber~turecostsperstudentinorder-toprovide programssimilartothoseprovidedto studentsinthelarg er centresoftheprovince.
Accor ding tothisTask.Force,thefoUowingsixprinci plesarc normally adheredtowhen plans for educational finance arebeingdevised:
(1) Everystudentinaprovinceshould haveaccesstoqualityeducational programs andservices that reasonablyrespondtohisorher individual needs.regardless of that student 'sinterestsandabilities,regardl ess ofwherethat student lives, regardlessefthatstudent's cultural andsocio-economicenvironment.
(2) Every schoolbeardinaprovincesbouIdhave access tosufficientrevenuesto providequalityeducational programsandservicesthatmeet the needs of its students.
(3) Theplan offinaDcia.lsuppo rtshouldensure reasoDabIe equityforalltax payers.
(4) Withingeneral provincialguidelines,thefinancingplanshouJd providemaximum opportunityandencouragementforthe developmentand exercise of local autooomy andleadershipineducation.
(5) Thefinancialprovisions ofagrantsystem shouldencouragesound andefficient organization. administration. andthe operationoflocalschooldistricts and schools.
(6) Thefinancingplanshouldemphasizecontinuousevaluation,tong-nngeplanning.
andoverall accountabilityfor the expenditure ofpublicfunds (p.29-30).
Iftheabove guidelinesare beingadheredtointhefinancialplanningfortheeducation system ofNewfoundlaod andLabrad or.then itwouldappear that educationalinequalities wouldbequite:limited.However.Witis foundthereareinequalitiesinthe accessibility ofeducational technology betwee n studentsinisolated communitiesofNewfoundlan d and Labrado randthattheseguidc:linc:sarenot beingstrictlyfollowed, then changesinthe educatio nsystemwillhavetobeimplc:mented.
22 Jones andMalloy(1996) insistthata democntic society should guaranteethat schools offer cvaychildthe opportunity to become aproductivememberofsociety.
Theysayschooling mwtbemade equal foraDstudentsregardless oftheirrace.class or socio-economic status.They contendthatinmany areaslow achievingstudentsandlow inco me schools do oot receive adequate resources.lfthecurrent resources for educationaJ.technologyare not availabletoallstudentsinaputicular schoolinsome ruralcommunitiesinNewfoun dland and Labrad or , then educational services havetobe adequat elypro vid edtothesechildrentoentitl ethemto a brighterfuture.Jone s and Malloy believ e thatinour societylow incomeandlo w grades are oftenattribu ted to failure and to personal shortcomings.They notethat even thoughequal academic achievementwillprobab lynot reduce the problem of incomeinequalities.itwill represent
•stepto greatersocialjustice.
Amstine(1995)saysthatmostpeople believethat"individualsshould DOtbe preserved intactfromtheirheirs"(p.l S).He saysthatwealthy people pass00thewealth to theirheirs butpoorerpeople arefightingforequalityaDddoDOtwish topasson povertytotheir heirs.Bell etaI.(1993)alsoagree with thisfimctiooalist viewwhenthey saythat there bastobe growth.ineducationalsystem!to eucw forequal educational opportunity.McCan.hy and Webb(1990) andRodriquez (1990) believe that to obtain educatio nalexcellence,theremust be equity.
Morgan(1977) explainsthatchildrenmust be givenequalopportunitywithinthe schoolandwithinthe classroom.Ifnot,he believes. therewill beclass differences or socialgapsbetween groups of students.Hetheo rizes that lDany ofthe: presentschool
23 systems haveserioustbwswherebystudents areclassedaccordingtodifferences.Those students atthe top, withalltheadvantages,wiI1bewinnersinsociety.Thosestudentsin themiddlewillbecomethebardworlcing middlelevel ofsociety.Those at the bottomare destined to become society'slosers.Equalopportunity,becoeteeds,wouldresultin the redistrib utio nofstudent!amoogschoollevelsandwouldgiveallJlUdentsanopportunity forabrighterfuture.Morgan arguesthateducationalequalityand equa.Iopportunity must begin at theprimarystages ofl eamingandcontinue throughoutthe schoolyears.
McCuneandWilbur(as cited inRodriquez,1990)haveidentified severalrelevant effortswhichwillreduce inequalitiesinopportunitiestoeducation:
(1) Equalaccess • oncestudents havegainedequalaccess toeducational materials,the nextstepwillrequire equal treatment.
(2) Equaltreatment -the ccnceprsofbiu. stereotypinganddisaimination have to be eliminated.Being aware oftbedifferentDeedsofstudeouwill leadto equal outcomes.
(3) Equalccteoees-Eachpersonhas tobetreated according tohisIheI"needs.
Differentpeoplehavetobegivendifferentopportunitiesso they can have equalchancesto pursuetheirpotential.
(4) Qualityoutco mes- the educatio nal culture shouldberestru ctured toallow student achievementsthatreflecttheskills required bythe information society.ThiswillaUow studentsequalopportuni tyintoday'ssociety.
Some researchersma.intainthatinequalitiesineducatio naloutco mes areoften relatedto one's socio-economicstatus {BrownandMadbe£e.1996and Bern eandPicus.
24 1994 ).Theycontendthatoven;omingalowsceio-eeoeceaeswusmaybequite difficult.
Rodri qu ez (1990)saysthatresearchindicatesthatteach ers ace oftenguilty of labelling students from lo wer socio-eoooomic:da.ssc:sas lowachievers.Teacbers oftenintend:
more withthehigh achieven anddemandmoreworkandeffortfromthem.To avoid su~disaepaocies,.Rodriquez recommends the roUawing stntegiesto classroom teachers:
(1) Holdallstudents equally accountableforclassroomparticipation.
(2) Avoidtheuseofstereotypesintheassessmentof student achievement.
(3) Instructionalstrategies shouJd relateto individualleamingstyles.
(4) Suggest thataUstudentscan improve.
(5) Written andverbal evaluation shouldberelated toacademic skills(p.78).
Socialvariables arestronglyrelated to studentachievement (Stockardand Mayberry.1992).Lawton(ascitedin Dixon.et al.•1989»swesthatitseemsunfairfor onestudenttohave access to a betterpubliceducationandthusachieve higher becauseof chance.Intheirstudy,BrownandMadhere (1996)ascertainthatareIativetyhighsocio- economicstatus ischaracteristic:ofstudemswhoare moreinclinedtobeacademically successfulAlowsocio-eco oomic statusisoften characteristic of students who are academicallyunsucc.essful.
Brown andMadhere (1996)claim.thatstudentswhocome from afamilywitha higher socio-economicstatusare morelikelytoattend coUege.Singh(1990)contends thatobserving the studentswhoattendpost-secondaryinstitutionsisanadequatemeasure of equalityof educational opportunity .Thisresearch,heclaimscan revealifthereare socialandpsychologicalbarriers toequaleducational opportunity inNewfoundland and Labrador.SinghpointsoutthattheCommitteeOD1973 Enrollmentof students inpost-
25 secondary institutionsinNewfoundlanddiscovered the following:
(I) Studentsfromlo wincomefamiliesc:xpc:rienceddiffiaJltyinattendingpost- secondary institutionsofanytype.
(2) Those gnduatinghighschoolstudentswhoseparentshadexperiencedsome unemploymentover the past two or three years did not have opportunities to attenduniversity or other po st- secondary schoo lscom parab lewiththoseof students whose fathershadexperiencedfullemployment.
(l ) There was a widedisaepancybetween the post-secondaryeducationchoicesof studentswhoseparen tshadahighlevel ofeducation (gradenineandbeyond) and those whose parentsbadaIowa-levelof educ:ation(bdowgradenine).Stu dents whoseparentshada lower level of educationperceived thattheyknew veryIinIe about entrancerequirementstoand coursesofSlUdyatthe various post-secondary schools.especiallyMemorialUniversity,ascomparedwithstudentswhose pareIIUbadahigbc:f"levelof education-
(4) Studentsfromlarger familiesbadmuchlesschance of attending post- secondary schools,especiallyMemorial University.thandid students fromsmall families.
(5) Therewerewide disparities of educationalopportunitiesamong students in various regions andbetweenurbanandruralareas.
<a) Amuch larger percentageoflhestudentsfromurbanareas attended MemorialUmversityand the CoUegeof Trades and Technologythanfrom ruralareas.
(b) A much larger percentage of the studentsfromruralareasattended vocationalschoolsand~schoolsth&nfromurbanareas.
(e) Thepercentageofstudentson theAvalon Peninsula whoattended MemorialUniversitywastwicethe percentag eofthestudentsoutsidethe Avalon PeninsulawhoattendMemorialUniversity.
(d) Thepro po rti onof the students outside the AvalonPeninsula whoattended vocationalschools wastwice that of those onthe AvalonPeninsula (e) Labradorhadthe highestpercenta g eof studentswhodidnot attend post-
secondary schoolsof any kind(pp.15-16).
[fanyoftheaboveproblemsarestillinexisteoce todaythenitwould be quiteevident
26 thatthere aresocia1and psydJologicalbarrierstoequaleducationalopportunityin Newfoundland andLabrador.Changesinthepresent educatiooaJ.systemwould haveto beimplemented.
LodgeandBlackst o ne (1982) assertthatsocialdemocracybasfailed.usbecauseit hasnotfowxlways of givingaUchildren anequal education.Theyarguethatmany membersofsocietyviewthisinequalityas unjust.Theseauthoncontendthatchanges haveto bebrou ghtabout tomake thissociety more equal.Educationalinstitutions. they say,are where the inequalitiesinsociety sbouldbenee-existent.Parents.,local educationalauthorities and teachers should ensure that allchildrenhaveequaleducational opportunity.These peoplehave tobepan ofthechangeprocess.
Bastian etaI.(1986)believethatinequalitiesinschoolingmaydiminish more rapidly ifparentsareempoweredtot&kepartinthechangeprocess,Theydo,however.
DOtethatthere acesome barriers toparemaIiJIvolvemcnr:ineducationmatters:
(1) Manyparentsarelimitedintheirabilitytoparticipateintheir child'seducati on duetothefaa that bothpamn:shavetoworkandtimebecomes afacto r.This problemismorepronouncedinlower incomefamilieswhere the pressures00 time are multipliedbypressures ofincome.Manyparentscannotafford the expenseofchildcareandtraveltoandfromschoolmeetings.
(2) Manypare nts,especially those who are uneducated. feel intimidatedby profess ionalteachersandthus avoidbecoming involvedin their child'seducation.
(3) Parents often blameteachersandadministrators forschool failure.Teac hers.
often bJameparentsforthe failureof achild.Thisblamemayresultin strained
21 relationships betweenparentsandtcaehen.
(4) ParentsoftendoDOtknowwhat solutionswillbest improve education fortheir child, thustheyarereluctanttospeakout.
(5) Parents areoftensb.Jt outof' tbedecisioo-ma.lcing processeswithinschools.They often haveDOsayinmattersofbudgctingandspending
Bastian etaI.contendthatthese barriers have to be brokendowninorder to haveparents involved in the educational process.lbeydiscuss many examplesof successful programs thathave helped parents become moreinvolvedineducation. The PhiladelphiaParents' Union has organizedaworkshopprogramto ensure changesthat willpromote educational equity and parent participation. Another programcalledHead Startwas formedto mandate parentalinvolvementin localschool couocils.Pereees gainedsome authorityover budgetandpolicy decisions.These arejusttwoof the many examples of howparents have becomeinvolvedin educationalmatters.Accordingtothese writers, equalityineducationalopportUnityismore attainable throughparentalinvolvem~
Pareou haveto worktogethertoovercome the barriers to involvement,thusleading to morepositivechanges.
Empoweringteachersto makedecisionsregardingeducationalchangewillalso lead to greaterequity in educational opportunity (Bastian eeat1986).Thesewriters insist that tbe educational system has to respect the professionalintegrityof teachersand teachers have to be given decision.makiDg power.They believethatthere are many avenues to improving teacherinvolvementineducation:
(I) Group work through correspoedeece,publicationsandworkshopswillhelp
28 teachers learn more about problems and issues in other schools and classrooms.
(2) Professional development will provide teachers with the skills and with the confidence to implement new programs and to revamp old ones.
(3) Teachers must participate in school management and governance.Power sharing
will
create an environment of collective support.(4) Teachers should have input in decision-making regarding the use of time and space within the school,the purchase of supplies,and priorities of the school program.
The notion that secondary education is valued differently between students and the notion that there are sociological divisions amongst them supports some of the current research in education. As noted in much of the literature cited in this study, modern educational theory centres around the idea of equal educational opportunity for all students.This theoretical consideration and the pragmatic dilemmas that it poses in education form the basis of the research questions that guided this study.
Cha pte r 3
!\Iajor Research Questions and !\Iethodology
The following set of research questions was designed in order to help determine the effectiveness of the present educational technology program in select,isolated communities of NewfoundlandandLabrador.These questions assisted indefining any differences inthevalueoftechnology between rural students. The researchquestions alsoaddressed the concep tof equalityasit
relatesto theavailabilityof techn ology amo ng stude nts in rural areasof Newfou ndlandand Labrador.This section also outlinesthe research meth od ology and describesthetype of analysisthatwasusedintheresearch.Relevant literature is citedto supportthechoice of methodology and analysis employed in the study.The methodologythat was usedto collect dataas well as the analytical tools are recognized and accepted in the research community.These are described in detail.
The thesis proposal outlined the problem,reviewed relevant literatu re and discussed research questions and the methodo logyandanalysis to be employed in the study.Itwas submittedtothe Associate Dean of GraduateStudies to bereviewed and approved by the Eth icsReview CommitteeofMemorial Universityof Newfound land.TheEthics Review Committeemaintained thatthe studywas acceptableandthatallguidelinesforresearch involvinghuman subjectswerebeing appropriatelyfollowed.
Research Quest ions
It is assumed that the educationaltechnology program is adequate if there are no major differences in the value and availability of technology between students who have greater access to currenttechnology than withstudents who have less access.If major
30 differences arerevealedthroughthesurveydata.a restructuringofthepresentsystem.
mayberequired.ThefoUowingresearchquestionsshouldshedsome lightontheissue andwillbethefocus ofthestudy:
(1) IsCWTeDleducational technologyvalueddifferentlyamong swden uinisolated communiti esofNewfoundl and andLabrador?
(2) Is there asociologicaldivisionbetween students who havegreater accessto currenteducationaltechnologyandthose whohave lessaccess to current educational tecbnology?
(3) Arethecareer choices ofsw dentswhohave greater access tocurrenttechnology more academicthan those whohavelessaccess to currenttechno logy?
(4) Has thecurrent technology expandedthe careeroptionsof studentsinisolated communities ofNewfoundIandandLabrador'?
S~SID~Y~~CHQ~TION
The followingquestionwasadded(athelistas asubsidiaryresearchquesti o n.The purpose of tbequestionwas to eiicit, fromstUdents.ideasthatcouldlead toanoptimal teclmologi ca1 program.
(5) Dostudents have ideasthatmaylead to a technolo gicalprogramthat will optimize student involvement?
Design ofth eSt udy
There was atotal0£20 participants chosen forthisstudy.Participants were selected to provide arepreseot.ative sample fromtwo Labrad or communities.Thegroup
3\
of participants included Levels Two and Three student. Level Three students are those who are in their final year of secondary education while Level Two students are those who are in their second last year of secondary education. Permission to conduct this study was acquired from both an administrator from both the schools where the study was conducted and from the directors of the appropriate school board. Students were selected from the communities of South Community, located in Southern Labrador, and North Community, located in Northern Labrador. These communities were chosen because both are remote and isolated, and are located in different areas of Labrador. Participants were selected from all-grade schools in each of these communities. One school administrator (the vice-principal) from each of these schools was asked to assist in establishing the sample group
.These administrators were asked to assist in the selection of students for the study.
Itwas felt that in such small schools, the administrator would know the students quite well and could easily categorize the students according to their access to technology
.The number of student participants was based on the relative size of the Level Two and Three populations.
The selection of students required identifying those who had great access to current technology and those who had less access to current technology
.Three criteria were used to make this identification:
1. A student who had access to distance education courses
,as opposed to one who did not have access to distance education courses, would be considered a student who had greater access to current technologies
2. A student who had access to the Internet as opposed to one who did not have
32 accessOTwhobadverylimitedaccess totheInternet.wouldbeconsidered a studentwithgreater access toQ.I.I'TeDttechnology.
3. Astudentwhobadunlimitedaccessto • computer as compared toODewhocould only access a computeratschoolinspecifictimeperiods.,wouldbeconsidered a studentwithgreater access tocurrenttechDOlogy.
This identificationwasacquiredfromeachschool administra tor whowasaskedto providetwolistsofLevelsTwoandThree studentsasoutlined above.The administrat orswere conta cte dvia thetelephon e,and a letter (Appen dixEandF) was sent requesting the sameinforma tio n.The administrato rs were asked toforwardthelists of studentstothe researcher.Thenamesofallsuitab lestudentswereputintwo boxes;cee box containedthe names oftbose who hadaccess to carreer technology while thesecood boxcontained the namesof those with less access to currect technology.The students werethenrandomly selected.A sampleoften participants wasdrawn fromeachbox10 total twenty.
After studentswere selected,theywereeac.b.contactedbyteleph o ne,orinp6S0D and askedto participate.Awritten agreement(Appendix B)10participatewassignedby each. At thetime.the nercreandthe purpose of the research wereexplainedtoall parti cipants whoagreedtotakepan.Eachparticipantwasthen issueda questionnaire andasked to completeit(Appe ndix A).Aninterviewtime foreach student was scheduled.Anassurance ofconfid enti alitywasgivento theputicipantsbothverbally andinwriting.
A fieldworkerwasemployedbecauseofthe difficultiespresen tedbythe large
33 geographic area that the study covered. There was no need to train the field worker because he had recently conducted a qualitative questionnaire for completion of his own thesis. Each questionnaire was administered at the respective schools of the participants.
The field worker was asked to administer the questionnaires in one of the two schools
.After responses were received, a comparative analysis of the data was conducted.
The nature of this research was qualitative. Qualitative research is an accepted approach to the study of educational issues (Morse, 1994). Both questionnaires (See Appendix: A) and interviews were used to collect data. According to Marshall and Rossman (as cited in Whitt, 1991), "...to make the most of strengths and to reduce the impact of limitations, qualitative researchers typically combine data collection techniques" (P.412). The intentions of the research were:
(I) To generate insight and seek understanding of the value of current technology in our educational system to students in isolated communities of Newfoundland and Labrador.
(2) To grasp if and why this technology is valuable only to a particular group of students.
Qualitative analysis of the data was, therefore, necessary. As Glesne and Peshkin (1992)
,Whitt (1991) and Morse (1994) state
,qualitative analysis explores and comes to understand the participants' perspectives. LeCompte and Preissle (1993) define educational ethnography as an approach to studying problems and processes in education.
Fetterman (as cited in Whitt 1991) says that qualitative research allows the researcher to
appreciate the circumstances from the perspectives of the participant, which is an
34 objectiveofthis study.
QaestioDDl.ira
Theuse ofquestionnairesisa vaystandardand acceptedmethodofdata conection(Marshall aDdRossman.1995). Indesigningthequestionnaire.consideration wasgiventothe workofManhaIl andRossman(1995)woo state thatinqualitative research.the questi ons shouldbe construct edina fashio n toeliminatebiasandto entail sequence,clarity andvalidity.Mwell.consideration was giventoMerriam(ascitedin Whitt,1991 ) whosaysthat the qualitativeresearcher seekstounderstand the waythe participantsina study make meaningof and understand their experiences.Based on this idea,the researchquestiODliwereconstructed togain insightontheaccessand the meaningofor thevalue ofcurnnttechnologyto studentsinisolatedcommuniti esof NewfoundlandandLabradorbyseeingitthroughtheeyesaCthe participan ts.Expert advice.fromparticipatingvice-principabandacademics,wassought fortheconsuuction ofthe research questions.These questionswerevalidatedbythe thesis supervisor.
Thequesti ons weremainlyopen-endedandbroadlystatedSOas to obtain a diverseset of";ewpoints(ManhallandRossman.(995).The questions didnot presupposeorinsinuateanswers.Thequestionnaire elicitedvalues.,ideasandcoecemsof studentsinisolated communitiesofNewfo undland and Labrado r on currenteduca tio nal tecbDologyin theirschools.Thequestionnaire enabled the researcher to makea legitima t e judgementon the value of educationaltec hnologyin schoolsinisolated communities.Itallowedtheresearcherto perceiveany existingdivisions between studentswhohadmoreaccessto current technology as comparedto thosewhobadless
3S IIishopedthat thisquestionnairewas •worthwhileinst:rumentinhelping provide possible solutions inthe access and valueof educational technologyini.soIated coomwnities of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Interviews
The use of interview sisa widelyacceptedmethodof da tacollectio n (Mor se, 1994,Hutchinso n,19 88andManhaU and Rossman, 1995).Indev elo ping theinterview process.considerationwasgiven tothework ofGlesneandPeshkin (1992)who describe atypeofinterviewingwhichiscbancterizedas:
(I) Structured -thereare specific questionsthat oneknowsonewamstouk..
(2) Open - the researcherisprepared to foUow unexpectedleads which may come forthinthe interviewprocess.
(3) Depth-probing-theresearcher seeks tounderstandhowthepanicipantfeelsor thinksaboutsomething and bowthe participantexplainsoraccounts for
,,,,,,.thing.
Based on these ideas, the interviews were conductedina fashionthatelicitedinfo rma tio n fromthepanic:ipamswhichrevealedbowtheyvaluededucationaltechnologyintheir schools.Participantswere encouragedto elaborate on the differencesinaccessibilityof technologyandwhat accounted forthis possiblediffereece.
Interviews wereconductedatthe schoolinSouthCo mmunity.The same twenty students who wereasked to completethequestio nnaireswereaskedto partici pa teinan interview.However , the fieldworkerat NorthCommunity discovered thatthe studen ts there didnotwishtobeinterviewed.Atotal oftwdvestudentsagreed10beinterviewed.
36 Theywereaskedto participateandan interviewtimewasselected.
Theimeviewerbadan interview guidewhichisalistof questions or issues that weretobeexplored(PattoDascitedinMarshall and Rossman, 1995 ).Questionsusedin thequestionna.ites(Appendix A) served as a guide.Probing and foUawingunexpected leads allowed the interviewerto explorethetopics further.Participantswere askedto beginby desaibingtheavailable techno logyin theirschools.Thiswasthenfollowedby questionspertainingtothe accessibilityof technology.The line of questioningwas designed toputthe participants at easeandtoencourage spo ntaneo us descrip tio n.The areasaddress edlater becamemorcpersonal.
Analysisof Data
"Dataanalysisinvolvesorganizingwhat you haveseen,heardandread$0thatyou can make senseoutof what you have learned"(Glesn eandPeshkin, 1992. p.127).The followingdataanalysisprocedure as describedbyMarshall andRossman(199 5)was usedtoanalysethe datainthisstudy:
(1) Organizi.ngthedata...Reading,readingaDdODCemorereadingthroughthe data fo rcestheresear cherto become familiaewiththosedatainintimate ways(p.l13).
(2) Generating categories,themes andpa tterns.Identifying salient themes, recurring ideasor language.and patterns ofbelicftbatlink peopleand settingstogetheris themostintellectuallychallenging phase ofdata analysis andone that canintegra te the entire endeavour(p.114).
(3) Testing emergenthypotheses.This entailsa searchthroughthedata during whichone challengesthe hypoth eses, searchesfor nega tiv e instancesofthepatt erns,and incorpo rat esthese into largerconstructsif necessary (p.116).
(4) Searching foralternativeexplanations.Alternative explanationsalways exist;theresearch ermustsearch for,identify,and describethem,andthen demonstrate how theexplanation offeredisthemostplausib le ofall (pp.1l6-117).
37 (5) Writing the report. Writing about qualitative data cannot be separated
from the analytic process. In fact, it is central to that process. The researcher is engaging in the interpretative act, lending shape and form to massive amounts of raw data (p.ll?).
Organizing the Data
Both the transcripts from the audio-taped interviews and the questionnaires were carefully read and reread again until the researcher became intimately familiar with the data. Firstly, the written transcripts were compared to the audio-tape for accuracy.
Throughout this process, the researcher became aware of emergent themes and ideas
.Generating Categories, Themes and Patterns
To identify the salient themes, categories and patterns in the data, inductive analysis described by Patton (as cited in Marshall and Rossman
,1995) was employed,
and
"Analyst-constructed typologies"were applied to the data.Analysts
-constructedtypologies are those created by the researcher as reflecting distinct categories but not generative of separate language categories. In this case the researcher applies a typology to naturally occurring variations in observations.
This process entails uncovering patterns, themes and categories ...(Patton as cited in Marshall and Rossman, 1995, p.114) .
The researcher first studied the transcripts of interviews
.Following this, a similar study
of the questionnaire was conducted. Both sets of data were then compared with respect to
categories, themes and patterns. Responses to each question were categorized into two
groups: students who had access to current technology and students who had less access
to current technologies. Answers were then processed according to their literal meaning
.This required recording the key words and phrases and organizing them on the basis of
their similarities and differences.
T_"""'-
Hypotbe>eo 38Theresearcber evaluatedthecredIbilityofthedevelopingquestionsandtested them throughthetranseripuand questionnaires.Theresearchersearcbedthroughthe dataloo king fornegative instancescr thepatternstodet ermine plausibility.
Searchin g ForAltemariveExplanations The researcher sought any oegativeinstancesof pattems and searched for alternative hypotheses.
WritingtheReport
The researcheraimedtodescribeallafthemajorthemes,categoriesandpatterns.
Care was takentoavoid redundanciesinthe outcomes .
Cbapter 4 Results aod Discussi on AnOverviewo(theCbap ter
Thiscbapter-presentsthefindingsoftwdveopen-ended questions. fourdose- endedquestionsandtwelvestructured interviewsfrom atotalof~respcedeas.
Eachstatementandthemerelating to a particularquestionwereexaminedand discussed usingquotations fromthestudentparticipanuto provideexplicitevidence ofthepoints being made.Allofthedata wereexaminedinraw form.The opinionsand perceptions presented arethoseofthe participants.Statements wereeditedforspellingandgrammar only whencited.inthisthe sis.
Introd uction
Thedata analysis processentailed.bringingorder,structure and meaning tothe surveydata acquiredfromthequestionnaireandthe interviews.Theresponses ofeach participantwereenminedthoroughly foremergentthemesandideas.Theprocess requiredthatcareful attentioDbe paidtosalientthemes,recurricgideas and patternsof thinkingrevealed inthe two sample groups.
SimilaritiesaDddifferences amongthe responsesof tbe two samplegroupswere noted and wertgrouped together. A codingsystemwasusedin which do minating themes andideas were identifiedaccording tosimilaritiesand differences.Thesurvey data wascompiledinto filesthusallowingfor effective examinationofthedatafor evidence ofmatchesandmismatches betweenthe two sample grou ps.As common themesandpatternsemerged, theywereexaminedinrelationto established educational theory.Carewas takentoseekexplanationsofthedataotherthanthatofferedby
40 educationaltheoriesreferredtoinChapterODeand ChapterTwo.
DisalSSingthe datawasthe nextstepinthequalitativeanalysisThedatawere summarizedusingtheresearthenownwords.In someinstaoces,the meaningstocertain wordsandpbrasesin theresponseshadtobeinterpreted.However,forthe mostpart.
statementswereas close to the originals as possible.Tomaintainthe integrity ofthe data, wide use of quatarioas fromthe responseswasmade.Where approp riate,the resear cher reflected upcesome of these statementsusingperso nal thoughtsas well as referencesfromeducationalliterature.Toensure confidentiality,namesandplaces were eliminatedinthewrittensummary.
The surveydata wereanalysedandpresentedinfive sections.Each section was guidedbythemajorresearch questionthatguidedthe research.Ananalysis oflhedata followedeach of the majorheadings.Thesixteen questions from the surveywere categorizedandplacedunderthemajorresearchquestionthatguidedtheirconscucccn.
Theresponsestoeachoftbese sixteen questions wereanalysedandpresented under the beadingoflhat paniaJ1arquestion.The references aCthe.survey data tothetheoretical construct of equality of opportunity forallstudentsinassociationwiththe valueof current educationaltechnologyisinthe"Overvi ew ofQuestioo"sectionforeachofthese sixteencueetiocs.
In consideratio nofanonymity . general charact eristics ofbothsamplegroupswere described.The reader may find thisbeneficialingaininga greaterappreciatio noftbe data. The participantsineachsamplegroup were a combination ofLevelTw o andLevel ThreeclassesfromschoolsinNorth Community and South Community.Asdescribedin
41 Chapter Three, all Level Two and Level Three students were identified as either having more or less access to current technologies by an administrator of each particular school.
Group One consisted of students with more access to current technologies. A student with more access to current technologies was defined as one who had access to distant education courses, one who had access
to theInternet or as one who had unlimitedaccessto a computer.
Group Two consisted of students with less
accesstocurrent
technology.Astudent with less
accessto current technologies was definedas one who did not have access
todistant educa tioncourses, one who did not have access or who had very
limitedaccess to
theInternet or as one who only had use of a computer at schoolin specific time periods
.The data presented in this chapter compared the results of the two sample groups and summarized
.through comparison and contrast. the opinions and ideas of all the participants. All reasonab
le precautions weretak en to ensure thatthe analysis of the data reflecte dthe views of the participantsas they were stated
in their originalfonn.Research Question I
Iscurrent educationaltechnology valued differently among students in isolated communitiesof Newfoundland
and Labrador?
The following four questions were designed to shed light on this issue:
1.I What purpose doestechn ology serve in the educationsys tem ofyourschoo l?
All participants responded to this question
.Their views pertained to the question
and were stated very clearly. For the most part, students from both groups recognized
42 the importance oftedmologyinthe educationalsystemoftbeirschools Studen tseceed thatcomputersinschoolsbetterpreparedthem for their futureendeavours.Aswell,they realizedthattechnologywasakeytoobtaining informationfromtheoutside world.
Of thestudenu whohadmoreaccesstoteebnology,eightmentionedthai:distance educationserved averyusefulpurposeintheirschool.ODerespondentclaimed:
Tlus year[am i"thir dlewlChemistryatmyschool..Thiscoursewouldnot normallyb«offend/nititisthroughdinance kammg.Now IwillhaveaMae,.
opportunity to succeedatChemistry whilepursumgsecondaryeducation.
Aswell,threeof theseparticipants whohadmoreaccesstotechnol o gypinpo int ed the factthat notallstudentsbadan opportunity to accessthese distancc educationcourses.
One student remarked:
ThistecJrnologyislimitedto certain~nts..Forewmp/e.distance education coursesareonlyaccusibkbythosewho doadvancuJcoursessuchas Chemistry J201.
Another-pointedout:
NotmanysIJIdoru~technologyatotinI~ng.
AnotherDOtedthatteclmology servedooIythose whobadhigbe:raverages Of thestudents whowerecharacterizedashavingless accesstotechnology.aaly four discussedthe importance ofdistanceeducatio n. Oocresponden tcomment edthat technologywasonly importanttocertainstudents withinthe school:
Technology doesnot have agreatpurpose01"impact in our school because not everybodygelsto use technologysuch as distance educationOf'theInterne t. For the studentswhogetto use these programs, technologyis havingagreat impact on their education.
Bothgroups mentionedthe importanceofcomputenin the education system oftheir
43 schools.Two students with more access to technology aplainedthatthe Computer courses offered at theirschoolwereDOtadvancedandthus wen:DOl:asbeneficialas they wouldlikethemto havebeen. Severalof thosestudelltswithlessaccess to technology indicated thatknowingbowtouse computerswasveryadvantageous.Onestudent wrote:
In computerclasses.studemsarelaughlhow touseandapplycomputers.for differentkJsb..Studentsaremanprepandtoente rdw woriforuwhere computersarebecoming moTewicklyUMd
Another studentwrote:
IIallowsteacherstomaUtestsandworisJleetsfor us.
A third declar ed:
IIis afunway tolearnratherlhanfrom atext book.
A fourthrespondent 5Uggested:
IIisQwayforus 5/Udentstotypeup assignments.
Sixstudents with. moreaccess to technology recognizedthatonemajoradvantageoftbe computersystemintheirschoolwastoretrieveinformationviathe information highway.
Three of thestudentswithless accessto educationaltechno logies notedthisadvantage:as wdJ.
Overview of Questioa 1.1
Curr enteducationaltechnologyisclearlyvalueddifferently amongst studentsin some isolatedcommunitiesof NewfoundlandandLabrad or.Thereisa cleardisjunction betweenwhateachafthe two groups ofparticipanuper ceived asthepurpose of technologyintheeducationsystem oftheirschools.Bothgroups of students indicated thattechnologywuvitalinthefunctioning oftbeir schools.However,thedegreeof
44 imponance ofthethreesources ofeducationaltechnology mentioned.namely computers.
thelntemc:r:and distance education,wusomewhatvaried.
Thestudentswithlessaccess to technologyplacedmore emphasis00.the importance of computersaDdcomputer courses forpreparingthemfor the workforceand inthepreparation ofassignmentsandtestswithintheschooLTho se whohadmore access to technology tended toidentifycomputerswiththe Internet and the informa tion highwayratherthanasonly a toolfor students and teachers toprepareassignments Stu dentsinthis groupalso complained that the computercoursesbeing offered at their schoo lwould be ofgreaterbenefitifthey were more advanced.
The group ofstudentswithgreater access totechnol ogyplaced moreemphasis on thesignificance ofdist.ance education tothelearningenvironmentof the school. Mmyof thesestudeut5 were pleasedwith thefaa:thattheybadaccess to advancedcoursesvia distance education.Feweroftbeparticipantswith less access totechool ogy notedthe importanceof distanceeducation.RespoDdentsfrombothgroupsindicated thattherewu aproblemwith distaoce education coursesbecauseDOtallstudentshad access to these
Thedisjunctioninthe valueof educatio nal technology amongst studentsinrural highschoolswould beperceivedasa problem.by somemod ern educationaltheorists becau seitappearsthatallstudents mightnotbebenefitingfrom the currenteducatio nal tec hnologyintheir schoo ls.Studentswhohad more access tocurrenteducational technologyappearedtoplace more value on thetechnologiesin theirschools comparedto thosewhobadless access to educatio nal technology.WebsterandConnolly(199 3),
4 '
arguethat equalityof access toDeWteclmologyisoftheutmostimportance.Newdl (1986)supports this wbeo beclaimsthat schools cannotcorrectaDpersonalandsocial inequalities buttheycaDofferequalityof opportunitytopursueeducational goals.
1.2 IsCJU1WIIleC/uw lOO ;1Ithnblt:atib,.sysumII'tIbllJb/~to you' lfso. illwlutt way1IfIlOl. ..""
Alltwentyparticipantsresponded tothisquestion..Theiranswerswereprecise andappliedtothequestionbeingasked.Most studentsineachsamplegroupfdtthat some aspects of thecurrenttecboologyinthe education systemwasvaluable to them (RefertoTables 4.1and4.2) . However,technology wasvaluedindifferent waysand therewere distinctionsinthe value of current technologybetween samplegroups.
Sevenof thestudents
woo
hadmote access totechnol ogyDOtedthatcurrent technologywasprovidingthemwithadvancedcourses bymeans ofdistanceeducation.Doe studentwrote:
IcantaUCOUTSUnotwvaJlyoffered atthisschoolbydotngdistance educalion.
AnothecDOted:
Another respondeat commeo led:
ItaUdistanceeducah onChemistry which involws the use ofche mistry attachmentsfor computersusingversionsoftware.Thisg;wsmepracticeusing current Che mistryequipm ent.
Two ofthestudents withless access to tecbnologymentioned the distance education
Table 4.1 VALUE OF CURRENT l"ECHNOLDGY IN EDUCAnON
Studeuu Nu m ber ofstudeau Na m bftoofstu d entll whofdtthat eerreet who
rd.
tbateerre er te<bnologyi.tbe te<:baology ia the eduatiolllsystem "as eduatioasystemwuvalua ble to them Dotvalua ble tD them
Stu d eo tJ wbo bad Jess
, .
4accESSto IKhnology
StudmUgreaterau esswbo badto
2. •
ttc:hnology
Table4.2 VALUE OF PARTICULAR ASPECTS OFCURRENT TECBNOWGYINEDUCATION
Students Number of Number
0'
NlImber ofstudeauwho stu de nts wbo studenuwho em phas ized tbe empb.uiudthe empbaJized vaille o( dist.I.D~ value .rtbe tbe value.' edUcatiOD Internetsemee basic
com puter
~
..
St ud en ts who had 7 5 5
greater access to technology
Students who had 2 2 5
tesseeeee te Itmnology
46
47
programintheir scboolThesestudentstendedtovalueCWTenttechnologyfor different reasonsthanthose whohadmore access to teclmology.Manyof tbese students feltthat tedmologywasquitevaluablebecauseitallowed them toteammore about computers andcomput er applications.ODestudent stated:
ClassesinMicro<omputersandComput erAppJicotiomhelped megetagraspon theuse
of
computenanddifferentprogram$-Anotherparticipant declared:
Micro-computersha.rshawnmehowto use WordPerfectandotherprograms whichanvaluable.
Athird parti cipant wrote:
Technology alluwsus to do projectsfasterandbetter.
Studentswith moreaccesstotechnologyfocu sedonthe valueof'theIntern etservice.
Onestudent commented:
WiththeInte~1~nlom e,~becomesa101easter.
One ofthcserespondents,bcwever,recognizedthattheprob lem withthe Internetservice was the availabilityofittostudentsintheseisolatedschools:
TheonlytechnologywhichUnotreadilyavailable10meistheInternet:Thismay bebecauseitis100erpensive/0supplythis access/0eodrstJHknlintheschoo l
Twostudents whohadlessaccesstotechnology mentionedthe valueofthe Internet service. Fourof thesestudents commentedthatcurrent educationaltechnologywasnot valuable to them:
Current technologyinlhe educati onsystemis not valuable/0mebecaus e with the technology,peoplewhofaKeChemistrybydistance education get achancetouse iteverysecondd:Jyto bettertheirknowhow inChemistry.Withme.Jseea computer butitis notofsomuchi~as thosestudents who dodistance
48 educationandteamChemistry.
AsecondstUdentwrote:
IIisn"wryvaluable101MbecauseIdon"taUmarrytechnology courses. Overview of Quemon1.2
Forthe mostpart,bothgroupsexpressedthat current technologyinthe education system was veryimportant.However,twentypercentofthestudents from thesample group thatwascharacterized u baving less accessto teclmologybluntlystatedthat currenttechnologyin thecduc&tionsystemofthc:irschoolbadvery little value for them (Refer toTables4.1and4.2).
Itappearsthat participants whobadmore accessto technologyhighlyvaluedthe distance educatio nservicesprovided attheirschoolsaswell asthe Internet serviceseven though.ODCstuden t did mentionthat theInternetserviceswere limited.Students who badless access to techno logy mainly valuedcomputer programssuchasWordp erfect.
Studentswhohadgreateraccessto educationaltechnologyvaluedtheusageof computers butmanyofthtttalsocecogniz:edthe usefulnessoftheInternetservices.Those with less access toteclmo1ogydidnotemphasizethe value ofthe Internet forthem..
Willie (1989) wouldseethisdisjunctioninthe value ofeducatioaa.ltechno logy betweenthetwodiffer entgroups of studentsaneodi.ngthe same schoolas a problem.. He statesthat educationmust havethepurposeofbeingmutually fulfilling.Inthiscase,it appearsthatone group.namelythesample groupof studentsthat hadmore accessto technol ogy.basplacedmorevalueoneducatio nal techno logythanthose wbohadless access to current: technology.
49 1.1 W1IGtdoJ10IlcoruiJer toMthpositivellSp«UoflhCIInvIIt«hnology
program
0 "
yoM'ftlMeatio,,?Twenty participantsresponded to this question.Theanswenvariedconsiderably withineachsamplegroupbutwerebriefand tothepointThe groupof students whohad more access to technologyiadlcaredthe fcllowicg aspositiveaspects oftheaurent technologyprogramontheir education:
(I) Technologyallows students tofeellessisolated because of thecontactwiththe outsid eworld.
(2) Courses offeredthroughdistance educationare usually advancedthusmor e challenging.
(3) Distance educationallows for a greaterCOI.D'"Seselecti o n.
(4 ) Communicationwithotherstudents andtheexchange ofid eas and information becomes uncomplicatedwith new tcdmology.
(5) Distanceeducation courses alIowstudentsto competewithotherstudents fromall over theprovioce.
(6) TheInt ernetprovides informationthatwouldotherwisebediffiaJ1tforthese students to acquire.
(7) Studentsare given morechoicewhen decidin g on a career.
(8) Experiencewithtechnology mayhelpwithfutureendeavours.
Onestudentcomment edthateven thoughhelshebadlimitedaccess totheInternet service, itwasstillvaluable:
