ICTs can be extremely powerful tools enabling students with ASD to participate in instructional activities alongside their non-disabled peers. Research studies have demonstrated that most teachers use technology to enhance traditional practices rather than transform them (Karasavvidis, 2009). These studies suggested that the mere availability of technology does not result in any substantial change in teaching practices. Indeed, new technologies call for advanced pedagogies to ensure their effective use. Research also suggests that issues surrounding the use of ICT in the classroom often centre on teachers’ lack of confidence supporting using the technology and whether or not the technology is appropriate to autistic students’ specific needs and capabilities. However, there is little research supporting the effectiveness of ICT programmes providing the tools special education teachers need to be effective with students with ASD. There is also a lack of research on how teachers address the challenges of using ICT in classrooms for students with Autism (Verenkina et al, 2010).
Research questions
Main research question:
How do teachers in Saudi schools perceive and address the challenges of using ICT in classrooms for students with Autism?
Research sub-questions:
What reasons do teachers have to use ICT to support students with Autism?
How do teachers use ICT to improve social interaction skills and peer relationships of students with autism?
c) What are the challenges faced by teachers when using ICT to teach students with ASD in inclusive settings?
Theoretical framework
The socio-cultural theory of learning has influenced theoretical perspectives on teaching and learning (Vygotsky, 1978; Wertsch et al., 2003) by placing emphasis on the child’s mental development, which is dependent on the social and cultural context. In this study, the teacher participants are involved in the child’s mental development and in the knowledge-building process in mainstream schools for autistic children in Saudi Arabia. The study examines whether teachers are able to create a learning community of young students with ASD and their parents. It uses socio-cultural and third space theory to examine how the interactions between teachers and parents are created and whether there is a unique social space in which students are able to learn and develop important social skills. Finally, the ‘third space’ that emerges will be considered as a ‘zone of proximal development’ in which learning evolves and in which teachers participate and experience effective professional development.
The reason for using a socio-cultural theoretical perspective is to analyse the challenges faced by teachers while incorporating ICTs in classrooms for teaching students with ASD. The research will explore factors such as teachers’ instructional strategies, their interactions with students, the ICT policies adopted by the schools, teachers’ proficiency, and how they have acquired skills and knowledge both for their personal development and for professional improvement. In this study teachers are individuals who operate within the wider school community, which includes students, IT support staff, head teachers and parents. In classrooms, ICTs are considered to be tools to support teaching and to meet the needs of the children with ASD. Socio-cultural theory and third space may help in understanding whether the ICT tools help or hinder the teacher’s pedagogical activity and how it influences ASD students’ learning activity.
3.1. Introduction
This chapter will explain the research
methods, which used in this study to achieve research aims and objectives and
the reasons and advantages of choose these methods. There are different
strategic placements of research approaches and strategies mentioned to have a
clear interpretation of the Challenges faced by Saudi teachers when
using technology to support the learning needs of students with Autism Spectrum
Disorders at manistram schools in Saudi Arabia. These answers will be followed by research developmental and structural
advancements with various methods used for data collection. Beside, data
analysis methods will also be discussed.
3.2. Research approach
Two of the most
highlighting means of research are used for the methodological arrangement of
data and other information for this research. They are known as inductive and
deductive approach.
Types of research approaches
3.3. Inductive research approach
Inductive approach
of research works in a manner that it cultivates important information in the
form of particular observations and noticeable things transforming them into
expanded generalizations and then forming theories and several other liabilities
for the cause. Within inductive research approach, observation and pattern can be
more than one and considering tentative hypothesis, theory is decided which is
sequential and arranged at the same time.
Figure 2: Steps of Inductive
Research Approach
3.4. Deductive research approach –
Adopted Approach for the Dissertation
Deductive research
approach is about more of general thoughts and arrangement of ideas to those
that are more specific and particular in meaning. An alternative meaning for
such an approach is ‘top-down’. The reason to adopt deductive approach for this
dissertation is it basically starts off with the general frame of mind and ends
at a conformational note which is often beneficial to derive results and
outcomes from.
Figure 3: Steps of Deductive
Research Approach
|
Deductive
|
Inductive
|
|
·
Scientific principles
·
Move from theory to data
·
The collection of quantitative data
·
A highly structured approach
Select samples of sufficient
size
|
·
Understanding of the research context
·
The collection of qualitative data
·
More flexible structure
·
Less concern with the need to generalize
|
3.5. Qualitative and quantitative
research
Qualitative
research involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical
materials, interview whereas, quantitative research uses numbers and
statistical methods, seek explanations and predictions that will generalize to
other persons and places.
For this research
strategies of case study and questionnaire will be combined to form a general
opinion about the topic of socio-emotional influences of using ICT in Saudi
Arab.
3.7. Data collection
3.7.1. Primary data
Primary data was important for all areas
of research because it was
unvarnished information about the results of an experiment or observation. It was like the eyewitness
testimony at a trial.
·
Interview
Interviews as a
research strategy for this study could be useful because it presented the
procedures that were going on indirectly within the topic and visualizations of
which could not be brought into a clear understanding. The research questions
were comprehended and comprised of a few questions which both in terms of
qualitative and quantitative means were to be fulfilling enough for the
participants to answer through. Open ended questions with forced questions were
included in the procedure to measure about the deduction of the theories and other
regulations.
Research Questions:
* How do teachers in Saudi schools perceive and address the
challenges of using ICT in classrooms for students with Autism?
* What reasons do teachers have to use ICT to support
students with Autism?
* How do teachers use ICT to improve social interaction
skills and peer relationships of students with autism?
* What are the challenges faced by teachers when using ICT
to teach students with ASD in inclusive settings?
Theoretical Framework:
The socio-cultural theory of learning has influenced
theoretical perspectives on teaching and learning (Vygotsky, 1978; Wertsch et
al., 2003) by placing emphasis on the child’s mental development, which is
dependent on the social and cultural context. In this study, the teacher participants
are involved in the child’s mental development and in the knowledge-building
process in mainstream schools for autistic children in Saudi Arabia .
The study examines whether teachers are able to create a learning community of
young students with ASD and their parents. It uses socio-cultural and third
space theory to examine how the interactions between teachers and parents are
created and whether there is a unique social space in which students are able
to learn and develop important social skills. Finally, the ‘third space’ that
emerges will be considered as a ‘zone of proximal development’ in which
learning evolves and in which teachers participate and experience effective
professional development.
The reason for using a socio-cultural theoretical perspective
is to analyse the challenges faced by teachers while incorporating ICTs in
classrooms for teaching students with ASD. The research will explore factors
such as teachers’ instructional strategies, their interactions with students,
the ICT policies adopted by the schools, teachers’ proficiency, and how they
have acquired skills and knowledge both for their personal development and for
professional improvement. In this study teachers are individuals who operate
within the wider school community, which includes students, IT support staff,
head teachers and parents. In classrooms, ICTs are considered to be tools to
support teaching and to meet the needs of the children with ASD. Socio-cultural
theory and third space may help in understanding whether the ICT tools help or
hinder the teacher’s pedagogical activity and how it influences ASD students’
learning activity
