1 A Survey on School Work with Computers and Collection Information on Education for Teachers in Japan Takeharu Ishizuka, Tatsuya Horita, Shin Sasada, Mari Wada Shizuoka University, Japan ICCE2007

2 1. Backgrounds The year of 1998 was the beginning of promoting ICT use in education in Japan. In the report, not only for promoting education for informatics but also for promoting ICT use for supporting teachers’ school work were noted. In Japan, most of the elementary and junior high schools are public, established and operated by each city government. The computer systems use for school work depends on the cities. It means that even if teachers need to use computers for their school works, there is a big gap among the area in Japan.

3 2. Early Studies There is a report of an experiment by Center for Educational Computing, in Tokyo, Japan for school work with ICT.( 註 ) As a result of the experiment, to reduce paperwork time by using computer systems for teachers was partially succeeded but the substantial change was not seen than expected. For this experiment, target school was selected from the school with rich ICT environment. ( 註 ) Center for Educational Computing (2004), A report of the investigation required condition for school work with IT (in Japanese)

4 3. Purposes in this paper Two surveys for teachers were done in (1) One was on computer environment and school work with computer for public elementary and junior high school teachers; (2) the other was for teachers who participated in the experiment of “ teacher’s Desktop: web information delivery system for school teachers. ” In this paper the experiment mentioned above will be noted “ TD experiment. ” (Teacher’s Desktop) Purposes in this paper are to make clear the status of equipment with ICT environment for school work, and the way of getting information for school teachers in Japan from these results.

5 4. Surveys 4.1 A survey for public elementary and junior high school teachers In this survey, the numbers of computers provided by city divided by the numbers of teachers at each school (in this paper, “ public provided computer rate ” will be used for this value) will be used to analyze. However there was no list for public provided computer rate published at that time. Therefore LAN maintenance rate in the in the classroom of 2005 was used as follows for sampling. (1) 6 prefectures (states) were picked up from both the best 3 and the worst 3 maintenance rate. (2) 6 elementary schools and 6 junior high schools were picked up from each prefecture mentioned above by the appearance order in School Bibliography 2006 Editions as following rules: - For elementary school, there must be more than 300 students. - For junior high school, there must be more than 200 students. - Only one elementary school and one junior high school can pick up from each city.

6 4. Surveys 4.1 A survey for public elementary and junior high school teachers (3) In addition, more than 15 elementary and junior high schools were selected as the public provided computer rate 100% school. The questionnaires were sent and collected by the post in 2006.

7 4. Surveys 4.2 A survey for teachers who participated in TD experiment In this survey, the questionnaire was asked to be done for 114 teachers who participated in TD experiment in Participants were recruited in several seminars held in 2005 and Participants were received the URL for this questionnaire by . To participate in TD experiment they must answer this questionnaire online.

8 5. Results 5.1 A survey for public elementary and junior high school teachers The status of equipment with ICT environment for school work The questionnaires were sent to 69 elementary schools and 51 junior high schools in 9 prefectures. Collected answers were 900 teachers from 40 elementary schools and 20 junior high schools. Tab. 1 shows the fundamental data. Gender Age

9 5. Results Tab. 2 shows the data for public provided computer rate in this survey.

10 5. Results Tab. 3 shows the average rate for using teacher’s private owned computer at school. A significant difference (p<0.01, t=-21.59) between more and less than 80% group for the public provided computer rate result is seen.

11 5. Results Tab. 4 shows the rate for teacher’s computer use for school work. This rate is added public provided computer rate and teacher’s private owned computer rate. Tab. 4 shows that more than 90% teacher use a computer at work.

12 5. Results The way of getting information for school teachers in Japan Tab. 5 shows the information sources for teachers to get information for their work during their official hours and non- working hours.

13 5. Results The way of getting information for school teachers in Japan Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the result of t-test for Tab. 5 data between the teachers’ group of the public provided computer rate more and less than 80%. A significant difference (p<0.01) is seen between the groups of getting information by “Web” in Fig. 1. A significant difference (p<0.01) is also seen between more and less than 80% group by getting information from “Other teachers” in Fig. 2. Public provided computer rate Working hours Non-working hours Public provided computer rate

14 5. Results The way of getting information for school teachers in Japan Tab. 6 shows the problems that teachers thought when they were getting information via the internet. The most problems were security for both groups. And the next problems were effectiveness for getting information such as hard to find the information they needed and reliability of the information.

The way of getting information for school teachers in Japan Tab. 7 shows average number of books read in a month for each answer asked the way of getting information. In Tab. 7, significant differences (p<0.01) are seen for all kinds of books for the group of getting information from “study circles etc in non-working hours.” “Job training in working hours” and “web in non-working hours” are followed. upper lower

A survey for teachers who participated in TD experiment 71 teachers of 114 who wanted to be participation to TD experiment (Teacher’s Desktop: web information delivery system for school teachers) answered the questionnaire. Tab.8 shows the information sources for teachers to get information for their work during their official hours and non-working hours like Tab.5. In Tab.8, significant differences of p<0.01 or p<0.05 between Tab.5 and Tab.8 are seen for all the way in non-working hours and “web” in working hours. Compare

A survey for teachers who participated in TD experiment Tab.9 shows average number of books read in a month for teachers who were participated in TD experiment. In Tab.9, significant differences are seen for all kinds of books with average number of books for all teachers answered in Tab.7. upper lower Compare

18 6. Discussion 6.1 Status of equipment with ICT environment for school work From this survey, it was cleared that status of equipment with ICT environment for school work was wide spread, especially, for public provided computer rate for teachers was from 0% to 100%. However, result in Tab.4 means that teachers need to use computers for their school works. Therefore, if there are not enough public provided computers at school, they shall use their private property computers at school as shown in Tab.3. Compare (註)(註)

19 6. Discussion 6.2 The way of getting information on education for teachers Fig.1 and Fig.2 shows that getting information by web is familiar for teachers with other traditional ways of gathering. In fig.2, no significant difference is seen for both groups of getting information by the “Web”. However in Fig.1, a significant difference of p<0.01 is seen. This means although there is the needs for teachers to get information via the internet, teachers who work at the poor ICT environment school were prevented to gather information by web physically. Working hours Non-working hours (註)(註)

20 6. Discussion 6.2 The way of getting information on education for teachers In Tab.6, the rate of security problems for (0-79%) groups was higher than the other group. As the result of analyzing keywords in their answers, 2 different problems were found. For (0-79%) group of public provided computer rate, they felt uneasiness for computer virus and the attacks from outside. On the other hand, (80-100%) group, they felt to be irritated for preventing to get information by functions of the content filtering software. (Hard to find the information) >

21 Tab.8 and Tab.9 shows teachers who were participated in TD experiment (who are interested in collecting information with web system) are getting information not only by web but also by the other ways. Teachers who answered for Tab.8 and Tab.9 are those who had been participated in the seminars in non-working hours. These results supported the result of “Study circles etc (Non- working hours)”.

22 6. Discussion 6.3 Conclusion In these days, Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology recommends for teachers using ICT or digital content in the class. It was also reported from the point of view of teachers’ work load, promoting to equip ICT environment for school works seems to reduce the teachers’ load. For decreasing the teachers load with their school works, for security reasons, and for getting information via the internet effectively for their work there must maintain school ICT environment, especially the public provided computer rate should be up immediately. (註)(註)