The Article
In this article, professors Yong Zhao and Kenneth Frank examine why technology is not used more in schools. They propose an ecological metaphor, using the example of the introduction of the zebra mussel into the Great Lakes, to integrate and organize sets of factors that affect implementation of computer uses.

Discussion
The authors point out that in the 20th century there were several waves of massive investment in technology to improve education, but none had a significant impact. The researcher indicates that despite the generous investment in, and increased presence of, computers in schools, computers have been found to be unused and underused in most schools. Zhao and Frank turn to the ecological metaphor to understand why this has been so. They argue that the “introduction, survival, and dispersal of an alien species in a new environment are complex processes. To understand them requires a comprehensive and systemic approach that takes into consideration the nature of the species, the environment, other facilitative forces, and the interactions among these components.” They then describe their study of 19 schools’ technology uses. Data collection included a survey of staff, interviews with administrators and technology staff, and interviews and observation in one focal school in each district. Among the things they found was that simpler technologies (phone systems) were more frequently used than those that required more adjustment to existing practices (Internet). In terms of student uses, the same was true. Teachers frequently used computes for communication with parents and the preparation for instruction, the least frequent were activities involving students in using the computer (e.g., student-to-student communication, student inquiry). These and other findings were consistent with the ecological metaphor. They conclude that the ecological model “took us beyond simply identifying and correlating factors and focused our attention on interactions, activities, processes, and practices. If we accept the ecological metaphor, it becomes clear that innovations cannot be implemented without regard to the internal structures of schools or other pressures that schools face.”

What It Means to You
Has technology been effectively used in your district’s classrooms? If not, was technology introduced in such a way that took into account the “ecology” of the school and district? Might the ecological perspective provide you with a powerful analytical framework for understanding technology uses in schools?

For More Information
Zhao, Y. & Frank, K.A. (2003). Factors affecting technology uses in schools: An ecological perspective. American Educational Research Journal, 40(4), 807-840.

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