The relationship between five Omani teachers’ technology use, and their teacher cognition and instructional practices: a case study at Sultan Qaboos University

This study attempted to explore five Omani teachers’ relationship with technology use. It explored the impact of technology use on teachers’ cognitions and instructional practices and the contextual factors that might influence the impact. The study also explored the ways in which teachers interacted with technology and how their previous experiences as learners impacted their technology integration practices and beliefs. A case study approach was used employing narrative inquiry to present stories of how technology integration influenced five Omani teachers’ cognitions and instructional practices at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The first phase of the study aimed at selecting participants using a questionnaire that was prepared for the purpose of this study. Omani teachers who showed advanced levels of technology competency and frequent technology integration in their teaching were selected to participate in the study. The qualitative phase aimed at exploring teachers’ perceptions and practices about technology integration using autobiographical accounts, initial interviews, classroom observations, post observation interviews and final interviews. The findings demonstrated that the relationship between teachers’ cognition about technology integration and instructional practices is two-sided. That is, whereas teachers’ beliefs affect their decisions to use technology, teachers’ frequent integration of technology also influences their decisions on how to use technology in their classes. The findings also showed that some teachers perceived technology to be influencing their cognitions and instructional practices in that it encouraged them to employ a learner-centred approach, a constructivist approach, different teachers’ roles and different classroom management among other influences some teachers cited as a result of using technology. In addition, the study found that one teacher experienced no effect of technology on her actual instructional practices. Findings revealed some of the reasons behind the mismatch between beliefs and practices. Five major contextual factors were reported to be influential when the five teachers used technology namely: professional development, technical support, institutional environment, personal factors and socio-cultural factors.