Multi-Perspective Integration of ICT’s into Island Schools in South-West Thailand

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Abstract

AbstractThe major part of the island school groups in South-West Thailand is comprised of remote areas, which are under development and lack facilities and basic needs. Most people on the islands are poor Thai gypsies living in temporary shelters or small boats. They have distinctively different origins, cultures and languages. Developing the infrastructures in this area is a low priority on the government’s list. Only a marginal percentage of the budget is being spent in the development of gypsy people, especially on their education. This has in turn become a major hurdle for the acceptance and implementation of the new Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in the island school’s group sector. The schools generally have an inappropriate infrastructure, inadequate teachers and huge limitations in education resources. ICT implementation has been carried out by the Ministry Of Education (MOE) to assist in teaching, learning and school administration. In examining the ways in which ICT integration has been administered and used in island schools, the study investigated the roles of two different levels of the educational system: 1) The Satun Education Service Area (Satun ESA), located on the mainland; and 2) an island school group, located in the Andaman sea. The Linstone’s Multiple Perspectives Model provided a framework for data collection and the organisation of results in a qualitative study. Data was collected by interviewing the Director of the Office of Satun Educational Service Area, the head teachers, teachers, parents and students in the island schools. Data from interviews, observations and documents was analysed using a template analysis approach (King, 2004). The findings of this study were interpreted in three dimensions: ICT benefits, ICT barriers and ICT sustainability. Sustainability is key to the effectiveness of a remote ICT project. Therefore, it is important to understand the concepts and categories associated with ICT project sustainability in rural areas. The categories of sustainability, including infrastructure, policies, politics, culture, management, human resources, co-operation and finance factors, need to be considered in the implementation of ICT projects in island schools or other projects in remote areas. The outcome of this study is a framework that clarifies the process of effective ICT implementation in the island context, which provides an additional valuable source of knowledge for local education policy makers in Thailand and other developing countries.

Keyword(s)

Information and communication technology, island school, developing country, multiple perspectives, sustainability

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