ICT in the secondary visual arts classroom: a study of teachers' values, attitudes and beliefs

For some 20 years the literature has been highlighting a range of benefits to be gained from integrating information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching of visual arts. However, little research has depicted the 'state of play' regarding visual arts teachers' approaches to technology within the Australian context. This paper reports on a study of 14 visual arts teachers from a rural area of Australia and reveals broad diversity in individual teachers' social, artistic and educational values, attitudes and beliefs about ICT, leading to widely diverse approaches to both their personal and professional use of technology. The paper explores a number of key issues, including: whether teachers perceive dissonance between ICT and visual arts; whether teachers believe it is important to integrate ICT in their teaching; the role ICT is currently playing in classrooms; the issues teachers are experiencing and how teachers approach their own ICT learning. It is argued that effective ICT professional development for teachers must take account of teachers' values, attitudes, beliefs and perceptions not only regarding ICT, but in relation to teachers' own approaches to their personal and professional learning.