Abstract:

The purpose of the study is to explore the experience of Mexican teachers in the incorporation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in order to understand their specific mindset and vision of how ICT is transforming education.

Since the end of the last century hundreds of studies had attempted to determine the effectiveness of ICT in schools, concluding that the most important factor in the classroom is the human component; in other words, ICT are effective, when student’s motivation is encouraged by teachers with clear learning objectives and capable of integrating technology into education. Furthermore, it has been established that those teachers who understand the role of ICT as a mediator in the renovation of teaching methods, successfully achieve an impact on learning results.

Multi-million dollar investments in equipment, software and connectivity, had been made by governments and civil society organizations with varying degrees of efficiency. But what it is certain, is that technology applied to improve and maximize educational processes, does not appear automatically. On the contrary, it is a long process of social change with many obstacles and continuous challenges, that when overcome, always involve a modification in the educators’ vision of teaching and learning. The introduction of ICT in the school system always implies change and disruption. And teachers are the ones who finally adopt or reject innovative pedagogies with ICT. Who are the innovative teachers? What is their vision? How could the mindset of early adopters be described?

To find answers to these questions, a qualitative study was conducted with a group of innovative teachers, defined by different criteria such as ICT proficiency, documented good practices and their ability to sustain and expand through time their technology projects. Two techniques were used for gathering information: personal reports and interviews. In both instances, teachers were asked to describe their experiences with the integration of ICT in their classrooms. The analysis and interpretation of the information collected from oral and written narratives , make up the core of this article and their content, effectively illustrates the mindset of innovative teachers and their daily routines of school life. These are personal stories within a variety of social contexts, based on real life experiences from all the different regions of the country.

Keywords:

Educational Technology, Innovative Practices, Mexican Public Schools, Teachers' leadership.