Abstract:

New technological tools are essential for almost all areas of today’s society, and the school education accepts the innovations, too. The adolescents use gadgets to communicate, listening to music, playing games, and many other everyday activities, so they are inclined to use them for education purposes. Thus, nowadays the usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the teaching-learning process play an essential role in keeping it up to date with the global tendency to digitalization. The paper presents the results of a large-scale study aimed at exploring the parameters of the use of contemporary technological tools at the national level in Bulgarian school education. The comprehensive questionnaire collected data from the main actors in the learning process – teachers and students in all educational stages. Their answers are compared and analysed. It allows a deep understanding of the attitude and viewpoints of both teachers and students about the role of ICT in the learning process. Next, it gives possibilities for suggestions for improving the effectiveness of their application. The respondents’ profile is provided for correct interpretation of the survey results. The main observed issues are as follows: Types of employed devices in the teaching-learning process and their frequency of usage on the report of students and teachers. The authors examine these findings according to each school stage and school subject. The research also evaluates the prerequisites and obstacles for integrating the innovative technologies in schools. For a more accurate analysis of the current state besides the answer to the closed questions, the free comments of the respondents are carefully analysed. Further, the paper discusses how contemporary technologies impact and transform the traditional educational process and improve its quality and efficiency. The authors search the possible reasons for the survey results and give some directions for future policies in this area.

Keywords:

School education, survey-based study, Innovative technological tools, ICT in education, Bulgarian case.