THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTRUMENT FOR A TECHNOLOGY-INTEGRATED SCIENCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

This study developed, validated, and utilized the Technology Integrated Classroom Inventory (TICI) to examine technology-integrated science learning environments as perceived by secondary school students and teachers. Using technology-oriented classroom climate instruments and considering the science classroom's characteristics, TICI was developed. More than 1,100 seventh through ninth grade science students validated the instrument, revealing eight scales: technological enrichment, inquiry learning, equity and friendliness, student cohesiveness, understanding and encouragement, competition and efficacy, audiovisual environment, and order, with alpha reliabilities ranging between 0.69 and 0.91 (0.93 for the entire questionnaire). In measuring actual and preferred learning environments, TICI results indicated that both students and teachers ranked equity and friendliness highest. The largest actual-preferred discrepancy was order (students) and inquiry learning (teachers). TICI offers additional utilities for technology-enriched science leaning environments.