Analyzing the Views of Teachers and Prospective Teachers on Information and Communication Technology via Descriptive Data Mining

This study aims to determine the overt and covert patterns that teachers’ and prospective teachers’ views on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) instruments contain by using the method of data mining. The study group was composed of 192 prospective teachers attending a state university in Ankara, Turkey and 101 teachers working in Ankara-all of whom took part in the study on the basis of volunteering. Teachers’ and prospective teachers’ views were obtained by means of a scale. Clustering and association rules - algorithms for data mining - were applied to the data collected, and thus the frequently held patterns for teachers’ and prospective teachers’ views on ICT instruments were found. Consequently, cluster analysis suggested that prospective teachers considered themselves more competent than teachers in terms of computer skills but that teachers were the group having the most positive views. In addition to this, the results of association rules analysis indicated that the prospective teachers and teachers held the opinion that ICT instruments added variety to the teaching-learning process and ensured students’ focusing their attention on lessons, also stated that using ICT instruments would increase students’ participation in classes.