Teachers in the cloud: teachers’ feelings of comfort integrating Google Suite for education
Subject
Abstract
Because Google Suite For Education (GSuite) has been adopted in public schools across Canada, it is a demand for educational stakeholders need to understand cloud computing technology as well as GSuite to fully take advantage of it. There have been many studies that have focused on the benefits and risks of using cloud-based technology in education. Among those studies, data privacy and online security were reported as a big concern regarding cloud-based technology. However, there is a paucity of research that exclusively explores the role of teachers and how they can maximize the use of GSuite in teaching and learning. This quantitative study used the Teacher Technology Integration Survey (TTIS) and a part of 2012 Global Cloud Computing survey to examine teacher’s general technology integration and teacher feelings of comfort using GSuite in particular. The instrument was delivered as an anonymous paper-based survey to minimize the risk regarding loss of online privacy. Of the 105 secondary teachers in Nanaimo Ladysmith School District, 23 teachers completed the survey. Pearson Product correlation was used in the study to find that teachers’ comfort using GSuite is significantly correlated to teachers’ general technology integration. Teachers with high levels of general technology integration felt more comfortable using GSuite in school. Furthermore, the data also revealed that teacher feelings of comfort using GSuite was not significantly correlated to the availability of technology in school or the frequency of technology use. Though teachers reported that they felt comfortable using GSuite, this did not mean they were concerned about data privacy and online security. The findings of this study will expand knowledge of GSuite use in school by educational practitioners. Understanding teachers’ perceptions about GSuite may also provide school leaders with ideas for training curriculum to optimize the implementation of other cloud-based technology by teachers in public school contexts.