Al-Baba, Liane; (2022) Information Technology in the World of the Educational Psychologist. Doctoral thesis (D.Ed.Psy), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Purpose: This thesis explores information technology (IT) use amongst educational psychologists (EPs) in the United Kingdom, specifically the IT used with and recommended to children and young people (CYP), the availability of devices, and how information is shared with service users. Factors that could influence IT use were also explored, including EPs’ personal variables (age, demographics, disability), service variables, comfort levels with IT, and the impact of COVID-19. Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystemic theoretical framework was used to conceptualize IT use amongst EPs. Methods: A mixed-methods research approach was used to analyse the data. Quantitative research surveys were administered and collected across two phases (before and after March 2020); 65 EPs completed the first survey and 37 completed the second. Qualitative data were also collected in two phases and involved in-depth interviews with three EP innovators to explore the enablers of IT usage and 10 further interviews to explore IT use after the COVID-19 lockdown. Results: The results indicate that EPs employ IT most frequently in their administrative tasks. Most EPs do not have access to IT-mediated assessments, whereas many frequently use IT to score assessments. Service factors were additionally found to influence IT usage, including senior leadership’s openness to IT and the compatibility of IT with the EP service. Senior leadership impacts the frequency of IT use, availability of up-to-date devices, IT usage policies, availability of IT-mediated assessments, and time allocated to explore IT and develop competence. Planning by senior leadership was often related to comfort levels with IT. Since COVID-19, there has been a shift in the use of videoconferencing to communicate with service users and other EPs. EPs reported that videoconferencing was efficient for some meetings in terms of time spent travelling and flexibility for working parents. This research also found that remote working can negatively impact mental health; however, it is moderated by social networking and opportunities to gather virtually as a team. Most EPs do not use any IT with CYP directly. EPs most often recommend IT to support CYP’s literacy development, mental health, and augmentative and alternative communication. EPs frequently utilize laptops and smartphones in their practice for administrative tasks and communication. Availability of devices influences the frequency of usage; self-employed EPs frequently employ tablets, whereas EPs in other services reported not utilizing them. Implications: EPs must be supported to effectively utilize IT by being provided with the appropriate devices (and resources) and allocated time to learn and experiment with IT. Services must audit IT skills within teams and available resources. Additionally, services must develop IT use policies that enable an open exchange of ideas and new ways of working. CYP will utilize IT in their schooling and future work and will need to be supported to ensure that they have access. There are currently no resources or training for EPs on IT use. As such, it might be premature to explore how the availability of technology impacts IT use when very few EPs are using IT directly with CYP. This thesis seeks to begin the discourse on IT use in the hope that EPs and trainee EPs will continue to explore the role of IT and its potential for evolving practice.

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