The impact of information technology on equal educational opportunities in Mazandaran province

Master's thesis in the field of educational sciences

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the use of information technology and the expansion of equal educational opportunities in education in Mazandaran province, which was carried out in a survey way. The statistical population consisted of all the employees of the education departments of Mazandaran province. For this purpose, three education departments in the center, east and west of the province were considered. According to the sample size table of Georgesi and Morgan, the sample size was equal to 361 people, and in order to reduce the error, this number was increased to 400 people. The sampling method was clustered. To measure the research variables, researcher-made questionnaires of information technology and equal educational opportunities were used. The validity of the questionnaires was confirmed by the opinion of professors and experts, and the reliability of the questionnaires was measured with a preliminary test. The reliability rate using Cronbach's alpha test was 0.81 for information technology and 0.89 for equal educational opportunity questionnaire. Data analysis was done based on statistical data and SPSS software. Pearson's correlation coefficient test was used to determine the correlation of research variables. Multivariate regression was used to investigate the effect of variables and prediction test. Finally, the theoretical model of the research was investigated by path analysis. The results showed that there is a positive and significant correlation between the use of information technology and the expansion of equal educational opportunities in Mazandaran province. There is also a positive and significant relationship between the use of information technology and maximization, equalization and elitism in education in Mazandaran province. Also, access to information resources and educational materials, distance learning and video presentation of course content have a 43% effect on the expansion of equal educational opportunities in the province. In the meantime, the effect of the video presentation of the course content is greater. Also, the results of the consensus table showed that the schools located in the west of the province are in a better situation in terms of the development and growth of equal educational opportunities than the areas located in the east and center of Mazandaran province. Keywords: equal educational opportunity, elitism, constructivism, information technology, digital divide. The problem is not only in teaching, but the main problem is the general attention to how to access knowledge. Therefore, the topic of information and technology and predicting its impact on knowledge and education in the future is very important.

Influential inventions in the 20th century, such as radio, television, audio and video recording systems, computers, radio and cable or satellite transmitters, are not only technological, but their unique feature is their economic and social nature. Most of these technologies have become so small and cheap that they have reached most homes in industrialized countries and have been used by many people in developing countries. All modern societies are information societies to some extent. Societies in which technological development has created a cultural and educational environment. This environment is able to transform the sources of knowledge and learning. One of the characteristics of these technologies is their increasing complexity and the expansion of facilities they provide.

It should be noted that the use of information and communication technology for educational purposes is not a new phenomenon. For example, educational radio was created before the First World War. What has changed over time is not only the extent of technologies used and their complexity, but also in attracting audiences outside the formal education system, including children before primary school and all adults (UNESCO International Commission Report, 2016). Therefore, the impact of technology on the way of learning is inevitable.

Global advances in information technology have caused the rapid expansion of learning opportunities and access to educational and educational resources. In such a way that this is unimaginable with traditional tools and methods, and the use of this technology has not only greatly facilitated and accelerated education and effective management in education systems, but also caused tremendous changes in the political concepts that are very common in education systems (Ranai, 1385: 4).  Information and communication technology can look at educational justice and that this technology provides equal opportunities for learners as an end and take it into consideration. The use of this technology is to eliminate standardization (not paying attention to individual differences) in education and tries to pay attention to the individual differences of learners (ibid.: 5). Therefore, communication and information technologies can undoubtedly provide real means of communication with informal education, which are one of the most important systems of the will of knowledge in the learning society. A society where different stages of the learning process are completely rethought. The evolution of these technologies, whose skillful use enables the continuous development and advancement of knowledge, should lead to a review of the role and duty of education systems in the field of lifelong education. From now on, communication and exchange of knowledge and information will not be the only center of human activity growth, but will become a category that will help personal evolution in the context of new ways of social life. Therefore, all the potential talents of information technology should be put to the service of education. From this point of view, this research tries to show by careful investigation what role and effect the growth and development of information technology can have in reducing educational inequalities in Mazandaran province. Pythagoras considers justice to be the observance of people's rights according to their natural talents; According to Socrates, justice is a kind of proportionality and harmony; From Plato's point of view, justice is a kind of proportionality and balance in affairs; According to the Stoics, all human beings are equal (Jamshidi, 1379, p. 13). The discussion of justice and social justice has occupied the minds of thinkers for years. In the meantime, talking about the inequalities of educational opportunities and educational justice has always been of interest.

Educational inequalities and social justice are concepts that, like two sides of the same coin, define a reality called the level of access of students of different classes, genders, races, cultures and regions to education. In other words, increasing one side of the coin will decrease the other side. With this description, if a society wants to move towards the development of educational justice, it is inevitable to reduce the inequality of educational opportunities. This necessity, as a reform movement, has always been the focus of educational practitioners and experts of various countries (Dehghan, 2013, p. 24). Creating equal educational opportunities means eliminating obstacles and educational problems. In this regard, one of the serious obstacles to the realization of the educational goal is the lack of material facilities for progress in the educational dimension, which Coleman refers to as "providing the possibility of equal education for children" (Ballantine, 1995, quoted by Dehghan, 2013: 24).

On a broader level, the non-material dimensions of equal educational facilities and facilities can also be extended to areas such as equal educational values, motivations and desires. The fact is that in many countries, including our own society, motivations, values ??and desires are not equally distributed among all people as equal opportunities. Sometimes creating these desires and motivations requires special tools and facilities that are compatible with the progress of science and technology in the field of education. One of these tools is the use of information and communication technologies in the field of improving the educational level of students.

Information and communication technology is considered the most important tools and methods for empowering societies in the new century, and its importance as an exceptional opportunity to compensate for the backwardness of developing countries and enter the post-industrial era is obvious to everyone. and receive information, they help. This term includes new technologies such as computers, telecasts, and other means of communication. Information technology has changed the way we work, as well as economic and social affairs, and even the way we think. Today, information technology has a much wider range compared to mass communication and offers possibilities for change and prediction and a new perspective in the field of development. Information technology enables rapid dissemination of ideas, improvements in education, science, health care and culture. Information technology is considered a working machine and communication is its product. Information and communication technology are interdependent. Without information and communication technology, communication at the international level and between people will be impossible.