Physical Education Teachers' Attitudes Towards the Use of Technological Tools

Introduction

Today's rapidly evolving technology leads to pronounced changes in every sphere of life. Science, technology and innovation capabilities are common indicators of development. One of the factors that makes it possible is education, which plays a key role in the communication of ever-evolving technology to society. Technology is indispensable to offer a high quality education and to ensure academic achievement. Students have difficulty understanding theoretical concepts and ideas whereas using technological materials in education increases the quality of education. Marzano (2009) argues that interaction with the SMART Board significantly increases students' motivation and classroom achievement. According to Durnalı, Orakcı and Aktan (2019), EBA (education information networks) provides both interactive animated, simulated e-contents and social sharing opportunities students can share audio, video and documents by making learning and teaching funny, improving a sense of autonomy, developing reading and listening skills (Orakcı, Durnalı, & Efe, 2018).

Technology is defined as innovations based on new knowledge and methods used to develop skills and to meet needs and desires (Erkeskin, 2001). Having become an integral part of today's education (Kirschner & Selinger, 2003; Gündüz & Odabaşı, 2004), technology affects students, teachers and learning environments positively and improves teaching quality as pinpointed by Durnalı, Orakcı and Aktan (2019), “for thousands of years, education and training that manifested within a triangle of school-teacher-student has now used new, multifaceted, multi-channel alternatives with the use of technologies in the education system” (p. 228). In this sense, it is obvious that the world is witnessing a rapid change in every field. People should develop new methods, attitudes, skills and ways of working to keep pace with this change. According to Alkan (1997), the education system should also be revised in the face of this rapid social change. An education system with the goal of going beyond the age should be open to innovations and reinvent itself in accordance with the needs of the new era. Therefore, being literate is not enough. The introduction of information technologies (computers and the Internet etc.) into all areas of human activity has led to the emergence of a new type of literacy. Teachers and students are the main stakeholders in each educational system, and therefore, their attitudes towards technology affect how society perceives it (Çakır & Oktay, 2012). An education system that does not involve technology cannot respond to social and individual expectations and needs. Therefore, modernizing the technology used in education is, or should be, one of the top priorities (Karasar, 2004).

The widespread use of technology in education has made educational technology a branch of science. Educational technology is closely associated with the teaching process and helps students acquire learning outcomes (Yılmaz, 2007). According to Hizal (1990, p. 6), educational technology is a science that explores methods and strategies to organize appropriate educational settings. According to Şimşek (1997, p. 5), educational technology is a science that investigates the most effective use of materials for conveying knowledge and making it permanent in the process of learning and teaching. According to Doğdu and Aslan (1993, p.16), educational technology is the most efficient use of educational elements. In general, educational technology is a science that increases the quality and efficiency of educational processes and seeks answer to the question “How to teach?” in education (Uşun, 2000, p. 6).

According to Özbilgin (1991, p. 155), technology in education refers to the use of technological tools of physical sciences to reduce costs, to provide rich lives, to support teaching and to individualize. As emphasized by Durnalı (2019) as well, the use of technological tools such as televisions, satellites, computer networks, radios, computers and interactive videos is the technical aspect of the relationship between education and technology.