Challenges and Limitations in the Effective Use of ICT by Primary Education Teachers: A Case Study

Abstract

This study investigates the challenges and limitations faced by primary education teachers in integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into their teaching practice. Drawing on Basil Bernstein’s theoretical framework and employing a case study methodology, the experiences of four public school teachers in Western Greece are analyzed. The findings reveal that ICT training remains technocratic and fragmented, failing to meaningfully align with the actual needs of teachers and classroom realities. Moreover, structural and symbolic barriers, such as inadequate infrastructure, rigid school culture, and teacher attitudes, limit the effective pedagogical use of ICT. The study underscores the necessity to reshape the nature of professional development and to strengthen teachers' professional autonomy, in order for ICT to serve as a vehicle for innovation and pedagogical transformation.