International Portal of Teacher Education
The online resource of academic content on teacher training and teacher education
Section archive - ICT & Teaching
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463 items
31
The main objective of the research described here was to learn how young learners self-evaluate their digital competence.
A non-experimental and descriptive quantitative methodology was employed, an electronic survey being used to collect the data.
Among the main results, the authors highlight that these learners self-evaluate their attitude towards Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as favourable, their handling of them as moderate and their knowledge of them as scarce.
It became clear that they do not have a level of digital competence suitable for being called ‘digital natives’, nor sufficient ability to use ICT in their academic life or in their professional future.
Published: 2019
Updated: Nov. 27, 2020
32
The purpose of the current study was to determine the impact of different forms of feedback (text/image/video) on the transactional distance (TD) perceptions and critical thinking skills (CTS) of the learners in online collaborative discussions.
The study was designed as a quasi-experimental study and was carried out with the participation of 104 pre-service teachers. TD Scale and Critical Thinking Standards Scale were used as data collection instruments.
The findings revealed that whilst the form of feedback had a significant difference on TD perception, it did not create a significant difference on CTS.
When the impact of feedback form on TD perception of the learners was examined, it was seen that the group with the lowest TD perception was the one which was given video-based feedback in online discussions.
This group was followed by the groups to whom image- and text-based feedback was given.
Published: 2020
Updated: Nov. 03, 2020
33
This article reports the perceived learning of a group of Chinese teacher candidates who audited an ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) literacy course while participating in an exchange programme between Southwest University in China and the University of Windsor in Canada.
Data were collected through
1) reflective notes written by visiting students and
2) semi-structured interviews conducted with them towards the end of their visit.
The majority of participants stated that the learning experience helped them to realise the important role theory plays in the learning of ICT and to seek ideas of how to creatively integrate ICT in their future classrooms.
Participants with limited ICT knowledge and skills reported that by being exposed to various functions of frequently used programmes and many free software programmes, they felt more confident in using ICT in their own teaching. Furthermore, those with strong ICT backgrounds found that the course helped them to understand the relationship among ICT, society, and pedagogy.
The teacher candidates’ perceived learning included aspects of culture and pedagogy in addition to ICT knowledge and skills.
Coming to know in ways like this is critically important to international partnerships and foundational to reciprocal learning where each learns from the other.
Published: 2019
Updated: Aug. 24, 2020
34
Positioned in the context of experiential learning, this paper reports findings of a virtual reality field trip (VRFT) in conjunction with an in-person field trip involving preservice teachers in an elementary science methods course to a local natural history museum.
Findings included that virtual reality (VR) is best used after a field trip to encourage student recall of the experience, but only when done for a limited time to avoid VR fatigue.
The types of experiences that preservice teachers thought VR would be good for in their science classrooms included the ability to visit either inaccessible or unsafe locations, to explore scales of size that are either too big or too small, and to witness different eras or events at varying temporal scales.
Furthermore, this study uncovered potential equity issues related to VRFTs being seen as a viable alternative if students could not afford to go on field trips.
Further research needs to be conducted to better understand the impact of VRFTs on student learning outcomes and take advantage of recent improvements in VR technology.
Published: 2019
Updated: Mar. 15, 2020
35
In an initiative to improve learning experiences and outcomes for students, the leaders of a school located in a hospital in Australia implemented a new digital strategy with mobile technologies and relevant digital pedagogies.
This study examines the outcomes of a professional development program introduced to effect transformational change by enabling integrated use of mobile technologies in the hospital school.
The study examines teachers’ views following completion of this customized professional development program, using a mixed methods investigation situated within the unique learning environment of the hospital school.
A key finding is that identifying and addressing teacher needs through customized professional development, supported with individualized coaching, can increase the participating teachers’ technological pedagogical knowledge to enable the improved use of mobile technology in a hospital school setting.
Additionally, hospital school teachers responded to opportunities to collaborate as a professional learning community to implement, support, and enhance mobile learning for hospitalized students.
The findings from this study have significant implications for leaders in all schools and systems embarking on similar initiatives to transform pedagogical practices through professional development supporting mobile technology integration in a digital world.
Published: 2019
Updated: Mar. 12, 2020
36
Despite the potential of video for professional learning, the field lacks an integrated framework to inform teacher educators’ pedagogical decision making, particularly in the context of preservice teacher education.
This article aims to make a conceptual argument about productive ways of using video in preservice education contexts.
Drawing on situative and sociocultural perspectives, the authors theorize how and under what conditions video can be used productively.
They discuss existing frameworks and tools that guide the design of video-embedded learning environments.
They then present an integrated framework, the principled use of video (PUV) to specify principles, processes, and key considerations for creating a system of video-embedded activities.
The merits and potential pitfalls of the PUV framework are discussed using an illustrative case.
The authors argue that productive use of video that facilitates the desired learning of preservice teachers involves attention to both the learning ecology and underlying theories of preservice teacher learning.
Published: 2019
Updated: Feb. 13, 2020
37
This study examines the experiences of teachers enrolled in an online certificate program for K–12 online teaching.
Participants blogged weekly regarding their experiences developing and facilitating an online course.
Qualitative analysis of the data shows that teachers face many challenges in developing and facilitating an online course; however, they found support from their colleagues enrolled in the program.
Additionally, teachers found value in the authentic experience afforded them in the virtual field experience in that it gave them exposure to online learning theory coupled with the opportunity to design and facilitate their own online courses.
Published: 2019
Updated: Jan. 26, 2020
38
This case study describes how leaders from three teacher education institutions utilized a technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) leadership diagnostic tool in the design, development, and implementation of technology rich initiatives.
Participants were interviewed to find out how the diagnostic tool guided their decision making.
Content analysis and a priori coding were used to analyze transcripts along with constant comparative methods to explore elements within the diagnostic tool and identify additional codes.
Results indicate that education leaders utilized the TPACK leadership diagnostic tool in different ways to guide the design, development, and implementation of their technology initiatives.
Participants also provided recommendations for how the diagnostic tool and its use might be enhanced in order to support change.
Published: 2019
Updated: Jan. 05, 2020
39
This study explored the relationship between English as foreign language (EFL) teachers’ content-specific pedagogical beliefs and their technology integration practices.
Using a multiple-case-study research design, the authors examined 12 secondary-level EFL teachers’ beliefs using Johnson’s (1992) framework of skill-based, rule-based, or function-based.
The findings suggested an overall alignment between EFL teachers’ content-specific pedagogical beliefs and technology integration practices.
While EFL teachers used similar technology tools, the same tools were used to support different types of teaching practices depending on teachers’ content-specific pedagogical beliefs.
Published: 2019
Updated: Jan. 01, 2020
40
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the use of Twitter can enhance perceived learning and promote critical thinking, collaborative learning, and active student roles.
The participants, 202 undergraduate students, enrolled on three different degree courses, were studying educational technology course modules.
A quantitative, transversal, and retrospective methodology with an ex post facto design was applied by the researchers.
The use of Twitter led to an increase in both perceived learning and critical thinking among the majority of students, and in collaborative aspects of the teaching-learning process, as well as in active student roles. The authors conclude that the experience of Twitter and its use in an educational context has therefore contributed to enhancing the quality of learning and the teaching-learning process itself.
Published: 2019
Updated: Dec. 19, 2019