What does technology integration research tell us about the leadership of technology?

Abstract

This systematic review of the literature focuses on the empirical research conducted between 1998 and 2018 at the intersection of leaders, teachers, and technology in K-12 schools. The question guiding this review was “what does the technology integration literature identify as key leadership practices that support teachers’ technology integration efforts?” Findings are presented in terms of the larger body of knowledge about effective leadership practices that are empirically shown to influence teaching and learning by applying a conceptual framework of empirically derived leadership practices. The researchers analyzed, deductively coded, and categorized findings from 34 relevant articles in peer-reviewed journals. Findings emphasized leadership practices for building professional capacity including providing teachers with opportunities to learn, creating communities of practice for them, considering their individualized needs, and addressing issues of access and support. In this article, domains of the conceptual framework are described and convey the findings about leadership practices in terms of IT and offer suggestions for further synthesizing the currently siloed work on technology integration in the leadership, teacher, and technology literature.     

A review of research exploring teacher preparation for the digital age

ABSTRACT

Digital technologies and the Internet are increasing in prominence in schooling systems. As schools and teaching evolve as a result of the integration of technologies teacher preparation will also change. This paper examines research exploring the preparation of teachers for the digital age through a systematic literature review of articles published between 2008 and 2018. The findings provide insight into what has and has not been studied across a range of literature and the alignment with the broader context of digital integration in schools. A focus on digital competencies was identified which was framed in three ways across the literature; generic digital competence, digital teaching competence and an emerging concept of professional digital competence. How student teachers learn to engage in the professional work of a teacher in a digitally infused education system should underpin future research. A model of professional digital competence is proposed.     

Taking stock of sustainability in higher education: a review of the policy literature

Abstract

This paper provides a review of the current literature that examines the uptake of sustainability policies in higher education. Articles were retrieved from both ERIC and Scopus databases and then manually reviewed to ensure that they focused on each of: higher education; sustainability; and policy. A total of 91 articles were analysed using a multi-stage process that involved sorting data according to typologies (i.e. temporal, terminology, methodology, geography), coding the text of the articles based on topical content, and an indexing method used to label data for further analysis and the development of broader code categories. Results suggest that drivers and barriers associated with the integration of sustainability policy in higher education are well known; yet increased research is needed to understand best practices and processes by which sustainability can be furthered through higher education policy. In addition, findings demonstrate the need for future research to focus on various aspects of the policy process, including policy development and enactment, and on implications of policy for practice. While there have been some reviews of sustainability policy in higher education research to date, this review contributes to this literature by highlighting research primarily focused on sustainability policy within higher education.     

Child sexual abuse in Indonesia: A systematic review of literature,law and policy

BackgroundLike many middle-income countries, knowledge about child sexual abuse (CSA) is limited in Indonesia. The national government has stated a commitment to protect children from the worst forms of abuse, yet the sensitivity of CSA along with the complexity of culture and law, present substantial challenges.ObjectiveThis article reviews current knowledge about CSA in Indonesia, in the context of existing laws and policies that influence CSA prevention and intervention.MethodA systematic review of this research was conducted in the following manner: a review of scholarly literature and grey literature in English (19 papers) and in Bahasa Indonesian (11 papers), and a review of CSA-related Indonesian laws (4 documents) and policies (5 documents).ResultsThis review finds that knowledge about CSA in Indonesia is still limited. The taboos on discussing sexual matters were identified as factors that impede reporting of CSA. Poverty also leads to increasing children’s risk of sexual abuse. There was less attention to CSA occurring within family contexts and focus was more upon its occurrence outside of the family. The study identified that contradictory definitions of children within the law add to children’s vulnerability to CSA; this is especially the case for girls. Current child protection strategies in prevention and intervention lack specific focus on CSA.ConclusionFurther research is needed to enable the development of evidence-based approaches to better harmonize the development of law and policy with contemporary knowledge about CSA.     

What are the personal attributes a teacher needs to engage Indigenous students effectively in the learning process? Re-viewing the literature

ABSTRACT

Background: Teachers have the potential to make an enormous positive impact on the lives of their students, and may enter the classroom with a deep-set belief that education is, fundamentally, benevolent and good. However, such an uncritical stance may fail to account for the negative experiences of Indigenous students in Australia, where teachers are often cited as the primary reason Indigenous students leave school or refuse to go to school. Despite this, Aboriginal communities remain strong advocates of education and continue to lobby for a genuine and meaningful role in decision making.

Purpose: Given teachers’ critical influence, a collaboration was formed between the two authors: a Gamilaroi (Aboriginal) woman and a non-Indigenous Canadian woman, to conduct a review of the research. We asked: ‘What are the personal (non-academic) attributes a teacher needs to engage Indigenous students effectively in the learning process?’

Method: The literature review focused primarily on the Australian context and used a framework-based synthesis approach, whereby a decolonising ‘Relationally Responsive Standpoint’ framework was identified a priori. This provided the structure for extracting and synthesising the literature.

Findings and Discussion: The themes arising from the literature review were organised and considered through the framework, which foregrounds awareness through Respecting (self/motivations), Connecting (interpersonal) and Reflecting (knowledge) before concluding by Directing (future role). In Directing, the implications of the findings are discussed through yarning, a dialogical and dynamic approach with a strong future focus regarding the next steps of research and action.

Conclusions: Reviewing the literature in this way offers teachers, researchers, teacher educators and, arguably, policy-makers an opportunity to consider the personal attributes necessary to engage Indigenous students. It highlights the importance of critical self-reflection to being a relationally responsive teacher. We believe that the findings span international and professional boundaries and could impact on Indigenous Peoples globally, if all professions engage with an understanding of their own axiology and ontology.     

Teaching literature in the criminal justice curriculum

This article presents an argument for the integration of literature, especially novels, into the criminal justice curriculum. Included is a discussion of novels and short stories that work well in criminal justice courses. Approaches for integrating literature with traditional empirical and theoretical material are also discussed. Reading and discussing excellent literature can be an effective means to develop a student's sense of empathy and skills of critical thinking. This argument is set in the context of the broader debate of the relationship of criminal justice to the rest of the liberal arts.     

An exploration of longitudinal studies of digital learning

ABSTRACT

Background: The importance of digital technologies for enhancing learning in formal education settings has been widely acknowledged. In the light of this expectation, it is important to investigate the effects of these technologies on students’ learning and development.

Purpose: This study explores longitudinal empirical research on digital learning in the context of primary and secondary education. By focusing on a small selection of the peer-reviewed literature, the aim is to examine the kinds of longitudinal study published on this topic during the period 2012–2017 and, thorough categorisation, to bring together insights about the reported influences of digital technology use on students’ learning.

Design and methods: The databases searched for the purposes of this review were Scopus and Web of Science. Of 1,989 articles, 13 were finally included in the review. Using qualitative content analysis, these were analysed, coded and categorised.

Results: The reviewed studies were found to have approached digital learning in different ways: they varied, for example, in terms of research methods and design and the digital technologies used. The studies addressed different aspects of learning, which we assigned to six categories: affection, attitude, and motivation; subject-specific knowledge and skills; transversal skills; learning experience; elements of the learning environment; and identity. We identified both positive and negative influences of technology on learning.

Conclusions: This review offers a snapshot of the variety of research in this fast-moving area. The studies we explored were found to approach digital learning from several different perspectives, and no straightforward conclusions can be drawn about the influences of digital technology use on students’ learning. We conclude that further longitudinal studies of digital learning are needed, and this study assists by highlighting gaps in the existing literature.     

Risk of Domestic Violence After Natural Disaster

Abstract

This paper describes the use of a participatory action research model to teach undergraduate social work research and statistics. Strategies of the model include (1) integration with social work education, (2) policy analysis, (3) literature review, (4) collaboration with practitioners, (5) collaboration with the target population through qualitative research, (6) quantitative study, (7) ongoing social action efforts, and (8) evaluation. An example is used of a project addressing a community problem with increased domestic violence during recovery from natural disaster.     

A systematic literature review of the impacts of digital games designed for older adults

ABSTRACT

There is a growing body of research which explores the benefits to the elderly of playing digital games for knowledge acquisition, various skills enhancement and well-being. However, few systematic literature reviews have highlighted and updated the trends and findings regarding digital games designed for older users and learners. Also, a forced dichotomization of the impacts, and discussing a single outcome or purpose of playing digital games as in the previous reviews may provide limited information because digital games may simultaneously produce multiple rather than a single dominant impact. Accordingly, this review aims to investigate and characterize the literature on the mixed impacts of playing digital games that engage older adults aged 65 years or above. Search terms identified 67 papers from 2013 to 2018 which revealed empirical evidence regarding the outcomes of digital games engaging senior adults. Furthermore, a multidimensional framework involving various dimensions to categorize digital games engaging senior adults was developed. Overall, the current review framework features both the needs and characteristics of older adults and the content and types of digital games. The findings regarding the integration of games and the elderly’s needs and living experience are also discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered.     

Spatial cognition in engineering education: developing a spatial ability framework to support the translation of theory into practice

ABSTRACT

A substantial degree of empirical evidence has illustrated the correlation between spatial skills and performance in engineering education. This evidence has been foundational in the construction of educational interventions which have resulted in both increased levels of spatial ability and increased educational performance and retention. However, the cognitive faculty of spatial cognition is widely recognised as multifactorial and a number of factors exist within this domain which have not been examined as potential influences on educational success. A number of factors have been identified within the pertinent literature which do not appear in any formal framework of spatial cognition. This paper presents a review and synthesis of this work with the amalgam presented as a model to support the further integration of spatial ability into engineering educational practices.     

Plagiarism and its Treatment in Higher Education

This review of a perennial academic problem is prompted both by increasing media coverage of issues of cheating and plagiarism, and by the authors' own experience of the problems raised in dealing with it. We review the literature to explore the range of current concerns and issues. A small sample survey of higher education institutions is discussed, and the reasons for institutions' non-cooperation reviewed. Four cases drawn from the authors' experience are examined. The involvement of professional bodies is questioned.     

Virtual,augmented and mixed reality in K–12 education: a review of the literature

ABSTRACT

This article provides the first review of the existing literature consolidating research into the use of virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies within K–12 educational environments. The review explores the peer-reviewed scholarly studies conducted between 2006 and May 2017, which involved the use of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) or mixed reality (MR) technologies in the instruction of students in elementary, middle or high school. The literature revealed common themes including collaboration, communication, critical thinking, attitude, engagement, learning, motivation, performance or achievement, and technology (used or proposed). This literature review will contribute to the field by providing clarity on definitions for VR, AR and MR technologies in consideration of educational use, present an overview of the existing research on VR, AR and MR specific to K–12 educational environments and identify future research needs and directions.     

Repeat reports among cases reported for child neglect: A scoping review

BackgroundIn the United States (US), child welfare policy prioritizes prevention of future harm (e.g., repeat reports) after a report of maltreatment. The majority of reports include some form of child neglect, but no prior review of the recurrence literature has focused on neglect.ObjectiveThis review sought to help guide future research, policy and practice by summarizing recurrence findings related to child neglect with attention to the broader ecological context in which maltreatment occurs.ParticipantsThe final review included 34 US studies of maltreatment recurrence. Twenty-eight studies compared child neglect with at least one other form of maltreatment and six studies examined recurrence among neglect cases.MethodsEleven online databases were searched to locate relevant empirical studies. This review attended specifically to contextualizing findings according to other modifiable factors as well as methodological variation. A scoping review approach was used to summarize findings.ResultsOf the 28 studies comparing neglect to other types of maltreatment, 14 found increased risk for neglect, 12 found no association, and two reported a lower risk. When significant, the effect size ranged from 10% to over three times higher risk for neglect. Poverty or material need was the most commonly included control (15 studies), with two thirds finding that lower resource families had higher risk.ConclusionMethodological variability across studies confounds current ability to guide practice or policy. More research is needed that can replicate and extend findings with comparable samples and model specifications that take into account the regional and policy context.     

Can children with severe learning difficulties be educated in ordinary schools?

Abstract

The education of all children in ordinary schools is now the central question of special education and of education itself. The integration debate has essentially developed along moral and ideological lines, with access to mainstream schools seen as a basic right of all children.

Whatever the moral or political commitment to integration, the unique needs of the individual child should not be sacrificed on the altar of ideology, however powerful. For this reason alone, it is important to confront and seek to overcome the serious obstacles which stand in the way of educational integration.

This paper discusses issues relating to the education of a group of children whose needs are thought to be the most difficult to meet within ordinary schools. Following a summary of the research literature and an account of individual integration schemes, an organisational model is presented which could meet the needs of all children with severe learning difficulties within an ordinary school context.     

The power of open: benefits,barriers, and strategies for integration of open educational resources

ABSTRACT

Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming a significant, mission-driven trend within educational literature. To help address rising costs, instructors and designers are looking to OER to effectively replace traditional instructional content, which requires more than just identify and replace. Drawing from 51 OER studies conducted in countries across the five continents, this systematic literature review explored the empirical themes evident in the current research on a global scale. This review found (1) discoverability, sustainability, and remixing are significant barriers that stand in the way of OER disrupting traditional textbook models; (2) there is no significant difference in learning outcomes when instructors incorporate OER; and (3) implementation of OER as instructional strategies is challenging but can be effective in supporting positive learning outcomes when properly designed. The paper concludes with a discussion of gaps in the literature, considerations for implementation and further directions for future research.     

Science mapping the knowledge base on educational leadership and management in Africa, 1960–2018

ABSTRACT

This review of research employed science mapping to analyse the intellectual structure of the knowledge base on educational leadership and management in Africa. The review analysed 645 Scopus-indexed documents on EDLM in Africa published between 1960 and 2018. Meta data associated with these documents were analysed using the VOSviewer software. The complementary use of citation and co-citation analysis determined that 95% of the African literature in EDLM has been published since 2000. Geographical distribution of African scholarship was highly skewed with South African scholarship accounting for 74% of the corpus. Citations analyses also identified highly cited scholars and documents within this literature. Analysis of the intellectual structure of the African EDLM knowledge base identified four main Schools of Thought. Three of these were comprised primarily of Africa-based scholarship and determined to be 'distinctively African' in terms of topical foci. The ‘research front’ or most current topical trend in this literature concerns leadership for educational and social transformation. Recommendations are made for building capacity among African EDLM scholars as well as for next steps in advancing the literature.     

Intrinsic integration in learning games and virtual instruction

This paper responds to a 2016 systematic literature review of the research on learning games by Ke (Educ Technol Res Dev 64(2):219–244, 2016). The review paper unpacked the idea of intrinsic integration in learning games, analyzing important emergent themes. The key ideas and the value of this review are discussed in the context of the recent shift to virtual instruction. The limitations, impact, and future implications are also described, with the perspective of this response focused on education theory. Intrinsic integration is an important consideration when designers create the next generation of digital games, and as researchers try to untangle the affordances of different educational games for student learning.