Edulabs AGIRE project – evaluation of ICT integration in teaching strategies

The AGIRE project, under the Edulab concept, aims to promote the adoption of innovative teaching practices. This paper reports the support strategies used to evaluate the teacher practices at the end of a teacher training course (TTC) and analyse its impact on teacher technology integration, using a design-based methodology. Teachers’ initial perception was gathered using an online questionnaire comprising ICT personal and professional competencies. The questionnaire results and the classroom observations showed that the majority of teachers were at the level of ICT adoption, before attending the TTC, reaching the adaptation level of integration of ICT, after the TTC. A variety of teaching strategies (flipped classroom, collaborative work, …) and technologies (interactive white boards, tablets, videos, …) were explored. The results sustain the thesis that, with proper support, ICT can be integrated in educational contexts in an innovative way and contribute to the development of teachers’ digital literacy.     

How student teachers develop their understanding of teaching using ICT

Forty-four student teachers' existing understanding of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the way it changes as they learn to teach is examined. The cohort were taking a postgraduate certificate in education course at the University of Cambridge UK in 2000–2001. Data from assignments, questionnaires and interviews were analysed. The students had a variety of views about teaching using ICT. Their understanding of ICT became more sophisticated over the year in three stages, which involved processes of personalisation, growth of pedagogical sensitivity and the development of contingent thinking. Students valued reflective assignments, university-based tuition and experience of teaching using ICT as ways of developing their thinking and practice. Implications of the findings for those involved in teacher education are suggested.     

Teacher Educators' Readiness,Preparation, and Perceptions of Preparing Preservice Teachers in a Fully Online Environment: An Exploratory Study

With a view to attracting more students and offering flexible learning opportunities, online teaching and learning is becoming increasingly widespread across the higher education sector. It is now found across a wide range of disciplines (e.g., business, health, psychology, accounting, information technology) and program levels (e.g., from associate degrees to doctorate degrees). Online delivery is also strongly represented in the teacher education sector at many universities. Research of online delivery in higher education generally and teacher education specifically has pointed to a range of benefits and challenges associated with this mode of learning. Within the teacher education literature, many aspects of the online preparation of teachers remain poorly understood. More specifically, there is scant literature on the experiences and beliefs of teacher educators in relation to their readiness and preparation for online teaching as well as their beliefs in relation to the appropriateness of online education for preservice teachers. This article responds to this gap in the literature and reports on an exploratory study that worked with academic staff, teaching in a fully online teacher education course, at a mid-size Australian university. Twenty-seven teacher educators completed a 34-item questionnaire that consisted of closed and open-ended questions. With regards to readiness and preparation for teaching online, the majority of teacher educators reported lacking confidence and competence in the technological and pedagogical skills required to teach online. By and large, the study participants were welcoming of individualized “at-elbow” support that seemed to abate some of their fears of online teaching. The teacher educators were generally divided on whether the online classroom was an appropriate method for preparing preservice teachers. This article concludes with several recommendations for consideration by teacher educators who work in an online environment and sets the stage for a more ambitious study.     

疫情期间大学英语线上教学调查研究——以贵州财经大学为例

为了解疫情期间高校大学英语在线教学现状,本研究以贵州财经大学为例,对3107名学生进行问卷调查,以此分析线上教学的特点及存在的问题。结果表明:该校教师利用多种教学软件和平台,积极开展线上教学活动,但也存在部分学生学习态度不积极,学习效果参差不齐的问题。针对上述问题,建议从教学模式、教学理念、考核方式三个方面进行改革,利用线上教学的优势与经验,创新传统课堂教学模式,推动“线上+线下”混合式教学模式成为后疫情时期大学英语教学改革中的“新常态”。     

“休眠”的主体:在线教学的主体性困境与反思——基于县城A中学的调查

新冠疫情期间,各级各类学校不得不在线开展教育教学。这一转变带来教育便利,也突显了传统学校课堂教育主体性缺失问题。本研究以县城A中学为调查点,呈现在线教育阶段教师、学生和家长多方教育主体的系统性不适应现象。研究发现,线上教育打破了传统线下课堂教学的管控模式,教师和学生都有了更大的自主空间,但也因为传统课堂教育过于依赖“管控”而忽视了对主体性的培养,具体表现为:教师自主学习和技术运用的缺陷、“双师”模式下“经师”与“人师”角色调整的迟滞、家庭教育中学校管控模式的移用失败,以及传统教育中学生学习自主能力和习惯的缺乏。对开展线上教育所做的反思,有助于复归常态化教学后学校教育对主体性培育的关注。     

在校师范大学生对随班就读态度的调查研究——以福建省泉州市为例

高等师范院校在校师范大学生,作为未来教师主体,对随班就读特殊儿童的接纳态度是影响随班就读成效的一个重要因素。通过问卷调查,对泉州地区普通高等师范院校各专业在校师范大学生接纳特殊儿童随班就读的态度进行研究,结果表明：总体上,在校师范大学生对特殊儿童随班就读的态度较积极、正面,但局限在特殊儿童上;不少师范大学生对随班就读缺乏深入认识,态度更倾向于消极;随班就读相关课程的学习对接纳态度没有显著影响。通过访谈,重点探讨泉州师范学院教育科学学院在非特殊教育师范专业开设特殊教育课程的成效与不足。     

地方院校大学英语口语石化与耗损实证研究

地方本科院校向应用转型的过程中,针对理工科大学生的英语教学改革越来越重视培养学生的口语能力。口语石化和耗损不同程度上影响着理工科大学生口语表达能力。通过针对地方本科院校英语口语课堂教学中的理工科学生口语表达中的石化和耗损现象的实证研究,分析导致理工科学生口语表达石化和耗损的因素,指出针对理工科学生的英语口语教学改革过程中,教师应该注意更新教学观念,构建以学生为中心、教师为辅的多模态化口语课堂。     

The impact of pre‐service field training sessions on the probability of future teachers using ICT in school

Most industrialised countries have adopted training strategies for pre‐service teachers that place experienced teacher guidance centre stage, particularly within the context of regular pre‐service field training sessions. In this article, after analysing the data taken from a longitudinal survey on the computer skills and attitudes of students toward the integration of ICT in teaching in primary and secondary school teacher education programmes at the University of Sherbrooke, the authors underline the potential contradictory effects between the classroom teaching observed during practicum and the effort to support the use of computer technology in school during university training. They conclude by underlining the importance of supporting the professional development of practising teachers regarding the use of ICT, with the aim of changing practices observed by students in training and optimising the probability of increasing the use of these technologies in their future role as teachers.     

Accountability in Partnership or Partnership in Accountability: Initial teacher education in Northern Ireland

This paper analyses accountability and partnership in Initial Teacher Education for the primary school sector in Northern Ireland. In considering teacher education, the paper focuses on three higher education institutions: Stranmillis University College, St Mary's University College and the University of Ulster. Of the three institutions, the Roman Catholic Church maintains St Mary's University College while the other institutions have no religious affiliations. The paper focuses on the reform of teacher education within the British Isles and sets Northern Ireland into a context of a system of teacher education which has developed new patterns of accountability. Three sources of evidence are used to analyse accountability; firstly the perception of schools that are partners in Initial Teacher Education; secondly, the views of the Education and Training Inspectorate who are responsible for accrediting teacher education in Northern Ireland; and thirdly, the views of the three university schools of education. The paper will demonstrate how teacher education in Northern Ireland is simultaneously similar to, and different from, teacher education in the rest of the developed world. It will illuminate the dimensions of accountability in the primary school sector and show how in Northern Ireland this is heavily segregated by religious denomination.     

Just add hours? An assessment of pre-service teachers’ perception of the value of professional experience in attaining teacher competencies

This study compared pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their professional competencies at two campuses of a large regional teacher education university, where one campus provided students 22% more hours of professional placement in schools and related educational settings. Students who had experienced more hours in schools and such settings were more positive about their, ability to apply their knowledge of students and how they learn, classroom management, professional knowledge and practice, and community engagement; however, when students felt well supported during professional experience, such differences diminished. Additional hours were not associated with pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their ability to apply subject content and teaching; plan, assess and report; and effective student communication. Researchers argued that this pointed to the crucial role of good classroom mentors in teacher professional experience but also the value of students’ tertiary teacher education in preparing them for classroom teaching.     

以学生为本的“文科大学物理(人文类)”课程建设

文章介绍了北京航空航天大学开设"文科大学物理(人文类)"课程的初步设计和在随后的教学实践中进行的探索与收获。本课程的最终目的是使学生得到科学素质的培养,教学虽然采用课堂教学的传统手段,但是运用了一种全新的教学理念,取得了学生自主学习、教学相长的良好效果。鉴于我国目前的教育情况,文章提出了一条建设性意见。     

从学生的期末成绩分析课堂教学效率的监控

课堂教学是教师完成教学任务的主要方式,而高职学生一学期的课堂学习掌握程度主要体现在期末考试,成绩是教师课堂教学效率的数据表现之一。文章以某学院三个学期学生的期末成绩分析为依据,立足课堂教学反思提出课堂教学效率的监控问题。     

线上教学实践调查与探索

在线教学期间,如何有效开展教学活动是每一位教师必须重视的课题.为更好地开展在线教学,尝试构建一套适用于公共日语课程的在线教学模式.经过一个学期的教学实践,为验证这一教学模式的效果,对厦门大学嘉庚学院选修这一课程的167名学生开展问卷调查,了解学生在预习与复习、课堂活动、课后作业等教学环节对线上和线下教学的看法.调查结果...     

Access,use and perceptions of teachers and students towards mobile phones as a tool for teaching and learning in Tanzania

This study explored the access, use and perceptions of teachers and students towards mobile phones as a tool for facilitating teaching and learning beyond the classroom walls. A total of 29 pre-service teachers and four college instructors from Dar es salaam University College of Education (DUCE) as well as 12 in-service teachers and 40 students from Kibasila secondary school in Tanzania, participated in the study. Data were collected by using pre-service teachers’ questionnaire, students’ questionnaire, and the instructors’, and in-service teachers’ interviews. Findings showed that all in-service teachers, college instructors and pre-service teachers had mobile phones. Also 60 % of school students owned mobile phones, or had access to mobile phones. Students, pre-service teachers and college instructors were in favour of the use of mobile phones for learning, but the majority of in-service teachers were against it. Since mobile phones are the most available technological tools in schools, this study, recommend a professional development programme for in-service teachers to help them develop a positive attitude towards mobile phones use in teaching and learning.     

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the Internet and online courses: the case of an American Pacific Island University

Offerings of online courses continue to increase in higher education settings, as institutions attempt to meet students’ (and faculty members’) increasing demands for online access. How do pre-service teachers perceive online education? This paper reports the results of a questionnaire-based survey addressing this issue. The questionnaire focused on the degree to which teacher candidates consider the Internet useful for coursework, and their level of preparedness for taking online courses. The participants were pre-service teachers (N = 237) enrolled in education foundation courses at the University of Guam. This paper discusses educational implications of the results, and makes recommendations for future research. The results from this study may guide teacher education and its efforts to optimise online courses and, at the same time, support the University’s commitment to ensure that teacher education prepares its pre-service teachers to apply and integrate technology in their own future teaching.     

Striving for social sensitivity: the impact of a social justice project on student teachers’ understanding of pupils from socially disadvantaged backgrounds

This paper considers the concerning issue of social disadvantage in N. Ireland schools and suggests that the majority of those entering the teaching profession are ill-equipped to empathise with pupils in disadvantaged areas and thus less enabled to offer effective pastoral care. It argues that this lack of preparedness stems from backgrounds very different to that of these pupils and also from an initial teacher education which does not provide a systematic practical experience in schools in ‘challenging’ areas. The paper briefly outlines a small-scale ITE social justice project undertaken at Stranmillis University College, Belfast designed to provide such experience and, citing specific evidence from data gathered in a recent evaluation, offers it as a model of preparing student-teachers to better understand the realities of their pupils’ lives through extended pre-service contact.     

Training teachers to use new technologies impacts multiple ecologies: Evidence from a national initiative

A pair of papers re-examined the evidence from a national initiative to train all teachers in England to bring them up to the level of newly qualified teachers, who are required to know when to use and when not to use information and communication technologies (ICT) in their professional practice. The first paper confirmed that multilevel evaluation of professional development was robust for ICT teacher training. This second paper contrasts the highest and lowest rated designs for ICT teacher training: an 'organic' approach that provided training in schools was highly rated, whereas a centralised computer-assisted learning approach with online access to trainers was the lowest rated design. The study supports an ecological view of the diffusion of ICT innovations in education and recommends that ICT teacher training be designed to support evolution of each teacher's classroom, school and region, as well as the training of the ICT teacher trainers.     

Using classroom videos to stimulate professional conversations among pre-service teachers: windows into a mathematics classroom

This paper reports on the novel use of classroom videos by 71 pre-service teachers enrolled in a one-year graduate diploma pre-service teacher education program across three Australian universities. The classroom videos were of an experienced teacher delivering a Year-6 mathematics lesson. Students observed, discussed and debated practices that were evident. Data were collected via observation protocols and through recorded focussed discussions. Pre-service teachers, even at the early phase of their course, were able to articulate theoretical explanations for events occurring in the lesson. All students, irrespective of the progression in the course, lamented the absence of prior opportunities to engage in analysis and discussion of classroom lessons. The study reinforces the value of dialectical interactions focussed on authentic teaching scenarios.     

Integrating ICT into College English: An implementation study of a national reform

This paper describes a mixed-methods case study of a national reform of College English teaching in China which called for the integration of ICT (information and communication technology) into English classroom teaching and self-access learning. The study examined ICT implementation of the national reform in a specific tertiary institution from the perspectives of ICT use in language education and ICT-related policies and practices for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers. The findings indicated that the reform had represented a challenge for teachers, who were expected to adapt to technologically-enhanced teaching materials, embrace student-centred classroom teaching and guide students’ autonomous learning in ICT settings. Constraints included insufficient ICT facilities, teachers’ limited ICT skills and pedagogic expertise; and lack of effective communication networks and inadequate technical support and ICT-related training also hindered the smooth ICT implementation of the reform. Implications for national and institutional policy-making are discussed.