Using ICT to Foster (Pre) Reading and Writing Skills in Young Children

ABSTRACT

This study examines how technology can support the development of emergent reading and writing skills in four- to five-year-old children. The research was conducted with PictoPal, an intervention which features a software package that uses images and text in three main activity areas: reading, writing, and authentic applications. This article reports on the effects of the PictoPal intervention on pupil literacy and communication skills. Two small-scale studies were conducted. Observation results from the first study showed that children are able to work independently with the program after a few instruction sessions. The second study showed a statistically significant learning effect of experimental versus control group scores after two months of using PictoPal in the classroom under the guidance of a parent volunteer. Further research is needed to arrive at a better understanding of these learning gains with a larger group of pupils.     

Teachers’ technology adoption and practices: lessons learned from the IWB phenomenon

The twenty-first century has seen unprecedented investment from governments around the world in educational technologies in schools. This paper investigates Australian teachers’ adoption and use of a popular technology that has been extensively supported by governments and school systems: the interactive whiteboard (IWB). The study suggests that a number of the barriers identified in the early days of adoption and use of this technology, such as professional support and access, still remain for many teachers, thereby impeding effective practices. The research also found that primary school teachers were using the technology in diverse ways, in contrast to secondary teachers who were using the IWB mainly for instructionist, presentational purposes. We conclude by considering various ways of reducing the effect of the identified barriers to support implementation of educational technologies in the classroom, especially the next generation of technologies promoted by governments and systems.     

Research degrees in Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Why so few doctoral students?

A ‘knowledge society’ relies on a workforce with high-level skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Continuing development of ICT will arise partly from research undertaken by doctoral graduates. However, compared to other cognate disciplines, ICT has relatively few students taking up doctoral studies. This article explores some of the perceived barriers to undertaking doctoral studies in ICT in three Australian universities. Current students were surveyed regarding their post-course intentions relating to employment and further study, and the resulting data was analysed in terms of type of university attended, gender, nationality and first-in-family status. Overall, the perceived barriers to doing a research degree were related to the financial implications of such study and a limited understanding of what research in ICT involves. The following recommendations are made to universities and higher education policy-makers: that universities ensure that students have accurate information about the financial costs of doctoral studies; that students be provided with authentic undergraduate research experiences; and that pathways be developed to facilitate a smooth return to research degrees after periods of working in industry.     

How the ICT Development Level Influences Students’ Digital Reading Literacy: A Multi-level Model Comparison Based on PISA 2018 Data

The purpose of this study is to systematically showcase and evaluate how students’, schools’, and countries’ Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development levels influence students’ digital reading literacy by using the data of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 and the multi-level model approach. It is found that the ICT development at each level has a significant positive effect on students’ digital reading literacy, and there is a significant interactive moderating effect between different levels. The gap in ICT development levels between the countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and developed economies has a “Matthew effect” in widening the digital reading literacy gap in the short term, but in the long run, the faster growth of the countries participating in BRI in ICT development levels will narrow the gap and alleviate the effect. China should make use of its advantages in ICT development to engage in global education governance, facilitate the co-development in both the ICT development level and the digital reading literacy for the countries participating in BRI, and contribute to the development of global education by opening up a new way of development.     

Reading and Writing: Digital Directions

The authors show that IT hardware and software are having an effect on literacy. As well as being aware of those changes, English teachers, they argue, should be exploiting IT for the development of those reading and writing skills necessary for the future. The article goes on to exemplify, through an exploration of how it came to be written, some of the processes and opportunities identified earlier.     

基于网络的微格教学环境设计

随着信息与通讯技术的快速发展和微格教学环境的数字化,为网络环境下的基于数字微格的协作学习奠定了基础并提供了可能。本文所要探讨的就是从目前微格教学训练中存在的不足出发,介绍了微格教学环境数字化的优势,并利用信息与通讯技术的发展和微格教学的数字化和网络化,对微格教学环境的设计提出一些新的设想。     

A framework for Information and Communication Technology integration in schools through teacher professional development

Abstract

The demands of the twenty-first century require effective and sustainable use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education. Various ICT strategies and initiatives across South Africa have not resulted in system-wide, sustainable ICT integration in schools. Although the roles of principals are acknowledged in educational management, the question remains how principals influence teachers' effective and sustainable integration of ICT through teacher professional development (TPD). A matrix of theoretical criteria selected seven participants across diverse contexts. In-depth interviews produced an integrated dataset that revealed principals' patterns of influence, their perceptions and experiences, their leadership and management styles, their attitudes towards ICT integration, their knowledge on related ICT and related TPD issues, as well as their strategic thinking on ICT integration. The proposed theoretical framework illustrates the interrelatedness of aspects that influence principals' leadership through open distance learning.     

现代信息技术与师范教育改革探讨

介绍了教育信息化的意义以及由此带来的教学观念、教学方式、学习方式的深刻变革，探讨了师范教育信息化改革的措施。     

企业的研究开发与进入壁垒理论述评

研究开发(R＆D)作为现代市场经济中企业最重要的决策和行为之一,不仅受到企业本身的重视,而且产业经济学者力图从理论上刻画研究开发对市场结构及其绩效的影响,这样的研究其实是正统S-C-P范式的一种变革,即从行为的视角研究其对市场结构和产业绩效的反馈作用,研究开发无疑与市场进入壁垒存在着千丝万缕的联系。     

Revisiting Technology Integration in Schools: Implications for Professional Development

As the technology infrastructure of schools expands, a common concern has been the underutilization of computers and other technologies in the classroom. Teachers are often blamed for failing to integrate technology into their teaching, giving such reasons as lack of time, training, equipment, and support. However, it has been suggested that these are not the “real” reasons technology is underutilized; instead, it is argued that teachers’ core values about teaching and learning are the primary obstacles to successful technology integration (e.g., Cuban, 2001 Cuban, L. 2001. Oversold and underused: Computers in the classroom, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.  [Google Scholar]). Implications for professional development are addressed in relation to these barriers to classroom technology use and the developmental pattern of teachers’ technology integration.     

信息技术教师成为研究者的若干问题论略

成为研究者是中小学信息技术教师专业发展的必然要求。从对信息技术教师为什么要成为研究者这一根本性问题的回答人手,提出信息技术教师要成为反思型实践研究者,并分析了信息技术教师与研究者之间的距离,最后从多个方面提出了信息技术教师成为研究者的途径与方法。     

高校MTI教师的职业发展现状及困境

教师发展是翻译硕士专业学位教育(MTI)成功的关键.本研究通过量化问卷对来自全国32个省/直辖市/自治区的514名MTI教师的职业发展现状进行了调查,全面介绍了现有MTI教师在年龄、职称、学历等方面的情况,描写了其“三位一体”的职业发展状态,就其教学、科研及实践的现状及困境做了阐述.希望通过对MTI教师发展现状的全面系...     

基于“项目学习＂的高中《信息技术基础》教学设计探究

“项目学习”教学法是一种以学生为中心的教学模式,在高中信息技术课堂教学中,结合制作“节能环保”主题网站的项目,从确定项目、学习情境与学习资源的设计、项目实施过程的管理与控制、项目学习评价方案的设计四个重点关注环节入手,探讨在高中《信息技术基础》必修模块中应用与实践“项目学习”的教学模式,让学生在处理信息、合作探究的“经历”与“体验”过程中达到提高信息素养的目的,提高学生的组织能力、合作交流和动手实践等综合运用能力,从而促进课堂教学效益的提升。