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 as Leaders

Graphic novels offer an exciting new medium across the curriculum, but classroom research must be done. Anecdotal evidence is a start, but reform requires thoughtful study. Teachers are in the best place to do this research, as they have ready access, currency, and credibility. Teacher research on graphic novels, indeed all new media, is also needed for teacher professionalism in the Knowledge Society.     

Teachers and Computers for Secondary Mathematics

In the first stage of a three-year study in which the effects of using computers for the teaching and learning of mathematics are being explored, a questionnaire was developed and administered to teachers of students in grades 7–10 in a representative sample of co-educational post-primary schools in Victoria, Australia. Using open and closed response formats, the information sought included data on the teachers' professional backgrounds, computer ownership and use, and their beliefs and practices in using computers for the teaching of mathematics. In this article, findings related to ownership, professional development, perceptions of technological skills, beliefs about the efficacy of computer use in mathematics, and data on how teachers are using computers for teaching secondary mathematics are presented and discussed.     

关于青岛市中小学教师人文与科学经典阅读的思考

针对实地调查和实证研究显现的中小学教师阅读平面化、狭窄化、功利化"三化"现象,青岛市实施了持续5年、以科研课题拉动、全市城乡10万中小学教师广泛参与的"十一五"人文科学经典阅读工程。5年来,青岛市中小学教师"十一五阅读工程"实现了理论产出与实践运行同步并进,走出了一条"读书—成长"为特征的教师职后教育之路,所提出的"教师文化知识"丰富了教师知识体系,对中小学教师的专业发展起到了积极的促进作用。     

Computers:

No abstract available for this article.     

Professional Development for International Teachers: Examining TPACK and Technology Integration Decision Making

This mixed-methods study explored the impacts of a semester-long technology professional development for secondary school international teachers from developing nations around the world. We used (a) a survey approach to examine international teachers' perceived technology integration abilities using the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework and (b) a design task to understand their rationale behind technology integration decisions. As a group (N = 16), international teachers reported increased abilities in all TPACK domains. Qualitative analysis of their rationales revealed that though teachers learned to consider the affordances of technology, technology access issues were pivotal in their choice and use of technology in instruction planning. With education becoming increasingly global, the study has implications for the motivation and design of technology professional development programs for international teachers.     

Characteristics of Science Teachers Who Incorporate Web-Based Teaching

This study concerns the characterisation and classification of the way junior high school science teachers incorporate Web-based learning environment and materials into their teaching. About 60 science teachers from nine junior high schools in the northern part of Israel took part in an extended professional development (PD) program. The study, which applied the qualitative interpretative methodology, involved multiple sources of data, including field notes of observations in the PD meetings and class observations, interviews with teachers and principals, and teachers artifacts. Based on their professional growth and beliefs about implementation of Web-based teaching, four basic types of science teachers were identified: the initiator and pathfinder, the follower and conformist, the avoider, and the antagonist. Provided with long-term support, these teachers elevated their specific Web-related qualifications. In particular, they improved the development of Web-based, learner-directed material. The level of success in assimilating Web-based learning in science classes was influenced by the quality and cohesion of the school's teacher team and their principal's care and involvement.     

高校课堂教学中教师信息技术接受行为调查研究

课堂教学中教师合理接受信息技术,能有效发挥信息技术使用效能,提高课堂教学效果。通过探讨课堂教学中影响教师信息技术接受行为的主要因素,发现技术接受模型(TAM)和任务技术匹配模型(TTF)被引入到了教师信息技术接受行为模型的构建中。实证分析的结果表明:教学经验、教学效能感、技术特性、教学环境、任务技术适配度对教师的易用认知有显著影响;易用认知、任务技术适配度对教师有用认知有显著影响;有用认知和易用认知对教师信息技术接受意向有影响。研究结果从实证角度,为教师合理接受信息技术提供了依据。     

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.     

University-School Connection: A Reading Circle for Teachers

Educators are encouraged to integrate technology into their classrooms because today's student is exposed to all sorts of digital devices in their daily life. Classroom blogging is an excellent way to use the internet for more than just research. Blogging capitalizes on student interest in the internet. When done properly, a blog can serve as an online portfolio to showcase student work. Blogging can give the “silent student” a voice by allowing them the opportunity to write on topics of interest. Finally, blogging provides immediate, “click-to-publish” results. Student work is available immediately for peers to review or for others on the world wide web to comment and post feedback. All of these factors can be motivating for students to learn.     

英国信息通信技术教师的职前培养及启示

英国通过“合格教师资格”（QTS）标准既规范了职前教师教育,又保证了教师专业化。作为职前教师教育的一部分,英国的信息通信技术教师的职前教育具有强调学科专业知识基础、注重职业信念培养、加强大学与中小学合作、提供多元化立体评价等特点,在我国高中信息技术教师培养策略方面,可以尝试其培养模式,借鉴其培养内容,强化专业体验,有针对性地对课程进行评价。     

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.     

Teachers as co-designers of technology-rich learning activities for early literacy

Although kindergarten teachers often struggle with implementing technology, they are rarely involved in co-designing technology-rich learning activities. This study involved teachers in the co-design of technology-rich learning activities and sought to explore implementation and pupil learning outcomes. A case-study method was used to investigate: the co-design experiences of seven teachers; implementation in three kindergarten classes; and pupil learning outcomes. Interviews were used to study teacher perceptions about pedagogy, technology, early literacy, co-designer role, practicality and co-ownership. Process notes were made during design team meetings. Observations were made of implementation, and pupil learning was pre- and post-tested in non-equivalent control quasi-experimental design (N = 111). Findings indicate that teacher perceptions about pedagogy affect their co-design involvement. The extent of integration of on- and off-computer activities was similar between teachers. Significant pupil learning gains were found, thus indicating that the co-designed activities had positive effects on pupil learning outcomes.     

技术视野下的教师专业成长透视

在技术迅速发展的时代里,教师作为一项职业,注定同其他职业一样,要经历一个有始无终的专业成长过程,以适应技术推动下的社会产生的新的要求。文章尝试解读基于技术推动的教师专业成长的内涵,剖析其成长过程与成长路径,反思在专业成长的道路上教师对技术应该秉持的态度,期待以此增进各界对教师专业成长的认识与理解。     

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.     

The Teaching Focus of Adult‐Reading Teachers When Developing Word Reading Skills

Despite widescale literacy interventions, reading difficulties persist in the adult population. Results from international surveys report that millions of adults around the world remain unable to read the texts they require for daily life and work. Adult reading difficulties are diverse and under‐researched, and adult‐reading teachers are generally underprepared to build reading skills, particularly at word level reading where many adults report difficulties. This study examined (i) the teaching foci that 60 adult‐reading teachers prioritised in determining how to teach a hypothetical adult reader with difficulties at the word level and (ii) the teacher attributes by which these decisions varied. Around 40% of teachers indicated that they would prioritise non‐word level components in deciding how to teach the hypothetical reader with word level difficulties, and these decisions varied with teachers' training/qualifications. To make sense of the persistence of low reading levels in the adult population, it is necessary to understand more about what teachers teach and why they teach the way they do. The findings of this study may provide an important step towards this goal.     

提升幼儿教师评价素养的制约因素及建议

幼儿教师评价素养是直接影响幼儿发展评价有效性的重要因素,也是决定评价是否发挥其实质性功能与作用的关键要素。它包括评价理念与专业品质、评价态度与主体意识、评价策略与实践智慧等三方面内容与判断标准。目前,国内幼儿教师评价素养的提升尚受到外部支持系统以及教师自身知识与技能水平的制约,因此需要通过提供积极的外部环境支持、加强对幼儿教师评价知识与技能的园本培训、探寻幼儿教师评价素养自主提升等途径,切实提高幼儿教师评价素养。     

密西根大学教学研究中心的教师培训经验

以美国密西根大学教学研究中心的培训活动为例，介绍了密西根大学开展高校教师培训的成功经验。首先介绍了密西根大学教学研究中心的服务对象和服务内容，然后通过对具体培训活动的分析，阐述了培训对于教师成长的独特价值，最后分析了密西根案例对我国高校开展类似活动的启示。     

A Study of the Effectiveness of Using Computers to Assess the Phonic Knowledge of Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

This study addressed the following question: Does a computerized test with an auto-score feature enhance students' test performance of phonic content compared to an existing paper-and-pencil test? Students in two four-semester-credit courses (teaching reading in the elementary school) formed the two treatment groups. The results indicate that on the one hand the two groups did not differ on performance-the computer group did not outperform the paper-and-pencil group. However, on the other hand, the use of the computerized assessment can be a valid, cost-effective replacement for the pencil-and-paper version.