A review of pedagogy related to information and communications technology

Abstract

This article reviews research on pedagogies associated with the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in primary and secondary schools. We propose a framework for examining pedagogical practices based on an analysis of the nature of pedagogy as revealed in the literature. In the light of this framework we discuss empirical evidence of the use of different types of ICT in different subjects and phases of education. We identify pedagogical issues associated with ICT use and their implications for teachers' pedagogical reasoning and practices. The evidence suggests that new affordances provided by ICT-based learning environments require teachers to undertake more complex pedagogical reasoning than before in their planning and teaching that incorporates knowledge of specific affordances and how these relate to their subject-based teaching objectives as well as the knowledge they have always needed to plan for their students' learning. In addition the research shows that teachers' beliefs about the value of ICT for learning and the nature of successful learning environments are important in teachers' pedagogical reasoning     

Talking about Science: the case of an electronic conversation

Abstract

This article explores the implications of the information and communications technology (ICT) requirements for initial teacher training in England and Wales from the viewpoint of modern foreign languages, as outlined in the Government's Circular 4/98. The authors highlight a number of issues surrounding the interpretation of the Circular and emphasise the need to develop critical evaluation skills in trainees. The importance of a departmental approach to ICT and to training is also discussed and the subject-specific content of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education course at one university is outlined. The authors conclude that whilst the directives of the Circular are far-reaching and comprehensive, appropriate pedagogical choices from the full range of resources remain the driving force in effective teaching and learning. ICT will take its place in the repertoire of the critical professional.     

A Hypermedia Action Research Project

ABSTRACT

A key question for educational researchers is whether information and communication technology (ICT) use enhances teaching and learning. In this paper, the authors report findings from a three-year study (2001–2004) investigating teaching and learning effects of ICT use in 26 secondary schools in New Zealand as perceived by teachers. The most obvious effects did not include changes in teaching philosophy or pedagogy but rather increased efficiency of management and administration of teaching, including lesson preparation and presentation. In terms of student learning teachers considered that improved presentation was the biggest impact of ICT use. In addition to the positive consequences of ICT use in education, negative aspects were also reported by teachers, with plagiarism being a frequent concern. Overall, social and motivational effects were more frequently observed in comparison to learning and cognitive effects so that, although the study identified some positive effects of ICT use on teaching and learning, these were mostly surface or indirect and did not change pedagogical beliefs or practice to a great extent.     

Critical analysis of the effects of the digital technologies on reading and learning / Análisis crítico sobre los efectos de las tecnologías digitales en la lectura y el aprendizaje

Abstract

In the digital age, the introduction of digital technologies (or information and communication technologies, ICT) in classrooms is a necessary, imperative reality. However, the educational results do not seem to match the expectations generated. For this reason, this revision seeks to make up for the scant attention paid to the possible harmful effects of the use of ICT based on research and educational practice. After providing a general overview of the impact of ICT on learning, we survey the results of studies that reveal potential negative consequences of their use inside and outside the school context. We analyse their impact on both academic performance and other more specific areas, such as reading comprehension, and we stress the negative effects on so-called ‘digital natives’. In short, what stands out is the importance of an evidence-based education practice which bears in mind the possible harmful effects of using ICT and bears in mind that its beneficial effects seem to rely on not only how much but also how they are used.     

The Impact of Quality Matters Professional Development on Teaching across Delivery Formats

ABSTRACT

This study explored the impact of professional development workshops for online course design on faculty’s pedagogical practices in online, face-to-face (f2f), and blended instructional modes. It specifically focused on trainings offered by the Quality Matters (QM) organization on a rubric for assessing quality in online course development. A mixed-methods analysis of survey data collected from 2,148 participants in QM workshops over a three-year period (2012–2015) demonstrated that, across all three teaching modes, participants revised learning objectives, improved course alignment, and paid greater attention to communication with students. Additional benefits from participating in QM training related to specific modalities. Common online and blended impacts included changes in assessment practices as well as in modifying course materials to be more compliant with accessibility standards. In f2f settings, frequent changes involved redesigning learning activities to increase learner-learner interaction.     

Continuity and change in teacher education in Scotland-back to the future

Abstract

The paper examines the changes which have taken place in the delivery, content and validation and accreditation of teacher education in Scotland. Particular attention is paid to the impact of external and internal changes on the development of new course structures and the strengthening of linkages between the initial stage of a teacher’s professional career and on continuing professional development. The impact of these changes on those who are teacher educators are also explored.     

Teaching chemistry as a subsidiary subject

Summary

The course is being developed for a small group of first-year students, interested in large-scale chemical processing, to learn some of the concepts of chemistry and promptly to apply them to realistic problems. Learning is aided by encouraging the students to take an active part wherever possible. Occasions on which students are expected to make major contributions include a weekly tutorial based on a broad problem, open-ended experiments and verbal reporting sessions; even the lectures are often turned into a form of discussion firmly led by the lecturer. By carefully analysing the technical requirements, the syllabus is being reduced and the time made available is devoted to achieving the educational objectives of the course.

It is realized that other students studying chemistry as a subsidiary subject and their teachers and tutors will disagree with a number of items in the course as outlined here, however the details were intended to illustrate the concept of different objectives, and hence courses for the non-chemists, rather than to be a definitive solution to the problem of service courses.     

Lifelong learning policies shaping the life courses of young adults. An interpretative analysis of orientations,objectives and solutions

ABSTRACT

In the following article, we share our findings from the comparative analyses of 54 lifelong learning policy measures implemented in nine European countries, with a particular focus on their orientations, objectives, and solutions devised. Informed by the theoretical framework of Interpretive Policy Analysis (IPA), we have further reasoned on the impacts and unintended effects on young adults’ life course transitions, especially those in vulnerable positions, as well as on the hidden ambivalences and incompatibilities in the objectives and orientations of lifelong learning policies. The article provides, first, a brief discussion of the conceptual and methodological choices made. Second, it gives an overview of the design and data basis of our research. In the third section, we present and discuss the central findings from our interpretive analyses, and we finally conclude with a discussion on current trends in lifelong learning policymaking and on their impact on young adults’ transitions.     

Empowering Students in a Feminist Social Work Practice Course

Abstract

Since 1993, a faculty collective has team-taught a feminist social work practice course. The course, designed to heighten student knowledge of feminist practice, was expected to empower students. An overview of the course is presented with an analysis of its impact on student perceptions of personal and professional power. Pre and post measures of empowerment were analyzed and used to derive outcome measures of change in student views of themselves as empowered persons and practitioners. Findings indicate that students had significantly higher perceptions of their personal and professional power upon completion of the feminist practice course than before. Implications for social work students and practitioners are discussed.     

Experiences in the dissemination and utilisation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) research findings from three southern African Universities

Abstract

The dissemination and utilisation of research knowledge produced at universities has been debated in recent times. Recent changes and developments at universities suggest an entrepreneurial model of academic research production in which universities have the responsibility not only to carry out research and teaching but also to disseminate research outputs directly to the users for economic growth of the society. In this paper, we present findings on the nature of ICT research studies conducted, the dissemination and utilisation of the research findings in the past five years at the three universities in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. A major finding of the study was that many ICT studies conducted at these universities did not target particular community groups for dissemination of knowledge generated and consequently, research outputs from these projects were not delivered to their potential end-users. The ICT research knowledge findings remained located mostly in university departments, libraries, and donor or government ministry offices. The main challenge was that of effective dissemination and utilisation of research knowledge outputs by these academic institutions. The main recommendation emerging from the study was on policies and strategies to monitor research outputs and to intensify dissemination and utilisation of academic knowledge produced.     

Teacher Candidates’ Perceived Learning in an International Exchange Program: An ICT Course Example

ABSTRACT

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.     

Specific Points of Attack in Curriculum and Course Revision

Abstract

More efficient education and better education are simultaneously attainable by curriculum modifications which increase the credit hour productivity of teachers, decrease the average number of courses carried by students, and decrease the number of contact hours required for attainment of course objectives. Excessive course offerings, small credit packages, an unreasonable percentage of small course enrollments, overlap and duplication of course content, and needlessly heavy contact hour requirements represent the major factors which require attention. Faculty interests, lethargy, and outright resistance require sustained pressure if constructive change involving improvement in quality and efficiency is to be attained.     

Students' information and communications technology skills and their use during teacher training

Abstract

Two surveys of the 1997–98 cohort of Postgraduate Certificate of Education students in the United Kingdom showed that students had a wide range of information and communications technology (ICT) skills at the start of their course; much of their experience had been gained during their undergraduate studies or at home. They also had considerable enthusiasm for learning more skills and using them in their future careers as teachers. However, as many other researchers have also found, students were not always able to transfer their skills to use in the classroom, although they very often used them in preparing both classroom materials and assessed coursework. Significant differences in ICT use were found between students studying different subjects; availability of ICT facilities in schools (varying between subjects) also affected use of ICT. The results are discussed in terms of attitudes to ICT in schools.     

Supporting online collaborative design for teacher professional development

ABSTRACT

This article describes a study of online collaborative design in the context of teacher professional development. Twenty-five teachers from different Spanish universities participated in the online course. The aim was to understand how to support teachers in interuniversity teams to collaborate fully online throughout the learning design process of a scenario based on their discipline integrating information and communications technology (ICT), an issue scarcely tackled in the literature. The described interpretive study, using mixed methods, explores the support of online co-design provided by a novel ICT community platform named ILDE (Integrated Learning Design Environment). Lessons drawn from the results can contribute to the improvement of online collaborative design processes in the context of teacher professional development.     

Who Takes Community Service Courses and Why

Abstract

The demographic characteristics of community service students and the reasons for their enrolling in community services courses were studied in ten community colleges. A total of 4,631 community service students responded to an instrument developed from a previously constructed taxonomy of community service objectives.

The results showed that most students felt that their reasons for taking the course were being met. However, it was evident that improvement was needed in communicating course objectives prior to registration for many courses.

It was also concluded that community services should make greater efforts to serve all types of citizens of the community.     

Getting the information and communications technology formula right: access + ability = confident use

Abstract

The author reports on a study investigating the use of information and communications technology (ICT) by academic and nonacademic staff at an independent English secondary school. Three key areas were investigated: access to ICT both in and outside the school, the perceived and desired ICT ability of staff, and the issues preventing increased use of ICT in teaching, learning and administration. Results showed that a major challenge facing the school was not access to ICT resources, but the provision of relevant and supportive training for staff     

Social representations and uses of technologies of African high-school students

ABSTRACT

This article examines social representations of information and communications technologies (ICT) in high school students in Niamey, Niger, and explores whether these representations are determined by training in and regular use of ICT. A sample of 50 students attending two lycées1 was studied. Only one lycée offered computer courses. The results of semi-directed interviews show that whether or not they took computer courses, the students developed social representations of ICT. These representations were associated with favourable attitudes toward computer and Internet use at school. The chi-square test hypothesis shows that students’ social representations of ICT were not determined by training in ICT.     

Learning information and communications technology skills and the subject context of the learning

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence which suggests that information and ccommunications technology (ICT) can support, enhance and extend learning potential. Yet this all presupposes that students are confident and competent users of technology based on assumptions that presume they are conversant with basic applications. This article seeks to explore the tensions of teaching ICT skills in ways that enable students to perceive the benefits and potential of using computers to support their work. It also considers how much direct instruction is needed in order for sufficient competence to be acquired which will subsequently enable students to learn to use other features of the application to maximise these benefits. ICT as a cognitive tool is described and the development and design of ICT resources and lessons are also considered.     

KINDERET: developing training for early childhood educators in information and communications technology (ICT) in Bulgaria,England, Portugal,Spain and Sweden

In the European context the continuing training of early childhood educators in terms of information and communications technology (ICT) remains limited and is in need of development. The KINDERET project has been funded through the European Commission’s Leonardo da Vinci programme aimed to identify and understand the theoretical and practical needs of practitioners and is developing course materials to support the development of courses (see www.eseb.ipbeja.pt/kinderet). The KINDERET project has therefore been structured according to five main objectives, namely to:

• identify and understand the theoretical and practical needs of kindergarten teachers with regard to ICT education;

• establish plans for the training of educators, in the application of ICT;

• develop interactive learning materials for educators in order to support the established plans for continuing training in ICT;

• implement pilot training schemes and promote transnational collaboration between tutors and students through the use of ICTs;

• evaluate the pilot training schemes.

In the framework of these overall aims set by the KINDERET project, this paper reports upon the joint work that was developed by the partnership as the first stage of analysis in the training needs of kindergarten teachers. The analysis of the information that was collected at this stage has provided an empirical basis for the development of the pilot training schemes.     

Enhancement of Online and Offline Student Learning

An attempt is made in this paper to outline the commonly reported features of constructivism and collaborative learning as they might underpin a proposed model of ICT support for learning. This model is then evaluated for its use in examining three projects involving ICT in student learning environments. The focus of the proposed model is on the pedagogic issues relating to the design of ICT learning environments, effectiveness of student learning and the wider promotion of ICT inlearning.

Encouragement de l'apprentissage de l'enseigné en ligne et hors ligne

Dans cet article on cherche à mettre en valeur les aspects du constructivisme et l'acquisition des apprentissages collectifs qui peuvent s'entendre en modèle proposé de support ICT d'apprentissage. On évalue ensuite ce modèle utilisé en examinant 3 projets impliquant les ICT dans l'environnement de l'apprentissage des étudiants. L'accent du modèle proposé est mis sur les aspects pédagogiques relatifs à la conception des enrichissements des ICT, à l'efficacité de l'apprentissage de l'enseigné et la promotion a plus large de ICT dans l'apprentissage.

Die Verbesserung von Online und Offline Lernleistung

In diesem Papier wird versucht, die allgemein berichteten Eigenschaften von Konstruktivismus und gemeinschaftlichem Lernen in Bezug auf ein vorgeschlagenes IKT-Lernunterstützungsmodell zu umreißen. Der Einsatz dieses Modells wird sodann bei drei Projekten, in denen IKT in die Lernumgebung der Studenten einbezogen ist, evaluiert. Der Schwerpunkt des vorgeschlagenen Modells liegt auf den pädagogischen Aspekten von IKT-Lernumgebungen in Bezug auf ihre Gestaltung, der Lerneffektivität und der weiteren Förderung der Nutzung von IKT für das Lernen.