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O’Bannon, Blanche W.; Lubke, Jennifer K.; Britt, Virginia G.
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2012.755470pmid: N/A
This study involved 78 preservice teachers who were enrolled in a core technology course. It examined their (1) prior experiences with wiki technology, (2) enactments of the reader, writer, and editor roles in a wiki community, and (3) perceptions of the wiki as a tool for collaboration. The data revealed that participants’ prior experience with wikis outside of using Wikipedia to access information was rare. The preservice teachers reported comfort with the software, yet they did not regularly (weekly) read, post, or modify information. Modifications were limited primarily to format, grammar, and aesthetics. Failure to modify the narrative sections was attributed to discomfort in editing the work of others. They agreed that the use of wiki technology promoted collaboration between members, although the depth of that collaboration varied within wiki communities. The reasons cited were the lack of comfort with communicating online with someone they did not know and the inconsistent participation of some members.
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2013.778456pmid: N/A
This qualitative study examined how a multicultural group of experienced teachers (nine Arabs, ten Jews) used Wiki as an alternative platform for the construction of a shared interpretive knowledge base. None of the participants had had any prior experience with Wiki as a learning environment. Data were derived from the Wiki platform, teachers’ oral and written feedback, and the lecturer’s log. Generally, teachers expressed positive attitude towards learning in a Wiki environment. However, cultural differences relating to language, habitual ways of studying and evaluating, and perceptions of teacher–student roles in classrooms affected participation. Different ways of using Wiki were observed along a continuum from teachers’ adaptation of Wiki to learners’ characteristics to learners’ adaptation of selves to Wiki characteristics. The findings may alert teacher educators to ways of integrating Wiki pedagogy into teachers’ curricular thinking: an explicit discussion of Wiki pedagogy attributes; more than one experience with long-term Wiki projects; supportive and sharing environment; attention to language barriers; a constant presence of the lecturer in the ‘discussion boards’ to guide and share concerns.
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2013.773719pmid: N/A
This study investigates the impact of an on-line discussion on the nature of students’ patterns of interaction and the cognitive complexity of these discussions during asynchronous discussions (on-line) as a means of preparation for a Paideia Seminar (face-to-face discussion). The study was conducted in 12 experimental classrooms and 12 control classrooms across six schools (ages 11–13) of varying socioeconomic groups. Results show that the experimental group increased in student-to-student initiated discussions and in their complexity of discourse for both the on-line discussions and the Paideia Seminars. These gains were greater for mid/high than low socioeconomic students. This study suggests that the intervention of the on-line discussions did have a significant impact on the complexity of the discussions during a face-to-face Paideia Seminar, and thus makes this method more accessible to other teachers.
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2013.787267pmid: N/A
This study explores the social and affective climate of online discussion groups through the concept of social presence. Previous research highlights the pedagogical value of social presence for online learning; however, relatively little is known about the teacher’s role in facilitating social presence in an online discussion group. The present study hypothesises that teacher participation is directly related to the overall levels of social presence in online discussion. Thus, building on previous studies of social presence in online learning contexts, this study analyses social presence indicators in messages posted to an online discussion group by two cohorts of university students and their lecturer. While findings indicate a link between teacher participation and social presence, they also suggest that group size and student attitudes also influence social presence in online discussion. The study concludes with suggestions for future research to enhance knowledge and understanding of social presence and help educators to develop strategies for supporting online discussion.
Kirk, Carole; Pitches, Jonathan
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2013.768390pmid: N/A
This paper shares the findings of a teaching and learning project (Digitalis) that investigated ways in which digital technologies can be used by teaching staff to facilitate reflection on creative practices within performing and creative arts disciplines. Two types of reflection are considered: (i) reflection on creative practice and (ii) creative forms of reflection, with five case studies from a range of arts subjects representing a spectrum of reflective activity. Drawing on a model of cooperative enquiry, simple technological enhancements were made to the design of five existing modules, and these were evaluated through student focus groups, observation of student work, and reflective interviews with the module leaders. Through a thematic analysis of the data, the paper shares the learning from these modules, along with a suggested model of digital reflection, outlining the place of capture, documentation and organisation technologies in the reflective process. The paper concludes that there are benefits to be gained from digital reflection, given its facility to aid students to ‘look again’ at their own ephemeral creative processes.
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2013.782702pmid: N/A
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been introduced into schools internationally along with the expectation that teachers will use constructivist practices in their use. Despite ICT now being in schools for many years, research shows teachers are not changing in the expected constructivist direction. This article reports on a qualitative, five-year longitudinal study of the ICT practices of a small number of teachers to understand changes that developed in their practices. While ICT became more integrated into their teaching, school and systemic factors, as well as teachers’ core beliefs about learning, contributed to their maintaining of teacher-centred practices. While constructivist practices were not adopted, this article illustrates the changes the teachers made to their practices were educationally valuable as they supported the development of knowledge valued by contemporary society.
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2013.802118pmid: N/A
This article is based on research funded by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency in 2009, to examine how new knowledge regarding the pedagogic uses of learning platforms has been developed by practitioners in universities and schools. The research found major differences in the levels of learning platform use between schools and universities, with practice more embedded in universities, because university staff have access to just-in-time support and training, enabling the rapid building of a critical mass of staff users. The research reported here focused on 12 case study sites and found that schools were at a much earlier stage of development than universities and that development is inhibited as school staff do not usually have access to dedicated training and support. The learning platform training and support that local authorities in the sample offered to schools was not equal to that offered within universities. Major findings were that teachers want and need continuing professional development (CPD) in relation to their knowledge of learning platform uses both technically and pedagogically, but this support and training is patchy and not always available at the time of need, in contrast to provision in universities. With respect to barriers: inter-operability problems between commonly used management information systems and the learning platforms were reported as hindering development of practice. In university/school partnerships, a key finding is that access rights to university platforms by school partners and to school learning platforms by university partners are limited, which is an issue surrounding the successful outworking of learning platforms.
McGarr, Oliver; McDonagh, Adrian
doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2012.755132pmid: N/A
This paper reports on a study into the roles and attitudes of ICT coordinators in a sample of 37 schools in the Republic of Ireland. The research took an interpretative stance employing both questionnaires and interviews to explore the participants’ experiences. The study revealed that the ICT coordinators’ roles varied across schools. This variation was evident in the status of the position with considerable variance in the time allocated for their duties. In line with previous research, their duties appeared to be targeted towards maintenance and upkeep of equipment. The study raises questions relating to the gap in the rhetoric of the ICT coordinator’s role and the reality of their day-to-day duties. The study also questions the prevailing discourse in relation to moves towards greater levels of pedagogical leadership, as opposed to maintenance and support.
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