The enhancement of technology education classroom practice in New Zealand

This paper reports on a number of New Zealand technology education research studies undertaken over seven years by researchers in the Centre for Science and Technology Education Research centred upon examining and enhancing classroom practice. Early classroom research undertaken in 1992-1994 showed that key aspects for teacher development programmes related to teachers’ developing robust concepts of technology and technology education, as well as developing an understanding of technological practice in a variety of contexts. Based on these aspects a national Technology Teacher Development Resource Programme was developed during 1995-1996. This programme included video material of technological practice and classroom practice, accompanying explanatory text and workshop activities. Further research undertaken in 1997 indicated that although teachers developed broader and more consistent concepts about the nature of technology through an examination of technological practice, they experienced difficulties effectively translating this into appropriate classroom strategies for sustaining student learning. The media based resources only took the teachers so far in their understanding of teaching technology. In 1998-2000 a research and intervention programme was undertaken in primary school classrooms aimed towards improving teachers’ understanding of teaching, learning and assessing in technology. A planning framework for assisting teachers to detail student technological learning outcomes in different domains was developed. The articulation of the learning outcomes enhanced teacher knowledges in technology education and assisted teachers’ formative interactions and summative assessment practices. Subsequently student learning was enhanced

Measuring Up: Teachers\u27 Perceptions of a New Evaluation System

Teacher appraisal and evaluation systems have increased the level of teacher accountability, resulting in increased pressure to be successful in the classroom (Benedict, Thomas, Kimerling, & Leko, 2013; Derrington, 2011; Glazerman et al., 2011; Papay, 2012). As a result, several states have begun to stray from the traditional methods of evaluating teachers, thus creating their own appraisal systems in an effort to increase teacher quality and teacher accountability of student performance and success (Anderson, 2012). This approach to transform traditional teacher evaluation methods has attracted both teachers and administrators alike (Derrington, 2011)

Pre-service mathematics teachers' learning and teaching of activity-based lessons supported with spreadsheets

Mathematics education research has shown that too few students have adequate mathematics comprehension or problem-solving skills. To make up for this lapse in student outcomes, mathematics teachers should be among the most enthusiastic in seeking to maximize technologies’ potential to develop student understanding, stimulate student interest, and increase student mathematics proficiency. In this study, pre-service mathematics teachers worked in teams to develop their knowledge and skills in designing activity-based lessons supported by spreadsheets. The pre-service teachers developed and demonstrated their knowledge and skill adequately during the design and enactment of their lessons. The results also showed that, the activity-based lessons supported by spreadsheets served a useful pedagogical approach, impacted on student learning outcomes and has the potential of improving teaching and learning mathematics in secondary educatio

An IMS-Learning Design Editor for a Higher Education Blended Learning Scenario

The IMS-Learning Design has been developed to support the creation of reusable and pedagogically neutral learning scenarios and content. Although it is especially suitable for eLearning, there is a lot of interest on using it in higher education blended learning scenarios. However there are some related key issues which must be managed such as cultural bias and the need for expensive human resources to design and develop specification compliant units of learning. They can be addressed by the design of ad-hoc editors supporting concrete learning design units of learning. We suggest some solutions to overcome these limitations, based on our experience designing the user interface of an IMS-LD compliant editor, GDUS+. We also explain our user centering approach, and give some conclusions about the benefits of using IMS-LD

Developing a Research Culture and Scholarship Plan in Information Studies

Information research may take many forms. When the researchers are situated within an information technology faculty, there is a natural orientation towards the technology and the systems that make possible the use of the technology. Despite this, a focus on information itself and its effective utilisation can be achieved in an environment that may otherwise be more concerned with the technology than the information that the technology carries. This focus can contribute to research that has a systems orientation, as well as both foster and be fostered by interdisciplinary work in areas such as education, management and psychology. Here we explain the development of a research program in ‘information use’ within the Socio-technical systems theme of the School of Information Systems at QUT. Our emphasis is on the processes – research supervision, industry linkage, consultancy, grant development, conference contribution and publication - that have advanced the development of the research group. We also provide a summary of research projects in the form of models that are being developed to help illuminate the research frameworks

Managing the multitudes: making sense within the plethora of integrated flexible learning environments

The project management role is becoming more prominent in today’s flexible learning design context. Project managers from an educational background can therefore neither afford to follow a camera-shy, behind-the-scenes management style, nor to be ill-prepared for tasks such as identifying project goals, managing work and task sequences, budgeting, assessing risks and ensuring quality. This paper will explore the generic roles and tasks of the project manager, as applied to the context of integrated flexible learning environments within an adapted ADDIE model. Both authors are employed as project managers within this environment at their current institutions, and will draw and reflect on their current practices, also comparing notes within their different organisational contexts

Providing Variations of Learning Modalities to Scaffold Pre-Service EFL Teachers in Designing Lesson Plan

The present study reported self-reflective study on Instructional Design (ID) course at an English Education Department, East Java in a period of one semester. In this study, I did self-reflection throughout the whole process of my teaching program applying variations of learning modalities. This self-reflection examined the problems experienced by pre-service teachers in designing lesson plan, examined impacts of implementing variations of learning modality in scaffolding the construction of group and individual lesson plan, and described response made by course participants having joined ID course. The data collection technique used to elicit problems faced by pre-service teachers in designing lesson plan were document analysis of lesson plan and conference with pre-service teachers. Field notes and diary were used to collect data about how variations of learning modalities (i.e. modelling, peer collaboration, individual task) help pre-service teachers design lesson plan. Written reflection made by pre-service teachers was used to collect data about responses towards ID course. The findings revealed that variations of learning modalities could help pre-service teachers in the process of writing effective lesson plan. Through modelling, pre-service teachers could recognize deeply about the features of lesson plan structure. Through collaboration, students could acquire both social skills (communication skill, responsibility, trust, respect, care, and tolerance) and academic skills (ability to create effective lesson plan). In independent task, pre-service teachers became more self-directed learners and gained confidence in accomplishing the task. The result of critical reflection revealed that pre-service teachers responded positively towards variations of learning modalities provided in ID course