Responsible research and innovation in science education: insights from evaluating the impact of using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values

The European Commission policy approach of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is gaining momentum in European research planning and development as a strategy to align scientific and technological progress with socially desirable and acceptable ends. One of the RRI agendas is science education, aiming to foster future generations' acquisition of skills and values needed to engage in society responsibly. To this end, it is argued that RRI-based science education can benefit from more interdisciplinary methods such as those based on arts and digital technologies. However, the evidence existing on the impact of science education activities using digital media and arts-based methods on RRI values remains underexplored. This article comparatively reviews previous evidence on the evaluation of these activities, from primary to higher education, to examine whether and how RRI-related learning outcomes are evaluated and how these activities impact on students' learning. Forty academic publications were selected and its content analysed according to five RRI values: creative and critical thinking, engagement, inclusiveness, gender equality and integration of ethical issues. When evaluating the impact of digital and arts-based methods in science education activities, creative and critical thinking, engagement and partly inclusiveness are the RRI values mainly addressed. In contrast, gender equality and ethics integration are neglected. Digital-based methods seem to be more focused on students' questioning and inquiry skills, whereas those using arts often examine imagination, curiosity and autonomy. Differences in the evaluation focus between studies on digital media and those on arts partly explain differences in their impact on RRI values, but also result in non-documented outcomes and undermine their potential. Further developments in interdisciplinary approaches to science education following the RRI policy agenda should reinforce the design of the activities as well as procedural aspects of the evaluation research

Mathematical Teachers’ Perception: Mobile Learning and Constructing 21st Century Collaborative Cloud-Computing Environments in Elementary Public Schools in the State of Kuwait

The purpose of this study was to examine Kuwaiti mathematical elementary teachers’ perceptions about their ability to integrate M-learning (mobile learning) into their current teaching practices and the major barriers hindering teachers’ ability to create an M-learning environment. Furthermore, this study sought to understand teachers’ perceptions about their ability to create a collaborative cloud-computing learning environment that corresponds with the 21st century skills and possibly explain their readiness for future reformation of education in Kuwait. Using an Internet-based format to this study quantitative and qualitative data, the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and barriers survey gleaned quantitative information about how mathematics teachers and a head of a mathematics department (n = 562) viewed use of technology as well as the barriers they faced in integrating it into the classroom. Also, qualitative data were collected using a survey of open-ended questions to provide context to survey answers and better understand the barriers and affordance experienced by the participants. Moreover, a 21st century open-ended questionnaire was employed to collect qualitative information from mathematics teachers and head of the departments (n = 21) in regard the their ability to construct a 21st century learning environment based on collaboration and constructivist perspective utilizing a cloud-computing technology. Quantitative analysis was utilized to examine elementary mathematics teachers’ perceptions using the TPACK survey, and the validity and reliability of the TPACK subscales were computed by administering the confirmatory factor analysis. Factors that were elicited were specified as: all seven subscales encompassed in the TPACK survey significantly fit model of factor structures, and the TPACK survey was reliable and valid. In addition, descriptive analysis such as the TPACK subscale means and standard deviations were computed via the SPSS software Qualitative content analysis was used to understand teachers’ perceptions about their ability to integrate mobile technology, perceptions of the primary barriers and affordance that limited their ability, and their perceptions of their ability to integrate collaborative cloud computing and create a 21st century learning environment based on the constructivist perspective. When analyzed, the self-reported open-ended survey yielded the following specific themes: (a) teachers perceived themselves high in their ability to integrate mobile technology; (b) the primary barriers based on teachers’ perceptions were budget constraints, IT limitations, time constraints, and administrative support; and (c) teachers perceived themselves high in their ability to integrate collaborative cloud computing to construct a 21st century learning environment based on the constructivist perspective. This study finding could be implemented to create a new modern mathematics elementary curriculum that resolves the current curriculum issues. Future research is recommended in the direction of creating a new mathematical curriculum based on administrators’, parents’, and students’ perspectives

Deep learning : enriching teacher training through mobile technology and international collaboration

This article presents results from an international collaboration between college students and pre-service teachers in Norway and the UK. This research is part of a large, international project exploring and developing the interrelationship between mobile technology and teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning. Data was collected for this study through an on-line survey of 37 pre-service teachers followed by six semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The data analysis revealed the themes of collaboration, authenticity and professional learning through the use of mobile technology in the data. The collaboration enabled the use of the affordances of mobile technology to enhance the pre-service teachers' professional learning and the data suggested that this enhanced their emergent conceptions of teaching and learning

A Causal-Comparative Investigation of the Effect of Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’ Socioeconomic Status on their Attitudes Toward Technology

This quantitative causal-comparative study investigated the effect of middle school teachers’ perceptions of students’ socioeconomic status on their attitudes toward technology. The study was based on the theory of social constructivism and the will, skill, and tool model of technology integration to investigate teachers’ attitudes toward technology. This study advanced the body of knowledge by examining the connection between pedagogical beliefs and teachers’ attitudes toward technology, the use of technology with students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and the need for more research on technology use by teachers at the middle school level. The research question exploring the possibility of a difference in teachers’ attitudes toward technology among middle school teachers who minimally, somewhat, and predominantly serve students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, as determined by the state and United States Department of Education, was measured by the Teachers\u27 Attitudes Toward Computers-Information Computer Technology Questionnaire (TAC/TAICT) using responses from 126 middle school teachers in Virginia. The researcher collected data through digital completion of the questionnaire and analyzed it to determine significant differences. A one-way ANOVA did not show significant differences in overall attitudes among the three groups

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Technology In The Coronavirus Disease 19 Era

The purpose of this study was to determine if years of experience or grade-level teaching assignment have any effect on teacher perceptions of comfort with technology, teacher perceptions of technology-based professional development, teacher perceptions of obstacles to technology usage, or teacher perceptions of technology support available in six central Arkansas school districts. In this quantitative, causal-comparative design study, there were 239 teacher responses to a modified survey combining items from the USEIT survey and the PETI survey for teachers in six school districts in Central Arkansas. The modified instrument consisted of 35 items, including two questions related to years of teaching experience and grade-level teaching assignment. The survey’s other 33 questions were divided into four constructs: teacher perceptions of comfort with technology (6 questions), teacher perceptions of technology-based professional development (7 questions), teacher perceptions of obstacles to technology usage (10 questions), and teacher perceptions of technology support available (10 questions). Each respondent completed questions on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (score of 1) to strongly agree (score of 4) on the digital survey constructed with Google Forms. Eight independent sample t-tests were conducted to address the hypotheses using teacher years of experience (Novice = 0-5 years of experience versus Experienced = 6+ years of experience) and grade-level teaching assignment (Elementary = K-5and Secondary = 6-12) as the independent variables. The dependent variables were teacher perceptions of comfort with technology, teacher perceptions of technology-based professional development, teacher perceptions of obstacles to technology usage, and teacher perceptions of technology support available. This study used the Technology Acceptance Model framework. This study did not reveal that years of experience or grade-level teaching assignment influenced teacher perceptions of comfort with technology, teacher perceptions of technology-based professional development, teacher perceptions of obstacles to technology usage, or teacher perceptions of technology support available. No significant difference existed between novice and experienced or elementary and secondary teachers in any of the four dependent variables. The first recommendation for educators is related to increasing teacher comfort with technology. Based on this research and the study results, the second recommendation is that the superintendent set a vision to stress the importance of technology. The third set of recommendations are related to best practices for technology-based professional development. The fourth recommendation would be to have found multiple, creative methods of supporting teachers with technology

Teacher Attitudes Toward Technology Integration in a One-to-One Mobile Device Middle-School Classroom

As the classroom climate transforms into a more technology-enhanced environment with increased device availability, there is a growing need to understand how attitudes among teachers may be influenced by the use of these devices in the classroom. Because of current technology trends, device integration is essential to meet education goals (Keengwe, Schnellert, & Mills, 2012). Research suggests that the use of mobile devices in the classroom along with the expectations for teachers to integrate these devices into their curriculum can have significant effects on attitudes and behaviors among teachers and therefore, should be studied (Sahin et al., 2017; Moore, 2016; Beeland, 2002; Christensen, 2002). This study attempted to examine the difference in teacher attitudes toward technology integration based on their use of either Chromebooks or iPads as mobile devices in a one-to-one integrated middle-school classroom. Using a quantitative, causal comparative design, participants were selected from a population of middle-school teachers at two Southeastern United States school districts. The sample size of participants was 115, of which 73 used Chromebooks and 42 used iPads. Data were analyzed using an independent-samples t-test to examine the relationship between attitude and mobile device used. Results of the survey showed that no significant difference existed in the attitude scores of teachers’ and the mobile device they used. Although the study did not find significance in the attitude scores, the data indicated that attitudes were mostly positive. Further research should be conducted to include a broader population, other grade levels, and other mobile devices. Studies that look at variables such as self-efficacy, training, and confidence, along with attitude should be researched

Engaging the iGeneration: A survey of elementary school teachers’ perceptions on effective instructional practices and their abilities to use technology as an instructional tool in the mathematics classroom

The purpose of this study was to describe 3rd through 5th-grade mathematics teachers’ demographic information and investigate their perceptions regarding effective instructional practices and their abilities to use technology as an instructional tool in the mathematics classroom. This information will give administrators a more detailed interpretation of what teaching strategies work best for engaging students in successfully learning mathematics. Additionally, the researcher investigated if there was a statistically significant difference in teachers’ perceptions of select demographic variables and high-performance elementary schools and low-performance elementary schools. To accomplish the purpose of this study, an online survey developed by the researcher was used to obtain information from participants via SurveyMonkey. The participants consisted of 135 3rd through 5th-grade mathematics teachers. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA. The findings in the study revealed third through fifth-grade mathematics teachers had positive perceptions about effective instructional practices and their abilities to use technology as an instructional tool in the mathematics classroom. Additionally, there were statistically significant differences found among demographic variables based on the teachers’ responses to certain statements from the online survey. Statistically significant differences were found in the demographic variables of educational background, teaching experience, and years of experience with using various forms of technology in the classroom regarding teachers’ perceptions of effective instructional practices. Also, there were statistically significant differences found in the demographic variables of age range and educational background regarding teachers’ perceptions of using technology as an instructional tool in the mathematics classroom. The conclusions and recommendations based on the findings in this study provided information for administrators in one central Mississippi school district to increase student engagement and improve statewide test scores in mathematics. It was recommended that comparative studies be conducted to further investigate if these findings are consistent with the perceptions of the remaining population of teachers whose students are mandated to take statewide exams about mathematics

Educators’ Perceptions of Student Mobility During the Intermediate Elementary Grades in Two Rural Counties in Missouri

Student mobility is “students moving from one school to another for reasons other than being promoted to the next school level” (Rumberger, 2002, p. 1). In this qualitative study, the researcher detailed how student mobility impacted four rural intermediate elementary schools in two select counties in southwest Missouri. Four principals, four counselors, and four classroom teachers were interviewed to learn how high student mobility impacted these participants, mobile and non-mobile students, and schools overall. There has been ample research on student mobility in the primary grades and in high school, but very little research exists dealing with intermediate elementary students. Many common perceptions among those interviewed arose after data were analyzed. Participants agreed highly mobile students were more likely to struggle academically and socially than stably enrolled peers. In addition, interviewees felt highly mobile student populations presented more difficulties for teachers and administrators to successfully educate all children. The need for more effective enrollment and new student orientation practices surfaced as means to minimize the negative effects of high student mobility in the studied schools. Also, the need for more efficient communication with parents of mobile students was highlighted. Schools in this area must find ways to streamline curriculum and procedures to provide shared mobile students the opportunity to find academic and behavioral success. Conclusions from this study may help school leaders better address the needs presented by a highly mobile student population

Pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and teacher education in developing countries

This rigorous literature review focused on pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and teacher education in developing countries. It aimed to: 1. review existing evidence on the review topic to inform programme design and policy making undertaken by the DFID, other agencies and researchers 2. identify critical evidence gaps to guide the development of future research programme