Harnessing Technology: emerging technology trends, March 2009

Research to support the delivery and development of Harnessing Technology: Next Generation Learning 2008–1

Sea-change

In this article Maharg analyses William Twining's inaugural lecture, ‘Pericles and the Plumber’, delivered at Queen's University, Belfast in 1967. He applies Twining's conclusions to two historical case studies in educational design, one at Columbia in the 1920s, and one at Strathclyde 1999–2010. He argues that, over 40 years later, the lecture is still relevant to many of our current concerns, and suggests that, building upon Twining's conclusions, we should view law schools as design schools, and construct a Pragmatist koine around such a concept

A Critical Review of the Literature of Social Media’s Affordances in the Classroom

Even though the use of social media in education is a now widely-studied topic, there still does not seem to be a general consensus for what social media may afford students or how best to use them in the classroom. In this article, I aim critically discuss some of the most prominent qualitative studies that explore the use of social media in the classroom. I critically consider some of the claims for affordances that social media can offer in the classroom, in particular the affordances of the interactive features that are unique to social media, the affordances for authoring to a wider, interactive audience, and the opportunity for increased student creativity. I then discuss how contemporary scholars have used social media as a platform for learning and literacies. The article some scholars’ findings for incorporating social media into the classroom and the limitations for social media in education. The article concludes with a discussion of some potential steps for future research

Positioning the case to tell the story: developing the narrative or presentational account

This paper is drawn from a doctoral study (in its final stages) about the use and adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance the face-to-face teaching by six academic staff, who represent different disciplines and different campus locations, in a large, regional university in Australia. A collective case study was adopted as the framework for the study, and field data comprised semi-structured interviews, curriculum guides, teaching and learning resources, websites, and included results of a Teaching Practices Inventory completed by each of the research participants.Case study is a popular choice of qualitative researchers. There are numerous examples in the literature of case study as the vehicle for examining issues concerning teachers\u27 use of new technologies in teaching and learning. This paper situates the research study in the qualitative, interpretative research paradigm, and matches the choice of case as the research strategy to accepted characteristics of good case studies. The focus of the paper then moves to the practical, yet difficult problem faced by the researcher of ways of presenting the case, seeking a balance between the demands of prescribed, social scientific writing for an academic audience, and the need to create texts that are interesting, vital and that &ldquo;make a difference&rdquo;(Richardson, 2003). Using a sample case from the study, the paper examines approaches to constructing meaning from the field data to create the narrative or presentational account and, ultimately, the research text.<br /

Why we should take a second look at the politics of creativity: the dangers of a celebratory mode

At the heart of this chapter is an ethical contention: By avoiding scrutiny of creativity sustaining processes, strategies and products serving authoritarian, violent or discriminatory practices, we fail to face the tricky question of what happens when we fetishize ‘creativity’ either in the abstract or in particular circumstances (such as in regard to digital culture, AI or education) without attending to the ethics and politics of its deployment. Leading up to this contention, the chapter draws on evidence from more than two decades of work with children and young people in regard to media use, political or civic participation and contributions to everyday social reproduction to describe a range of political and social creativity. The chapter theorises the way children and young people apply creative learning – and technologies old and new – to everyday survival, politics and activist struggle. Generated from a range of qualitative methodological fieldwork carried out between 2007 and 2020, including in-depth face-to-face interviewing, ethnographic observation, textual analysis and contextual, historical analysis, three youth-centred vignettes at the heart of the chapter offer a necessary provocation around unreflexive normativity when theorising creativity and learning, problematising the non-recognition of forms of creativity that do not line up with normative imperatives and frameworks

Brief history of serious games

Serious Games are now an established field of study. In this field most would attribute the rise of Serious Games to Clark C Abt’s creation of the term in 1970, or indeed Ben Sawyer’s popularization of it in 2002. However, considering the rich history of purposing non-digital games, itself preceded by discussions of purposing play that are traceable to the work of Plato, it can be said that Serious Games is a contemporary manifestation of centuries old theories and practices. In this chapter, we explore the pre-history of Serious Games, beginning with the suggested purpose, and purposing of play. Throughout this historical review we identify key in research and practice that are apparent in the contemporary Serious Games field

Web-Based Training

Current Web-based training (WBT) is based upon systematic research and experience with strategies for improving learning and instruction, beginning in the early part of the 20th century and continuing to the present. Use of the World-Wide Web for delivery may improve access to training, but the effectiveness of the resulting training and the usefulness of the outcomes is chiefly dependent upon the quality of the instructional design and the completeness of the support package provided. Factors that impact WBT quality, and which must be addressed in design and implementation processes, include assessment and accommodation of trainees previous learning experiences, training expectations, and overall readiness for new training; availability and familiarity to trainees and trainers of appropriate delivery technologies; presence of technical support; opportunities for interaction with the trainer and other trainees; the preparation and practices of trainers; corporate support and recognition; trainees capacities and expectations for independent and self-directed learning; and the presence of relevant, quality online training materials. WBT creates changes and may thus produce stresses in the training environment, as well as efficiencies. Reduction in travel and subsistence requirements means cost savings, but may also be seen by trainees as depriving them of opportunities to meet with each other face-to-face; self-pacing means trainees may proceed independently and at their own rate, but also that group support may be reduced (unless a cohort model is adopted); use of the Internet for delivery of training materials may foster trainee independence, but may also result in confusion for some trainees used to print materials and a paced, group delivery model; trainers no longer have to lecture as materials (always high quality, and often multimedia-based) are prepared in advance, but some may resent the loss of their role at center-stage; trainees are more responsible for their own learning, which may reflect the autonomy of adult responsibility common in the other areas of their lives, but this may be different from the expectations of some for how training should be conducted. To achieve the efficiencies and advantages well-designed and -managed WBT may offer, adopting organizations must make adjustments. Managers may need to show concrete support for online training by permitting trainees to use corporate resources during company time, to assure access to adequate bandwidth. Trainers may need to master new skills and be willing to adopt new roles less concerned with information dissemination and more involved with meeting individual trainees expressed needs. Trainees themselves may also need new skills, and may need to exercise more independence and selfdirection in their learning. As technologies become more available to support WBT, and as more models of successful WBT are available, the commitment to this delivery model is predicted to continue to grow. The previous corporate experience of the productivity paradox in relation to computers, in which some succeeded in improving productivity while others did notand some even experienced productivity losseswill need to be avoided, especially in relation to promising innovations such as reusable learning objects. Similarly, arrival of the noncommercial new Internets in Canada and the United States constitute a fresh start, an opportunity to demonstrate the value of these resources for academic and research purposes. 2 Choices of the right technologies, effective use of these choices, attention to security and privacy concerns, adequate training and support of users at all levels, assurance of timely and convenient technology access, an

An analysis of ICT policy development and practice in teacher education in Kenya between 1997-2007

This study, entitled 'An analysis of ICT policy development and practice in teacher education in Kenya between 1997 and 2007', is a qualitative study that uses a historical interpretive approach involving documentary analysis, interviews and case 'studies, to document the evolution of ICT policies relevant to teacher education in post independence Kenya, and explore the practices among teachers and teacher educators with ICT between 1997 and 2007. It examines the policy- practice relationship in the context of teacher education. The thesis draws from the work of Elmore and also Fullan to understand the change process with educational ICT policies. Not much research has been done in this area in Kenya and this study is therefore a useful contribution to the body of knowledge on leT policy development and practice in teacher education in developing country contexts. The ICT policy process for teacher education in Kenya takes place in a 4-Tier framework that involves international organisations at Tier 1, the Ministry of Education, other ministries and associated bodies at Tier 2, private or public sector organisations at Tier 3, and pre-service and in-service teacher education programmes at Tier 4. There is lack of co-ordination within and between these Tiers, which results in varied practices that portray differential understandings and interpretations of policy in regard to the place of ICT in teacher education.Despite the exposure to ICT training programmes, availability of computers in various institutions and in some instances, a national ICT curriculum, teacher educators' and teachers' practices in subject teaching do not reflect the policy provisions on ICT pedagogic practice. The national ICT policy, therefore, is hyperationalised and not necessarily policy in action as seen in the Case programmes. The policy discourse disjunction and stratification in the 4-Tier ICT policy development and implementation framework is responsible for the slow pace of change in training and teaching practices in Kenya. This thesis proposes that teacher needs and competencies with ICT should be identified in a backward mapping approach. This will ensure transformative practices in teaching and teacher education, reduce the occurrence of hyperationalisation and allow for consensus building regarding the place of ICT in teacher education programmes and teaching in Kenya

Theacher Training In ICT-Based Learning Settings: Desing And Implementation Of An On-Line Instructional Model For English Language Teachers.

Inmersos de lleno en la Sociedad del conocimiento, la incorporación de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje suponen un gran reto a alcanzar por parte tanto de instituciones educativas, como de un profesorado todavía poco formado y menos consciente de los cambios metodológicos a los que se enfrenta.En el marco de la formación del profesorado,la formación a lo largo de la vida se establece como prioridad en los programas educativos y de formación de la agenda europea (2007-2013) y a nuestro entender, ésta puede ser claramente ejemplificada por la creación de comunidades virtuales de aprendizaje en las que individuos con objetivos similares se unen para alcanzar retos en común. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas y de modalidades de formación basadas en entornos virtuales ayudan a la comunidad a generar e intercambiar conocimiento en un entorno en el que se participa de forma colaborativa, se comparten experiencias y se solucionan problemas, produciendo procesos de formación y aprendizaje continuos y en constante evolución.Tomando estas y otras reflexiones como punto de partida se originó la tesis doctoral que presentamos. Así pues, nos propusimos, en primer lugar, realizar un análisis de la situación actual de dicho profesorado en el uso de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. El primer gran bloque de esta tesis -o marco teórico y referencial- lo constituyen apartados tales como los grandes cambios metodológicos surgidos a raíz de la incorporación de las TIC y su impacto en la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la lengua inglesa. Seguidamente se realiza un exhaustivo y detallado análisis de los órganos que ofrecen formación al profesorado y a la oferta formativa en TIC dirigida específicamente al colectivo mencionado. Posteriormente se lleva a cabo una compilación de herramientas, recursos y actividades electrónicas dirigidas específicamente al profesorado de inglés teniendo muy en cuenta el ámbito pedagógico y su implantación en el aula, proponiendo pautas didácticas de fácil integración.El segundo gran bloque de la tesis lo constituye una investigación llevada a cabo durante tres años para obtener datos fehacientes respecto del conocimiento en TIC que posee dicho profesorado, la detección de sus demandas formativas reales, la situación actual de este colectivo en relación al acceso e infraestructuras tecnológicas y posibles barreras tanto metodológicas como actitudinales. Así pues se desarrolló una investigación tomando como muestra profesores tanto de educación primaria como de secundaria de todo Catalunya. Dicha investigación fue llevada a a cabo entre los participantes de ocho cursos de formación TIC para profesorado de inglés y para ello se utilizó la modalidad formativa semi-presencial. Para dar soporte a la formación a distancia se utilizaron dos plataformas diferentes: BSCW y Moodle que fomentaron la comunicación y la colaboración entre los participantes hasta límites insospechados.Los resultados obtenidos permitieron observar una realidad muy alejada de los parámetros que deberían ser considerados normales por lo que respecta al grado de formación TIC que tienen el profesorado de inglés. Por otra parte, el feedback recibido tras la realización de los diferentes cursos de formación también nos permitió realizar una propuesta de Plan de Acción formativo con el principal objetivo de capacitar al profesorado de inglés en el uso de las TIC. Así pues, se ofrece una propuesta formativa con los diferentes módulos y contenidos que, a nuestro entender, debería conocer y gestionar dicho profesorado. Finalmente, una de las revelaciones de todo el proceso fue la gestación y consolidación de una comunidad virtual de aprendizaje formada por los profesores participantes en el proceso de formación.Deeply immersed in the Society of knowledge, the integration of ICT in teaching and learning processes suppose a great challenge to be achieved both by competent institutions and by a collective of teachers, which is still far from being well-trained and not conscious of the methodological trenes and changes to which they are confronted.Within the framework of teacher training, life-long training is established as a priority in the European agenda (2007-2013) and, according to our opinión this can be exempolified by the creation of virtual learning communities in which individuals with similar objectives unite in order to achieve common goals. The use of technological tools and training modalities help the community to generate and exchange knowledge in an environment in which oparticipation is done collaborately, experiences are shared and problems are solved, producing, thus, continuous processes of learning and training, which are in constant evolution.Taking these and other reflexions as departing point this thesis was originated. We carried in the first place a detailed analysis of the present situation of English as a foreign language teachers in the use of ICT. This first great section of this thesis orreferential and theoretical basis- is conformed by chapters which deal with the great methodological changes emerged out of the integartion of ICT and their impact in the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Followingly, there is an exhaustive analysis of the different organizations which offer teacher training in ICT , especially regarding the collective mentioned. Secondly there is a compilation of tools, resources and e.activities especifically addressed to the English as a foreign language teachers, taking into account the pedagogical field as well as its integration into the classrooms.The second main section of this thesis is conformed by an investigation which was carried out during three years in order to obtain relevant data regarding the knowledge of ICT that teachers have, the detection of their training needs and the real situation of this collective regarding their access to technology and the barriers that prevent them form using ICT.Tus, we Developer an investigation which took as sample teachers belonging to both Primary and Secondary Education from the whole of the catalan territory. The research was carried out with participants of eight courses of teacher training in ICT and used the blended modality. In order to support the virtual teaching we used two different platforms: BSCW and Moodle, which encouraged communication among participants and enhanced collaboration as well.The obtained results allowed us to observe that there are many challenges to be overcome. Otherwise, the feedback obtained after the courses were delivered allowed us to account for a Training Action Plan whose main aim is that of providing training and capacitation to teachers of English as foreign language teachers