Creating Digital Stories with Saudi Arabian Pre-Service Teachers: Using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation Model to Promote Lesson Plan Development

In this digital age, teachers need to incorporate advanced technology into their classrooms. Digital storytelling (DST) is one such skill that has been shown to be effective for learners. However, not enough teachers have adequate training to implement this strategy and interventions are focused mainly on current teachers. There is a need to train teachers before they finish their teacher training programs. However, to do this effectively, the field of teacher education needs more knowledge and understanding of pre-service teachers’ perceptions, needs, and experiences in using DST as a structured teaching model. This qualitative study examined 38 Saudi Arabian pre-service teachers’ use of the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model for developing lesson plans and creating a DST project following that lesson plan. Participants attended a DST workshop that included instruction on the use of the ADDIE model to create a lesson plan. Data were collected with individual pre-workshop interviews, post-workshop focus group interviews, and post-workshop checklists--both individually and as a group. Data analysis was directed at evaluating pre-service teachers’ perspectives on the value of the training and use of DST for educational purposes. Also, the degree to which training in use of the ADDIE model was perceived as supporting pre-service teachers’ overall skill development in lesson planning and technology integration was assessed. Results of the study indicated participants benefitted from the workshop relative to their awareness and ability to use both the ADDIE model and DST for educational purposes. Pre-workshop interviews indicated pre-service teachers were relatively unfamiliar with the ADDIE model and the use of DST for education. Post-workshop focus group data showed substantially increased awareness and ability in the use of the ADDIE model and DST for systematic lesson planning and development. Participants also expressed positive attitudes toward integrating this technology into their lessons. Notably, pre-service teachers were enthusiastic about using the ADDIE model to solve broader problems and for use beyond an immediate educational need. The results of this study supported the importance of training pre-service teachers in the use of systematic models for lesson planning and educational technology applications. Furthermore, the usefulness of the ADDIE model specifically for lesson planning and guiding DST projects was demonstrated

DEVELOPING COLORING BOOKS TO ENHANCE READING COMPREHENSION COMPETENCE AND CREATIVITY

Developing a reading learning media can be an effort to increase students’ reading comprehension, but there are many teachers who do not put much attention into it. This research aimed at developing a parenting colouring book as a learning media to enhance elementary students' reading comprehension ability and creativity. The method employed was research and development as modelled by Akker. The method consists of three stages, namely analysis, design, evaluation, and revision. The parenting colouring book was firstly validated by experts on the product, which was tested in one-to-one, small groups, and field trial with third graders in one of the elementary schools in Palembang participated in this study. Data collection techniques employed were interviews, questionnaires, and tests. Finally, the study results demonstrate that the parenting-themed coloring book media are categorized as valid, practical, and having potential effect

Impact of Critical Events in an Animated Classroom Story on Teacher Learners’ Online Comments

We examined the effect of reference to critical events in an animated classroom story on the quality of teachers’ comments in an online learning experience. We analyzed data using systemic functional linguistics and logistic regression. We found statistically significant evidence that participants made more reflective and evaluative comments and proposed more alternative teaching moves when they referenced critical events than when they did not. The study contributes to validating a theoretical distinction between reference point and reference object in the literature on video assisted, online teacher education: While attached reference objects help learners be more focused and productive, those qualities differ depending on reference points included in those reference objects. This study also provides preliminary evidence to support the practice of selecting clips that deviate from instructional norms when designing video-based professional learning opportunities.The work reported in this paper was done with the support of NSF grants ESI-0353285 and DRL-0918425 to Patricio Herbst.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97551/1/Critical_Events_AERA2013_ChieuAaronHerbst.pdf-

MEETING THE DISTANCE EDUCATION CHALLENGE: A GUIDE FOR DESIGNING ONLINE CLASSROOMS

The emphasis on education fluctuates with the economy. When education is encouraged, many individuals flock to colleges and universities to increase earning potential or achieve goals. Thanks to advancements in technology, distance education in the 21st century can be similar to face-to-face education. Students spend many hours sitting in front of a computer completing course work. Although still in infancy stages, online education has vastly improved. Perspectives like teaching adults (andragogy), transformative learning, and teacher immediacy all address teaching individuals from afar. In consultation with these three perspectives, several qualitative measures have been developed aid with online course design. This graduate project intends to assist faculty with setting up an online course using Andragogy, Transformative Learning Theory, and Teacher Immediacy as the backbone. In addition, the Quality Online Course Initiative, Quality Matters, and Quality Online Learning and Teaching tools are applied

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

The Effect of Story Narrative in Multimedia Learning

abstract: ELearning, distance learning, has been a fast-developing topic in educational area. In 1999, Mayer put forward “Cognitive Theory of Multimedia learning” (Moreno, & Mayer, 1999). The theory consisted of several principles. One of the principles, Modality Principle describes that when learners are presented with spoken words, their performance are better than that with on-screen texts (Mayer, R., Dow, & Mayer, S. 2003; Moreno, & Mayer, 1999).It gave an implication that learners performance can be affected by modality of learning materials. A very common tool in education in literature and language is narrative. This way of storytelling has received success in practical use. The advantages of using narrative includes (a) inherent format advantage such as simple structure and familiar language and ideas, (b) motivating learners, (c) facilitate listening, (d) oral ability and (e)provide schema for comparison in comprehension. Although this storytelling method has been widely used in literature, language and even moral education, few studies focused it on science and technology area. The study aims to test the effect of narrative effect in multimedia setting with science topic. A script-based story was applied. The multimedia settings include a virtual human with synthetic speech, and animation on a solar cell lesson. The experiment design is a randomized alternative- treatments design, in which participants are requested to watch a video with pedagogical agent in story format or not. Participants were collected from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Result of transfer score and retention score showed that no significant difference between narrative and non-narrative condition. Discussion was put forward for future study.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Engineering 201

e-Learning in a Rural Irish Primary Classroom: Implementation and Possibilities

The aim of this practitioner-research was to ascertain the nature of pupils’ literacy practices when I implemented e-learning practices through a ‘multiliteracies pedagogy’ in my Irish, multi-age rural, primary classroom. Through action research, I explored the suitability of the four components of a multiliteracies pedagogy: Situated practice, Overt instruction, Critical framing, and Transformed practice (New London Group (NLG), 2000) for enacting e-learning practices in a multi-age classroom. Additionally, this study aimed to better understand the potential for fostering teacher creativity using a multiliteracies pedagogy to implement new e-learning practices over more traditional print-based practices. I researched the production and design of short animated films by my 7-9 year old pupils, based on a strand unit in history. The research focused on 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes in one multi-ability and gender classroom. It employed a mixed methods approach, incorporating action research and engaging pupils as researchers. Critical incidents were used to select data on the basis of multiliteracies pedagogical components (NLG, 2000). The analytic strategy of data sets was deductive and inductive, based on deductive categories of pupils’ literacy practices (Lee and O’Rourke, 2006; NLG, 2000) and features of creative teaching (Jeffrey and Craft, 2004). I used these to analyse the e-learning aspect, exploring the possibilities of learning ‘through’ rather than ‘about’ technology. The findings of the study advance the understanding of using a multiliteracies pedagogy to implement e-learning practices in a primary classroom. Findings highlight the potential of multiliteracies pedagogy to foster teacher creativity and the impact of e-learning to motivate and to make pupils’ literacy practices more relevant in the classroom, currently under-researched in an Irish context