Infusing Technology: A Study of the Influence of Professional Development on How Teachers Use Technology

This study examined whether a quality professional development course, Infusing Technology, influenced the use of technology by elementary and middle school teachers in West Virginia. Infusing Technology was designed to help school-based team learning communities use technology in their instruction while engaging students in critical thinking, reasoning, and problem solving skills. This mixed-method study used the LoTi Digital-Age Survey, aligned with the National Educational Technology Standards, to collect quantitative data on levels of technology innovation, levels of personal computer use, and levels of current instructional practices. Participants in the Infusing Technology course completed the survey before the summer institute and after they had time to implement the content learned and focus groups were conducted following survey analysis. This allowed for pre-post comparison to determine the participants‘ progress integrating technology. This study found that Infusing Technology did not significantly change participants‘ LoTi Levels from pre to post based on the evaluation of the LoTi DigitalAge Survey. Focus group interviews supported these conclusions. Infusing Technology did appear to significantly increase participants‘ levels of personal computer use from pre to post based on the evaluation of the LoTi Digital-Age Survey. Focus group interviews supported these conclusions. Infusing Technology did appear to significantly increased participants‘ levels of current instructional practices from pre to post based on the evaluation of the LoTi Digital-Age Survey. Focus group interviews supported these conclusions. ualitative data from focus group interviews of participants identified constraints in the LoTi survey and focus group interviews, such as: (a) a lack of time to learn, practice, plan, and use technology with students, (b) lack of sufficient technology assistance, (c) equipment failure, (d) access to technology, (e) lack of technology knowledge or expertise for substitute teachers, and (f) other priorities (e.g., statewide testing, new textbook adoptions). Participants identified enablers in the LoTi Digital-Age Survey and focus group interviews, such as: (a) technology support from other classroom teachers, computer teachers, and school district specialists, (b) technology support from Infusing Technology mentors and presenters, (c) funding for new technology tools, and (d) motivation to use technology from administration endorsement

A Study of the Impact of a School-Based, Job-Embedded Professional Development Program on Elementary and Middle School Teacher Efficacy for Technology Integration

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a school-based, jobembedded professional development program on elementary and middle school teacher efficacy for technology integration. Teacher efficacy has been identified as a strong predictor of whether the content of professional development will transfer to classroom practice (Bandura, 1997). Using a conversion mixed methods quasi-experimental research design, qualitative data were collected from the experimental groups’ journal postings. Grappling’s Technology and Learning Spectrum (Porter, 2002) was used to convert this qualitative data into quantitative data to determine the change in levels of technology integration in classroom practice. The Computer Technology Integration Survey (Wang, 2004) was used to determine differences in efficacy levels for technology integration between the experimental and comparison groups. Study findings indicated there was no statistically significant change in teachers’levels of technology integration after participation in a school-based, job-embedded professional development program. However, statistically significant differences in levels of efficacy for technology integration between teachers who participated in a school-based, job-embedded professional development program and those who had notwere found. Additionally, study findings indicated statistically significant differences in the experimental group’s levels of efficacy for technology integration based on whether teachers taught in an elementary or middle school and whether teachers taught multisubjects or a single subject. Finally, there was no statistically significant relationship between efficacy for technology integration and technology integration in classroom practice for those teachers who participated in the professional development program

Learning to Think while Thinking to Learn: Promoting the Infusion of Critical and Creative Thinking in Today\u27s ICT Classrooms

Traditional IT courses usually require enormous student motivation and perseverance with varying results. IT lecturers at UAE University’s University General Requirements Program tackled these problems by promoting a natural way of infusing creative and critical thinking in the classroom by structuring lessons where students manage their own thinking. Three main critical and creative thinking methodologies (Open Compare and Contrast, Focused Compare and Contrast, and Determining Parts-Whole Relationships) were used with five ICT sections (about 100 students). This paper describes the new lesson plans, their overall effectiveness, and future plans. It also discusses the impact of these lessons on student learning and also in terms of educational goals, contents, and assessment (periodic and terminal). The outcome of this research indicates that changes in ICT classroom teaching methods can help students become critical thinkers, able to search out, understand, analyze, and synthesize information

Computational Thinking Integration into Middle Grades Science Classrooms: Strategies for Meeting the Challenges

This paper reports findings from the efforts of a university-based research team as they worked with middle school educators within formal school structures to infuse computer science principles and computational thinking practices. Despite the need to integrate these skills within regular classroom practices to allow all students the opportunity to learn these essential 21st Century skills, prior practice has been to offer these learning experiences outside of mainstream curricula where only a subset of students have access. We have sought to leverage elements of the research-practice partnership framework to achieve our project objectives of integrating computer science and computational thinking within middle science classrooms. Utilizing a qualitative approach to inquiry, we present narratives from three case schools, report on themes across work sites, and share recommendations to guide other practitioners and researchers who are looking to engage in technology-related initiatives to impact the lives of middle grades students

Infusing Critical and Creative Thinking and Metacognition in ICT Education: A Classroom Study

Enormous student motivation and perseverance are required for Traditional IT courses. To overcome these problems, IT lecturers at UAE University’s University General Requirements Program have promoted a natural way of infusing creative and critical thinking in the classroom by structuring lessons in which students manage their own thinking, not a physical performance in the class. Three main critical and creative thinking methodologies (Open Compare and Contrast, Focused Compare and Contrast, and Determining Parts-Whole Relationships) were used with five ICT sections (about 100 students). This paper describes the new lesson plans, their overall effectiveness, and future plans. It also discusses the impact of these lessons on student learning and comprehension and also in terms of educational goals, contents, and assessment. The outcome of this research indicates that ICT classroom teaching methods changes will help students to become critical thinkers, able to search out, understand, analyze, and synthesize information

A New Era of Education Reform: Preparing All Students for Success in College, Career and Life

As society changes, the knowledge and skills required for citizens to navigate the complexities of life and work must also change. As a result, some argue that schools must provide students with a broader set of skills that will enable them to thrive in our increasingly diverse, rapidly evolving and globally-connected world. The intent is not to replace the traditional academic disciplines but to infuse them with knowledge and skills that will better prepare students for success in the 21st century -- often referred to as "21st century skills." While others maintain that as long as a portion of the student population is not mastering basic reading, writing and mathematics skills, schools must continue to focus exclusively on the traditional core academic disciplines. In order to inform the debate about the rationale for and relevance of 21st century skills in Massachusetts' public schools, the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy conducted a survey of superintendents, charter school leaders and principals statewide to gauge the extent to which school and district leaders support the integration of 21st century skills into public education. The goal of the survey was to provide a better understanding of Massachusetts' public school and district leaders' priorities for improving student learning, including their views on 21st century skills. The survey was followed by interviews with a small sample of administrators and educators in districts and schools where the integration of 21st century skills is a priority, in order to better understand district, school and teacher approaches for infusing 21st century skills into teaching and learning.The report describes the background and context for the study, the study methodology, and key findings from the statewide survey and interviews in a sample of schools and districts. The final section of the report puts forth considerations for policymakers and K-12 school and district leaders. Case studies of two public school districts, Reading Public Schools and Brockton Public Schools are included in Appendix B. The case studies offer two different approaches to integrating 21st century skills district-wide. The case study of Reading Public Schools illustrates a district-led approach. The case study of Brockton Public Schools is an example of how one school has spurred a district to focus on 21st century skills.The study gives voice to key education stakeholders who have not been part of the public debate about 21st century skills and provides clarity about what teaching and learning in classrooms that incorporate 21st century skills looks like. While opponents of 21st century skills argue that districts where most students have not yet mastered reading, writing and mathematics skills, should focus exclusively on core academic content, the study revealed that most school and district leaders believe all public schools in Massachusetts should be required to integrate 21st century skills into learning, including schools where students are lacking adequate basic skills. Interviews with superintendents who prioritize integration of 21st century skills revealed that input from a range of stakeholders led their district to expand their mission and vision for student learning to include 21st century skills and rather than adopt a pre-packaged set of skills, the focus in these districts is on particular skills and competencies that ?t the needs of their student body. While most schools and districts have not developed measurable goals for student mastery of 21st century skills, interviews with a small sample of administrators and educators revealed that 21st century skills are assessed at the classroom level, and most administrators view school- and district-wide assessment as a future step in the process of fully integrating 21st century skills. The endings also suggest that administrators believe that, to date, state policymakers have not adequately supported the teaching and learning of 21st century skills.This report was released at a public event on October 7th, 2010. View video clips from this event on our YouTube channel and read an EdWeek article featuring this report

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

Popüler Kültür’ün Sınıf İçi Öğretim Uygulamalarına Adaptasyonuna Yönelik Niteliksel Bir Araştırma

The aim of this study was to define the impact of infusing popular culture’s elements such as comics, TV series, popular music etc. on teaching practice in classroom in Turkey. Popular culture plays an important role in education. This study reveals that teachers often use popular culture that plays an important role in the lives of children in the classroom. Teachers attempt to integrate popular culture into the lessons in many different ways consciously or spontanesly. Popular culture is reflected in the, methods, and educational activities and drills in daily lesson plans. Popular culture is included sometimes as a reinforcing unit for some other units in lesson plans. Teachers noticed that they had to integrate popular culture into the teaching context because it allowed them to make connections between real life and school thus making daily classroom implementations better. Although teachers are against popular culture, they all agree that it is a reality for schooling and sometimes they use it reluctantly.Bu araştırmanın amacı Türkiye’de sınıf içi öğretim uygulamalarına çizgi film, TV dizileri vb.den oluşan popular kültürün öğelerinin etkisini belirlemektir. Popüler kültür eğitimde önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Bu çalışma da çocukların yaşamında önemli rol oynayan popular kültürün öğelerinin öğretmenler tarafından öğretimde ne düzeyde kullanıldığını ortaya koymaktadır. Öğretmenler popular kültürün öğelerini bilinçli ya da bilinçsizce öğretime adapte etmektedirler. Popüler kültür öğretmenlerin günlük ders planlarındaki alıştırmalar, eğitimsel etkinlikler ve yöntemlerine de etki etmektedir. Popüler kültür bazen ders planlarında güdüleyici ve motivasyon öğesi olarak da yer almaktadır. Öğretmenler de buna karşı olsalar bile bazen gerçek yaşamla bağlantıyı kolaylaştırdığı için günlük sınıf içi etkinliklerde popüler kültürün etkisi olduğunu fark etmişlerdir. Karşı olsalar bile popüler kültürün eğitimin bir gerçeği olduğunu kabul etmişlerdir

Preparing millennials as digital citizens and socially and environmentally responsible business professionals in a socially irresponsible climate

As of 2015, a millennial born in the 1990's became the largest population in the workplace and are still growing. Studies indicate that a millennial is tech savvy but lag in the exercise of digital responsibility. In addition, they are passive towards environmental sustainability and fail to grasp the importance of social responsibility. This paper provides a review of such findings relating to business communications educators in their classrooms. The literature should enable the development of a millennial as an excellent global citizen through business communications curricula that emphasizes digital citizenship, environmental sustainability and social responsibility. The impetus for this work is to provide guidance in the development of courses and teaching strategies customized to the development of each millennial as a digital, environmental and socially responsible global citizen

Teachers\u27 Perceptions of an Integrated Third Grade Curriculum\u27s Effects on Students\u27 Reading Achievement

School leaders in a Virginia urban school district designed and implemented a reading-infused integrated curriculum to address Grade 3 students\u27 struggles to read and comprehend grade-level text. Informed via a constructivist approach, the curriculum integrated the core subjects, reading, and service learning for developing competent readers, thinkers, and problem solvers. This instrumental case study focused on 13 Grade 3 teachers\u27 perceptions of the integrated curriculum in regards to their students\u27 reading achievement. Qualitative data were collected from face-to-face interviews, students\u27 progress of work documents, and the district\u27s integrated curriculum unit. Open coding was employed to analyze the data. Inductively, triangulated data sources were analyzed. Findings indicated that teachers perceived the integrated theme unit, teacher collaboration, and training in the area of reading to be beneficial, but that they found trainings on pedagogical practices of content integration and service learning to be lacking. Based on these findings, a project was developed to support the district\u27s integrated curriculum program by providing a professional development program to Grade 3 teachers on pedagogical practices for implementing a constructivist-integrated curriculum. This project study can contribute to positive social change by providing the district\u27s Grade 3 teachers with an integrated curriculum for students struggling to read and comprehend grade level text, which prepares students for school success, college, and the global work force