Self-regulated learning in digital environments: theory, research, praxis

From a metacognitive perspective, self-regulated learning (SRL) refers to the cyclical processes of understanding the required task, developing a plan and implementing strategies to satisfy task requirements and monitoring the effectiveness of those strategies in achieving the desired outcome. A considerable volume of research establishes that the instructional tools available in digital learning environments are particularly useful in supporting SRL. This paper reviews current theoretical models and recent empirical investigations germane to applications of digital technology to promote SRL. SRL is promoted by teachers who provide instruction architecture that encourages students to ensure that the task is fully understood, select and execute effective plans and strategies and monitor personal progress toward task completion. Such instructional architecture is more readily applied in digital, as opposed to traditional, learning environments. Based upon such review of theoretical and applied research, a comprehensive instructional framework of SRL in digital environments is presented. This framework functions to inform those who design and teach in digital environments to reflect and explicitly address the degree to which their learners have the capacity to self-regulate

Formación TIC como estrategia para mejorar las estrategias pedagógicas de los docentes de básica primaria de la institución educativa Julian Pinto Buendía

Considerando la importancia de las TIC en la educación y la necesidad de formación de los docentes en lo referente a la articulación de las mismas a sus prácticas pedagógicas, la presente investigación tiene como objetivo implementar una estrategia de formación en el uso de las TIC para el mejoramiento de las estrategias pedagógicas de los docentes de primaria de la Institución Educativa Julián Pinto Buendía. Para cumplir con este objetivo se fundamenta en un tipo de investigación mixta bajo el diseño multimétodo, seleccionando como muestra los 17 docentes de primaria de la institución mencionada, se implementaron como técnicas de recolección de información la entrevista y la encuesta. Se obtuvo como resultado que estos docentes presentan deficiencias sobre las competencias tecnológicas y el conocimiento básico que deberían tener para articular las TIC a los procesos de enseñanza aprendizaje desde las áreas que integran el plan de estudio. además, no toman postura crítica respecto al uso de las TIC en el desarrollo de la práctica docente de su área. Con la implementación de la estrategia los docentes participaron activamente en el desarrollo de las actividades, de tal forma que registraron participaciones en los foros de reflexión, revisaron el contenido de las actividades de aprendizaje propuestas, propusieron estrategias para integrar las TIC al proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje.Considering the importance of ICT in education and the need for teacher training regarding the articulation of ICT in their pedagogical practices, the aim of this research is to design a training strategy in the use of ICT to improve the pedagogical practices of primary school teachers at the Julián Pinto Buendía Educational Institution. In order to achieve this objective, it is based on a mixed research type under the multimethod design, selecting as a sample the 17 primary school teachers of the mentioned institution, the interview and the survey were implemented as data collection techniques. The results showed that these teachers are deficient in technological competences and the basic knowledge they should have in order to articulate ICT in the teaching and learning processes in the areas that make up the curriculum. With the implementation of the strategy, the teachers participated actively in the development of the activities, in such a way that they recorded their participation in the reflection forums, reviewed the content of the proposed learning activities, and proposed strategies for integrating ICT into the teaching-learning process

ICT Integration Efforts in Higher Education in Developing Economies: The Case of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

A situational modified version of Tearle’s model (2004) is utilized in this study to understand the integration of ICTs in the educational process. The study evaluated self efficacy beliefs, institutional support and policy in the context of developing economies where challenges of inadequate resources and insufficient skills persist. We assess the state of affairs, and the challenges faced by teachers and management at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The results show that educators are generally appreciative of ICTs role in the teaching/learning process

Students’ Perceptions of Learning Management System (LMS) and the ‘Real’ Classroom: A Case Study of an Indian Higher Education Institution

The present quasi-experimental study was undertaken to study students’ perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of the LMS and the ‘real’ classroom. The data was collected using the online survey method (Google Form), which included questions related to students' perceptions of the effectiveness of both modes in enhancing knowledge, critical skills, and social competence. The study found that although the ratio of students who preferred ‘real’ classroom learning to learning through the LMS was higher, many students were also comfortable with online learning. The present study concludes that a blended mode of learning, i.e., using digital learning tools with a more traditional classroom, can be a better option to meet the needs of both kinds of learners

A webquest no desenvolvimento da competência intercultural

Mestrado em Ensino de Português no 3º ciclo do Ensino Básico e no Ensino Secundário e de Língua Estrangeira (Espanhol) nos Ensinos Básico e SecundárioNeste trabalho pretendemos estudar as potencialidades do uso da WebQuest enquanto ferramenta para o desenvolvimento da competência intercultural dos alunos de Espanhol Língua Estrangeira (ELE). Para isso partimos da clarificação de conceitos teóricos que norteiam o nosso estudo no sentido de compreender qual o lugar da cultura nas aulas de língua estrangeira, o que se entende por competência intercultural e como se pode trabalhar esta competência, em que consiste uma WebQuest e de que modo pode ser utilizada tendo em vista a promoção da interculturalidade. Seguindo as recomendações dos mentores desta ferramenta, concebemos e implementámos uma WebQuest junto de uma turma de Espanhol, nível A2, do 8.º ano de escolaridade. Para responder aos nossos objetivos investigativos, procedemos a uma análise qualitativa e quantitativa dos dados recolhidos a partir das nossas notas de campo, de dois inquéritos por questionário e dos trabalhos produzidos pelos alunos. Os resultados permitiram-nos concluir que a WebQuest pode favorecer o desenvolvimento da competência intercultural, na medida em que permite que os alunos, de forma mais motivadora e autónoma, adquiram conhecimentos culturais e reflitam sobre os mesmos estabelecendo comparações com a sua própria cultura.In this work we intend to study the potential use of WebQuest as a tool for the development of intercultural competence of students of Spanish as a foreign language (ELE). For this we start with the clarification of theoretical concepts that guide our study in order to understand what is the place of culture in foreign language classes, what is meant by intercultural competence and how you can work this competence; what is a WebQuest and how can it be used to promote interculturalism. Following the recommendations of the mentors of this tool, we have designed and implemented a WebQuest in an A2 level Spanish class, in the 8th year (2nd year of secondary education). To reply to our investigative goals, we made a qualitative and quantitative analysis of data collected from our field notes, two questionnaire surveys and the work produced by the students. The results allowed us to conclude that the WebQuest may favor the development of intercultural competence, as it allows students, more motivating and autonomously, to acquire cultural knowledge and reflect on it, making comparisons with their own culture

The Capacity of ICT to Transform Teaching and Learning: A Critical View from Within a Building Schools for the Future Project

Announced in 2003, Building Schools for the Future (BSF) was New Labour’s attempt to revolutionise secondary education in the UK, both in terms of infrastructure and pedagogy. The country’s school building stock was decades (and in some cases centuries) old and in poor repair, built for a different age with a history of lack of investment in modern technologies. BSF was to change all that with massive investment and plans to transform teaching and learning. The new buildings were to be of contemporary and revolutionary design more akin to modern office spaces than their Victorian predecessors. Each school project had £1,400 per pupil (approximately £1.4m) of its budget ‘ring fenced’ to be spent on Information Communication Technology (ICT), as this was to be a major transformational tool; the key to equipping students with the skills needed for a 21st Century economy. This Doctorate report is written from within one of the first BSF projects in the country, planned from 2005 and opened in 2007, with the ICT contract coming to an end in 2014. The author is the only surviving member of the original BSF planning team still working within the LA as a Deputy Head Teacher. The main research questions ‘To what extent and in what ways has the huge investment in ICT during BSF transformed teaching and learning and what was the perspective of this from the three main stakeholder groups; those leading, those teaching and those learning?’ sets out to investigate the impact of the ICT component of BSF, it does however also reflect on the BSF process as a whole because this set the context in which the ICT systems were deployed; through a Managed Service Provider (MSP) procured from the private sector. This contract cast a long shadow over the prospect of transformation as BSF became largely about procurement, contracts and cost, the ‘B’ prevailed; teaching and learning were marginalized. Another major influence was that the schools in BSF re-opened in the same educational climate of accountability, curriculum, timetables and assessment methodology as they had had in their old accommodation. Conflicting government policy streams only served to make this more evident. Teacher and pupils assimilated their new environments and continued as before. That is not to say the ICT did not have an impact; there were many positive outcomes ranging from a greatly reduced pupil to device ratios and multimedia lesson content readily available to all. Pupils in particular were delighted (initially at least) with their new environments. Communication and the sharing of ideas and resources were the result of modern networks and systems that meant efficiencies for some and up to date information for most. Overall, classroom teachers had little capacity to transform their professional lives with the ICT provision, and there was no real pressure for them to do so given the unchanged nature of the structures of education within which they worked. Although many saw the potential of the new ICT, the opportunities to improve their skills were frustratingly lacking or not suited to their needs, consequently most incorporated the ICT into their classroom practice at a level with which they were comfortable. The cancellation of BSF in 2011 was one of the first acts of the new coalition government, although the schools included in this work had a managed ICT service that ran until August 2014. At the end of this contract schools were left with both expensive change and refresh costs that were likely to be a financial burden many could ill afford and so they were hindered in their ability to embrace newer technologies that might assist transformation

An exploration of teachers’ perspectives of teaching agricultural sciences in secondary schools in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This thesis bestows the action research, which involves six teachers who participated in exploring teachers’ perspectives of teaching AGRIS in secondary schools in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal. The agricultural sciences (AGRIS) South African Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document stipulates that teachers should base their teaching of AGRIS on capacitating learners with adequate knowledge, skills, and values/attitudes, irrespective of their status. Therefore, the teachers’ responsibility is to ensure that their teaching addresses all three aspects of teaching (knowledge, skills, and values), driven by the prescriptive, communal, and habitual perspectives. Thus, this study explores teachers’ perspectives of teaching agricultural sciences in secondary schools in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal. This research opted for a critical paradigm as well as a qualitative approach. Consequently, reflective activity, one-on-one semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and focus group discussions were employed for data production to ensure the triangulation during the exploration of teachers’ perspectives. Purposive and convenience samplings were utilised in choosing six teachers, as I required teachers with whom I was familiar, and who were available and accessible. The study employed thematic analysis to analyse produced data using inductive and deductive reasoning procedures. Trustworthiness was considered in this study by involving issues of dependability, confirmability, credibility, and transferability. In addition, issues like consent letters, anonymity, withdrawals, beneficence, and others were considered. Moreover, three research questions guided this study, namely: 1. What are the teachers’ perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools? 2. How do teachers apply perspectives in teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools? 3. Why do teachers have particular perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools? Consequently, the following research objectives informed the research questions and were as follows: 1. Explore teachers’ perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools; 2. Understand how teachers apply perspectives in teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools, and 3. Explore the reasons for teachers having particular perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools. As a result, the research questions guided the study to review the literature on principles rooted in three perspectives: prescriptive, communal, and habitual. For this reason, the study opted for Cultural, Historical Theory (CHAT), which then yielded to the evolution of new theory. Thus, the theory emerged from this study and combined prescriptive, communal, and habitual perspectives, and called PCHP. The findings showed that not all three perspectives (prescriptive, communal, and habitual) drive teachers when teaching AGRIS in secondary schools. The study confirmed that teachers were teaching under the influence of prescriptive perspective rather than communal and habitual. They based their teaching on stipulated policies, documents, and textbooks to ensure that learners pass examinations. This implies that in South Africa, AGRIS teaching addresses the subject needs rather than teachers and society/learner needs. Consequently, this led to an unbalanced curriculum and had a negative impact on producing globally competent individuals. Therefore, this study recommends the balance AGRIS curriculum grounded by prescriptive, communal, and habitual perspectives. This curriculum will address the subject, society/learner, and teacher needs. In addition, this study recommends various research in AGRIS teaching, including the enactment of indigenous and teacher knowledge in secondary schools

An exploration of teachers’ perspectives of teaching agricultural sciences in secondary schools in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This thesis bestows the action research, which involves six teachers who participated in exploring teachers’ perspectives of teaching AGRIS in secondary schools in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal. The agricultural sciences (AGRIS) South African Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document stipulates that teachers should base their teaching of AGRIS on capacitating learners with adequate knowledge, skills, and values/attitudes, irrespective of their status. Therefore, the teachers’ responsibility is to ensure that their teaching addresses all three aspects of teaching (knowledge, skills, and values), driven by the prescriptive, communal, and habitual perspectives. Thus, this study explores teachers’ perspectives of teaching agricultural sciences in secondary schools in two districts of KwaZulu-Natal. This research opted for a critical paradigm as well as a qualitative approach. Consequently, reflective activity, one-on-one semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and focus group discussions were employed for data production to ensure the triangulation during the exploration of teachers’ perspectives. Purposive and convenience samplings were utilised in choosing six teachers, as I required teachers with whom I was familiar, and who were available and accessible. The study employed thematic analysis to analyse produced data using inductive and deductive reasoning procedures. Trustworthiness was considered in this study by involving issues of dependability, confirmability, credibility, and transferability. In addition, issues like consent letters, anonymity, withdrawals, beneficence, and others were considered. Moreover, three research questions guided this study, namely: 1. What are the teachers’ perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools? 2. How do teachers apply perspectives in teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools? 3. Why do teachers have particular perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools? Consequently, the following research objectives informed the research questions and were as follows: 1. Explore teachers’ perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools; 2. Understand how teachers apply perspectives in teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools, and 3. Explore the reasons for teachers having particular perspectives of teaching Agricultural Sciences in schools. As a result, the research questions guided the study to review the literature on principles rooted in three perspectives: prescriptive, communal, and habitual. For this reason, the study opted for Cultural, Historical Theory (CHAT), which then yielded to the evolution of new theory. Thus, the theory emerged from this study and combined prescriptive, communal, and habitual perspectives, and called PCHP. The findings showed that not all three perspectives (prescriptive, communal, and habitual) drive teachers when teaching AGRIS in secondary schools. The study confirmed that teachers were teaching under the influence of prescriptive perspective rather than communal and habitual. They based their teaching on stipulated policies, documents, and textbooks to ensure that learners pass examinations. This implies that in South Africa, AGRIS teaching addresses the subject needs rather than teachers and society/learner needs. Consequently, this led to an unbalanced curriculum and had a negative impact on producing globally competent individuals. Therefore, this study recommends the balance AGRIS curriculum grounded by prescriptive, communal, and habitual perspectives. This curriculum will address the subject, society/learner, and teacher needs. In addition, this study recommends various research in AGRIS teaching, including the enactment of indigenous and teacher knowledge in secondary schools

ESL teacher profiles of ICT integration in their classroom practices and assessment activities : a portrait viewed through the lens of some Quebec teachers’ social representations

Abstract : Information and communication technologies (ICTs, henceforth) have become ubiquitous in our society. The plethora of devices competing with the computer, from iPads to the Interactive whiteboard, just to name a few, has provided teachers and students alike with the ability to communicate and access information with unprecedented accessibility and speed. It is only logical that schools reflect these changes given that their purpose is to prepare students for the future. Surprisingly enough, research indicates that ICT integration into teaching activities is still marginal. Many elementary and secondary schoolteachers are not making effective use of ICTs in their teaching activities as well as in their assessment practices. The purpose of the current study is a) to describe Quebec ESL teachers’ profiles of using ICTs in their daily teaching activities; b) to describe teachers’ ICT integration and assessment practices; and c) to describe teachers’ social representations regarding the utility and relevance of ICT use in their daily teaching activities and assessment practices. In order to attain our objectives, we based our theoretical framework, principally, on the social representations (SR, henceforth) theory and we defined most related constructs which were deemed fundamental to the current thesis. We also collected data from 28 ESL elementary and secondary school teachers working in public and private sectors. The interview guide used to that end included a range of items to elicit teachers’ SR in terms of ICT daily use in teaching activities as well as in assessment practices. In addition, we carried out our data analyses from a textual statistics perspective, a particular mode of content analysis, in order to extract the indicators underlying teachers’ representations of the teachers. The findings suggest that although almost all participants use a wide range of ICT tools in their practices, ICT implementation is seemingly not exploited to its fullest potential and, correspondingly, is likely to produce limited effects on students’ learning. Moreover, none of the interviewees claim that they use ICTs in their assessment practices and they still hold to the traditional paper-based assessment (PBA, henceforth) approach of assessing students’ learning. Teachers’ common discourse reveals a gap between the positive standpoint with regards to ICT integration, on the one hand, and the actual uses of instructional technology, on the other. These results are useful for better understanding the way ESL teachers in Quebec currently view their use of ICTs, particularly for evaluation purposes. In fact, they provide a starting place for reconsidering the implementation of ICTs in elementary and secondary schools. They may also be useful to open up avenues for the development of a future research program in this regard.Résumé : Les technologies d’information et de communication (TIC) sont devenues omniprésentes dans notre société. L’abondante panoplie de dispositifs rivalisant avec l’ordinateur, allant de l’iPad au Tableau blanc interactif, pour n’en nommer que quelques-uns, a permis aux enseignantes et enseignants ainsi qu’aux élèves de communiquer et d’obtenir de l’information avec une vitesse et une accessibilité jamais égalées jusqu’à aujourd’hui. De ce fait, il serait attendu que les pratiques éducatives traditionnelles, qui ne semblent plus compatibles avec les attentes des élèves et les besoins de main-d’œuvre d’aujourd’hui soient modifiées (Ahmed et Nasser, 2015). Malheureusement, la recherche indique que les réalités d’intégration des TIC sont toujours loin de la rhétorique. Plusieurs enseignantes et enseignants d’écoles primaires et secondaires n’utilisent pas les TIC d’une façon efficace et ce, autant dans leurs activités d’enseignement que dans leurs pratiques évaluatives. La présente étude, de type exploratoire-descriptif, vise à 1) décrire les profils des enseignantes et enseignants d’anglais langue seconde (ALS) utilisant les TIC dans leurs activités quotidiennes d’enseignement et leurs pratiques évaluatives; 2) décrire les pratiques d'intégration des TIC dans les activités d’enseignement et les pratiques d'évaluation de ces enseignantes et enseignants; et 3) décrire les représentations sociales (RS) des enseignantes et enseignants concernant l'utilité et la pertinence de l'utilisation des TIC dans leurs activités quotidiennes d'enseignement et leurs pratiques d'évaluation. Pour atteindre nos objectifs, nous basons principalement notre cadre théorique sur la théorie de la RS et nous définissons les concepts et les construits les plus étroitement associés qui sont considérés comme fondamentaux pour la thèse actuelle. Nous avons recueilli nos données auprès d’un échantillon de 28 enseignantes et enseignants d’ALS du primaire et du secondaire qui travaillent dans les secteurs publics et privés. Le guide d'entretien utilisé à cette fin comprend un nombre d’items visant à favoriser l’élucidation des RS des enseignants en matière de l’usage quotidien des TIC dans les activités d'enseignement ainsi que des pratiques d'évaluation. De plus, nous avons réalisé nos analyses dans une perspective de statistique textuelle, un mode particulier d’analyse de contenu, afin d’extraire les indicateurs sous-jacents aux représentations des enseignants. Les résultats suggèrent que, bien que presque tous les participants utilisent un large éventail d'outils de TIC dans leurs pratiques, il s’avère que la mise en œuvre des TIC n’est pas exploitée à son plein potentiel et, en conséquence, est susceptible de produire des effets limités sur l'apprentissage des élèves. En outre, aucun des interviewés affirment qu'ils utilisent les TIC dans leurs pratiques d'évaluation et ils tiennent encore à l'approche traditionnelle du papier-crayon dans l'évaluation de l'apprentissage des élèves. Le discours commun des enseignantes et enseignants révèle un écart entre le point de vue positif en ce qui concerne l'intégration des TIC, d'une part, et les utilisations réelles de la technologie pédagogique, de l'autre part. Ces résultats sont utiles pour mieux comprendre la façon dont les enseignantes et les enseignants d'anglais langue seconde au Québec perçoivent leur utilisation des TIC, en particulier à des fins d'évaluation. En effet, ils fournissent un point de départ pour reconsidérer la mise en œuvre des TIC dans les écoles primaires et secondaires. Ils pourraient également être utiles pour élaborer des pistes pour le développement d’un futur programme de recherche à cet égard