The Role of Handheld Computing in Facilitating Teacher Resilience through Problem Solving

Becoming an effective teacher that thrives not only survives involves much more than finishing a licensing higher education program. This study explored problem-solving strategies that student teachers used during their internship semester to cope with professional challenges and to develop resilience. The research questions in this study included: What strategies support the development of resilience? How are teachers approaching the professional dilemmas encountered? How can handheld devices facilitate reflective problem-solving? Six student teachers from early childhood education, special education, and science education used mobile computing devices for a variety of professional and personal purposes and reflected upon and documented uses. Data was analyzed using a case study approach. Major themes included risk factors such as low self-confidence, and protective factors such as strong motivation to teach, and critical reflection skills. Mobile technology devices proved to be easy to use and very helpful in the problem solving process

Factors Influencing Students’ Perceptions of Online Teamwork

The evolution of online teaching in higher education demands a change in the types of pedagogies used in those courses. An example of one of these important pedagogies includes online teamwork. Teamwork in this context is one in which the majority of the individual’s grade is dependent on the positive or negative group experiences. This study utilized the theoretical framework of social motivation and cohesion to identify the factors shaping students’ perceptions of teamwork in online college courses. In these courses, the pedagogical approach known as the Five Pillars of effective collaborative work was applied. An Online Teamwork Learning Survey was developed based on these principles and completed by 62 undergraduate students enrolled in semester-long online courses required in their early childhood education program of study. Using a comparison between pre–post surveys and regression analysis, the results showed that although the students’ perceptions of teamwork did not significantly change, the factors influencing their responses during the post-test doubled in number. The results showed that through carefully designed virtual teamwork activities, students learned that essential team characteristics such as promotive interaction, individual accountability, and positive interdependence are an integral part of effective collaboration and strong predictors of teamwork perception

The Role of Handheld Computing in Facilitating Resilience Through Problem Solving

Becoming an effective teacher that thrives not only survives involves much more than finishing a licensing higher education program. This study explored problem-solving strategies that student teachers used during their internship semester to cope with professional challenges and to develop resilience. The research questions in this study included: What strategies support the development of resilience? How are teachers approaching the professional dilemmas encountered? How can handheld devices facilitate reflective problem-solving? Six student teachers from early childhood education, special education, and science education used mobile computing devices for a variety of professional and personal purposes and reflected upon and documented uses. Data was analyzed using a case study approach. Major themes included risk factors such as low self-confidence, and protective factors such as strong motivation to teach, and critical reflection skills. Mobile technology devices proved to be easy to use and very helpful in the problem solving process

Teachers’ Perception of Professional Growth through Lesson Study

This mixed methods study describes the use of Japanese Lesson Study as a professional development (PD) model aimed at aiding ELA, science, and math teachers to use discipline literacy in middle level (ages 13-15) classrooms using mobile technologies (iPads). Pre and post survey data as well as semi-structured interviews investigated teachers’ knowledge, practices, and reflections. The results demonstrated that the collaborative nature of Japanese Lesson Study with a focus on student achievement was effective in significantly changing teachers’ knowledge and practices in using discipline literacy and in using technology

Japanese Lesson Study as a Form of Action Research to Improve Discipline Literacy

This mixed-methods study investigated the teachers’ perceptions of a yearlong Japanese Lesson Study professional development project on improving their teaching of Disciplinary Literacy. Analysis of the middle school teachers’ reflections, surveys, and interview data suggested that Lesson Study provided specific traits, such as unique strategies to collaborate, constant focus on student learning behaviors, specific ways to plan and observe how lesson plans are taught, and repetitive cycles, that differentiate it from other forms of Action Research. Through the thus defined features of Lesson Study as a very special form of Action Research, the data supports Study’ potential of becoming a sustainable, continual, context-based form of professional development for teachers while leading to local and/or statewide policy changes

Factors Influencing Students’ Perceptions of Online Teamwork

The evolution of online teaching in higher education demands a change in the types of pedagogies used in those courses. An example of one of these important pedagogies includes online teamwork. Teamwork in this context is one in which the majority of the individual’s grade is dependent on the positive or negative group experiences. This study utilized the theoretical framework of social motivation and cohesion to identify the factors shaping students’ perceptions of teamwork in online college courses. In these courses, the pedagogical approach known as the Five Pillars of effective collaborative work was applied. An Online Teamwork Learning Survey was developed based on these principles and completed by 62 undergraduate students enrolled in semester-long online courses required in their early childhood education program of study. Using a comparison between pre–postsurveys and regression analysis, the results showed that although the students’ perceptions of teamwork did not significantly change, the factors influencing their responses during the posttest doubled in number. The results showed that through carefully designed virtual teamwork activities, students learned that essential team characteristics such as promotive interaction, individual accountability, and positive interdependence are an integral part of effective collaboration and strong predictors of teamwork perception