ICT and learning in teacher education : The social construction of pedagogical ICT discourse and design

Background In recent decades, system-wide policies and substantial resources have been directed towards enhancing the use of ICT in learning contexts. This development can be observed at international and national levels. However, reports have indicated a ’slow uptake’ of the use of ICT for pedagogical purposes among compulsory schools and teacher education institutions. Although the teacher education at Umeå University follows this pattern, there have been several initiatives in using ICT for learning in the teacher education programmes. The aim of this study is to scrutinise the process in which ICT-supported methods for learning have been introduced, used and disseminated throughout teacher education. Methods Three ICT-supported methods for teaching and learning were chosen for this study: digital individual development planning (IUP), blogs and e-portfolios. To capture teachers’ and students’ experiences of introducing the pedagogical use of ICT, 115 interviews were conducted and four questionnaires were administered over a four-year period (2006-2010). Course documents and observations of blogs and e-portfolios supplied additional data. Hermeneutics was chosen as the methodological approach. Thematic content analysis was carried out in the first three part-studies, and theoretical frameworks suited for the identified themes were chosen for the analyses. Since pedagogical discourses appeared to be important, discourse analysis was used in the fourth part-study. A final meta analysis has been carried out and is presented later in this thesis. Results In Umeå, as in other countries, teacher education has been slow to adopt ICT for learning. Still, the use of ICT for learning has increased over time. ICT-supported methods such as IUP, blogs and e-portfolios have found their way into the context through a recontextualisation process in which ICT discourses and designs are socially constructed. However, the recontextualisation process could merely be found within sub-fields, such as teacher teams and project groups, since in the main-field (i.e. teacher education) traditional ways of teaching and learning have been internalised. These traditions hold symbolic capital, and teachers who have the means to do so will act according to their habitus and defend the traditions. The recontextualisation process will therefore be kept within the sub-fields, and the dissemination will be limited. Furthermore, the sub-fields are rather isolated from one another, and therefore pedagogical ICT discourses and designs are created in varied ways. However, none of them could be regarded as internalised, and the social construction of pedagogical ICT discourse and design has to be considered to be still ‘under construction’

Educational blogs in teacher education : blending face-to-face and virtual learning activities

This paper presents a study of three campuscourses of Swedish student teachers’ experiencesduring 2007 and 2008 when they used educa-tional blogs blending face-to-face and virtuallearning activities. In order to investigate theirexperiences and the circumstances that influ-enced their way of engaging in their blogs, 38narrative interviews were carried out.To illuminate how information and commu-nication technology (ICT) affordances andthe blended environments were perceived, thedata were analysed in light of Greeno’s theory ofaffordance. Furthermore, a socio-cultural theoryby Vygotsky was used to analyse students’ socialinteraction within their groups.The paper presents a discussion of the cir-cumstances in which students engage in theirblogs. The students’ experiences of affordancesin respect of blending face-to-face and virtual learning activities and the importance of socialinteraction within the groups are outline

Children in focus : A comparative study of public libraries’ children’s sections in Sweden and Italy.

The purpose for this Master’s thesis is to describe the similarities and the differences of the work at the public libraries’ children’s sections, between Sweden and Italy. In order to do that we examine the cultural political presumptions that Swedish and Italian libraries have, such as policies concerning public libraries and children, on a national as well as an international level. We also look at existing attitudes regarding the work at the public libraries’ children’s sections, among authors of research literature in our subject. We are for instance interested in how these authors think the libraries’ activities for children should develop. Which opinions do the Swedish and the Italian authors have in common and how do their attitudes differ? In addition, the thesis includes interviews with librarians at the children’s sections and managers of libraries. How do the two libraries selected for our study conduct activities directed towards children? The method we use is comparative studies. One of our main conclusions is that there is a lack of research within our subject in both Sweden and Italy. However, we have discovered that the work with children at Swedish libraries is much more structured than in Italian libraries. We believe that the reason for this is the fact that there is no national library law in Italy. Neither is the education amongst the Italian librarians as high or advanced as the education of the Swedish librarians.Uppsatsnivå:

Dynamic software, task solving with or without guidelines, and learning outcomes

The present study contributes to knowledge about how to design tasks that benefit from dynamic software in math education, comparing practice performance and learning outcomes among 129 students practicing on two different task designs using GeoGebra. The task designs differed with respect to the presence or absence of guidelines on how to solve the task. One student group practiced on the guided task while the other student group practiced on the unguided task, and 1 week later a posttest was conducted. Data were statistically analyzed and showed significant differences with regard to success during practice for students solving the guided task. Among the students who succeeded in solving the task (guided or unguided) during practice, however, the analysis showed significant differences in the posttest performance in favor of the unguided students

From Passenger to Pilot – Using Formative Assessment to Support Students With Intellectual Disabilities to Become Self-Regulated Learners

Students with intellectual disabilities (ID) risk leaving school without having the opportunity to develop their independence to become less reliant on others. This study aims to gain insights into how formative assessment as a teaching design can support self-regulated learning (SRL) among students with ID. Two experienced Swedish special school teachers, using formative assessment to support students’ SRL competence, participated in this study. Data consisted of the teachers’ written teaching descriptions, classroom observations, and teacher interviews. The analysis showed that the teachers managed to implement a formative classroom practice aiming to support the students to develop subject-matter knowledge as well as SRL skills. Three themes of challenges were identified: Low expectations and caretaking, Experiences of shortcomings, and Learning difficulties. Overcoming such challenges is discussed. The study shows promising examples of the use of theories and principles of formative assessment to promote SRL competence among students with ID and also incentives for doing so

Children in focus : A comparative study of public libraries’ children’s sections in Sweden and Italy.

The purpose for this Master’s thesis is to describe the similarities and the differences of the work at the public libraries’ children’s sections, between Sweden and Italy. In order to do that we examine the cultural political presumptions that Swedish and Italian libraries have, such as policies concerning public libraries and children, on a national as well as an international level. We also look at existing attitudes regarding the work at the public libraries’ children’s sections, among authors of research literature in our subject. We are for instance interested in how these authors think the libraries’ activities for children should develop. Which opinions do the Swedish and the Italian authors have in common and how do their attitudes differ? In addition, the thesis includes interviews with librarians at the children’s sections and managers of libraries. How do the two libraries selected for our study conduct activities directed towards children? The method we use is comparative studies. One of our main conclusions is that there is a lack of research within our subject in both Sweden and Italy. However, we have discovered that the work with children at Swedish libraries is much more structured than in Italian libraries. We believe that the reason for this is the fact that there is no national library law in Italy. Neither is the education amongst the Italian librarians as high or advanced as the education of the Swedish librarians.Uppsatsnivå:

Teacher-student interaction supporting students’ creative mathematical reasoning during problem solving using Scratch

Studies have shown that learning mathematics through programming can be complex and that the programming itself might even hamper students’ learning. However, few studies have focused on the role of the teacher and the teacher-student interaction that aims to support students’ learning when using programming. The present study examines a didactic design in which a teacher uses well-prepared questions and suggestions that focus on stu- dents’ reasoning to solve mathematical problems using Scratch, a block- based programming environment. Forty students, 10–11 years old, solved a geometry problem using Scratch supported by their teacher. The students’ screen activities and teacher-student interactions were recorded. The results indicate that well-prepared general and task-specific questions targeting students’ creative reasoning can help to overcome some of the complexities of learning mathematics while programming. The study furthermore shows that when students have sufficient programming skills, Scratch could even have the potential to support their reasoning and at the same time guide the teacher to give timely feedback.

Teacher-student interaction supporting students’ creative mathematical reasoning during problem solving using Scratch

Studies have shown that learning mathematics through programming can be complex and that the programming itself might even hamper students’ learning. However, few studies have focused on the role of the teacher and the teacher-student interaction that aims to support students’ learning when using programming. The present study examines a didactic design in which a teacher uses well-prepared questions and suggestions that focus on students’ reasoning to solve mathematical problems using Scratch, a block-based programming environment. Forty students, 10-11 years old, solved a geometry problem using Scratch supported by their teacher. The students’ screen activities and teacher-student interactions were recorded. The results indicate that well-prepared general and task-specific questions targeting students’ creative reasoning can help to overcome some of the complexities of learning mathematics while programming. The study furthermore shows that when students have sufficient programming skills, Scratch could even have the potential to support their reasoning and at the same time guide the teacher to give timely feedback.LIC

Teacher-student interaction supporting students’ creative mathematical reasoning during problem solving using Scratch

Studies have shown that learning mathematics through programming can be complex and that the programming itself might even hamper students’ learning. However, few studies have focused on the role of the teacher and the teacher-student interaction that aims to support students’ learning when using programming. The present study examines a didactic design in which a teacher uses well-prepared questions and suggestions that focus on students’ reasoning to solve mathematical problems using Scratch, a block-based programming environment. Forty students, 10-11 years old, solved a geometry problem using Scratch supported by their teacher. The students’ screen activities and teacher-student interactions were recorded. The results indicate that well-prepared general and task-specific questions targeting students’ creative reasoning can help to overcome some of the complexities of learning mathematics while programming. The study furthermore shows that when students have sufficient programming skills, Scratch could even have the potential to support their reasoning and at the same time guide the teacher to give timely feedback.LIC