El uso de los objetos de aprendizaje reutilizables en la enseñanza de la poesía inglesa: explorando la influencia de las prácticas pedagógicas predominantes

peer-reviewedDespite the attempts to integrate ICT across the curriculum of all post-primary education systems in the developed world there remains low levels of use. One of the major reasons for this low level of use is the availability of curriculum relevant software. In recent years the availability of high quality authoring tools has provided opportunities for the low-cost development of highly reusable curricular relevant materials. The increasing use of educational repositories can now facilitate the wide-scale distribution of these resources. This has the potential to reconceptualise use of ICT across the curriculum in schools, particularly in the Humanities area. This research aimed to design curriculum specific educational software and explore the ways in which it was used by Irish post-primary teachers in their teaching of English. The research found that teachers used the software in different ways largely mirroring existing pedagogical practices. The research raises a number of issues for the development of such tailor-made solutions and highlights opportunities for future developers. The research concludes by presenting a tentative conceptual model of the nature of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) use and the implications for future development and use of reusable learning objects

Subject specific demands of teaching: Implications for out-of-field teachers

This chapter provides a framework for thinking about the subject-specific nature of teaching in terms of the knowledge, modes of inquiry and discursive practices that delineate one subject from another in the traditional school curriculum. The chapter will explore how these disciplinary traits are translated into teaching as curriculum, knowledge and pedagogy, and how this subject-specificity of teaching is juxtaposed against the more generic aspects of teaching. The chapter explores the idea that if a teacher’s expertise can be situated within a field, then they can also be positioned out-of-field. Implications for teaching out-of-field are discussed in terms of the subject-specific knowledge, processes and skills, and the difficulties associated with teacher practice. English and Australian illustrations of teacher practices from in-field and out-of-field situations are provided, in particular highlighting the demands of moving across subject boundaries. Cross-fertilisation is especially evident when subjects are integrated, therefore, the issues associated with integrated curriculum are discussed where the traditional subject boundaries are being challenged as schools are reorganised to integrate subjects through, for example, STEM teaching, or holistic curriculum designs

The use of virtual simulations in teacher education to develop pre-service teachers\u27 behaviour and classroom management skills: implications for reflective practice

The full text of this article will not be available in ULIR until the embargo expires on the 26/08/2021Dealing with the often-overwhelming nature of the school placement experience, and the associated demands of classroom management, can be a significant challenge for many pre-service teachers. These challenges point to the need for pre-service teachers to experience aspects of challenging pupil behaviour in less pressurised environments, and where they can have the opportunities to make mistakes without fear of negative repercussions on their academic progression. The use of virtual simulations is increasingly seen as an opportunity to provide pre-service teachers with unique opportunities to experience examples of classroom life in a controlled and structured manner. With these benefits in mind, this paper explores the growing use of virtual simulations in pre-service teacher education and, in particular, their use in developing pre-service teachers’ behaviour and classroom management skills. It highlights issues that teacher educators need to be cognisant of in using them with student teachers, particularly the extent to which they cement existing stereotypes about pupil behaviour and the extent to which they subsequently limit rather than enhance opportunities for critical reflectionpeer-reviewe

Education for sustainable development in technology education in Irish schools: a curriculum analysis

This paper explores the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in technology education and the extent to which it is currently addressed in curriculum documents and state examinations in technology education at post-primary level in Ireland. This analysis is conducted amidst the backdrop of considerable change in technology education at post-primary level. The analysis of the provision of technology education found, that among the range of technology related subjects offered, the study of Technology and Society is only addressed in one in a comprehensive manner. The paper discusses the implications of this limited integration, examines the factors inhibiting greater integration of ESD and outlines opportunities for future development