How did we do? Beginning teachers teaching mathematics in primary schools.

This article examines the findings of a research program that investigated primary school mathematics teaching by graduates of the teacher education program at the University of Technology Sydney. The research comprised two distinct studies, one examining the experiences of student teachers in our teacher education program and the other considering the experiences of our graduates once they began to teach. I focus on what I learnt from these studies, particularly on the second one that highlights dilemmas faced by teacher educators when preparing their students for the realities of the classroom. I discuss the overwhelming nature of the experience of the first year of teaching and argue for more support from teacher educators for helping their graduates in those early days of teaching

Mobile Learning in Higher education: Mobilizing staff to use technologies in their teaching

Given the ubiquity of mobile devices being used by students in their university, a group of lecturers formed an action-learning group to learn collaboratively about enhancing their teaching with mobile pedagogies. The community of learners developed a process for setting goals for themselves, and for implementing action plans to do with integrating mobile technologies in teaching. The article discusses the processes used and the lessons learned through this project. These findings have informed work done with schools that are trying to integrate mobile learning into their classrooms

Classroom-based use of two educational technologies: A sociocultural perspective

This paper describes the fit between educational technologies and teacher views and pedagogies in light of two recently completed research projects. These studies focused on observed pedagogies associated with the classroom-based use of two learning technologies: digital video (student-generated), and interactive whiteboards. The paper considers the use of these two technologies from a sociocultural perspective, recognizing that the nature of tools and the nature of societal use of these tools are mutually dependent. Questions are raised about how the inherent nature of different technologies might shape different learning experiences and outcomes and whether certain technologies fit better with some pedagogical approaches than others

Education, opportunities and challenges for generation OurSpace: Taming the beast

The paper discusses the opportunities and challenges presented for current notions of schooling by adolescent online cultures. Young people are increasingly active Web 2.0 users and their interactions through these technologies are altering their social identities, styles of learning, and exchanges with others around the world. The paper argues for the need for more research to investigate this phenomenon through the use of virtual ethnography and identifies the ethical challenges that lie therein. It raises questions for school education and presents an argument for the need to study the area in culturally sensitive ways that privilege adolescents voices

Web 2.0 in the classroom? Dilemmas and opportunities inherent in adolescent web 2.0 engagement.

The paper discusses the implications of the current phenomenon of adolescent engagement in digital spaces. Young people are increasingly active Web 2.0 users, and their interactions through these technologies are altering their social identities, styles of learning, and exchanges with others around the world. The paper argues for more research to investigate this phenomenon through the use of virtual ethnography and identifies the ethical challenges that lie therein. It raises questions for school education and presents an argument for studying the area in culturally sensitive ways that privilege adolescents voices

Mobile learning for teacher professional learning: benefits, obstacles and issues

This paper reflects on the role of mobile learning in teachers professional learning. It argues that effective professional learning requires reflection and collaboration and that mobile learning is ideally suited to allow reflection-in action and to capture the spontaneity of learning moments. The paper also argues for the value of collaborations between teachers and students in professional learning. It suggests that authentic artefacts and anecdotes, captured through mobile technologies, can enable the sharing, analysis and synthesis of classroom experiences by teachers and students. Such analysis and synthesis helps to encourage collaborative reflective practice and is likely to improve teacher and student learning as a result. Ethical issues that might arise through using mobile technologies in this way are also discussed. Teacher voice is presented to indicate the range of views about mobile learning and to indicate current practices. Practical, school systemic, attitudinal and ethical factors may inhibit mobile technology adoption; these factors need to be researched and addressed to realise the potential of teacher mobile professional learning