Greta Björk Gudmundsdottir

When does ICT support education in South Africa? The importance of teachers' capabilities and the relevance of language

The aim of this paper is to highlight some of the challenges of information and communication technology (ICT) integration in a South African classroom setting. The main focus is on the concept of a digital divide, and how cultural complexity with special emphasis on language can affect the divide in schools that already have material access to ICT. The study is based on fieldwork in seventh-grade classes in four primary schools in Cape Town, South Africa. The learners answered a questionnaire regarding their ICT use and skills, and interviews were conducted with learners, teachers, and principals. In conclusion, it is argued that the challenges of language in South African schools can exacerbate or maintain the digital divide among learners who are already disadvantaged due to a range of social inequalities. For learners to fully master the use of ICT in todays global knowledge society, it needs to be put in a local context, which includes use in a familiar language. Moreover, it is suggested that greater opportunities for teacher training are needed in order to enhance culturally sensitive and appropriate ICT integration based on local needs and capacity.

An exploration of the importance of piloting and access as action research

In this article we illustrate how the piloting process has influenced two widely different studies within the educational sciences. These studies differ in design but have as a common denominator that they used piloting methods in their preparatory process. They are also similar in the intention of the main researchers of conducting research with a critical edge. In the first case study described, our solidarity lies with the disadvantaged school children of South Africa. In the second case study, our solidarity lies with a group of teachers who through an action research project wanted to question a school policy that they do not feel benefits all school children in the Norwegian lower secondary school. The two cases are presented separately and explore the change in conceptual and methodological emphasis in the research procedure. We emphasize how important the piloting and access processes are in order to learn from them and reduce mistakes in the main research design. We argue that both piloting and gaining access can be seen as a form of action research, in that the intention is to learn and to change future action; that is, the purpose is to find out how to conduct a project more effectively. A reflective piloting phase is likely to increase the validity of the research results and can in itself be viewed as action research. Through the piloting phase, learning that may prove invaluable for the later research process is likely to take place. As piloting can be of great value for research results, it should also be given much greater attention in the research literature in general. While the best case scenarios are overrepresented in the research literature, the learning from and of flaws and imperfections that are discovered in the piloting stages of research is equally important for the research community as well as for the actual participants in the researching process. Yet this is under utilized and often left under‐reported.

Newly qualified teachers’ professional digital competence: implications for teacher education

Abstract The professional digital competence (PDC) of teachers is of growing importance in classrooms, now that digital resources and digital media are becoming important parts of teachers’ everyday practice. This study explores how newly qualified teachers are prepared to use information and communication technology (ICT) in their initial teacher education (ITE). We present findings of a nationwide survey in Norway on 356 newly qualified teachers. It explores how these teachers’ ICT self-efficacy is related to how they perceive the quality of, and contributions from, their ITE related to ICT and the development of their PDC. In general, newly qualified teachers report fairly poor quality and contribution of ICT training during their teacher education. We claim that continuous effort is needed to review the quality of ITE and contribute specifically to the development of PDC and developing student teachers’ ICT self-efficacy in ITE.

Methodological Challenges When Exploring Digital Learning Spaces in Education

Over the last decade, the practices by which scholarly knowledge is produced – both within and across disciplines – have been substantially influenced by the appearance of digital information resources, communication networks and technology enhanced research tools. Viewed from a methodological perspective, the rich ICT-based environment in educational settings influences research methods, ethics and the general conduct of research.

Methodological Challenges When Exploring New Learning Sites in Educational Research

In a variety of educational contexts today, educators, policy-makers and researchers are turning to ICT-based practices to design learning materials, to structure educational methods, to enhance learning outcomes and experiences, and to develop new approaches in supporting teaching and learning (Athanassios, 2012; Laurillard, 2012; Price, Jewitt, & Brown, 2013a; Punie & Ala-Mutka, 2007). Empowered by technology, students and teachers are turning established teaching models on their heads by “flipping the classroom”, while new skills and demands from the work environment are redefining the emphasis within educational institutions.