Judith B. Harris

Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Learning Activity Types: Curriculum-based Technology Integration Reframed

Abstract In this paper we critically analyze extant approaches to technology integration in teaching, arguing that many current methods are technocentric, often omitting sufficient consideration of the dynamic and complex relationships among content, technology, pedagogy, and context. We recommend using the technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework as a way to think about effective technology integration, recognizing technology, pedagogy, content and context as interdependent aspects of teachers’ knowledge necessary to teach content-based curricula effectively with educational technologies. We offer TPACK-based “activity types,” rooted in previous research about content-specific activity structures, as an alternative to existing professional development approaches and explain how this new way of thinking may authentically and successfully assist teachers’ and teacher educators’ technology integration efforts.

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in Action: A Descriptive Study of Secondary Teachers' Curriculum-Based, Technology-Related Instructional Planning

Abstract How does teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) inform their instructional planning? How can this knowledge be enhanced? In an interpretivist study of experienced secondary social studies teachers’ planning, we sought to discover clues to the nature and development of these teachers’ TPACK-in-action as it was expressed in their planning processes. Comparisons of interview data and planning products before and after engaging in professional development that addressed content-focused, TPACK-based learning activity types (Harris & Hofer, 2009) revealed three primary findings, each supported by participating teachers’ oral and written reflections upon their learning. The participating teachers’ (a) selection and use of learning activities and technologies became more conscious, strategic, and varied; (b) instructional planning became more student-centered, focusing primarily upon students’ intellectual, rather than affective, engagement; and (c) quality standards for technology integration were raised, resulting in deliberate decisions for more judicious educational technology use.

A Descriptive Study of Telementoring among Students, Subject Matter Experts, and Teachers: Message Flow and Function Patterns

AbstractThis descriptive study of the online communications of 10 teams of SMEs, classroom teachers, and K–12 students focused on the functions, frequency, and flow of e-mail messages exchanged in the context of curriculum-based projects. All correspondence among team members was automatically logged and then analyzed over time. Categories for message function were based on a previously published taxonomy but emerged as data analysis progressed into 21 specific classifications. Results indicated that: (1) SMEs and teachers “talked” more online, respectively, than students, even though students’ inquiry was the focus of each online project; (2) participants’ roles as expert, teacher, or student were associated with greater and lesser frequencies of certain message function types; (3) requests or reports directly related to curriculum content comprised a surprisingly small portion of total message functions identified; and (4) when viewed longitudinally, “reporting” and “requesting” functions followed very ...

Bridging the Perspectives and Developmental Needs of All Participants in Curriculum-Based Telementoring Programs

Abstract Telementoring, also referred to as e-mentoring or online mentoring, has been carried out in a wide range of K–12 environments and continues to grow in popularity. Through a review of several studies, we argue that the potential for telementoring to support deeper and more authentic school learning will not be fully realized unless researchers pay more conscious attention to the developmental character of telementoring relationships. We discuss the flaws of up-front training as an approach to improving program outcomes, and compare three other strategies (iteration, facilitation, and open access to models) that can be used in combination to supplement training.

Correlates among Teachers' Anxieties, Demographics, and Telecomputing Activity.

AbstractAre educators’ anxiety levels or demographics related to their voluntary use of networked resources? In this study, one year of logins and online time for 189 randomly selected educators with accounts on Tenet (Texas Education Network) were correlated with six interval-level subject attribute variables: (a) writing apprehension, (b) oral communication apprehension, (c) computer anxiety, (d) age, (e) teaching experience, and (f) telecomputing experience. The usage data were also correlated with three nominal-level subject attribute variables: (a) gender, (b) professional specialty, and (c) teaching level. Results indicated that writing apprehension was significantly and negatively correlated with network use, and that telecomputing experience and online time were significantly and positively correlated. No other subject attribute variables were found to be correlated with logins or time spent online. These results, and the lack of significant relationships for computer anxiety and oral communicatio...

On becoming educational researchers: the importance of cogenerative mentoring

The purpose of this reflexive action inquiry was to explore the perceived authenticity (or lack thereof) of doctoral‐level research methods instruction. The idea for a collaborative self‐study emerged organically as a byproduct of a voluntary, year‐long research apprenticeship in which two of the authors were engaged, following coursework in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The apprenticeship was facilitated by the first author, a faculty member and methods course instructor. The importance of cogenerative dialog as an organizing process for methodological mentoring emerged as a central finding when the authors collaboratively examined cross‐case themes common to their autobiographical statements about and reflections upon learning to ‘do research’. The studys results show how and why cogenerative mentoring – as distinct from cogenerative work – goes beyond typical experiences in research methods courses, assistantships and even dissertation work. Using this form of mentoring may help doctoral students to experience methodological learning in more authentic and effective ways.

Participating from the sidelines, online: facilitating telementoring projects

Asynchronous,text-based communication is different from most otherforms of interchange in important ways.It lacks the full spectrum of visualand audible information that people depend upon,often unconsciously, in face-to-face exchanges.It also requires different interaction strategies ifit is to be used to create maximal educational benefit by and for students and teachers.These techniques can be modeled and made explicit bysomeone closely following online conversations in the role of facilitator,helping participants to construct online teaching/learning experiences inmutually beneficial ways.The Electronic Emissary s years of research haveshown that the people best prepared to assist in these ways have experiencein both online communication and pedagogy.The Emissary s facilitatorsprovide individualized,just in time assistance to teachers,students,andsubject matter experts during their telementoring exchanges.

Correlates with Use of Telecomputing Tools: K-12 Teachers' Beliefs and Demographics

AbstractWhat can be determined about the demographic characteristics, beliefs about teaching, degrees of innovativeness, and world views of classroom teachers and specialists who use Internet-based telecomputing tools? This study correlated data representing a year of online use with responses to questionnaire items about teacher beliefs and demographics for 558 respondents from a sample of 1,000 randomly selected Internet account holders on TENET, the statewide K–12 educational telecomputing network in Texas. Results showed significant correlations among beliefs about teaching, personal perceptions of innovativeness, and world views; respondents who were more student-centered in their beliefs about teaching perceived themselves to be more innovative and tended to see the world in a more social constructivist way than respondents with more traditional beliefs about teaching. Yet no strong significant correlations between telecomputing activity and beliefs or demographic information were found. In the case...

Writing Apprehension, Computer Anxiety and Telecomputing: a pilot study

ABSTRACT Is network login frequently related to graduate students’ writing apprehension, computer anxiety, age, or years of teaching experience? In a correlational pilot study of twenty educational technology students, writing apprehension and computer anxiety levels were measured both before and after eight weeks of using electronic mail, computer conferencing, and remote database searching facilities. Results showed that computer anxiety levels measured after telecomputing experience were significantly correlated with usage statistics, while writing apprehension scores collected before network use were significantly related to login frequency. Graduate students’ ages and years of teaching experience were not found to be statistically related to network use.

What Do Freehand and Computer-Facilitated Drawings Tell Teachers about the Children Who Drew Them?

AbstractA qualitative analysis of data was used to determine the scope and inter judge agreement of personality information communicated to computer-using classroom teachers through three types of children’s drawings (freehand, graphics tablet, and Logo). Each of 10 Logo-literate 9- or 10-year-old students was asked to draw pictures in the three different media. Each student, a parent, and the student’s current classroom teacher were interviewed to develop 10 vignette-style personality profiles. The information contained therein was then compared to what 13 Logo-using classroom teachers intuited about the children’s genders, ages, learning styles, and behavior patterns by looking at the drawings with no prior knowledge of the artists. Viewing teachers were not able to consistently detect artist gender or age by looking at pictures drawn with any of the three media, but 69% of the other statements made by the teachers agreed with information contained in the personality profiles.