Marie Joubert

Participatory practices: Lessons learnt from two initiatives using online digital technologies to build knowledge

This study drew on data from two different initiatives in which groups of participants were asked to work together to build knowledge. In the first initiative school students were asked to discuss ethical issues in science, using a moderated online discussion board and in the second, researchers in the field of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) used a wiki to develop a vision statement. Despite the different contexts and purposes of the initiatives, the outcomes were remarkably similar in terms of a) the extent and patterns of contributions and b) the quality of the contributions. In both, there was some level of success in that the intended outcome was reached. However, in both, there were fewer contributions than anticipated and the quality of a large proportion of the contributions was disappointing. It is suggested that the reasons for this are related to four factors; the socio-cultural setting, the nature of the knowledge that was being built, the tools used and the way the activity was set up (including setting shared goals).

Discussing Ethical Issues in School Science: An investigation into the opportunities to practise and develop arguments offered by online and face‐to‐face discussions

Recent changes in UK science curricula mean that it is now expected that pupils are taught about socio‐scientific applications and implications of science; however, finding time to incorporate associated discussions and to set up forums for debate is challenging for teachers. This paper reports on a project to investigate different approaches to engaging students in argument and discussion including online debate outside lesson time. The project involved incorporating different types of discussion into sixth form (students aged 16–17) biology lessons. An opportunity sample of six experienced teachers and their classes (totalling 84 students) was recruited. In all, five online discussions between schools, one online within school discussion and four face‐to‐face discussions were analysed for their quality of argument. Results indicate that, within this sample, the dialogue in online discussions demonstrated higher levels of argumentation than those in face‐to‐face discussions. Students in the face‐to‐face discussions volunteered less evidence to support their arguments and were less likely to challenge each other’s points. Students reported they learned slightly more from online discussion than from face‐to‐face discussion; this was confirmed by their teachers. Whilst this study is clearly limited by size and the unanticipated events within school that limited the amount of data collected, it was concluded that online discussion is worth further investigation by education practitioners. It offers opportunities to bring students together across time and space to practise justifying and defending their point of view.

Transmission, transformation and ritual: an investigation of students’ and researchers’ digitally mediated communications and collaborative work

This article explores the use of multiple digital tools for mediating communications, drawing on two recent empirical studies in which students and researchers in UK higher education worked on collaborative activities: how different tools were used and the quality of the communications and their contributions to collaborative working and knowledge construction are outlined. We draw on Pea’s proposition that communications can be understood as transmissive, ritualised or transformative depending on their impact on other participants. Most of the students’ communications were either transmissive or ritualistic, although there were also generative conversations offering mutual support. Researchers’ conversations were more often transformative, using tools consistently, for specific purposes. Researchers matched the tool to the specific needs of the task, whereas the students chose tools based on friendship groups and lifestyles. Transformative communications were powerful in co‐configuring new knowledge and resources, and the importance of the ritual communications in maintaining the social order was also essential to communications in collaborative settings. We conclude that close attention to protocols, social norms and patterns of use in digitally mediated ‘conversations’ is required to develop collaborative partnerships and support transformation practices amongst higher education ‘workers’.

Using online digital technologies to build knowledge: lessons learned from three initiatives

This study draws on three initiatives in which groups of people collaborated, using online tools, to build knowledge. There are important differences between the initiatives; for example a) one involved school students and the others involved researchers b) the tools used were different and c) the aims and intentions were different. Despite these differences, there are interesting similarities between the outcomes of the initiatives; whereas all could be said to have reached their aims, two were less successful than the third in engaging the participants in collaborative knowledge building. It seems that the reasons for these differences are complex but are primarily related to two factors; the nature of the knowledge that was being built and the way the activity was set up. In particular it seems that ownership of the goals can account for the relative success of the third initiative.

The Researching Effective CPD in Mathematics Education (RECME) research project

In England, current concerns about the teaching and learning of mathematics (ACME 2002, 2006; Ofsted 2008; Smith 2004; Williams 2008) are addressed partly through continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers of mathematics (ACME 2002; Ofsted 2008). In 2006 the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics was set up to provide strategic leadership for mathematicsspecific CPD; it commissioned this research project to provide evidence-based advice and recommendations. It is rare to find large-scale research concerning CPD for teachers of mathematics and it is common to find that research in this area is undertaken by people who could be seen as stake-holders in the CPD initiatives being studied (as discussed by Joubert and Sutherland 2008). The RECME project, however, was both large-scale and conducted by researchers who were not involved in the CPD initiatives. It investigated 30 different professional development initiatives for teachers of mathematics taking place in the academic year 2007 2008, collecting and analysing data about their structure and organisation, as well as the responses of participating teachers. This report concerns aspects of the study related to the characterisation of the professional development initiatives and teachers’ responses to various characteristics, which we suggest provide one way of understanding the ‘effectiveness’ of professional development initiatives. The thirty initiatives in the sample fell into three types: courses; within-school initiatives; and networks in which groups of teachers from different schools or colleges met to provide mutual support. Some teachers took part in professional development to gain qualifications. However, most teachers in the courses and networks seemed to participate because they were invited, they wanted to take advantage of an opportunity, or they were encouraged to. The within-school initiatives were organised by the school, and all teachers of mathematics participated. Courses and some networks tended to introduce participants to new ideas and knowledge, frequently focusing on specific mathematical knowledge for teaching, but in some cases approaching improving mathematics teaching and learning more

Stellar a network of excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning

This paper introduces STELLAR, the Network of Excellence in the field of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), funded under the 7th Framework Programme, and illustrates its objectives. Besides, the paper describes how STELLAR has approached the challenges of interdisciplinary working and outlines the key achievements of the Network in terms of developing a strategic vision for TEL research in Europe. Lastly, it provides examples of research areas which should be addressed within programmes of research in TEL.

Understanding teacher enquiry

Research suggests that teachers’ engagement in their own research has the potential to contribute to teacher learning (for example, Jaworski 2006). The National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM) subscribes to this view, and has funded nearly 100 small-scale enquiry projects. This study reviewed the scheme, with a particular focus on the learning of teachers involved in the scheme. The research used three data collection instruments: