Michael Hammond

Why do some student teachers make very good use of ICT? An exploratory case study

This paper reports the findings from a study of student teachers at a university–school initial teacher education partnership in England. Forty student teachers, on primary and secondary teacher education programmes, were identified through tutor and mentor reports as making very good use of information and communication technologies (ICT). These student teachers were interviewed, and in many cases observed, teaching a lesson using ICT. Interviews covered their use of ICT in a particular lesson; their past experience of using ICT; factors encouraging or discouraging their use of ICT in school; and their beliefs about teaching and learning. Observations recorded their uses of hardware and software. Findings indicate that access, support for, and modelling of, ICT use in the classroom were key issues in developing this very good use of ICT. Equally important, however, seemed to be the belief that ICT could make a positive difference to teaching and learning and a willingness to ‘learn by doing’. These findings are reported in the context of the wider literature.

What is an affordance and can it help us understand the use of ICT in education

This paper revisits the concept of affordance and explores its contribution to an understanding of the use of ICT for teaching and learning. It looks at Gibson’s original idea of affordance and at some of the difficulties long associated with the use of the word. It goes on to describe the translation of the concept of affordance into the field of design through the work, in particular, of Norman. The concept has since been translated into research concerning ICT and further opportunities and difficulties emerge. The paper locates key points of divergence within the usage of ‘affordance’, as involving direct perception, invariant properties and complementarity. It concludes by arguing that affordance offers a distinctive perspective on the use of ICT in education because of its focus on possibilities for action.

Challenges of university adjustment in the UK: a study of East Asian Master’s degree students

This paper reports on the adjustment of East Asian Master’s level students who came to study at a campus-based university in the UK during 2004–05. International students face challenges in respect to language proficiency, academic expectations and social participation. In this longitudinal study the experiences of a group of students from East Asian countries were surveyed, with a sample of eight students from five countries tracked through regular interviews. The paper describes the level of satisfaction that students experienced and the challenges they faced. It was found that students largely enjoyed their sojourn and achieved satisfactory levels of academic success. They encountered ‘culture bumps’ rather than culture shock. Adjustment was facilitated by adequate preparation, appropriate academic attainment and satisfying levels of social participation with other international students. It is suggested that these students were experiencing an ‘international postgraduate student culture’ rather than integration into local culture.

Introducing ICT in schools in England: Rationale and consequences

This paper provides a critical perspective on the attempts to promote the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching and learning in England. It describes the rationale given for the introduction of ICT in terms of its potential to impact on educational standards to contribute to developing a curriculum which has more vocational/social significance and, more generally, to provide a catalyst for curriculum reform. The introduction of ICT is underpinned by the argument that schools should show a higher degree of correspondence with a wider world where the use of technology is pervasive. However, the claims made for ICT display excessive optimism and a sense of “inevitability.” ICT has had only a modest impact on schools, though impact has to be considered in the context of what can realistically be expected: the contribution of ICT has not been negligible. Future development in the use of ICT should be more measured and adaptive, taking account of the multidimensional nature of technology.

The Peculiarities of Teaching Information and Communication Technology as a Subject: A Study of Trainee and New ICT Teachers in Secondary Schools

Abstract This article reports on teaching information and communication technology (ICT) as a subject. It arises out of research carried out with ICT trainee teachers during their initial training and their first years of teaching. The backgrounds of four cohorts of new ICT teachers are described along with levels of retention in teaching. The associations that trainee and new teachers make with their subject are then explored. It was found that specialist ICT teachers see ICT as a practical subject offering pupils scope for variety and control over their learning. A key, and they felt unique, feature of ICT was its ever-changing nature. The research explores the planning and teaching of ICT and features of ICT subject knowledge. The article concludes by highlighting the continuing shortages of specialist ICT teachers in school and the need to support the career development of those teaching ICT.

Learning through on-line discussion: what are the opportunities for professional development and what are the characteristics of on-line writing?

Abstract This article explores the growing interest in the use of asynchronous text-based discussion to support the professional development of teachers and other occupational groups. It describes a post-degree course in which teachers, lecturers and librarians at local schools and colleges used on-line forums to share and reflect on their professional knowledge. The particular focus of the article is on the experiences of forum participants and the opportunities which on-line discussion provides for their professional learning. The discussion in the article is developed around an extract from a forum and focuses on the initiating of on-line discussion, what participants might learn by taking part, and the style of contributions. The article suggests that electronic forums have huge potential for developing professional knowledge in that participants have opportunities to articulate ideas, have access to other information and other viewpoints and can seek clarification from colleagues. However, the proces...

Beliefs and ICT: what can we learn from experienced educators?

This article contributes to this special edition of Technology, Pedagogy and Education by looking at beliefs about knowing and learning held by 15 teacher educators with longstanding involvement in the Association for Information Technology in Teacher Education. Beliefs were challenging to identify but were ascribed to participants through examining accounts of practice on the basis of ‘what they held true’ about teaching and learning. The study uncovered a widely held core belief in knowing as constructivist and a more peripheral belief in learner-centred, or social constructivist, pedagogy. Identifying participants’ beliefs helped to understand the frameworks in which judgements about teaching and learning with ICT were made even if the impact of beliefs on every day practice could not be taken for granted. The study discusses the importance of beliefs as a stable point of reference in teaching and learning; tensions in categorising beliefs; and the particular role of beliefs in relation to engagement with ICT.

The word processor re–visited: observations on the use of the word processor to develop literacy at key stage 2

Background to the study The word processor has been present in schools for over twenty years and has longed seemed an ideal tool to encourage pupils to re draft text as well as offering other advantages such as a shared screen for collaborative working and professional presentation of writing. Not surprisingly some case studies have provided valuable evidence on the value of word processor for young writers ( eg, Dauite, 1985; Dalton and Hannafin, 1987; Breese, Jackson and Prince, 1996).

The contribution of pragmatism to understanding educational action research: value and consequences

This paper argues that action research finds a rationale in the pragmatic position that knowledge is provisional and generated through a transaction between agent and environment. Action research finds a further methodological rationale in the pragmatic view that knowledge is generated within indeterminate situations, requires habits of reflection and analysis, and is arrived at through open agreement. However, pragmatic action research is also distinctive: it has a particular concern for consensus and, through the work of Dewey, a focus on the pedagogical implications of problem solving. This paper discusses the value of the label ‘pragmatic’ and the strengths and weaknesses of the pragmatic approach.

Is there a role for social networking sites in education

Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become popular among millions of users including students of all ages. There are ongoing discussions over the potential of these sites to support teaching and learning, particularly to complement traditional or online classroom activities. This paper explores whether social networking have a place in teaching and learning by investigating how students use these sites and whether they find opportunities to discuss study related activities with their peers. Two small scale studies were carried out in a face-to-face undergraduate course in Singapore and students enrolled in a face-to-face Master’s programme in Brazil. Data were collected using surveys and interviews; findings were mixed. Many of the Brazilian students used social networking sites to both socialize and discuss their studies while the Singaporean students used such sites for social interactions only. The paper discusses these differences and offers suggestions for further research.