Sara Dexter

Teachers’ Views of Computers as Catalysts for Changes in Their Teaching Practice

AbstractIn this study, we examined the use of computers by teachers and their perception of the impact of computers on their classroom practice. These data draw from 47 teachers from 20 K–12 schools across three states who each completed a questionnaire, participated in three semistructured interviews, and allowed three observations of their classroom. The teachers who had adopted more progressive teaching practices over time felt that computers helped them change, but they did not acknowledge computers as the catalyst for change; instead they cited reflection upon experience, classes taken, and the context or culture of the school. We conclude that for teachers to implement the use of educational technology in a constructivist manner, they must have opportunities to construct pedagogical knowledge in a supportive climate.

School Technology Leadership: An Empirical Investigation of Prevalence and Effect

The general question addressed is what technology leadership attributes make what kind of difference in the success of various technology-related programs. First, this article has integrated the prescriptive literature on technology leadership with the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) and then has operationalized technology leadership in terms of NETS-A. Data from the 1998 Teaching, Learning, and Computing nationwide survey of more than 800 schools were used to examine technology leadership characteristics and their effect on indicators of technology outcomes. The findings confirm that although technology infrastructure is important, technology leadership is even more necessary for effective utilization of technology in schooling.

What added value does a 1:1 student to laptop ratio bring to technology-supported teaching and learning?

The purpose of this study was to document typical use and configuration of 1:1 computing in twoschoolsfocusingontheaddedvalueanduniquechallengestheseusespresent.Aqualitative casestudydesignwasusedintwomiddleschools(sixth,seventhandeighthgrade)inthesoutheastern United States purposefully selected for their 1:1 computing programmes. Data were collected through formal and informal interviews, direct observations and site documents. Results indicated that online research, productivity tools, drill and practice, and eCommunications were the most frequent uses of computers in the 1:1 classroom. Moreover, the 1:1 classroom provided potentially transformative added value to these uses while simultaneously presenting unique management challenges to the teacher. In addition, the presence of 1:1 laptops did not automatically add value and their high financial costs underscore the need to provide teachers with high-quality professional development to ensure effective teaching. In order to create effective learning environments, teachers need opportunities to learn what instruction and assessment practices, curricular resources and classroom management skills work best in a 1:1 student to networked laptop classroom setting. Finally, researchers documentedwidevariationinfidelityto1:1computing,whichsuggeststheneedforfurtherresearch exploring the conditions under which this variation exists.

Why Improving Preservice Teacher Educational Technology Preparation Must Go beyond the College's Walls

To prepare new teachers to use technology within their programs of preparation, schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs) can develop and require coursework in which students learn how to operate and teach with technology and set expectations that students demonstrate their integration abilities during student teaching. This survey of student teachers found that setting these expectations for designing and delivering instruction using technology was effective in getting student teachers to use technology during clinical experiences. However, additional factors beyond the control of SCDEs were equally important, such as the level of access to technology and the support of and feedback from cooperating teachers at the student teaching site. The authors discuss the implications these factors hold for SCDEs extending efforts “beyond their walls” to prepare new teachers to use technology.

ICT policy planning in a context of curriculum reform: Disentanglement of ICT policy domains and artifacts

Researchers and policy makers around the world are increasingly acknowledging the importance of developing a school-based ICT policy plan to facilitate the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in education. Despite this interest, not much is known about how schools can develop their local ICT policy capacity and how to establish an ICT policy plan. In order to fill the gap in research on ICT policy planning, a multiple case study analysis with a mixed-method design was carried out with three Flemish primary schools. Primary schools in Flanders are encouraged by the government to develop local ICT policy planning in a context of ICT curriculum reform. Data from multiple sources (e.g. interviews with school leaders and ICT coordinators, focus group interviews with teachers, school policy document analysis, and a teacher questionnaire) were gathered and analyzed. The results indicate that ICT policy planning in schools should be considered as a multifaceted phenomenon grounded in school culture. ICT policy consists of different policy domains: vision development, financial policy, infrastructural policy, continuing professional development policy, and curriculum policy. Each policy domain can be described in terms of policy artifacts (tools, routines, and structures), and differences exist between schools concerning the involvement of teachers in the policy planning process and in the distribution of management tasks. As such, the study illustrates a distributed leadership perspective on ICT school policy planning. The results are of particular importance for school leaders, ICT coordinators and professional development trainers, and illustrates that ICT school policy is as much about developing shared meanings among stakeholders for ICT, and coordinating their relations and interactions in keeping with the schools culture as it is about content related decisions.

Leadership for IT in Schools

Technology leadership is a significant predictor of effective IT use in classrooms. The desired outcome should be an effective learning environment for teachers in which they can develop their technology-enhanced instructional practices. Such an environment involves IT leaders working together to determine a vision for IT use and to provide the necessary learning opportunities and organizational support to make it happen. IT leadership should be thought of as a school-level characteristic that is carried out by teams.

Quality Technology Support: What is it? Who Has it? and What Difference Does it Make?

Using the recommendations of the CEO Forum report on Professional Development, we operationalized “quality technology support” as consisting of: 1) access to one-on-one personal guidance and help; 2) frequent teacher participation in technology-oriented professional support among teacher peers; 3) professional development content focused on instruction and integration; and 4) access to resources. Using the 1998 TLC national survey of teachers, we empirically confirmed that the frequency, variety, and increased use of technology in the classroom are associated with the availability of quality technology support. These results suggest that if technology leaders hope teachers will integrate technology they should attend to the instructional aspects of technology support, such as professional development opportunities and learning environments, as well as its technical components.

Experimental evidence on the effectiveness of automated essay scoring in teacher education cases

Research on computer-based writing evaluation has only recently focused on the potential for providing formative feedback rather than summative assessment. This study tests the impact of an automated essay scorer (AES) that provides formative feedback on essay drafts written as part of a series of online teacher education case studies. Seventy preservice teachers in four teacher education classes were assigned to complete two cases. Each student was randomly assigned to either a condition where the AES was available (experimental condition) or a condition where the AES was unavailable (control condition). Students in the experimental condition who opted to use the AES submitted more highly rated final, human-scored essays (in the second of two case studies) and conducted more relevant searches (in both of the two case studies) than students either in the control condition or in the experimental condition who chose not to use the scorer.

Using Asynchronous Discussion To Support Preservice Teachers' Practicum Experiences

ConclusionThis multi-genre writing, multimedia, co-inquiry project produced successful end products. The middle school students gained experience in writing in a variety of genres, communicating through multiple media, and using education technology to do so. Likewise, the pre-service teachers developed their skills in these same areas. More importantly for our preservice teachers they gained teaching experience and had a chance to interact with students in the role of the teacher. This success would not have been achieved without the collaboration and cooperation of many individuals as well as access to the required technologies. The asynchronous discussion board was an important part of that success. This mode of telecommunications facilitated increased social and substantive interactions between the middle school students and the preservice teachers from the beginning to the end of the project. With careful consideration of the points and questions we present here, we hope that you will be able to adopt or adapt this mode of telecommunications to add value to your pre-service teachers’ teaching experiences and interactions with K-12 students.

E-Mentors: Connecting Caring Adults and Kids through E-Mail.

ConclusionWe feel that this program has been enormously beneficial in improving student’s writing skills, interpersonal skills, and computer literacy. According to Principal Linda Perdaems, “This program has had a powerful impact on participating students’ lives. It has opened their eyes to the world of business, helped them set goals for their education, and given them another adult with whom to build a relationship. The program has met and surpassed all expectations.” Teachers feel that as students experience a positive link with the workplace, they are motivated to do better in school. We have also had the pleasure of watching the participating students’ self-esteem blossom under the warmth and light provided through this meaningful and supportive relationship with an additional caring adult.