W. Monty Jones

Learning to teach online: a systematic review of the literature on K-12 teacher preparation for teaching online

Abstract There is a growing need for qualified online instructors to teach the expanding population of online K-12 students. To meet this need, teachers must be provided learning opportunities to acquire the specific types of knowledge and skills necessary to teach online. In this systematic review of the literature, we utilize the TPACK framework to aggregate the types of knowledge and skills required to teach online and examine both the extent to which these elements are addressed in existing programs and are based on empirical research. Findings suggest that the types of knowledge and skills based on empirical research originate from few studies and that most programs address only a small subset of knowledge and skills, varying greatly without uniformity in content or learning experiences.

Educators’ perceptions of a maker-based learning experience

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine a cohort of educators’ perspectives of a semester-long maker-based university course. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study utilized participants’ weekly and end-of-semester written reflections to illustrate the participants’ perceptions of a semester-long university course focused on the role of maker principles and technologies in a variety of educational contexts. Findings The participants’ perceptions of learning following the semester-long maker experience viewed learning as a more collaborative experience, and noted the benefits of a classroom community that arose from the collaboration. Originality/value This study adds empirical research to the literature base on the use of maker tools and strategies in formal educational environments. While other studies have examined similar environments, they tend to focus on short-term, single experiences. This study followed the development of educators’ perceptions of a maker-based learning experience over a longer duration of time. The findings of this study provide a research-based foundation for teacher educators to build upon when developing maker-based learning activities.