Elementary Science and Technology Teachers' Views on Problems Encountered in the Instructional Process
Gecer, Aynur; Ozel, Ruhan (2012) Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, “Elementary Science and Technology Teachers’ Views on Problems Encountered in the Instructional Process” 12: 3, 2256-2261
Research article
This article was very interesting because it was a study on the teachers’ views of problems encountered using technology in the instructional process. First, the article discusses how science and technology have adopted the contemporary approach to teaching and the teacher is the central role in this task. The article discusses the problems teachers have in using technology in the instructional process and the purpose of this study which is to gather teachers’ thoughts, evaluations and views about the effectiveness of the instructional process. The participants are teachers who teach science and technology for grades six, seven and eighth graders. The teachers were chosen using the criterion sampling technique. The data was collected by using semi-structured interview forms and questionnaires. The results of the study concluded that the teachers thought classrooms were crowded, a lack of equipment and the shortage of time for the activities.
I thought the article was very good. The article went into detail describing the problem and how they conducting the study. The article included how they chose the participants and how they went through the interview and questionnaire process of the study. The results were basically the same as they are today. The classrooms are overcrowded. The equipment and facilities are inadequate or non-existence. The last finding is a problem that weighs on every teachers mind is there is not enough time with all of the standardized tests and the preparation for these test.
Gecer, Aynur; Ozel, Ruhan (2012) Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, “Elementary Science and Technology Teachers’ Views on Problems Encountered in the Instructional Process” 12: 3, 2256-2261
Research article
This article was very interesting because it was a study on the teachers’ views of problems encountered using technology in the instructional process. First, the article discusses how science and technology have adopted the contemporary approach to teaching and the teacher is the central role in this task. The article discusses the problems teachers have in using technology in the instructional process and the purpose of this study which is to gather teachers’ thoughts, evaluations and views about the effectiveness of the instructional process. The participants are teachers who teach science and technology for grades six, seven and eighth graders. The teachers were chosen using the criterion sampling technique. The data was collected by using semi-structured interview forms and questionnaires. The results of the study concluded that the teachers thought classrooms were crowded, a lack of equipment and the shortage of time for the activities.
I thought the article was very good. The article went into detail describing the problem and how they conducting the study. The article included how they chose the participants and how they went through the interview and questionnaire process of the study. The results were basically the same as they are today. The classrooms are overcrowded. The equipment and facilities are inadequate or non-existence. The last finding is a problem that weighs on every teachers mind is there is not enough time with all of the standardized tests and the preparation for these test.
Identifying the Professional Development Needs of Early Career Teachers in Scotland Using the Nominal Group Technique
Kennedy, Aileen and Clinton, Colleen (2009)’Identifying the professional development needs of early career teachers in Scotland using the nominal group technique’, Teacher Development, 13:1, 29-41
To link this Article: DOI: 10.1080/13664530902858485
URL: http:/dx.doi.org/10.1080/13664530902858485
Theory-into-Practice article
The article I read was very interesting. The article discussed a study conducted in Scotland with teachers in their second to sixth year teaching career. The study was conducted to find the continuing professional development needs of the teachers using the Nominal Group Technique which is the main focus of the article. The Nominal Group Technique is a very structured and precise but flexible method for obtaining both qualitative and quantitative participants’ responses. The article discusses the four phases of the Nominal Group Technique in-depth. The first phase involves asking a question and generating individual ideas and responses to the question. The second phase involves a round-robin approach of sharing and listing ideas and responses with no interruptions and no discussion of the ideas or responses. The third phase involves clarification and classifying individual ideas and responses into similar categories. The fourth and last phase is the voting by individuals to prioritize the ideas and responses as most important, next most important and so on until all of the ideas and responses are in order of most important to least important at this time. The participants’ ideas and categorization are not influenced by the researcher which is one of the advantages of the Nominal Group Technique. The focus of the Nominal Group Technique is on the ‘consumer rather than the producer’ which brings to the study many benefits. The maximum input is from the group participants which makes the data have little influence from the researchers.
The article was very interesting. The Nominal Group Technique is an example of the first part of an Instructional Design Process. This technique is systematic and identifies the participants’ needs before beginning instruction which is the first step in the Instructional Design process. I think the article describes the ‘felt needs’ of the participants. The article discusses the second to sixth year career teachers and what their needs are in improving their continuing professional education. This could, also, be considered an ‘anticipated or future need.’ The study is preparing the road for future continuing professional educational opportunities for this group of teachers because at the moment there are very little educational opportunities to address these teachers’ needs. The article discussed how the Nominal Group Technique followed the four phases of conducting a needs assessment – phase one: planning, phase two: collecting the data, phase three: analyzing the data and phase four: compiling a final report and the six steps of goal analysis which are as follows: Identify an Aim, Set Goals, Refine Goals, Rank Goals, Refine Goals Again, and Make a Final Ranking. I thought this article was a good example of the beginning stages of an Instructional Design Process.
Kennedy, Aileen and Clinton, Colleen (2009)’Identifying the professional development needs of early career teachers in Scotland using the nominal group technique’, Teacher Development, 13:1, 29-41
To link this Article: DOI: 10.1080/13664530902858485
URL: http:/dx.doi.org/10.1080/13664530902858485
Theory-into-Practice article
The article I read was very interesting. The article discussed a study conducted in Scotland with teachers in their second to sixth year teaching career. The study was conducted to find the continuing professional development needs of the teachers using the Nominal Group Technique which is the main focus of the article. The Nominal Group Technique is a very structured and precise but flexible method for obtaining both qualitative and quantitative participants’ responses. The article discusses the four phases of the Nominal Group Technique in-depth. The first phase involves asking a question and generating individual ideas and responses to the question. The second phase involves a round-robin approach of sharing and listing ideas and responses with no interruptions and no discussion of the ideas or responses. The third phase involves clarification and classifying individual ideas and responses into similar categories. The fourth and last phase is the voting by individuals to prioritize the ideas and responses as most important, next most important and so on until all of the ideas and responses are in order of most important to least important at this time. The participants’ ideas and categorization are not influenced by the researcher which is one of the advantages of the Nominal Group Technique. The focus of the Nominal Group Technique is on the ‘consumer rather than the producer’ which brings to the study many benefits. The maximum input is from the group participants which makes the data have little influence from the researchers.
The article was very interesting. The Nominal Group Technique is an example of the first part of an Instructional Design Process. This technique is systematic and identifies the participants’ needs before beginning instruction which is the first step in the Instructional Design process. I think the article describes the ‘felt needs’ of the participants. The article discusses the second to sixth year career teachers and what their needs are in improving their continuing professional education. This could, also, be considered an ‘anticipated or future need.’ The study is preparing the road for future continuing professional educational opportunities for this group of teachers because at the moment there are very little educational opportunities to address these teachers’ needs. The article discussed how the Nominal Group Technique followed the four phases of conducting a needs assessment – phase one: planning, phase two: collecting the data, phase three: analyzing the data and phase four: compiling a final report and the six steps of goal analysis which are as follows: Identify an Aim, Set Goals, Refine Goals, Rank Goals, Refine Goals Again, and Make a Final Ranking. I thought this article was a good example of the beginning stages of an Instructional Design Process.
University Teacher Roles and Competencies in Online Learning Environments
Alvarez, I; Guasch, T.; Espasa, A. (2009) “University Teacher Roles and Competencies in Online Learning Environments” European Journal of Teacher Education. 32:3, 321-336
Professional Practice article
This article was written about a study conducted with university teachers about the roles and competencies of university teachers and the implementation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which simply means teaching courses online. The study covered teachers in the United States, as well as, participants in the European Project Elene-TT. The study looked at different designs of university teacher training both online and blended/hybrid learning (face to face meetings and online components) environments focusing on only two objectives. The study conducted research into the definitions for teacher roles and competencies in online courses. The study defined the roles of the university teachers and asked university teachers’ their opinions of what more was needed for teaching online courses. The researchers compiled the results and conducted an analysis on the results. This study with the results of other studies makes the same consensus. There is an ongoing effort and need to clarify and define the roles of university teachers creating and teaching online learning communities and incorporating the ICT tools.
A very interesting article that mirrors what we are learning in class about instructional design. The article provides an example of a background study and research into designing an instructional online environment. One thing I liked about the article was the comment about staying consistent with your format. Another thing I liked was how the article clearly defined the different roles involved in planning and designing an online learning environment. I agree with the article. This is just the beginning stages of research and case studies on the tools used for online courses. This article brought up some good points we need to keep in mind as we plan and develop our instructional design.
Alvarez, I; Guasch, T.; Espasa, A. (2009) “University Teacher Roles and Competencies in Online Learning Environments” European Journal of Teacher Education. 32:3, 321-336
Professional Practice article
This article was written about a study conducted with university teachers about the roles and competencies of university teachers and the implementation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which simply means teaching courses online. The study covered teachers in the United States, as well as, participants in the European Project Elene-TT. The study looked at different designs of university teacher training both online and blended/hybrid learning (face to face meetings and online components) environments focusing on only two objectives. The study conducted research into the definitions for teacher roles and competencies in online courses. The study defined the roles of the university teachers and asked university teachers’ their opinions of what more was needed for teaching online courses. The researchers compiled the results and conducted an analysis on the results. This study with the results of other studies makes the same consensus. There is an ongoing effort and need to clarify and define the roles of university teachers creating and teaching online learning communities and incorporating the ICT tools.
A very interesting article that mirrors what we are learning in class about instructional design. The article provides an example of a background study and research into designing an instructional online environment. One thing I liked about the article was the comment about staying consistent with your format. Another thing I liked was how the article clearly defined the different roles involved in planning and designing an online learning environment. I agree with the article. This is just the beginning stages of research and case studies on the tools used for online courses. This article brought up some good points we need to keep in mind as we plan and develop our instructional design.
Virtual School Pedagogy: The Instructional Practices of K-12 Virtual School Teachers
DiPietro, Meredith.; (2010); “Virtual School Pedagogy: The Instructional Practices of K-12 Virtual School Teachers”, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 42:327-354.
Professional Practice Article
This article was very interesting because it described a research study that was done with virtual school teachers. First, the article discussed the literature review that said there were very few research studies on virtual school teachers and their practices. Next, the article discussed the framework for the research study- how the participants were chosen, data collection, and analysis of the data. The article went on to discuss the five beliefs that were discovered as important factors in a successful virtual classroom. The five beliefs are connecting with students, fluid practice, engaging students with content, managing the course, and supporting student success. The article continues with a discussion on the communication between student and teacher, pedagogic practices, instructional design, and the implications of practice and policy for virtual teachers. The article concludes with discussing future research and expectations.
I really enjoyed reading this article. The article discussed the five beliefs that need to be considered when designing and teaching a successful virtual course. We need to keep in my mind these five beliefs as we design our own instructional course. For example, connecting and communicating with the learner is an important concern. This comes more easily in a face to face classroom because you can read the body language of the learner and hear the intonation of the learner speaking. If the learner feels a connection with the teacher, the learner will be more apt communicating with the teacher any questions or concerns whether it is with the content of the class or the other classmates. One interesting fact I learned in regard to the K-12 virtual classroom is the student has available a mentor. This mentor can meet with the student in a face to face meeting to discuss any concerns. Hopefully, there will be a set of standards developed for all mentors so all students will get the same high quality information and help.
DiPietro, Meredith.; (2010); “Virtual School Pedagogy: The Instructional Practices of K-12 Virtual School Teachers”, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 42:327-354.
Professional Practice Article
This article was very interesting because it described a research study that was done with virtual school teachers. First, the article discussed the literature review that said there were very few research studies on virtual school teachers and their practices. Next, the article discussed the framework for the research study- how the participants were chosen, data collection, and analysis of the data. The article went on to discuss the five beliefs that were discovered as important factors in a successful virtual classroom. The five beliefs are connecting with students, fluid practice, engaging students with content, managing the course, and supporting student success. The article continues with a discussion on the communication between student and teacher, pedagogic practices, instructional design, and the implications of practice and policy for virtual teachers. The article concludes with discussing future research and expectations.
I really enjoyed reading this article. The article discussed the five beliefs that need to be considered when designing and teaching a successful virtual course. We need to keep in my mind these five beliefs as we design our own instructional course. For example, connecting and communicating with the learner is an important concern. This comes more easily in a face to face classroom because you can read the body language of the learner and hear the intonation of the learner speaking. If the learner feels a connection with the teacher, the learner will be more apt communicating with the teacher any questions or concerns whether it is with the content of the class or the other classmates. One interesting fact I learned in regard to the K-12 virtual classroom is the student has available a mentor. This mentor can meet with the student in a face to face meeting to discuss any concerns. Hopefully, there will be a set of standards developed for all mentors so all students will get the same high quality information and help.
Design Expert's Participation in Elementary Students' Collaborative Design Process
Kangas, Kaiju; Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Pirita; Hakkarainen, Kai. (2013) “Design Expert’s Participation in Elementary Students’ Collaborative Design Process” International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 23:2, 161-178.
Professional Practice Article
I thought this article was very interesting. The article discussed the study of elementary students being taught by an expert and the teacher on designing lamps by using design and technology in the classroom. The expert was the leader with the teacher providing insight on the students and what needed to be revisited. The study used video-recorded lessons to provide the data sources. A data-driven qualitative content analysis was conducted to provide scaffolding for the students to improve the activities for the students. The study revealed that by using an expert designer with the teacher taught the students and showed the students the world of designing. The study, also, revealed that working with an expert provided the students with a better understanding of the content.
When I first started reading the article, I thought it was the beginning of designing on the computer. But the more I read, the more I realized the article was about students designing a new type of lamp. I thought this was a good way to introduce students to think creatively and to verbalize their ideas. This would be the very beginning stage of developing creative content for online courses or programs. I think more teachers should do activities that teach students to think more creatively and outside the box but the teachers would have to have more extensive training to be able to teach the students.
Kangas, Kaiju; Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Pirita; Hakkarainen, Kai. (2013) “Design Expert’s Participation in Elementary Students’ Collaborative Design Process” International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 23:2, 161-178.
Professional Practice Article
I thought this article was very interesting. The article discussed the study of elementary students being taught by an expert and the teacher on designing lamps by using design and technology in the classroom. The expert was the leader with the teacher providing insight on the students and what needed to be revisited. The study used video-recorded lessons to provide the data sources. A data-driven qualitative content analysis was conducted to provide scaffolding for the students to improve the activities for the students. The study revealed that by using an expert designer with the teacher taught the students and showed the students the world of designing. The study, also, revealed that working with an expert provided the students with a better understanding of the content.
When I first started reading the article, I thought it was the beginning of designing on the computer. But the more I read, the more I realized the article was about students designing a new type of lamp. I thought this was a good way to introduce students to think creatively and to verbalize their ideas. This would be the very beginning stage of developing creative content for online courses or programs. I think more teachers should do activities that teach students to think more creatively and outside the box but the teachers would have to have more extensive training to be able to teach the students.
The Science of Learning
Kantrowitz, Barbara. (2014). “The Science of Learning” Scientific American. 311:2. 69-73.
Research Article
This article was very interesting. First, the article began with an experiment about kindergartners and their classroom. Then discussed how the experiments are becoming more useful with technology like video cameras recording movement of eyes and body language and sensors showing if students are paying attention and are engaged. The article continues with when conducting research experiments, the objective is to look for patterns. The end result is sometimes wrong but being wrong is not a failure. It means to rethink the ideas and then go back and retest. Back in the beginning of two thousand, research meant countless hours in the field observing and taking notes on a clipboard. Today building that evidence base is much easier by using tablets and the internet. Bringing this evidence base to the classroom is difficult. The purpose of the “The What Works Clearinghouse” site was to help bridge the gap but it is not being used and it is not as useful as once thought.
I really enjoyed this article. It brought up many ideas and thoughts I had at one time or another. The idea that because something you tried is wrong does not mean failure. It means you have to go back and rethink your idea. The other idea I liked was you cannot fix education. You have to cultivate it and help it to grow and not one way will work. The article mentioned that when research is conducted in a real classroom the teacher, also, learns from the experience and the results of the study.
Kantrowitz, Barbara. (2014). “The Science of Learning” Scientific American. 311:2. 69-73.
Research Article
This article was very interesting. First, the article began with an experiment about kindergartners and their classroom. Then discussed how the experiments are becoming more useful with technology like video cameras recording movement of eyes and body language and sensors showing if students are paying attention and are engaged. The article continues with when conducting research experiments, the objective is to look for patterns. The end result is sometimes wrong but being wrong is not a failure. It means to rethink the ideas and then go back and retest. Back in the beginning of two thousand, research meant countless hours in the field observing and taking notes on a clipboard. Today building that evidence base is much easier by using tablets and the internet. Bringing this evidence base to the classroom is difficult. The purpose of the “The What Works Clearinghouse” site was to help bridge the gap but it is not being used and it is not as useful as once thought.
I really enjoyed this article. It brought up many ideas and thoughts I had at one time or another. The idea that because something you tried is wrong does not mean failure. It means you have to go back and rethink your idea. The other idea I liked was you cannot fix education. You have to cultivate it and help it to grow and not one way will work. The article mentioned that when research is conducted in a real classroom the teacher, also, learns from the experience and the results of the study.
Development and formative evaluation of multimedia case studies for Instructional Design and Technology students
Sugar, William. (2014) “Development and formative evaluation of multimedia case studies for Instructional Design and Technology Students” TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning. 58: 5, 36-52.
Theory-into-Practice Article
This article discusses three case studies-community college case study, corporate training case study and a military base case study- that incorporate real-life situations that include multimedia productions and instructional design skills into one main case study. First, the participants were asked about their multimedia and/or instructional design skills activities they provided for their students. Using the emergent theme analysis approach, there were nine distinct themes that came about that were used in the used in the main case study. They discussed the Community College case study, then the Corporate Training case study and ended with the Military base case study. Graduate students in six different Instructional Design and Technology program tested the case studies for their effectiveness. The graduate students commented on the case studies as being beneficial and helped with the understanding of related multimedia production and instructional design activities.
I really enjoyed this article. The three case studies being combined to be one main case study with nine similar themes was intriguing. I liked how they used the charts to show the similarities of the themes in the different case studies. It made understanding the themes easier and comparing the themes easier. I found the insights as interesting because these are the materials we are being taught to teach to our students like connecting the material to real life situations. The mathematical comparison made the reading a little hard but overall it was an interesting article.
Sugar, William. (2014) “Development and formative evaluation of multimedia case studies for Instructional Design and Technology Students” TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning. 58: 5, 36-52.
Theory-into-Practice Article
This article discusses three case studies-community college case study, corporate training case study and a military base case study- that incorporate real-life situations that include multimedia productions and instructional design skills into one main case study. First, the participants were asked about their multimedia and/or instructional design skills activities they provided for their students. Using the emergent theme analysis approach, there were nine distinct themes that came about that were used in the used in the main case study. They discussed the Community College case study, then the Corporate Training case study and ended with the Military base case study. Graduate students in six different Instructional Design and Technology program tested the case studies for their effectiveness. The graduate students commented on the case studies as being beneficial and helped with the understanding of related multimedia production and instructional design activities.
I really enjoyed this article. The three case studies being combined to be one main case study with nine similar themes was intriguing. I liked how they used the charts to show the similarities of the themes in the different case studies. It made understanding the themes easier and comparing the themes easier. I found the insights as interesting because these are the materials we are being taught to teach to our students like connecting the material to real life situations. The mathematical comparison made the reading a little hard but overall it was an interesting article.
Could we make diverse learning materials compatible with e-readers used in classroom learning settings?
Young, Shelley Shwu-Ching; Lin, Wei-Lin. (2012) “Could we make diverse learning materials compatible with e-readers used in classroom learning settings?” British Journal of Educational Technology. 43:6, 153-160.
Research Article
This article was interesting. The article began with an introduction to e-readers and how prevalent in today’s world. The purpose of the study was to explore how to make diverse learning materials available on the Amazon Kindle 3, Amazon Kindle DX and the Apple IPad. The article’s main focus was on the conversion of the files to be compatible with the e-readers. The materials to be converted were research papers, online news, book chapters, and PowerPoint slides. The data collected was the additional time it took to convert the material and any problems that were encountered. The article ended with saying this is just the first step and as time goes on it will become easier.
This article was very interesting because, as a teacher, I had wondered how difficult would it be to put learning material on the e-readers. The graphs and tables were useful in showing the data but the terminology was difficult and not well explained. For example, if you did not know what EPUB or AZW meant, you may get confused. The article explained some of how to convert material but you would need more detailed information to be able to convert the learning material. I believe with how fast technology is growing, it will become easier to put learning material on the e-readers.
Young, Shelley Shwu-Ching; Lin, Wei-Lin. (2012) “Could we make diverse learning materials compatible with e-readers used in classroom learning settings?” British Journal of Educational Technology. 43:6, 153-160.
Research Article
This article was interesting. The article began with an introduction to e-readers and how prevalent in today’s world. The purpose of the study was to explore how to make diverse learning materials available on the Amazon Kindle 3, Amazon Kindle DX and the Apple IPad. The article’s main focus was on the conversion of the files to be compatible with the e-readers. The materials to be converted were research papers, online news, book chapters, and PowerPoint slides. The data collected was the additional time it took to convert the material and any problems that were encountered. The article ended with saying this is just the first step and as time goes on it will become easier.
This article was very interesting because, as a teacher, I had wondered how difficult would it be to put learning material on the e-readers. The graphs and tables were useful in showing the data but the terminology was difficult and not well explained. For example, if you did not know what EPUB or AZW meant, you may get confused. The article explained some of how to convert material but you would need more detailed information to be able to convert the learning material. I believe with how fast technology is growing, it will become easier to put learning material on the e-readers.