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Children, on-line learning and authentic teaching skills in primary education |
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Issue 1: Who is the user? Questions: 1. "Is it actually necessary for staff to be able to use the software etc?" 2. "Or is it necessary for them to know how it can be used and let the kids get stuck into it?" This issue puzzles and concerns a lot of teachers. It is likely to more be helpful to use a different approach to such questions , eg,
Teacher as User The first question is about 'teacher as independent user'. One implication is that the answer to this revised question will be situational - depending on such factors as...
Applying the tools The second question is sufficiently different to be considered as a separate question. The first question is about teacher as operator (getting the tools to work), the second is about application (moving towards one's purposes by using the tools) - so reflections based on an 'either/or' formulation are not likely to be helpful. Once again it is situational hence the question might be better as
Interestingly the lists of factors for both questions are probably very similar, but the focus is different. The factors for the application question focus on the teacher being able to meet his/her responsibilities (usually with the student as user). Issue 2: Teacher Confidence In a recent discussion one participant observed that ..."There is certainly a confidence issue, but most of that seems related to insecurity with the unknown. That has two solutions: make the unknown known, or get over the insecurity. Are we seeing a teacher-must-be- expert phenomenon? Perhaps it’s a necessary stage."
Uncertainty Uncertainty always generates some level of anxiety The two suggested solutions are frequently observed as milestones in teacher development but it would be too simplistic to see them as just personal characteristics of individuals. In some cases there is a teacher-must-be-expert phenomenon and this can be a norm required by communities and schools in some situations. from our project observations, one of the most common teacher insecurities arises from an incomplete knowledge of what the students might encounter while using the software - there is considerable nostalgia amongst some more experienced teachers for the days of "Granny's Garden" etc when the teacher could confidently anticipate the experiences of the students. For many teacher student use of web-browsers has a similar impact.
Experience as antidote Experience plays a major role in reducing this anxiety. Technology is used in activities. Having experience means the teacher has some acquired some useful spontaneous concepts on which to draw and which help relate students, technology and learning activities. Without substantial experience of ICT in their class program, the teacher may well be limited to abstract concepts derived from PD workshops. With additional experience these spontaneous and abstract concepts merge to become mature concepts and are more readily used in planning and moment by moment decision making. (Vygotsky) Issue 3: The role of the teacher The initial questions (above) were really about equipping the teacher for his/her role in teaching and learning that incorporates the use of ICT. One valid approach would suggest the following needs to be addressed
Teacher as instructor This fits easily with the teacher-must-be-expert model: it works well where the teacher is capable of being the instructor. It also is the kind of rationale that is attempted in many schools. In some (usually larger) schools there may be a division of labour between classroom teachers and specialist staff where there some of the direct instruction for students is undertaken in 'lab' situations. In smaller schools Aides or volunteers often provide a similar support service.
A different teacher role Occasionally, teachers who were not confident or proficient computer users may still be rated very highly because they let students select and use appropriate tools and approaches, and direct them to support structures. While not a general trend this approach is very useful
A community of practice This leader/facilitator role for teachers highlights the difference between
Wenger identifies several forms of leadership that will support such an approach.
As human beings we learn best when we are members of a community of practice. Compliance can be discouraging especially in the long term and restriction is even more disconcerting. (It is easier to do what we WANT TO DO than to do what we HAVE TO DO - even when they are the same thing!! - IW) Issue 4: Matching technology and purposes It would be easy to simply attempt to match the teacher users (through PD...) to the technology. The other 'side of this coin' is the need for technology that matches the users and their purposes. This might be achieved through
Simplified versions are not a common feature in software designed for adults - there seems to be an aim for MORE features rather than less. A classic example is the time people spend formatting documents "because they can"
In addition it maybe helpful to expand this a little issue too. The achievement of purposes requires more than an alignment of people, tools and purposes. It also requires matching
Tools and purposes - old AND/OR new We can be overly focused on the new and attempt to solve all 'issues arising' by trying to align the new (technology) to the old (purposes and practices). This is a common experience for teachers and schools.
One of the things that has emerged in the action research components of this research project is this issue of matching new technology (ICT) to old and/or new purposes and practices - this could well be one of the most profitable avenues of investigation for this research project.
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