Review Article
Miguel Angel Paidican, Pamela Alejandra Arredondo
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 3, Article No: ep370
ABSTRACT
This article presents the results of a scientific literature analysis based on Kitchenham’s (2004) proposal, regarding the technological-pedagogical knowledge of the content under the TPACK model. Research studies containing data-driven information in primary education were revised. The selection of the 622 articles was conducted in Scopus, WoS (Web of Science), ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), and Google Scholar databases; considering the period from which this model was initially described to May 2019. The following criteria were also observed: open access sources, referring to social sciences, and full text available. To conclude, there is limited scientific production regarding TPACK model in primary education, with 3,05% of the articles reviewed in this systematic literature review. An increase in using the TPACK model in terms of teacher knowledge and enriched environments with information and communication technology has also been observed. Participation of other members of the school community as students, parents and managers is also recommended.
Keywords: knowledge of teachers, educational technology, knowledge of technological pedagogical content (TPACK), primary school teachers, teacher training, Integration of technology
Research Article
Sotiris Kirginas
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 2, Article No: ep351
ABSTRACT
This paper aims to explore the impact of freeform digital games on primary school students’ narrative skills, in terms of linguistic cohesion and semantic coherence, compared to other digital media, such as formally structured digital games and movies. A total of 128 Year 6 Primary school students participated in this research. Initially, students were divided into three groups. In all three groups, an educational intervention programme was applied. At the end of this phase, each student was asked to produce a narrative discourse (pre-test) about Crusoe’s survival on the mysterious island. Subsequently, students of each group were involved in activities with different digital material. At the last part of the research, students were asked to produce a narrative discourse (post-test) which was compared to the pre-test discourse, to determine whether there had been an improvement in the narrative discourse produced by the students of the three groups. The results presented in this paper show that the narrative discourses of students who played with the freeform digital game showed statistically significant improvement in cohesion and coherence compared to the discourse of students who played with the formally structured digital game and the students who watched the film.
Keywords: freeform digital games, structured digital games, narrative skills, primary school
Research Article
Joanne Blannin
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 188-205
ABSTRACT
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become ubiquitous in our society. In particular, 10-12 year old (primary school aged) children report that they increasingly rely upon ICTs for social interaction and for learning (ACMA, 2013). In spite of the large number of students reporting high ICT use, research indicates that many primary school teachers are not making effective use of online resources in the classroom. Influencing this lower level use is a lack of specifically focused research that considers the vital role of the primary school teacher in the integration of ICTs into the classroom program. To identify where research is most needed and might be most useful to support teachers to increase the use of ICTs in the classroom, this paper draws on research conducted in primary, secondary and tertiary education. It defines three core areas in which research is needed. These areas are teachers’ internal (personal) and external (socio-cultural) barriers as well as the students’ role in, and expectations of, pedagogical changes to classroom learning.
Keywords: Online learning, Self-efficacy, Teacher professional learning, Primary schooling, ICT integration, Increasing ICT use
Research Article
Ann-Louise Petersen, Leona Bunting
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 3, Issue 4, pp. 249-264
ABSTRACT
This article focuses on computing in teaching. It focuses on the differences between a traditional view of teaching and a view where the teacher no longer is the knowledge broker but more of a coordinator or a coach. The empirical examples stem from a research project called “One computer one pupil”, a study of two classes in year three with children aged 9 and two classes in year five with children aged 11 in a Swedish primary school. When the project started the pupils had been using the computers for about 2,5 years. In contrast to the teacher in grade five, the classes in year three had teachers with a great interest in developing ICT. The children became very skilled in using ICT and working with the laptop was very popular. According to the theoretical model of Voogt (2008), features of a “traditional pedagogy”, like prescriptions of the activities, were mixed with elements of an “emerging pedagogy”, where the pupils in collaboration performed their tasks in a creative way. However, some of the classroom work was quite unfocused relative to the goals of the subject. Instead of using the technology to reach the goals of the subject, the technology more or less became a goal in itself. To follow up ten Brummelhuis’ and Kuiper’s (2008) terms technology push and educational pull, we have added the term “technology pull.”
Keywords: Teaching design, Computer use, Technology push, Technology pull, Primary school, One–to-one learning environment.