Research Article
Maya Petrova Vasileva, Katya Borislavova Misheva
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 18, Issue 2, Article No: ep649
ABSTRACT
The present study specifically examines the integration of digital technologies in the domain of social studies education. Its main objective is to examine the current level of digital technology integration in Bulgarian schools, using social studies instruction as a case in point. In this context, the research seeks to address three key research questions (RQs): RQ1: What role does the social studies teacher play in integrating digital technologies into the instructional process? RQ2: What is the role of the student in lessons involving the integration of digital technologies in social studies education? RQ3: For what purposes and in the execution of which didactic and methodological tasks are digital technologies employed during social studies lessons? To achieve these objectives and address the research questions, a comparative analysis and evaluation are conducted based on the PICRAT model. This model is applied to assess the interplay between teachers' use of technology and students' cognitive engagement. The comparative analysis focuses on three target groups: teachers of Geography and Economics, teachers of History and Civilizations, and teachers of Philosophy and Civic Education. The findings of the study reveal a lack of intentionality, coherence, and consistency in the integration of digital technologies in social studies education in Bulgaria. Additionally, the research demonstrates that the PICRAT framework is applicable in the context of Bulgarian schools in two major ways: (1) as a tool for instructional planning, and (2) as a framework for the implementation and evaluation of social studies lessons.
Keywords: digital technologies, social studies education, PICRAT model, teaching, learning, functions of digital technologies
Research Article
Mohammad Al Bataineh, Sharon Anderson
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 6, Issue 1, pp. 38-61
ABSTRACT
This study used a cross-sectional, ten-point Likert-type scale survey design, to examine the perception of Jordanian seventh to twelfth-grade social studies teachers of the competency needed for technology implementation in their classrooms. The instrument for this study was a modified version of a survey developed by Kelly (2003) called the Technology in Education Survey (TIES). The scale ranged from 1-10, with 1 being the lowest score, indicating not important or not competent, and 10 being the highest score, indicating very important or very competent. Due to the cultural context of the study, the researcher used an Arabic-language version of the survey used by Al Ghazo (2008). The convenience sample (n = 221) was a blend of male (n = 135) and female teachers (n = 86). A significant interaction was found between age and gender of social studies teachers and their perceptions of competency needed to implement technology. Female teachers who were thirty or younger and who were thirty-one to thirty-nine scored the highest mean of perceptions of competency toward implementing technology in social studies classrooms, higher than all male teachers, while male and female teachers who were forty or older scored the same lowest mean (49.5) of perceptions of competency. Female teachers with the least teaching experience had high perceptions of competency for implementing technology in social studies classrooms, while female teachers with the most teaching experience had lower perceptions of competency than male teachers. The result of the study provides useful information to social studies educators, professional development leaders, national policy makers and teachers of social studies who are interested in understanding the factors that affect technology use in social studies classrooms in Jordan
Keywords: Social studies education, Educaional technology implementation, Teacher competency, Technology in the classroom