scholarly journals Digital equity: Considering the needs of staff as a social justice issue

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 150-160
Author(s):  
Julie Willems
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Digital Equity ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
Tertiary Teaching

The rollout of technological advances in tertiary teaching and learning continues unabated. Concerns around staff lag in acceptance and adoption may overlook hidden influences. While considerations to address the digital divide and digital equity for tertiary students has been a growing social justice issue since the 1980s, what of the academic and professional staff who facilitate their teaching and learning? They are the other side of the coin and, as a cohort, are as diverse as the students they teach. Today, building staff capacity in the implementation of technology in teaching and learning in higher education still remains a key need. Yet a one-size-fits-all approach may miss the differing needs, views and capabilities of staff. It may also be built and developed upon explicit assumptions relating to staff access, skills and ability. For an equity-based approach to building staff capacity through professional development, empathy is required in purveying staff values, abilities, and needs. To address such issues and empower staff, a robust professional development program on digital technology is but one means to help stem the digital divide between staff haves and have-nots.

scholarly journals A vision of You-topia: Personalising professional development of teaching in a diverse academic workforce.

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-62
Author(s):  
Lisa Thomas ◽  
◽  
Kathryn Harden-Thew ◽  
Janine Delahunty ◽  
Bonnie Amelia Dean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Student Diversity ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Technological Advances

The higher education (HE) sector in Australia is in a state of flux due to a range of social, political and economic factors. Increased competition, greater student diversity, tautening of industry exigencies, reduced funding, and rapid technological advances are key drivers of change in this environment. Within this period of transformation, HE institutions remain steadfast in maintaining quality teaching and learning practices. Challenges are therefore presented on the traditional role and function of the teaching academic, creating opportunities to explore how staff can be better prepared to teach into the new era of HE. Professional development for learning and teaching is one approach that can support staff to enhance teaching practice. Professional development programs however that fail to meet the contemporary needs of HE or consider the academic’s professional requirements, may be at risk of becoming extraneous. A move towards a more flexible approach to professional development may be necessary to meet these requirements to provide appropriate, timely support for teachers. This paper problematises approaches to professional development which adopt a ‘one-size-fits-all’ model and introduces a new, innovative program Continuing Professional Development (Learning & Teaching) (CPD [L&T]) at the University of Wollongong . The CPD (L&T) model supports the professional development of all teaching staff – from casual teacher to professor level, academic and professional staff. The model is externally referenced and features self-nominated activities for accreditation. CPD (L&T) enables multiple, ongoing methods of engagement across a professional’s teaching career, supporting a new, You-topic vision of professional development in learning and teaching.

scholarly journals Secondary School Teachers’ Professional Development in Australia and Shanghai: Needs, Support, and Barriers

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110269
Author(s):  
Guangbao Fang ◽  
Philip Wing Keung Chan ◽  
Penelope Kalogeropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
Scheduled Time

Using data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS; 2013), this article explores teachers’ needs, support, and barriers in their professional development. The research finds that Australian teachers expressed greater needs in information and communication technology (ICT) use and new technology training for teaching, while Shanghai teachers required more assistance to satisfy students’ individual learning and pedagogical competencies. More than 80% of Australian and Shanghai teachers received scheduled time to support their participation in professional development, whereas less than 20% of Australian and Shanghai teachers received monetary or nonmonetary support. In terms of barriers, Australian and Shanghai teachers reported two significant barriers that conflicted with their participation in professional development: “working schedule” and “a lack of incentives to take part.” This article reveals implications of the study in the design of an effective professional development program for Australian and Shanghai teachers and ends with discussing the limitations of the research and future research directions.

scholarly journals Preparing In-Service Teacher Using Dynamic Geometry Software

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.30) ◽  
pp. 367
Author(s):  
Fariz Setyawan ◽  
Yosep Dwi Kristanto ◽  
Naufal Ishartono
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Dynamic Geometry ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Dynamic Geometry Software ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Skills Transfer ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Use Of Technology

The use of technology is essential in teaching and learning process. Many researchers have already been implemented Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) in teaching and learning process. Given the importance of DGS, it is necessary for in-service teachers to use the software in their teaching and learning. Hence, it is important to prepare in-service teacher in utilizing DGS through the professional development program. This is a qualitative research which describes a professional development program to facilitate in-service teachers in utilizing DGS. Both questionnaire and review measured in-service teachers’ perceptions, knowledge and skills transfer, and impact for their practice. From the findings, four of five in-service teachers recognized that they can interact with geometric figures to move on to the next level by using DGS. The teachers felt that DGS has helped them to understand the mathematics concept and demonstrate their understanding in front of the class. Besides, DGS does not only offer opportunities for teachers and students to use them both at home and in the classroom, but they also provide a means for developing support and user communities reaching across borders especially in understanding of geometrical transformation. It has contributed that the teachers easily recognize the geometrical shapes interpretations dynamically on DGS.

Bringing Mohamed to the Mountain: Situated Professional Development in a Ubiquitous Computing Classroom

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Swan ◽  
Annette Kratcoski ◽  
Pat Mazzer ◽  
Jason Schenker
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Ubiquitous Computing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Computing Environments ◽  
Ubiquitous Computing Environments ◽  
Regular Practice

This article describes an ongoing situated professional development program in which teachers bring their intact classes for an extended stay in a ubiquitous computing environment equipped with a variety of state-of-the-art computing devices. The experience is unique in that it not only situates teacher learning about technology integration in their regular practice, but also gives them the opportunity to explore the full possibilities afforded by a variety of technologies and 1:1 computing opportunities. The program provides an important alternative model for professional development that has been highly successful, not only in increasing teachers' knowledge and confidence in technology integration but also in changing the ways in which teachers think about and use a variety of technologies in their classrooms. Findings also suggest that ubiquitous computing environments afford unique teaching and learning opportunities upon which ordinary classroom teachers can capitalize to a greater or lesser degree.

scholarly journals Death by PowerPoint: alternatives for life

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 420-427
Author(s):  
Richard M. Duffy ◽  
Marian Henry
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
The Impact

SummaryThe use of PowerPoint has become nearly ubiquitous in medical education and continuing professional development; however, many alternatives are emerging that can be used in its place. These may confer some advantages, but they also have potential drawbacks. It is helpful that educators are aware of these new presentation options and their pros and cons, including any financial implications and issues of data protection. This article considers the role of technology in teaching and learning, identifying underlying assumptions that are often made. It identifies and appraises technology that can be used with or instead of PowerPoint to best facilitate deep learning. The potential pedagogical benefits and practical limitations of these technologies are considered, and strategies are highlighted to maximise the impact of PowerPoint where it is the software of choice.

scholarly journals A curated online educational portal for staff and students at a university of technology

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Abdool Haq Mahomed Bhorat
Keyword(s):  
Personal Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Critical Realist ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
The University ◽  
Educational Portal

The innovative application of an online educational portal in everyday teaching and learning is proposed to meet the needs of the new generation of students entering Universities of Technology (UoTs). The setting is against a background of educationally under-prepared but multimedia-literate students, and the university vision of integrating eLearning into the curriculum. The emergence of the Academic Commons Attribution has facilitated the channelling of free-to-use/open source educational information through the dedicated artefact. The investigation combined the challenges of artefact design with the necessity of authenticating subject content so that it was geared to the needs of the students in the Photography Programme. This study highlights the importance of managing knowledge so that it can be passed down to current and future generations in ways which keep pace with their exponential development of digital expertise. This research was carried out within Bhaskar’s critical realist philosophy, which argues that there is a real world which exists independently of one’s perception of it. It must be stressed that the artefact contained in the multimedia portal did not follow a linear, logical development but was a process of transformational iterative change, very similar to the developmental consistency described by Bhaskar. Bhaskar’s philosophical overview was complemented by Archer’s morphogenetic approach. The latter showed that the application of technology in teaching and learning is not just about use of “better tools” but signals a shift in social structure. The main technical challenge was for the researcher to standardise the multimedia resources so that they could be used on most personal computers, with the option of downloading short tutorials on mobile phones for later use. The resulting multimedia portal provides strong support in guiding inexperienced students and novice academics to choose resources appropriate to both the Photography curriculum and rapidly changing Industry requirements. The portal can also reduce the number of time consuming searches on various themes or topics, as it directs users to specific hyperlinked online resources in any given syllabus item. The curated educational portal is, therefore, currently being introduced as an enhancement to the traditional teaching and learning methods hitherto used in the Photography Programme. While the traditional methods have the strong humanist leanings essential for personal development, they are not geared to tackle the cutting edge technological advances required by industry. Moreover, in promoting the Durban University of Technology (DUT) as a centre using cutting-edge multimedia tuition, the portal might better establish influences with Industry (one of the core functions of a UoT) as well as attract international academics and students. The end result is to offer a blended learning model of tertiary programme delivery which is supported by the literature as currently being one of the most effective options.

Global Awareness Dialogue Project: Exploring Potential for Faculty Transformation Through a Professional Development Series

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 318-336
Author(s):  
Roxanna M. Senyshyn ◽  
Paula Smith
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Faculty Professional Development ◽  
Diverse Classroom ◽  
Learning Framework

This article examines a faculty professional development program aimed at engaging faculty in an ongoing discussion about global awareness and the practices surrounding teaching and learning in a linguistically and culturally diverse classroom. The program is modeled on two key components: the engagement of undergraduate students and faculty in a structured dialogue outside the classroom and the contributions of experts to faculty discussions to locate and contextualize best practices. The initiative’s potential to affect faculty perspectives is explored through a transformative learning framework. Short-term and long-term assessments show that participants were motivated to improve and implement new instructional practices.

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