Secondary school teachers' beliefs about IT and constructivist pedagogies

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yick-nam Chan
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692199328
Author(s):  
Tashane K. Haynes-Brown ◽  
Michael D. Fetters

Qualitative researchers engaged in mixed methods studies need novel approaches for integrating qualitative and quantitative findings during analysis. Joint display visuals have become an integral part of the presentation of the findings of mixed methods studies and can be aptly described as an analytic tool owing to the process involved in building joint displays. In this article, our purpose is to illustrate the iterative process utilized in building joint displays using both bar graphs and observational field notes to understand a specific phenomenon. An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted with Jamaican secondary school teachers that sought to understand how teachers’ beliefs shaped the use of technology. Based on the use of joint display analysis in this study, we illustrate how the insights gleaned and challenges encountered from each iteration of developing successive joint displays helped us to refine our understanding through an assessment of the organizational intent, analytic intent, and effectiveness of the visuals created. By engaging in the process of building successive joint displays, we identified inconsistencies in the findings that would likely not otherwise have been revealed. We learned that the inconsistencies represented two dimensions of the teachers’ beliefs, thus resulting in a more comprehensive understanding of the integrated data. The methodological insights gleaned from each iteration of building joint displays can be used by other researchers engaged in this process and enhance their understanding of the value of joint display as a powerful analytic tool.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Abate Demissie Gedamu ◽  
◽  
Getu Lemma Shewangizaw ◽  

This study aimed to investigate the beliefs and practices of group work assessment of secondary school teachers. For this reason, 213 teachers were selected randomly for a questionnaire survey. In addition, two teachers and five students were selected for interviews and focus group discussions at each site, respectively. A one-sample t-test was applied to analyze the data acquired through the questionnaire while the Pearson product-moment correlation was used to examine the relationship between the beliefs and practices of group work assessment. The data obtained through interviews and focus group discussion (FGD), were analyzed through thematic verbal descriptions. The findings showed favorable teachers’ beliefs towards group work assessment. On the contrary, teachers’ assessment practices were partial with focus on group product, with diminutive or no assessment of group process and individual contribution. Hence, Ethiopian Bureaus should conduct on- job training for teachers on the assessment of group work.


Author(s):  
Agnese Karaseva ◽  
Andra Siibak ◽  
Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt

Drawing on the data from 26 interviews with different subject teachers in two countries, Estonia and Latvia, this study aimed to reveal how pedagogical beliefs and subject cultures shape the ways primary and secondary school teachers mediate students` use of digital technology. Teachers are acknowledged to be important socializing agents, affecting young people`s experiences with digital technology, but it is still unclear how the mediation practices of teachers are related to such intrinsic factors as teachers` beliefs about the nature of learning, nature of technology, self-efficacy beliefs, and subject cultures. Our study indicates that teachers mainly act as guides or coaches to help students make sense of the various opportunities that digital technology provide. Teachers also use a variety of restrictions related to technology use according to their dominant pedagogical beliefs and subject domains. These two roles are not mutually exclusive, combining according to what teachers believe will best support learning. A small group of teachers in our sample also strive to broaden students` understanding and adopt new skills for using technology in innovative ways. Implications for teacher training and peer-to-peer learning are discussed based on our findings.


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