Assessing pre-service teachers' preparation for technology integration in teaching and learning in selected colleges of education in Ghana
- Authors: Akaadom, Bernard Wiafe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Educational technology -- Ghana , Internet in higher education , Teaching -- Aids and devices
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/29342 , vital:77948
- Description: Most pre-service teachers fail to integrate technology into teaching and learning after graduating from college even though they take technology courses before the completion of their professional training. Thus, the aim of this study was to ascertain how pre-service teachers were prepared to incorporate technology into their teaching and learning by assessing their technology, pedagogy and content knowledge as well as their challenges in using technology for instruction in selected colleges of education in Ghana in the context of Mishra and Koehler (2006) TPACK framework. The study used the post-positivist paradigm and adopted the mixed method research approach using a concurrent triangulation design. The research sample of 417 respondents and four tutors as well as four student focus groups was drawn from eight colleges of education in Ghana. The study used semi-structured interview guides and a research questionnaire to collect data. The qualitative data collected were analyzed manually for content using thematic analysis once it had been coded. The quantitative data was coded and cleaned before being analyzed using SPSS version 19. In an attempt to confirm the trustworthiness and credibility of the study, the appropriateness of subjects was evaluated and measures such as member checking were engaged to make sure that the results of the study were trustworthy and could be established. Furthermore, the trustworthiness of the findings was also established by the use of two different methods for gathering data, namely; in-depth interviews augmented by questionnaires for collecting quantitative data. A significant finding of the study was that pre-service teachers‟ professional training was beset with many overawing challenges. These included the lack of technology tools and resources, lack of technology knowledge and skills to use technology for teaching purposes, inadequate time to learn and practice technology at college, and the absence of technicians to support and carry out maintenance of technology tools and equipment. It was also found that teacher educators failed to model technology for pre-service teachers. However, pre-service teachers endorsed good use of the internet for teaching and learning whiles rating their general use of computers and social media platforms as poor. There was the need for the college education curriculum and stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, National Council for Tertiary Education, the Curriculum Research and Development Division of the Ghana Education Service to redevelop policy guidelines for the proper implementation of technology aspects of teacher training programmes in colleges to mitigate the challenges colleges face in technology training of pre-service teachers. It was recommended that technology courses should not be taught in isolation and a model was proposed to improve the effective implementation of the training programme of pre-service to help them integrate technology into instruction. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2017
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- Authors: Akaadom, Bernard Wiafe
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Educational technology -- Ghana , Internet in higher education , Teaching -- Aids and devices
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/29342 , vital:77948
- Description: Most pre-service teachers fail to integrate technology into teaching and learning after graduating from college even though they take technology courses before the completion of their professional training. Thus, the aim of this study was to ascertain how pre-service teachers were prepared to incorporate technology into their teaching and learning by assessing their technology, pedagogy and content knowledge as well as their challenges in using technology for instruction in selected colleges of education in Ghana in the context of Mishra and Koehler (2006) TPACK framework. The study used the post-positivist paradigm and adopted the mixed method research approach using a concurrent triangulation design. The research sample of 417 respondents and four tutors as well as four student focus groups was drawn from eight colleges of education in Ghana. The study used semi-structured interview guides and a research questionnaire to collect data. The qualitative data collected were analyzed manually for content using thematic analysis once it had been coded. The quantitative data was coded and cleaned before being analyzed using SPSS version 19. In an attempt to confirm the trustworthiness and credibility of the study, the appropriateness of subjects was evaluated and measures such as member checking were engaged to make sure that the results of the study were trustworthy and could be established. Furthermore, the trustworthiness of the findings was also established by the use of two different methods for gathering data, namely; in-depth interviews augmented by questionnaires for collecting quantitative data. A significant finding of the study was that pre-service teachers‟ professional training was beset with many overawing challenges. These included the lack of technology tools and resources, lack of technology knowledge and skills to use technology for teaching purposes, inadequate time to learn and practice technology at college, and the absence of technicians to support and carry out maintenance of technology tools and equipment. It was also found that teacher educators failed to model technology for pre-service teachers. However, pre-service teachers endorsed good use of the internet for teaching and learning whiles rating their general use of computers and social media platforms as poor. There was the need for the college education curriculum and stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, National Council for Tertiary Education, the Curriculum Research and Development Division of the Ghana Education Service to redevelop policy guidelines for the proper implementation of technology aspects of teacher training programmes in colleges to mitigate the challenges colleges face in technology training of pre-service teachers. It was recommended that technology courses should not be taught in isolation and a model was proposed to improve the effective implementation of the training programme of pre-service to help them integrate technology into instruction. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2017
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The use of Blackboard as a tool for the teaching and assessment of large classes in mathematics education: a case study of second year level Bachelor of Education students in one university in South Africa
- Authors: Riley, Alanna
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Blackboards , Blackboard drawing , Mathematics -- Study and teaching , College students , Educational change , Information technology , Teaching -- Aids and devices , College teaching , Assessment , Blended learning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16182 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006237 , Blackboards , Blackboard drawing , Mathematics -- Study and teaching , College students , Educational change , Information technology , Teaching -- Aids and devices , College teaching , Assessment , Blended learning
- Description: This study locates the Blackboard Learning Management System as a Technology Enhanced Learning tool within the bounds of the discipline of eLearning and aimed to interrogate the use of Blackboard for the purposes of teaching, learning and assessment in large classes. It is evident from the literature reviewed that changes in both Higher Education in the South Africa with regards to policy and legislation in addition to international shifts towards increased access and participation in a fast paced, ever-evolving knowledge-based economy, providing the context for this work. The theoretical framework for this study is not unidimensional due to the fact that the educational field of eLearning as an area of specialisation draws on a multitude of theories in terms of their utility value for instructional design of courses utilising Information and Communications Technology as a mode of delivery. This study was conducted within the bounds of an interpretivist paradigm as the researcher sought to focus on the use of Blackboard and the experiences of the lecturers and students involved in the implementation thereof. The research design for this study took the form of a case study and a multiple case method was employed. The researcher collected data through personal interviews conducted with participating lecturers, while student data was collected by means of a qualitative survey which was conducted through the Blackboard Learning Management System. The data was analyzed by means of a thematic analysis, consistent with the interpretive paradigm chosen for this study. The findings of this study revealed that Blackboard was utilised effectively in order to facilitate communication, access to course resources and promoted more efficient assessment processes. The implementation was however not without challenges many of which were systemic and focused on the lack of resources available to the students. The implications of using Blackboard for teaching and assessment of large classes include the use of the Learning Management System as part of a multimodal method of course delivery in an effort to reach the multitude of registered students both conceptually as well as electronically. The recommendations arising from this study include consideration on the part of the faculty for a unified approach in the use of Blackboard for communication as well as deployment of resources. Additionally, this study may form the foundation of further studies in this field, with a focus on the active engagement and training of lecturers in order to integrate traditional teaching methods with blended learning opportunities.
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- Authors: Riley, Alanna
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Blackboards , Blackboard drawing , Mathematics -- Study and teaching , College students , Educational change , Information technology , Teaching -- Aids and devices , College teaching , Assessment , Blended learning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16182 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006237 , Blackboards , Blackboard drawing , Mathematics -- Study and teaching , College students , Educational change , Information technology , Teaching -- Aids and devices , College teaching , Assessment , Blended learning
- Description: This study locates the Blackboard Learning Management System as a Technology Enhanced Learning tool within the bounds of the discipline of eLearning and aimed to interrogate the use of Blackboard for the purposes of teaching, learning and assessment in large classes. It is evident from the literature reviewed that changes in both Higher Education in the South Africa with regards to policy and legislation in addition to international shifts towards increased access and participation in a fast paced, ever-evolving knowledge-based economy, providing the context for this work. The theoretical framework for this study is not unidimensional due to the fact that the educational field of eLearning as an area of specialisation draws on a multitude of theories in terms of their utility value for instructional design of courses utilising Information and Communications Technology as a mode of delivery. This study was conducted within the bounds of an interpretivist paradigm as the researcher sought to focus on the use of Blackboard and the experiences of the lecturers and students involved in the implementation thereof. The research design for this study took the form of a case study and a multiple case method was employed. The researcher collected data through personal interviews conducted with participating lecturers, while student data was collected by means of a qualitative survey which was conducted through the Blackboard Learning Management System. The data was analyzed by means of a thematic analysis, consistent with the interpretive paradigm chosen for this study. The findings of this study revealed that Blackboard was utilised effectively in order to facilitate communication, access to course resources and promoted more efficient assessment processes. The implementation was however not without challenges many of which were systemic and focused on the lack of resources available to the students. The implications of using Blackboard for teaching and assessment of large classes include the use of the Learning Management System as part of a multimodal method of course delivery in an effort to reach the multitude of registered students both conceptually as well as electronically. The recommendations arising from this study include consideration on the part of the faculty for a unified approach in the use of Blackboard for communication as well as deployment of resources. Additionally, this study may form the foundation of further studies in this field, with a focus on the active engagement and training of lecturers in order to integrate traditional teaching methods with blended learning opportunities.
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