CHAPTER II – OUTPUT

Technology in the Learning Environment

Researched No. 1

Title: Does 1:1 Computing in a Junior High-School Change the Pedagogical

Perspectives of Teachers and their Educational Discourse?
Date of publication: October 8, 2015

Author: Yehuda Peled, Ina Blau, Ronen Grinberg

Abstract: Transforming a school from traditional teaching and learning to a one-

to-one (1:1) classroom, in which a teacher and students have personal digital
devices, inevitably requires changes in the way The teacher addresses her role.
This study examined the implications of integrating 1:1 computing On teachers’
pedagogical perceptions and the classroom’s educational discourse. A change in
Pedagogical perceptions during three years of teaching within this model was
investigated. The Research analyzed data from 14 teachers teaching in a junior
high school in the north of Israel collected over the course of three years through
interviews and lesson observations. The findings Show that the 1:1 computing
allows teachers to improve their teaching skills; however, it fails to Change their
fundamental attitudes in regard to teaching and learning processes. It was further
Found that the use of a laptop by each student does not significantly improve the
classroom’s learning discourse. The computer is perceived as an individual or
group learning technology rather than as a tool for conducting learning discourse.
An analysis of the data collected shows a great contribution to collaboration
among teachers in preparing technology-enhanced lessons. The findings are
discussed in terms of Bruner’s (Olson & Bruner, 1996) “folk psychology” and “folk
pedagogy” of teachers and “the new learning ecology” framework in 1:1
classroom (Lee, Spires, Wiebe, Hollebrands, & Young, 2015). One of the main
recommendations of this research is to reflect on findings from the teaching staff
and the school community emphasizing 1:1 technology as a tool for significant
pedagogical change. It seems that the use of personal technology per se is not
enough for pedagogical changes to take place; the change must begin with
teachers’ perceptions and attitudes.
Problem: Does 1:1 Computing in a Junior High-School Change the Pedagogical
Perspectives of Teachers and their Educational Discourse?
Methodology: The participants in the study were eleven female teachers and
three male teachers from a variety of disciplines, in a large regional junior high
school (7th-9th grades) in the north of Israel, which had integrated 1:1 laptop
initiative for teachers and students (the KATOM initiative – the acronym of
“Classroom, Student, and Teacher” in Hebrew). All the teachers who taught in
1:1 classrooms for three years (2011, 2012, 2013) took part in the study. These
teachers volunteered to teach in 1:1 classroom during the first wave of the
integration. The age of the participants was normally distributed, the average was
44.1 years. The teachers were from the following disciplines: two teachers of
math, science, Hebrew (native language), literature, English (SL), Bible studies,
and one history teacher.

Conclusion: This study analyzed pedagogy, the role of teachers, and

educational discourse in 1:1 classrooms in terms of first and second order
change, Bruner’s models of teaching and learning, and “the new learning
ecology” framework. The study reinforces the claim that technology is a powerful
educational tool, but technology per se does not produce deep pedagogical
changes. One-to-one computing expands the educational repertoire, but
preserves both student-centered and teacher-centered instructional practices.
Moreover, the findings indicate a gap between the teachers’ declared insights
about optimal technology-enhanced learning and the translation of those insights
into actual teaching practices. The study has implications for the integration of
1:1 computing for enhancement of teaching and learning processes. The
decision makers in education systems and schools that aspire to promote
pedagogical changes need to clarify the pedagogical principles, or “folk
pedagogy”, of the teachers in the context of technology integration and teacher
professional development. Based on the findings, we can recommend the
encouragement of online discourse among students, both in class and out-of-
class, as a mean for the advancement of learning processes. In addition, we
recommend educational decision-makers and designers of teacher professional
development programs to emphasize the processes of collaboration among
teachers in the design of technology enhanced lessons. These processes require
ongoing encouragement of educational leadership and appropriate teacher
training.
 Technology in the Learning Environment

Researched No. 2

Title: The Effects of Embedding Information Technologies within ELT on EFL

Learners’ Motivation and Interest
Date of Publication: January 1, 2014

Author: Shaker Al-Mohammadi and Emira Derbel

Abstract: In today’s globalised world, technologies have been embedded in

every aspect of daily activities and discourses. The field of education made no
exception and hence technologies have become an integral part of all
educational systems worldwide, but with different levels and layers. The
presence of information technology in English language teaching has brought
about notable changes for teachers and learners alike. Accordingly, this paper
investigates the impact of integrating information technologies in ELT on EFL
learners’ motivation and interest. Based on an authentic comparative case study,
this paper explores the influence of information technology on EFL learners’
perceptions, motivation, and interest in the context of ELT in the Tunisian higher
education. The findings of this study suggest that the integration of IT in ELT
heavily affects EFL students’ motivation and academic performance and hence
EFL instructors should take this variable into consideration.

Problem: What are the effects of embedding information technologies within elt
on efl learners’ motivation and interest?
Methodology: The participants in this study consist of 60 students enrolled in
one higher education institution and divided in two groups (A and B; A=30, B=30.
N total=60). They are selected from two different classes and they are both
English language majors who are potential teachers of English language. The
two groups are taught by many teachers, but for the sake of practicality two
definite teachers were selected: the first teacher is a tech-savvy who is known to
be a strong advocate of integrating technology in language teaching and
learning; the second teacher belongs to the traditional group who never uses any
technological tools in his classes and who prefers the lecturing style of teaching.
The participants of the two groups are in their 3rd year (semester six) which was
meant to guarantee an acceptable level of maturity in responding to the survey
questions. The rationale behind choosing two different groups with a discrepancy
in information technology use in their classes is to show the effects of each
condition on EFL students’ perceptions, motivation, and academic performance.
The investigator is a Tunisian native who has a background in English language
learning and teaching at Tunisian higher education institutions during the period
from 1998 to 2008. Yet, this background does not influence the researcher’s
objectivity at any step in conducting this study.

Conclusion: This study aimed at investigating the effects of integrating

information technology in language teaching on EFL university students using a
mixed method case study approach. The focus of this research was on EFL
students’ perceptions, motivation, and academic performance in relation to
information technologies. Although the university under the scope of the study
has limited resources of IT integration it constitutes a suitable environment which
is a good representative example of many public higher education institutions in
Tunisia. Limited IT usage and integration did not prevent Tunisian EFL students
from having positive attitudes and perceptions toward integrating IT within
English language teaching. Actually, Tunisian youths who heavily use social
media and different computer-internet technologies in their daily lives also think
that IT have a great place in their advanced education as revealed by the survey
results in this study. The findings show that IT has a great effect on students’
motivation and academic performance. Yet, IT integration in English language
teaching needs much more support, effective planning and decision makers’
readiness and cooperation as reflected in the interviews with the two instructors.
 Technology in the Learning Environment

Researched No. 3

Title: Patterns of Beliefs, Attitudes, and Characteristics of Teachers That

Influence Computer Integration
Date of Publication: September 26, 2012
Author: Julie Mueller and Eileen Wood
Problem: Does the computer integration can influence the patterns of beliefs,
attitudes and characteristics of a teacher?
Methodology: Participants. Participants included 185 elementary teachers and
204 secondary teachers randomly selected from the complete list of teachers
employed by one large Canadian school board (representing both urban and
rural schools) to ensure that the sample was inclusive of teachers with diverse
technology and teaching experience. The Canadian public school system is
comprised of two levels of instruction: elementary (Kindergarten to grade 8, entry
at 4 years of age) and secondary (grades 9 to 12). The sample of teachers
represented 94 of the 99 elementary schools and each of the 16 secondary
schools in the board. The majority of teachers were female (146 female and 39
male elementary teachers; 116 female and 88 male secondary teachers). The
mean age of the teachers was 41.8 years (SD = 8.43) with average teaching
experience of 14.8 years (SD = 8.75). The majority of teachers had a university
degree (87.2% elementary, 78.3% secondary) and an additional 10% of
elementary teachers and 15.3% of secondary teachers held Masters or Ph.D.
degrees. Participants were teaching at schools that ranged from a small
population of less than 200 to a large population of over 1500. Among the
elementary teachers, the majority of participants (63.2%) were regular classroom
teachers with a smaller proportion involved in special education (11.4%),
language instruction/support (12.5%), or combined duties. Elementary teachers
represented assignments ranging from Kindergarten to grade 8. Among the
secondary teachers, participants taught in a variety of curriculum areas.
Conclusion: The complexity of teacher change and school reform coupled with
the rapid change of technological innovations has made it difficult to identify and
integrate the individual and environmental factors that impact computer
integration. Computer technology, by its nature, is complex and difficult to
implement. Koehler and Mishra [50] suggest that technology is not “transparent”
to the user. That is, digital technologies, such as computers, are “protean” (have
multiple uses); “unstable” (rapidly changing); and “opaque” (how they actually
work is hidden from the user). This lack of transparency can create the
perception that computer technologies are difficult to implement and removed
from the current practice of many teachers, making it less likely that a teacher will
adopt technology [12]. However, the vast majority of participants in this study
supported the integration of computer technology.