1. In search for knowledge:
Making familiar unfamiliar
and unfamiliar familiar
Evrim Baran, Ph.D.
Middle East Technical University
Department of Educational Sciences
9. Replication of
Because of the unstable patterns
traditional at the
of online teaching
teaching, organization, and
classroom many online
community levels,
environments employed
learning practices are
as the replication of traditional
classroom environments,
reinforcing the “status-quo” and
the “defensive strategy” in higher
education
Garrison & Anderson (2003)
12. Tracing the
Knowledge of
Teaching
1. Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPACK)
2. Successful Online Teaching in
Higher Education
3. Development and Mobilization of
Teacher Knowledge
13. Tracing the
Knowledge of
Teaching
1. Technological
Pedagogical Content
Knowledge (TPACK)
2. Successful Online Teaching in
Higher Education
3. Development and Mobilization of
Teacher Knowledge
14. What knowledge teachers need
to have in order to effectively
integrate technology into
learning environments?
TPCK
TPACK
Total PACKage
20. First Generation TPACK Research
• The TPACK survey developed through a
collaboration between Iowa State and Michigan
Statetpack.org
• Schmidt, D. A., Baran E., Thompson A. D., Koehler, M. J.,
Mishra, P. & Shin, T. (2009). Technological
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK):
The Development and Validation of an
Assessment Instrument for Preservice
Teachers. Journal of Research on Technology in
Education, 42(2), 123-149.
21. Second Generation TPACK
Research
• Development and mobilization of
TPACK throughout the teacher
education program
• Investigating “What does TPACK look
like?”
TPACK:
Baran, E., Hsueh-Hua C. & Thompson, A. (2011).
An emerging research and development
tool for teacher educators. The Turkish Online
Journal of Educational Technology, 10(4), 370-377.
22. Tracing the
Knowledge of
Teaching
1. Technological Pedagogical Content
Knowledge (TPACK)
2. Successful Online Teaching in
Higher Education
3. Development and Mobilization of
Teacher Knowledge
25. Online teachers are
generally assumed to take
the roles without resistance,
rejection, and recreation
(Rennert-Ariev, 2008)
26. Because of the unstable patterns of online
teaching at the teaching, organization, and
community levels, many online learning
practices are employed as the replication of
traditional classroom environments, reinforcing
the “status-quo” and the “defensive
strategy” in higher education
Garrison & Anderson (2003)
27. Roles Actual
suggested to teaching
the faculty practices
29. Dissertation Organization
Introduction
Article 1: Transforming Online Teaching Practice:
A Critical Analysis of the Online Teaching
Literature
Article 2: Tracing Successful Online Teaching
in Higher Education: Voices of Exemplary
Online Teachers
Article 3: Implications for Practice:
Supporting Online Teachers
Synthesis and Recommendations
30. • Centrality of
experience
• Critical reflection
• Rational discourse
Mezirow (1991), Taylor (1998)
• Transformative learning theory
31. The dimensions of online teachers’
transformational learning
Baran, Correia, & Thompson (2011)
32. Critical review…
Baran, E., Correia, A. P. & Thompson, A. (2011).
Transforming online teaching practice: A critical
analysis of the online teaching literature. Distance
Education, 32(3), 421-439.
34. Multiple Case Study
Linda Justin Robert Erin Molly Helen
College Program
• Art & Design
• Liberal arts and
sciences • Agricultural Engineering
• Design • Political Science
• Agriculture and life • Family and Consumer
sciences Sciences Education
• Engineering • Agronomy
• Human Sciences • Classical studies
35. Data Collection
• Semi-structured interviews with the online
program coordinators (Pilot tested)
• Faculty ethnographic interviews (Spradley,
1979) (Pilot tested)
• Data Analysis
– Case vignettes
– Within case analysis
– Cross case analysis
36. Emerging Codes and Themes
Concerns and Teaching Theme
Challenges Strategies
Changing Breaking the Knowing and
content content into creating the
organization manageable course content
Creating chunks
content for new Adopting the
online courses content from
face-to-face
courses
Getting student
input in the
course creation
37. Exemplary Practices: Challenges,
Concerns and Solutions
1. Knowing and creating the course content
2. Designing and structuring the online course
3. Knowing the students
4. Enhancing teacher-student relationships
5. Guiding student learning
6. Evaluating online courses
7. Sustaining teacher presence
38. Trustworthiness
• Credibility (Rich data, member checking,
triangulation)
• Transferability (Contextual information,
detailed description)
• Confirmability (Researcher’s position,
beliefs, and assumptions)
Lincoln & Guba (1985)
39. Tracing successful online teaching in
higher education
• Baran, E., Correia, A. P. & Thompson, A. (In
press). Tracing successful online teaching in
higher education: Voices of exemplary
online teachers. Teachers College Record.
42. Implications for Practice: Supporting Online
Teachers
• Rewards
Organization • Incentives
• Recognition
• Learning community
Community • Peer-observation
• Mentoring
• Technology
Teaching • Pedagogy
• Content
Levels of teacher support
43. • Baran, E., & Correia, A. (Under Review)
What Motivates Exemplary Online
Teachers?
44. Tracing the
Knowledge of
Teaching
1. Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPACK)
2. Successful Online Teaching in
Higher Education
3. Development and Mobilization
of Teacher Knowledge
45. Developing and Mobilizing Knowledge
of Model-based Teaching and
Technology in Different Preservice
Science Teacher Education Contexts
• Project conducted with Dr. Samia Khan
and Dr. David Burns at the University of
British Columbia, Canada
46. What do we know about the
impact of different contexts
on preservice teachers’
knowledge and practice?
47. How do preservice science teachers
develop and mobilize their knowledge
of model based teaching with
technology between varied teacher
education contexts (university
coursework, practica, community
service learning)?
48. Integration of digital technologies into
science and scientific inquiry
Generate Evaluate
T-GEM
Modify
Technology (T) integrated pedagogical
framework
49. Course topics and technologies
T-GEM Topics Technologies explored
Enriching and enhancing students’ mental models Chemland
Doing research on students’ conceptual difficulties drawing upon Eric database
the wealth of resources in research databases
Generating and Evaluating relationships PhET
NetLogo
Using concept mapping as a way to gain access to children’s’ models CMaps
Using technology to animate unobservable phenomena in science I-movie,Digital
Images, Slowmotion
Using probes and movement to capture rate of change in chemistry, Datapro, Logger
physics, and biology
Creating digital presentations for linear and divergent processes. Smartboard,
Powerpoint (Pecha
Kucha), Prezi
Organizing content for learning on a content-management system Google Sites
Exploring the science and technology curricular connections of Pico Crickets
programming and robot technology
Building a low-cost multi-point interactive white board Wiimote
Gauging the cognitive and social affordances of various mobile apps Mobile Apps
designed for learning science and developing an evaluation criteria
51. Methodology/Data Sources
Design based research / Multiple Case Study
• Questionnaires (technology, teaching)
• T-GEM design activities
• Observations (eg. community and classroom)
• Teacher debriefs
• Teacher interviews
• Course artifacts
• Teacher reflections
52. Khan, S., Baran, E., & Burns, D. (Under
review). A Synthesis of the Research on
Community Service Learning in Preservice
Science Teacher Education. Submitted to
Review of Educational Research
53. Going Mobile – Opportunities for
Teacher Education
• Exploring the integration of mobile
apps
• Evaluating affordances of mobile
apps for teaching and learning
science
• Challenges for integrating mobile
apps into teaching practice.
54. Selecting the mobile apps to explore with teacher candidates
Mobile Application Discipline iPod iPad iPhone Android Class Activity
Touch
Project Noah Biology Outdoors
Orbits HD Physics Classroom station
Exoplanet Physics Classroom station
Distant Suns Physics Group Discovery
Element Match Chemistry Classroom station
Chemical Touch (Lite) Chemistry Classroom station
Molsim Chemistry Classroom station
AcceleroGauge Physics Indoors
Experimenter Chemistry Classroom station
Mitosis Biology Classroom station
– Glogster: : tinyurl.com/freemobilescienceapps
55. Learning science outdoors and with Exploring mobile apps in a classroom
mobile devices stations activity
Mobilizing with our mobile devices A group gathering to explore the Sun and
within buildings Constellations
56. Teacher candidates’ generated evaluation
criteria
Criteria
Usability (Ease of use, appropriate level of
difficulty
Integration to curriculum (relevance and
application with learning outcomes)
Entertaining
Engaging
Usefulness for outdoors
Clarity
Relevance to real worlds
Compatibility
Content (repertoire)
Extras
57. Main findings
• Challenges
– Lack of technology in schools (eg. lack of wifi)
– Limited time to integrate technology with the
constraints of current curriculum learning outcomes
– Need to test technology out before using it in class
(e.g. the notion of using an interactive white board is
appealing however it is also daunting )
– Students’ lack of familiarity with technology
– The need for constant student monitoring of students
while using digital technologies
– The need for developing lesson plans around
technology to make it meaningful
– The availability of technologies associated with
teaching a specific topic in science
– Getting lost in the technical aspect of digital
technology integration
58. Mobile apps in learning
• Interactive out of classroom
experiences
• Limited social interactivity (i.e. real
time connection, collaboration, and
social networking
• Need to take greater advantage of
mobility to foster mobile learning
• Provide an assessment of learning
• Supporting inquiry
59. Online reviews of apps
– Develop criteria for the evaluation of mobile apps for the
educational uses
– Suggest criteria for evaluation in specific content areas
(c.f. science)
– Develop collaborative online platforms and databases
– Provide ideas for new mobile apps that could potentially
help produce usable applications.
60. • Baran, E., & Khan, S. (In press). Going Mobile –
Science Teacher Candidates Evaluating
Mobile Apps. In C. Miller & A. Doering (Eds),
The New Landscape of Mobile Learning:
Redesigning Education in an App-based
World.
61. Tracing the
Knowledge of
Teaching
1. Technological Pedagogical
Content Knowledge (TPACK)
2. Successful Online Teaching in
Higher Education
3. Development and Mobilization of
Teacher Knowledge
62. Research Group
• Technology in teacher education
• Going mobile in teacher education
• Online teaching with emerging
technologies
64. • Baran, E. (In press). Öğretim
Teknojilerinde Yeni Eğilimler ve
Yaklaşımlar. In K. Çağıltay & Y. Göktaş
(Eds), Öğretim Teknolojisinin Temelleri:
Teoriler, Araştırmalar, Eğilimler.
65. Join us!
• AERA Computer and Internet
Applications Special Interest
Group
66. To see a world in Hold infinity in the
a grain of sand, palm of your hand,
And a heaven in And eternity in an
a wild flower hour
William Blake, Auguries
of Innocence
I am sure some of you already googled your name. I do it once a while and I believe that it is a critical exercise for us to be able to track out digitial activities. If you google mine, you will come across with these digital spaces where I interact. My personal webpage and social networks where I interact with my colleagues and other websites where I share resources on educational technology.
I also want to give you a quick background about my journey which took me to several spaces that shaped my research interests over time. This journey shaped my research interest on technology teacher education and online education through my experiences.
Higher education have embraced online education as an opportunity to meet diverse needs of students. The college 2020 predictrs that students will demand more online courses in near future. There are growing number of nontraditional students and working professionals. Instituions started making their course content publicly available. Stanford Artificalintellgigenmce course was offered free online and attracted 58 000 students around the world.
If you do another quick google search this time using the google images option with keywords teacher, technology, cartoon, you will see these kind of cartoos where teachers are represented as confused people who are having hard tim connecting to the learners of digital age. They are mostly in front of a blackboard, or traditional classroom tools or like in this one an online teacher having a nightmare with 736 new messages. These are really demonstating the way the relatinship between technology and teacher perceived in a society.Despite this rapid growth in the use of and demand for online technologues in higher eduication, distinct pedagogies for online learning have not yet emerged. Faculty may find it difficult to move something new when the patterns of behavior for success are not fully established.
Teaching online creates a tension in introducing a new activity into existing institutions with established roles. What is lacking in the online education literature is empirical research dedicated to investigating the pedagogical transformation of teachers as they move from face-to-face teaching to online teaching and establish the new patterns for online pedagogy.
The research has been limited in terms of bringing teachers’ voices into this process and addressing the complex educational needs of teachers in their unique online teaching contexts.
Teaching online requires the development of new skills and sets of pedagogiesThe growth in faculty involvement and acceptance has been modestLimited change in online pedagogiesTendency of carrying traditional approaches into the online environmentWhile the literature on online teacher roles and competencies recognized the importance of context in performing these functions, it was still limited in terms of sharing strategies for transforming teacher practices for online teaching and helping them understand and adapt to the new teaching environment. Furthermore, several researchers “addressed professional development and teacher education as adult learning” and considered “faculty development as potentially promoting transformational learning” (King, 2002, p. 286). However, the literature on online teacher roles and competencies is lacking the discussion on online teachers’ transformational learning, particularly strategies for facilitating their transformation as they move from face-to-face teaching to online teaching.
Often, these functionalistic views “downplay the importance of teacher agency in defining and shaping the terms of their experience” The role of the teacher in the creation of the content and values of such a program has also been lacking in the current literature. Hence, the regulation, certification, and standardization of teacher behavior is emphasized over creating the conditions for teachers to undertake the sensitive roles they might assume as active agentswho selectively produce and legitimate particular forms of knowledge and authority.
This researchis an effort to fill the void by researching the transformation of online teaching practice with a critical look at the current literature and an examination of the successful online teaching patterns in the higher education contexts.
Centrality of experience, critical reflection, and rational discourse (Taylor, 1998). The learner’s experience, being socially constructed or deconstructed, is central to transformative learning. It is through critical self-reflection that the learner questions “the integrity of assumptions and beliefs based on prior experience” and this act of reflection “is most essential for the transforming of our meaning structures—a perspective transformation” (Taylor, 1998, p. 16). Critical reflection is carried out in the medium of rational discourse “where experience is reflected upon and assumptions and beliefs are questioned, and where meaning schemes and meaning structures are ultimately transformed” (Taylor, 1998, pp. 17-18). This notion of looking at adult learning with a transformative learning perspective may help in framing our understanding of the teachers’ experience of online teaching and the continuous changes they experience as they move from face-to-face teaching to online teaching. It also enables us to view teachers as learners as they transform the meaning of structures related to teaching online through an “ongoing process of critical reflection, discourse, and acting on one’s beliefs” (Taylor, 1998, p. 19). Researchers explored the reflective practice drawing from transformative learning theory and suggested engaging teachers in pedagogical problem-solving and discovery about online teaching (Kreber & Kanuka, 2006). However, the literature on online teaching and learning is limited in terms of analyzing how ”reflective online teacher- practitioners will work from a deep knowledge base (which relates to both their expertise in the discipline per se and their knowledge of what is known about online learning) and make their discoveries public and peer reviewed” (Kreber & Kanuka, 2006, p. 122). If the potential of online learning is to be reached, there is a recognized need to understand online teachers’ transformative learning process as they become actively involved in pedagogical problem-solving in their teaching practices. This critical review aims to use transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1991, 1995, 2000) to frame the critique on the literature that focus on competency- and role-based online teaching, and also propose an alternative view towards professional development of online teachers as adult learners.
Using transformative learning theory in the context of online teaching is grounded on three fundamental premises: (1) viewing online teachers as active adult learners, (2) recognizing that transformative learning occurs though critical reflection, and (3) considering that transformation happens as teachers conduct pedagogical inquiry with technology. The critical analysis included searching for the evidence of the existence or lack of these premises in the literature on online teacher roles and competencies.
Whileonline education has become more commonplace, little is known about what makes online teachers successful, and how they can transform to create successful online teaching practices. In order to build conceptual models for future studies as well as to identify strategies for supporting faculty who teach online, we need to explore what makes online teachers exemplary and successful in the higher education context. An in-depth qualitative case study exploring the context of a higher education institution’s different online teaching practices can illuminate such conceptual and pragmatic understandings.
In the present study, multiple-case study approach was followed. Using multiple cases allowed to compare similar and contrasting online teaching situations, and therefore helped draw more compelling and robust conclusions (Yin, 2009).This research study was conducted within a large research university in the Midwestern United States. As a first step, six online program coordinators and directors, who were leading or supporting online programs and online course offerings within the university colleges, were identified and contacted for an interview. Instead of giving them prior criteria for selecting these teachers, they were asked to tell us what their criteria for success were and how the nominated teachers met these criteria. The purpose was to bring out the success criteria that emerged from each online teaching context, examine their commonalities and differences, and use them for further analysis. From the three nominations provided by each online program coordinator, six teachers who were the first-ranked nominees were contacted for the interviews, and all of them agreed to participate in this study (See Table 1: Online teachers’ profiles). This initial analysis indicated four common success criteria used to nominate teachers across online teaching contexts. They were: (1) Knowledge of students, (2) knowledge of content, (3) effective communication with the students, and (4) high scores on the course evaluations.
The second phase of the analysis included the within-case analysis that allowed getting familiar with each case as a whole and generating a list of initial codes. During the cross-case analysis, we examined these codes in terms of their presence or absence from the cases. This helped to identify the similarities and differences across the cases as well as common themes (Miles & Huberman, 1994). The analysis indicated that while describing their teaching strategies, teachers often started with their concerns regarding the nature of online teaching and then presented the strategies they employed to overcome these challenges. Therefore, the codes emerging under the categories of concerns/challenges and teacher strategies were collapsed and formed the final themes. They were: (1) Knowing and creating the course content, (2) designing and structuring the online course, (3) knowing the students, (4) enhancing student-teacher relationships, (5) guiding student learning, (6) evaluating online courses, and (7) maintaining teacher presence. Table 3 presents these themes with related categories and emerging codes. These were a result of the within and cross-case analysis. As shown on Table 3, teachers suggested different strategies for meeting the challenges and addressing the concerns while teaching online. The data analysis was mainly conducted by this article’s first author with the participation of the co-authors, especially during the final stage of coding. The initial themes generated by the first author were then reviewed by the co-authors. Any disagreements or additional themes were discussed among the three authors, consensus was reached and adjustments were made accordingly.
Although each teacher had a unique online teaching context, the cross case analysis of the ethnographic interviews showed that their stories had common threads. The common threads were defined to be: (1) knowing and creating the course content; (2) designing and structuring the online course; (3) knowing the students; (4) enhancing teacher-student relationships; (5) guiding student learning; (6) evaluating online courses; and (7) maintaining teacher presence.Teachers interviewed employed exemplary practices in order to overcome the challenges and concerns related to teaching online. They also offered inventive and innovative solutions to overcome these challenges. We now consider each common thread in turn.
Changing online teacher roleRevisiting old assumptions on learning and teaching
free mobile appsdifferent science content domains such as biology, physics and chemistry Google search engine, iTunes Library, Diigo and Delicious100 Free Science and Math mobile apps (Biology, Physics, Math, Chemistry, Sensors, Everyday Apps, Foundational Science, Science Ethics, and General Science Teacher Apps containing two calculators and a units conversion app)
As more socially engaging mobile apps for science become available, the development of lesson plans, activities, handouts, and assessment methods for the social interactive and collaborative features of mobile platforms could help teachers integrate these features into their teaching practice.