Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project

Kalle Juuti; Jari Lavonen; Maija Aksela; Veijo Meisalo

doi:10.12973/ejmste/75262

Full Text (PDF)

Kalle Juuti ¹ ^* , Jari Lavonen ¹, Maija Aksela ¹, Veijo Meisalo ¹

More Detail

¹ University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FINLAND^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This paper analyses the use of various communication channels in science teachers’ professional development project aiming to develop versatile uses for ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in science teaching. A teacher network was created specifically for this project, and the researchers facilitated three forms of communication concentrating on the topic of ICT in science teaching. The three forms of communication were face-to-face interaction, mediated interaction, and mediated quasi-interaction. Based on case study data and participating teachers’ self evaluation, during the course of the project, the use of ICT in science teaching increased. As predicted, face-to-face communication appeared to be felt more effective than mediated interaction or mediated quasi-interaction. However, informal discussions in small groups turned out to be more important than expected. The results suggest that the design of future professionaldevelopment projects should make room for more informal communication.

Keywords

case study
communication channels
ICT
professional development

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 5, Issue 2, 2009, 103-118

https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262

Publication date: 22 Jan 2009

Article Views: 2319

Article Downloads: 2372

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Allchin, D. (1998). Values in science and science education. In B.J. Fraser & K.G. Tobin (Eds.), International handbook of science education (pp. 1083-1092). Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Ben-Ari, M. (2005). Situated learning in ‘this high-technology world’. Science & Education, 14, 367-376.
Demetriadis, S., Barbas, A., Mologides, A., Palaigeorgiou, G., Psillos, D., Vlahavas, I., Tsoukalas, I., & Pombortsis, A. (2003) “Cultures in negotiation”: Teachers’ acceptance/resistance attitudes considering the infusion of technology into schools, Computers & Education, 41, 19–37.
Eraut, M. (1994) Developing Professional Knowledge and Competence (London, Falmer Press).
Ferraris, M., Manca, S., Persico, D., & Sarti, L. (2000) Managing the change from face-to-face to distance training for SMEs, Computers & Education, 34, 77–91.
Fullan, M. (1991) The New Meaning of Educational Change (2nd edn) (London, Cassell).
Hakkarainen, K., Ilomäki, L., Lipponen, L., Muukkonen, H., Rahikainen, M., Tuominen, T., Lakkala, M. & Lehtinen, E. (2000) Students’ skills and practices of using ICT: results of a national assessment in Finland, Computers & Education, 34, 103-117.
Haney, J. J., Czerniak, C., & Lumpe, A. T. (1996) Teachers' beliefs and intentions regarding the implementation of science education reform strands, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33, 971-993.
Higgins, J. M. (1994) Creative problem solving techniques: The handbook of new ideas for business (Winter Park, FL, New Management).
Knezek, G. & Christensen, R. (2002) Impact of New Information Technologies on Teachers and Students, Education and Information Technologies, 7, 369-376.
Kuitunen, H. (1996). Finiste-tietoverkko innovation välineenä luonnontieteiden opetuksen työtapoja monipuolistettaessa [Finiste-network as an innovation tool for diversifying teaching methods in science education], Research Reports of the Department of Teacher Education, 159 (Helsinki, Finland, University of Helsinki).
Lavonen, J., Juuti, K., Aksela, M., & Meisalo, V. (2006). A Professional Development Project for Improving the Use of Information and communication technologies in Science Teaching. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 15(2), 159–174.
Lazarowitz, R. and Tamir, P. (1994) Research on using laboratory instruction in science, in: D.L. Gabel (Ed.) Handbook of Science Teaching and Learning (New York, Macmillan Publishing Company), 94–128.
Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis: An expanded Sourcebook (2nd edn) (Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage), 90–142.
Moursund, D. & Bielefeldt, T. (1999) Will New Teachers Be Prepared To Teach in a Digital Age? A National Survey on Information Technology in Teacher Education (International Society for Technology in Education ERIC ED428072).
Newton, L.,R. (2000) Data-logging in practical science: research and reality. International Journal of Science Education, 22, 1247–1259.
Niemi, H., (2003). Towards a Learning Society in Finland: information and communication technology in teacher education. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 12(1), 86 – 103.
OECD (2004) Completing the Foundation for Lifelong Learning: An OECD Survey of Upper Secondary Schools (Paris, OECD, StudienVerlag).
Patton, M. Q. (2002) Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (3rd edn) (Thousand Oaks, Sage), 440–462.
Parker, G. M. (1991), Team players and teamwork: The competitive business strategy (San Francisco, CA, Jossey–Bass).
Rogers, E.M. (1995) Diffusion of innovations (4th edn) (NewYork, NY, Free Press).
Rogers, E. M. (2001) Innovation, Theory of, in: N. J. Smelser & P. B. Baltes (Eds.) International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Amsterdam, Elsevier Science Ltd.), 7540–7543.
Russell, G. and Bradley, G. (1997) Teachers’ computer anxiety: implications for professional development, Education and Information Technologies, 2, 17-30.
Schie, J. (1997) A World-Wide-Web Survey on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education, European Journal of Teacher Education, 20, 85- 92.
SETRIS. (2000) Education, Training and Research in the Information Society: A National Strategy for 2000-2004 (Helsinki, Finland, Ministry of Education.) Available at: http://www.minedu.fi/julkaisut/information/englishU /index.html, retrieved 24.2.2005.
Thompson, J. B. (1994) Social Theory of the Media in: D. Crowley and D. Mitchell (Eds.) Communication Theory Today (Cambridge, Polity Press), 27–49.
Tobin, K., Tippins, D.J. and Gallard, A. J. (1994) Research on instructional strategies for teaching science in: D.L. Gabel (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Science Teaching and Learning (New York: Macmillan), 45–93.
UNESCO. (2008) ICT Competency standards for teacher. Paris: UNESCO.
Voogt, J. & van den Akker, J. (2002) Computer-assisted Instruction, in: N. J. Smelser & P. B. Baltes (Eds.) International Encyclopaedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Amsterdam, Elsevier), 2473-2477.
Willis, E.M. (1997) Technology: Integrated into, not added onto, the curriculum experiences in preservice teacher education, Computers in the Schools, 13, 141-53.
Yin, R. K. (1994). Case study research (2nd edn), in: Applied Social Research Methods Series Volume 5 (Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage), 79–101.

How to cite this article

APA

Juuti, K., Lavonen, J., Aksela, M., & Meisalo, V. (2009). Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 5(2), 103-118. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262

Vancouver

Juuti K, Lavonen J, Aksela M, Meisalo V. Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2009;5(2):103-18. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262

AMA

Juuti K, Lavonen J, Aksela M, Meisalo V. Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2009;5(2), 103-118. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262

Chicago

Juuti, Kalle, Jari Lavonen, Maija Aksela, and Veijo Meisalo. "Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2009 5 no. 2 (2009): 103-118. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262

Harvard

Juuti, K., Lavonen, J., Aksela, M., and Meisalo, V. (2009). Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 5(2), pp. 103-118. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262

MLA

Juuti, Kalle et al. "Adoption of ICT in Science Education: a Case Study of Communication Channels in A Teachers’ Professional Development Project". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 5, no. 2, 2009, pp. 103-118. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmste/75262