Research Reviews

Funding for the provision of laptops, as well as training to build teacher capacity, has been provided by governments, through initiatives such as the Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution. How has this technology changed what happens in teaching and learning? A paper outlines the findings of a project investigating the reality of a one-to-one laptop program in the teaching of mathematics in two schools.

The growing demand for flexible learning and the growth of massive open online courses (MOOCs) accelerates the need to develop teaching staff capacity. Case studies outline the strategic three-prong approach undertaken by one university to improve the digital literacy of their teaching staff.

The knowledge age places demands on the global economy. New skills are required and institutions need to respond to these demands in order to prepare their students to function in this environment. A case study articulates one school’s endeavours to prepare students for the global economy through blended learning.

Education technology professionals occupy a vital role in teaching and learning. However, lack of clarity and ambiguity prevails in the categorisation and description of the roles and skills of the educational technology professionals. A recent paper, through a literature review, endeavours to identify and compare how educational technology professionals have been operationalised in research and practice.

The technology that teachers choose to use in their everyday practice is determined by a number of factors including students’ attitude and knowledge as well as adherence to standards related to technology and 21st century skills aimed at preparing learners adapt to changing social and economic environments. A recent study examines how six elementary teachers used technology in their classrooms to promote student learning of 21st century skills.

Today’s learners have grown up with digital devices and their expectation is that these devices can be and should be used for learning in formal and informal settings. This implies that institutions must be agile in their application of technologies that support student engagement and learning. A UK paper describes a study that introduced staff to mobile technologies with the objective of monitoring their use to support teaching and learning in a small, interdisciplinary campus.

Research and implementation of e-portfolios over the last decade, has focussed on their use in vocational education and training and higher education contexts. In Australia extensive work had been undertaken by both sectors. However, studies relating to the use of e-portfolios in the school sector are scarce. A recent journal paper considers the impact of e-portfolios on learning in a Greek primary school.

How we socially connect and communicate with each other take many different forms entailing the use of new literacies. The challenge for teachers is how to make their students’ learning meaningful with these new literacy practices. A recent journal paper discusses how various technologies support the development of skills such as reading and writing.

Collaboration and sharing are central and driving forces in today’s knowledge age. Technology and the ever increasing supply of communication tools have enabled educators to connect and share knowledge and experience, debate issues and stimulate discussion around topics of interests. Twitter is one such social media service increasingly used by educators to build and sustain learning communities. A recent study explores pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards Twitter as an informal professional development tool.

Looking back through the DERN archives there are a noticeable number of references to MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) since 2012. This research into MOOCs has focussed on the deployment in higher education with limited research into MOOCs for K-12 education. Are there inherent characteristics in the student population that render MOOCs unsuitable for K-12 environments? Do students lack the motivation to successfully engage in MOOCs?  Investigating the Potential of MOOCs in K-12 Teaching and Learning Environments, a paper by Jennifer Nigh, et al articulates the findings of a study undertaken by researchers at Kent State University. The study sets out to explore the potential use of MOOCs in K-12 environments, particularly focussing on student motivation and participation experiences.