Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemPedagogical strategies and the techno-savvy student: an investigation into the pedagogical strategies used by secondary school teachers( 2010)This study investigates the pedagogical strategies used by teachers in the classroom to cater for the techno-savvy secondary school student. The research in this study supports this view and provides the implications this has on teaching and learning in today’s classroom. The thesis seeks to explore the pedagogical strategies teachers use in the classroom and identify potential practices deficient in the use of ICT by teachers, along with the reasons behind this. The aim of the study was to consider how current pedagogy can improve the student learning environment, encourage self-motivation and engagement within the classroom. This thesis argues that students have a close relationship with technology, one that has begun at a young age. Their fascination with technology is cultured by a medium which allows them to express themselves and to communicate with a complex world. By using ICT within the classroom, teachers are able to tap into this, which in turn, can increase student participation, motivation and engagement. The research process comprised of gathering information through a series of interviews with teachers and students over a two month period. The significance of this study is that it has shown that students prefer to work with technology when completing class work, rather than more traditional methods of reading a textbook, copying down notes from the board and writing in their exercise book. This study has shown that traditional teaching approaches need to be reconsidered by teachers and contemporary approaches using ICT along with the right pedagogical strategies can change the face of teaching for the better.
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ItemThe impact of school leadership upon the successful integration of ICT across the curriculum in secondary schools( 2009)The question addressed in this study was “To what extent does the nature of school leadership influence the successful integration of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) across the curriculum?” I was led to my research questions through my passion for ICT and my commitment to and concerns about its usage in all areas of learning at the secondary school level. Furthermore, through my experiences as an Information Technology teacher and more significantly as a Technology Coordinator and a board member of the Victorian Information Technology Teachers’ Association, I have come to understand that ICT is more likely to be embraced and effectively implemented across several key learning areas if school leaders are willing to invest time, money and other resources into schooling educators about how to utilise ICT tools in their classrooms. A vital element of this investment is the nature of the support offered staff in learning about useful and new technologies and the way in which professional development is presented in this area. The study was significant because currently The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) is the mandated curriculum for all Victorian secondary schools, and ICT is a fundamental component of the Interdisciplinary Learning Strand that “…identifies a range of knowledge, skills and behaviours which cross disciplinary boundaries and are essential to ensuring students are prepared as active learners and problem-solvers for success at school and beyond” (VCAA, 2006). This suggests that ICT is a domain that is critical in all learning areas so that students are equipped to face the global environment which they encounter on a daily basis and which is rapidly expanding and permeating all facets of life. The methodology employed in this research was primarily qualitative, as I looked to present an interpreted understanding of a school culture in which ICT is not fully integrated across the curriculum, and to then effect change in that culture and curriculum by fostering the knowledge of school leaders in ICT. To this end, I hoped to more deeply inform the participants of the obstacles to ICT integration, and how these obstacles can be overcome, by engaging in dialogue with them about my analysis of observed and documented events. The outcomes suggested that ICT integration requires a whole school approach, guided by far-sighted leadership that is not afraid to investigate and enhance critical elements such as provision of targeted professional development for educators in the use of ICT tools and resources, is creative with budgets and overall models effective ICT use.