03. Curriculum Innovation
Paper
Third Level Student Agency: the Impact of Distance Education on Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic
Majella Dempsey, Delma Byrne
Maynooth University, Ireland
Presenting Author: Dempsey, Majella;
Byrne, Delma
The coronavirus crisis impacted higher education institutions in many new and unexpected ways bringing both challenges and opportunities particularly in relation to distance education and digitally enhanced learning and teaching. Lectures and their students across the world were forced into this new reality without the requisite time to plan, consult the theory, develop supports, embed relevant pedagogies and have curriculum alignment in the online environment between content, teaching, learning and assessment (Toqero 2020; Rudolph et al., 2023). The move to distance education for many institutions was more akin to emergency response teaching than theory informed online learning (Adedoyin and Soykan 2020). This research aims to examine how student agency impacted their engagement with online learning during the lock down in one Irish university. This first year cohort (2020-2021) experienced arguably the most change with traditional second level examinations being cancelled for the first time in the history of the state, transition into third level during a pandemic that mitigated the usual rites of passage taking place and the need to adapt to learning in an online environment with classmates and lecturers that in many cases they had never met face-to-face.
Some research has found that there is a significant positive effect of the COVID-19 lockdowns on students’ performance because they changed their learning strategies to a more continuous habit and this had led to better grades in assignments (Gonzalez et al., 2020). However, others found that stress, anxiety, loneliness and mental health concerns increased during the pandemic lockdowns with students feeling more isolated (Elmer at al., 2020; Liu et al., 2020). One of the key challenges encountered by higher education institutions was the sudden shift to distance learning and the need for a change of pedagogical thinking (Marinoni et al., 2020; Pokhrel and Chhetri 2021). This challenge comes with different dimensions, most particularly the technical infrastructure, the support tools to use for distance learning, assimilating online teaching pedagogies, providing structure for students to collaborate, giving feedback on learning and finally how to organise and manage student assessments from distance (Besser et al., 2020). For students it meant they needed to be more self-directed in their learning. This research project aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of how agency was impacted by these changed conditions.
To explore the affordances and challenges faced by students learning in this changed environment we used the concept of agency to frame our analysis of data. To analyse what constitutes agency, Emirbayer and Mische (1998) define agency as constructing engagement with structure through individuals’ temporal reflection on the past, present and future. This temporality emerged as critical for these students as they missed out on key experiences needed to build competences for present learning and motivation for future aspirations. Biesta and Tedder’s (2007) conceptualised agency as one’s “ability to exert control over … one’s life” (p. 135) by means of structure rather than simply within structure. Later Priestley and colleagues (2015) described agency as being always informed by past experience and is oriented towards some future goal. They go on to say that “agency is always enacted in a concrete situation” (p.30) and is supported and constrained by available cultural, structural and material resources. These resources to support learning at third level changed during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Ireland. The impact of these changes was not uniformly felt by individuals and in some instances they exacerbated existing inequalities (Daly and Cahill 2018).
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedIn this paper, we draw from data collected from a cohort of first year new entrants who attend a university in the Republic of Ireland. Using a mixed method case study approach we seek to address the gap in understanding how young people at third level made the transition from second level and engaged with learning in the online environment. Our intention has not been to make representative claims about all young people who experienced this transition but to investigate young people’s experience of learning at a particular historical moment. However, the representative nature of our data allows us to make claims about and provide a fine-grained analysis of young people’s accounts within our case study site. The research site itself represents an interesting case study because it has the most diverse university student intake in the Republic of Ireland. A liberal arts and sciences university, it has the highest share of entrants with a disability (15% compared to 13% in the university sector) and the highest share of entrants from target socio-economic groups (29% compared to a sectoral average of 24%) in the Irish university sector (HEA 2020).
Data was gathered through an online survey that was designed in collaboration with the University Students’ Union. The online survey sought to capture the undergraduate experience during a pandemic and draws inspiration from a number of international studies specifically designed for undergraduate cohorts including the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen (NLSF), and the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU). Our survey included specific questions relating to learning in the online environment. The online survey was distributed to all 3,255 first year students by the university on behalf of the research team, between December 2020 and January 2021. 22 per cent (n= 727) of the first-year cohort completed the survey. While the data collection yielded a marginal over-representation of females, high point students and mature students, a weight was calculated from key strata and the results were re-weighted to render them representative of the population of first year students. In addition to these data interviews were carried out with twelve students to further elucidate key trends from the survey. Qualitative data were then analysed thematically using the concept of agency as a lens to better understand the accounts of young people of their experience.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe survey asked students about the type of academic obstacles that they faced in adapting successfully to online learning. These have been categorised into two broad categories: adaptive and technical (Heifetz et al., 2009). Most are adaptive, and there are a few lingering technical problems . The greatest challenge experienced by first year students was a lack of motivation for remote learning – 80% of students cited this as an obstacle, with almost 40% citing it as their greatest challenge. Other obstacles included lack of interaction with other students (74%), and inability to learn effectively in an online format (60%). Almost half of first-year students cited ‘lack of clear expectations for online learning from lecturing staff’ as an obstacle, and just over a third (34%) cited ‘lack of access to an appropriate study space or distracting home environment’. Replicating other studies, these findings suggest that adaptive rather technical issue were key obstacles. In general the findings suggest students experienced considerable obstacles when transitioning to online learning, and the obstacles outweigh the benefits. Low mood was significantly associated with these obstacles. The role of agency in these responses is considerable and this is explored more fully in the paper. Indicators of engagement with active learning (reflective and integrative learning, collaborative learning and use of active learning strategies) indicate that students were engaging in these activities less frequently than a previous cohort of first-year students as a result of remote learning. Just over half set goals for their learning.
These findings indicate that this cohort of students were significantly disadvantaged in starting their study during a pandemic and that the consequences need to be taken into account by their university. These findings add to the body of literature on online learning and the role of personal agency in successful engagement within this environment.
ReferencesAdedoyin, O.B., & Soykan, E. (2020). Covid-19 pandemic and online learning: the challenges and opportunities, Interactive Learning Environments, DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2020.1813180
Besser, A., Flett, G. L., & Zeigler-Hill, V. (2020). Adaptability to a sudden transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Understanding the challenges for students. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000198
Biesta, G., & Tedder, M. (2007). Agency and learning in the lifecourse: Towards an ecological perspective. Studies in the Education of Adults, 39(2), 132–149.
Daly, M. and Cahill, K. (2018) 'An exploration of the transition from post-primary to third level education settings for students with special educational needs', Learn: Journal of The Irish Learning Support Association, 40, pp. 41-53.
Elmer, T., Mepham, K., & Stadtfeld, C. (2020). Students under lockdown: Comparisons of students’ social networks and mental health before and during COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland. PLoS ONE, 15(7), 1-22.
Emirbayer, M., & Mische, A. (1998). What is agency? American Journal of Sociology, 4, 962–1023.
Gonzalez T, de la Rubia MA, Hincz KP, Comas-Lopez M, Subirats L, et al. (2020). Influence of COVID-19 confinement on students’ performance in higher education. PLOS ONE 15(10).
Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA.
Liu, C. H., Zhang, E., Wong, G., Hyun, S., & Hahm, H. C. (2020). Factors associated with depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptomatology during the COVID-19 pandemic: Clinical implications for U.S. young adult mental health. Psychiatry research, 290, 113172.
Marinoni, G., van’t Land, H., & Jensen, T. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on
Higher Education around the World - IAU Global Survey Report. France: International Association of Universities.
Pokhrel, S., & Chhetri, R. (2021). A Literature Review on Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning. Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), 133–141.
Priestley, M., Bieats, G., & Robinson, S. (2015).Teacher Agency: An Ecological Approach. London: Bloomsbury.
Toquero, C. M. (2020). Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Philippine Context. Pedagogical Research, 5(4), em0063.
Rudolph, J., Tan, S., Crawford, J. et al. (2023). Perceived quality of online learning during COVID-19 in higher education in Singapore: perspectives from students, lecturers, and academic leaders. Educ Res Policy Prac 22, 171–191
03. Curriculum Innovation
Paper
Same Same but Different: A Study on Teachers’ Subject Cultural Patterns Concerning Consumer Education as a Cross-cutting Theme
Silke Bartsch, Diana Susann Böhme, Eva Maria Leupolz Mašović, Heike Mueller
Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
Presenting Author: Bartsch, Silke;
Mueller, Heike
The education system is fundamental for empowering people to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. In promoting corresponding literacies (e.g., health/digital/sustainability literacy), a common approach is to implement them as cross-cutting themes (UNESCO, 2012) or cross-curricular tasks (Bieber et al., 2017). As such, they can be written into curricula and hold potential for driving innovation of available subjects. Yet, when (too) many subjects are called to contribute, diffusion of responsibility may occur (Hellmann-Tuitert, 1999). Another barrier is perception as additional burden on teachers (Baena-Morales et al., 2022). Especially where the principial of subject-matter education applies, cross-cutting themes become a matter of both professional development and curriculum innovation.
In this context, this paper reports on the cLEVER-3-study, which explores subject cultural patterns of teachers concerning consumer education as a cross-cutting theme. We refer to consumer education as a process of developing knowledge, understanding, reflection, and action in manifold consumption areas and enhancing the ability to read the world in terms of consumership (consumer literacy) (cf. Sumner, 2013; Steffens, 2012; Heseker et al., 2005). For this, the reflective basis is subject culture research (Lüders, 2007; Poweleit, 2020). Building on theories of disciplinary and school cultures, subject culture research expands the notion that in contexts of subjects, too, cultural structures emerge through habitual practices and shape the rules by which social actors play their social game (Bourdieu, 1984). Although subject culture research is still in its infancy in consumer education, two lines of work exist to build upon:
1. Consumer education in relation to better-established subjects
Many countries integrate consumer education not as a singular subject but a cross-cutting theme (Ueno et al., 2009). This corresponds to the United Nations’ guideline that “[c]onsumer education should, where appropriate, become an integral part of the basic curriculum of the educational system, preferably as a component of existing subjects” (UN, 2016, art. 43). Germany and Austria, e.g., have installed consumer education as a cross-curricular task or principle (KMK, 2013; BMBWF, 2015). Internationally, home economics offer an anchor, e.g., as Family and Consumer Sciences in the USA (https://www.aafcs.org/partnership/about-aafcs) or as Nutrition and Consumer Education in German-speaking countries (http://habifo.de/dach.html). Other disciplines appear rather silent, which is not the case for other multidisciplinary tasks (e.g., Baena-Morales et al., 2022, Vrabec et al., 2013). Not least because of the precarious situation of home economics in schools and the multidimensionality of consumer issues, curriculum integration as a cross-cutting theme seems a rather viable option. Still, whether and how it reaches subject practice on the classroom level remains an issue (Ueno et al., 2009), especially when assuming an enculturation of teachers.
2. Teachers’ views of consumer education and professional development
Several studies have explored this issue. For instance, Wittau (2021) found that teachers from various subjects within the social sciences often base consumer education on the values of their own milieu, which contradicts aspirations for professional learning. Håkansson (2016) found that qualified home economics teachers in Sweden have a lower degree in their intention to transport moralized consumer education than their formally unqualified colleagues. For Australia, Sawatzki and Sullivan (2017) report that most participating teachers at primary schools regard themselves as financially literate while only half is confident in teaching financial literacy. However, there remains a paucity of research on the views of teachers from other subjects than economics and home economics.
Thus, the research questions of this paper are:
- Is teacher professional learning and development regarding consumer education informed by diverse subject cultural patterns?
- Do subject cultural patterns exist in the way that teachers offer consumer education in the context of their subject teaching and learning? What are the similarities and differences?
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThe methodology manifests in an exploratory approach with comparative elements. Data was collected from teachers (n=370) at secondary schools in Baden-Wurttemberg state, Germany. In 2019, there were 41.352 teachers working at these schools. We reached the teachers by contacting 1.468 schools of the population of 2.101 secondary schools. In Baden-Wurttemberg consumer education has attained the status of one of the seven cross-cutting themes with the introduction of a new general education curriculum in 2016 (KMBW, 2016). Thus, teachers in all school subjects must integrate consumer education in their teaching and learning. Studies from earlier phases of the curriculum implementation confirmed the need for supporting teachers in professional learning and development for consumer education; particularly in subjects that identify only little with consumer education or not at all (Bartsch & Goerke, 2020). Consequently, the cLEVER-3-study focuses on teachers with subjects that either have low or high attributed subject affinity to this cross-cutting theme. Subject cultural patterns concerning consumer education are at the focus of this study. The instrument is a partially standardized online survey. Data consists of both text-based and numerical data. For the analysis, we use statistical methods and content analysis.
1 cLEVER refers both to the cross-cutting theme of consumer education and a research project on transferring the so-called ‘guiding perspective’ (LEitperspektive VERbraucherbildung) into subject teaching and learning at general education schools in Baden-Wurttemberg state. The project is funded by the Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection Baden-Wurttemberg.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsFrom the stance of education policy and of consumer policy, consumer education should be, remain, and become a cross-cutting theme of established subjects. In educational science and subject-matter didactics, however, this raises questions such as whether and how to handle cross-cutting themes, or what this stance implies for professional learning and development. In this, consumer education serves as an example. The study on teachers in Baden-Wurttemberg state is expected to show, on the one hand, what similarities and differences exist between the different subjects. For this, we present the results on what kind of previous education teachers name regarding consumer education, whether they self-report the use of qualification options for this cross-cutting theme and which these are, where teachers get ideas for streaming consumer education across the curriculum, and what media and methods teachers use for consumer education. These results can serve to derive impulses both for professional learning in practice and research on professional development as well as curriculum innovation. On the other hand, the cLEVER-3 study looks at consumer education from a subject culture perspective. To our knowledge, this is a new approach in the field of consumer education. Consequently, the paper reflects on the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.
ReferencesBaena-Morales, S., Prieto-Ayuso, A., Merma-Molina, G., & González-Víllora, S. (2022). Exploring physical education teachers’ perceptions of sustainable development goals and education for sustainable development. Sport, Education and Society, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2022.2121275
Bartsch, S., & Goerke, D. (2020). cLEVER 2. Abschlussbericht/Online-Fassung. self-publishing: https://www.leitperspektive-verbraucherbildung.de/clever/forschung/
Bieber, G., Horstkemper, M., & Krüger-Potratz, M. (2016). Editorial zum Schwerpunktthema: Querschnittsaufgaben von Schule. DDS, 108(3), 221–225.
BMBWF (2015). Grundsatzerlass zum Unterrichtsprinzip Wirtschafts- und Verbraucher/innenbildung. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Frauen. https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:94d18365-c0b2-4582-9d3f-7162cfd2f3e4/2015_15_de.pdf
Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique on the judgement of taste.Harvard University Press.
Håkansson, A. (2016). Intentions of formally qualified and unqualified teachers to transfer norms and values in home economics teaching: Transferring consumption norms and values in home economics. IJCS40(3), 268–275. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12251
Hellman-Tuitert, G. (1999). Promoting consumer education in schools. Swedish Consumer Agency.
Heseker, H., Schlegel-Matthies, K., Heindl, I., Methfessel, B., Johannsen, U., Beer, S., Oepping, A., Schack, P., & Vohmann, C. (2005). Reform der Ernährungs- und Verbraucherbildung in Schulen. Schlussbericht. Universität Paderborn.
KMBW (2016). Bildungsplan 2016. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. http://www.bildungsplaene-bw.de/,Lde/LS/BP2016BW/ALLG/LP
KMK (Ed.) (2013). Verbraucherbildung an Schulen. Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germanyhttps://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/Dateien/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2013/2013_09_12-Verbraucherbildung.pdf
Lüders, J. (2007). Einleitung: Fachkulturforschung in der Schule. In (Ed.), Fachkulturforschung in der Schule (pp. 7–12). Budrich.
Poweleit, A. (2021). Fachkultur(en) in der Schule. GJESR, 51(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-020-00694-3
Sawatzki, C. M., & Sullivan, P. A. (2017). Teachers’ Perceptions of Financial Literacy and the Implications for Professional Learning. AJTE, 42(5), 51–65.https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2017v42n5.4
Steffens, H. (2012). Verbraucherbildung. In H. May & C. Wiepcke (Eds.), Lexikon der ökonomischen Bildung (8th, pp. 647–649). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1524/9783486717334
Sumner, J. (2013). Food Literacy and Adult Education: Learning to Read the World by Eating. CJSAE, 25(2), Article 2.
Ueno, Y., Olczak, M., Takahashi, Y., & Avery, P. (2009). Promoting consumer education: Trends, policies, and good practices. OECD.
UN (2015). UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 22 December 2015. (A/RES/70/186). United Nations. https://unctad.org/meetings/en/SessionalDocuments/ares70d186_en.pdf
UNESCO Secretariat. (2012). Cross-cutting themes. In Glossary of Curriculum Terminology (Online appendix to the GEQAF). UNESCO. http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/node/12083
Vrabec, N., Polievková, P., & Moravčíková, M. (2013). The role of media literacy development as a part of religious education curriculum. EJST, 9(5), 211–223.
Wittau, F. (2021). Consumer education as counselling? Teacher beliefs about consumption and (social science) education. JSSE, 20(3), 147–173.https://doi.org/10.11576/jsse-3960
03. Curriculum Innovation
Ignite Talk (20 slides in 5 minutes)
Examining Primary School Science Textbooks in Terms of Digital Literacy
Aliye Tuba Gülsoy, Mustafa Cakır
Marmara University, Turkiye
Presenting Author: Cakır, Mustafa
Introduction
Changes in the process of acquiring and using information, differentiating student characteristics, innovations in online access, connecting and sharing, and changing understandings from what to learn and how to learn have made it necessary to rethink traditional methods and reform education in the 21st century. From this point of view, first of all, which skills individuals should have and their reasons were questioned (OECD, 2005), and strategies were developed for the application of these skills in educational areas. In this context, many conceptual frameworks have been put forward, the main objective of which is to guide national curriculum policies for the implementation of 21st century qualifications in education (Erstad & Voogt, 2018; Voogt & Roblin, 2010). Although they focus on different areas, collaboration, communication and information and communication technologies (ICT) literacy have been included in all of these frameworks, and many curricula have been organized around these skills. With the digitalization of all areas of life, a new skill area presented as "digital competence" or "digital literacy" has taken its place in the education programs of different countries (Erstad, 2013; Erstad & Voogt, 2018).
In the light of developments in the world, Turkey is one of the countries that has updated its education program by considering the requirements of the 21st century. In the 2018 curriculum, it was aimed to raise digitally literate individuals and the relevant standards were integrated into the curriculum.
Textbooks play a critical role in achieving the goals of raising digitally literate individuals. Textbooks maintain their importance as a component of teaching by improving teaching at all levels of schools and in different disciplines, guiding the scope and content of the course, and being a guide of the course (Knight, 2015; Knight & Horsley, 2011). Due to its active role in education and training, digital literacy skills should be supported with textbooks along with other competencies. Due to its nature that concerns all disciplines, digital literacy should not be limited to technology-related parts of a particular course or curriculum but should be included in all textbooks. When textbooks from different disciplines are examined in the context of digital literacy, there is no study that examines Turkish primary school science textbooks based on global digital literacy competence areas. For this reason, it was necessary to examine the availability of digital literacy skills in primary school science textbooks. In this context, the aim of the research is to examine the primary school science textbooks used in schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education of Turkey in terms of digital literacy.
Digital Literacy
Although digital literacy was used to describe various skills in the 1990s, its popularization began with the book “digital literacy” published by Paul Gilster in 1997 (Bawden, 2008; Martin & Grudziecki, 2006). In the following years, many definitions have been put forward, like every fashionable term, and these definitions have been presented in a wide range from those focusing on technical skills to those focusing on cognitive psychological and social skills (Eshet, 2004).
The diversity and ambiguity in the definition of the concept has led to misunderstandings and poor communication among educators and researchers involved in the development of digital environments (Norton & Wiburg, 1998) and efforts to introduce global definitions and conceptual frameworks have emerged. Global frameworks have been proposed by various organizations to meet this need. The main ones of these frameworks are DigComp 2.1-EU, UNESCO (2018), DQ, Edith Cowan University of Australia (ECU) Digital Literacy Framework.
In this study, the digital literacy framework proposed by UNESCO in 2018 was taken as a basis while determining the criteria for reviewing textbooks.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedMethod
One of the qualitative research approaches is document analysis. In this study, interpretive document analysis was employed in order to examine science textbooks with all their contents.
The research data were collected from the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science textbooks taught in schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education of Turkey in the 2022-2023 academic year. Textbooks were provided as printed copies as they were distributed in schools, and PDF (Portable Document Format) formats were used when necessary.
In the data collection process, an evaluation chart was needed to analyze which and at what level the digital literacy competence areas the textbooks contain and to ensure the reliability of the research. A content analysis chart was developed in line with the proposed UNESCO (2018) digital literacy competencies framework by making additions to DigComp 2.1, and the books were analyzed with this tool. UNESCO digital literacy competence areas and competencies are given.
0. Fundamentals of hardware and software
Basic knowledge of hardware such as turning on/off and charging, locking devices.
Basic knowledge of software such as user account and password management, login, and how to do privacy settings, etc.
1. Information and data literacy
Browsing, searching, and filtering data, information, and digital content.
Evaluating data, information, and digital content.
Managing data, information, and digital content.
2. Communication and collaboration
Interacting through digital technologies.
Sharing through digital technologies.
Engaging in citizenship through digital technologies.
Collaborating through digital technologies.
Netiquette
Managing digital identity
3. Digital content creation
Developing digital content.
Integrating and re-elaborating digital content
Copyright and licenses
Programming
4. Safety
Protecting devices.
Protecting personal data and privacy.
Protecting health and well-being.
Protecting the environment
5. Problem solving
Solving technical problems.
Identifying needs and technological responses.
Creatively using digital technologies.
Identifying digital competence gaps.
Computational thinking
6. Career-related competences
Career-related competences refers to the knowledge and skills required to operate specialized hardware/software for a particular field.
The items of the analysis rubric were reviewed by the experts and rubric revised to its final form after the necessary changes were made according to experts’ opinions. In order to determine the reliability of the data analysis rubric, the 6th grade textbook was analyzed by two experts using the same rubric. The reliability coefficient was calculated with the Holsti equation, which calculates the percentage of agreement between the decisions of at least two coders to encode the same data unit.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsFindings and Results
Of the 236 reference content related to digital literacy, 34.8% "Devices and software operations", 54.3% "Information and data literacy", 7.2% "Communication and collaboration", 3.0% "Digital content creation", 0.4% "Security" and 0.4% "Problem solving" competence areas.
Competence areas and their representations in Turkish Science Textbooks
0.Devices and software operations: 3rd grade 66.7%, 4th grade 42.4%, 5th grade 29.3%, 6th grade 29.1%, 7th grade 24.0%, 8th grade 35.0%
1.Information and data literacy: 3rd 33.3%, 4th 54.6%, 5th 53.7%, 6th 54.2%, 7th 68.0%, 8th 50.0%
2.Communication and collaboration: 4th 3.0%, 5th 14.6%, 6th 10.4%, 7th 4.0%, 8th 7.5%
3.Digital content creation: 5th 2.4%, 6th 4.2%, 7th 4.0%, 8th 5.0%
4.Safety: 8th 2.5%
5. Problem-solving: 6th 2.1%
The references to digital competence areas in textbooks increase with the increase in grade level. The area of competence that takes place at the highest rate at grade levels is "information and data literacy". There is no content in the textbooks within the scope of "career-related competencies". One of the overarching aims of the science curriculum is to develop career awareness and entrepreneurship skills related to science (MoNE, 2018). For this purpose, content references to career competency should be included in science textbooks according to cognitive and affective developmental levels of the students.
The level of including "security" and "problem solving" competencies in the reviewed books is quite low. It can be expected that references to "problem solving" competencies would be low in primary school textbooks because they require higher cognitive skills that primary school children have not achieved yet. On the other hand, it is very important to provide the new generation students, who are digital natives, with security-related competencies protecting personal data and privacy. In this context, safety competencies should be included more in science textbooks along with other textbooks.
ReferencesReferences
Antoninis, M., & Montoya, S. (2018). A global framework to measure digital literacy. Blog UNESCO. http://uis.unesco.org/en/blog/global-framework-measure-digital-literacy
Bawden, D. (2008). Origins and concepts of digital literacy. Digital literacies: Concepts, policies and practices, 30(2008), 17-32.
Becker, S. A., Pasquini, L. A., & Zentner, A. (2017). 2017 digital literacy impact study: An NMC horizon project strategic brief.
Commission, E., Directorate-General for Education, Y., Sport, & Culture. (2022). Guidelines for teachers and educators on tackling disinformation and promoting digital literacy through education and training. Publications Office of the European Union.
Erstad, O. (2013). Digital learning lives: Trajectories, literacies, and schooling. Peter Lang New York.
Erstad, O., & Voogt, J. (2018). The Twenty-First Century Curriculum: Issues and Challenges. Second Handbook of Information Technology in Primary and Secondary Education, 19-36.
Eshet, Y. (2004). Digital literacy: A conceptual framework for survival skills in the digital era. Journal of educational multimedia and hypermedia, 13(1), 93-106.
Fanea-Ivanovici, M., & Lee, Y.-T. (2022). An Overview of Digital Literacy Frameworks: Focus on the Digital Literacy Framework (CDL). Available at SSRN 4088293.
Knight, B. A. (2015). Teachers' use of textbooks in the digital age. Cogent education, 2(1), 1015812.
Knight, B. A., & Horsley, M. (2011). E-learning in higher education: Change or complementarity in the use of textbooks and other learning resources. The Eleventh International Conference on textbooks and educational media (IARTEM),
Martin, A., & Grudziecki, J. (2006). DigEuLit: Concepts and tools for digital literacy development. Innovation in teaching and learning in information and computer sciences, 5(4), 249-267.
Norton, P., & Wiburg, K. M. (1998). Teaching with technology. Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
OECD. (2005). The definition and selection of key competencies: Executive summary. OECD Paris.
Voogt, J., & Roblin, N. P. (2010). 21st century skills. Discussienota. Zoetermeer: The Netherlands: Kennisnet, 23(03), 2000.
03. Curriculum Innovation
Paper
Strengthening Content-Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Through Lesson Study Approach: Teacher Professional Development and Impact on Student Academic Performance
Mary Joy Bejerano, Baktygul Segizbayeva, Assel Sakhiyeva, Albina Kalenova, Gulzina Nagibova, Gulzada Kudabayeva
Nazarbayev Intellectual School, Uralsk, Kazakhstan
Presenting Author: Bejerano, Mary Joy;
Segizbayeva, Baktygul
Nazarbayev Intellectual School (NIS) is an educational institution focused on providing quality education to students in Kazakhstan. The school aims to develop students' knowledge and skills in various areas, including language and content learning, through a variety of pedagogical approaches. One of the approaches that has proven to be beneficial to student learning is Content-Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). CLIL is a teaching and learning approach that combines language and content in an integrated way (Marsh, 2010). In recent decades, this teaching approach has gained popularity in many countries around the world (Hussain, 2022). The aim of CLIL is for students to learn both the target language and content knowledge more effectively in the same lesson. CLIL is also beneficial for teachers because it offers them the opportunity to become more proficient in the target language and to expand their pedagogical knowledge and skills. Although NIS is committed to quality education, there are still challenges in effectively implementing CLIL in classrooms. The challenge is to find an effective way to engage students in the learning process and ensure that they understand and make sense of the language they are learning. Furthermore, implementing CLIL can be challenging and requires a high level of teacher commitment to ensure success. Therefore, there is a need for effective teacher professional development to support teachers in implementing CLIL in their respective classrooms (Nhan, 2013; Garzón-Díaz, 2021).
This study proposes the use of the Lesson Study (LS) model to provide teachers with the necessary support and development for successful implementation of CLIL. The LS model encourages teachers to collaboratively plan, observe and reflect on their own teaching practise, which helps them to better understand CLIL principles and provides them with the necessary resources to successfully implement CLIL in their classrooms (Lewis & Lee, 2017). As part of the process, the teacher-researchers in this study observed each other's classes and discussed their observations together to increase their knowledge and skills related to CLIL and to identify areas for improvement (Takahashi, 2016). In this way, the LS model helps teachers to develop more confidence and competence in their CLIL teaching and to gain a better understanding of how to teach using different CLIL strategies. Furthermore, LS not only promotes collaboration between teachers, but also encourages them to share best practises, develop new teaching strategies and find innovative ways to incorporate more CLIL activities into their lessons (Willems & Van den Bossche, 2019).
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the LS approach as professional development to strengthen CLIL instruction among teachers in NIS, as well as its effect on student academic achievement. The study focuses specifically on the professional development of educators in NIS Uralsk, Kazakhstan. NIS Schools and their network incorporate both the LS model and CLIL into their curriculum. LS and CLIL provide teachers with the opportunity to develop innovative lesson plans and instructional materials that challenge and engage students' learning and help them become more independent students. Moreover, these methods are essential for establishing a framework for teacher education programs across the NIS network.
In particular, the following research questions are addressed:
- How does participation in the lesson study approach impact teachers' knowledge and skills in integrating content and language in their instruction?
- How does the lesson study approach impact student academic performance in CLIL contexts?
- How does the lesson study approach impact the quality of teaching and learning in CLIL classrooms?
- What are the perceived benefits and challenges of the lesson study approach for teachers and students in CLIL contexts?
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedResearch design: This research employs a mixed-methods approach, including qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. This design can provide a deeper understanding of the influence of the LS approach on teacher professional development and student academic performance.
Participants: The participants in this study are eleventh- and twelfth grade CLIL teachers and their students from NIS Uralsk. A treatment group of teachers who participated in the LS approach as professional development for CLIL teaching will be compared to a control group of teachers who did not participate in the LS approach.
Research instruments and data collection: Multiple research tools can be used to investigate the effects of the LS approach on teacher professional development and student academic performance in CLIL environment. These research instruments consist of:
1. Pre- and post-surveys: These can be used to evaluate teachers' attitudes and beliefs regarding CLIL and the LS approach prior to and following participation in a professional development program.
2. Interviews: Interviews with teachers and students can provide detailed information about their experiences with the LS approach and CLIL instruction.
3. Classroom observations (Mehisto, 2012): Observing CLIL classrooms before and after the implementation of the lesson study approach can provide insight into changes in teaching and learning practices.
4. Student assessments: The use of standardized tests or other measures of student achievement can provide information regarding changes in student academic performance as a result of the LS method.
5. Focus groups: Focus groups with teachers and students can provide a more in-depth understanding of their experiences with the lesson study approach and CLIL instruction.
It is important to use a variety of research instruments to triangulate the data and get a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of the lesson study approach on teacher professional development and student academic performance in CLIL contexts.
Data analysis: The collected data will be analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data, such as interviews and observations, will be analyzed through thematic analysis to identify common themes and patterns. Quantitative data, such as student surveys and assessments, will be analyzed using statistical techniques to identify trends and relationships.
Ethical considerations: All participants will provide informed consent prior to their participation in the study. Data will be collected and analyzed in accordance with ethical principles. All data will be kept confidential.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe findings of the study will help inform educators about the impact of CLIL on teacher professional development and student academic achievement and provide evidence-based strategies to strengthen CLIL instruction at NIS. In addition, the study includes the following findings based on the research questions:
1. Improved knowledge and skills of teachers in integrating content and language in their instruction. This outcome could be measured through surveys, interviews and classroom observations.
2. Increased student academic performance in CLIL contexts. This could be measured through standardised test scores or other measures of achievement, such as grades or assessments.
3. Enhanced quality of teaching and learning in CLIL classrooms. This could be measured through classroom observations or other measures of the quality of teaching and learning, such as student engagement or participation.
4. Greater understanding of the perceived benefits and challenges of the lesson study approach for teachers and students in CLIL contexts. This could be measured through surveys, interviews or focus groups.
5. Comparison of the effectiveness of the lesson study approach to other professional development methods in terms of its impact on teacher knowledge and skills and student academic performance in CLIL contexts.
Overall, the significance of this study lies in its ability to enhance the quality of CLIL teaching at NIS and consequently improve student learning outcomes. This research has the potential to support the development of professional training programmes for CLIL teachers at Nazarbayev Intellectual School and other schools, and to contribute to a broader understanding of the effectiveness of the LS approach as a method for professional development in CLIL teaching. Finally, it is important to consider the implications of the study for practise and to share the findings with relevant stakeholders, teachers, students and policy makers.
ReferencesDawadi, S., Shrestha, S., & Giri, R. A. (2021). Mixed-methods research: A discussion on its types, challenges, and criticisms. Online Submission, 2(2), 25–36. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED611786
Dudley, P. (2011). How lesson study orchestrates key features of teacher knowledge and teacher learning to create profound changes in professional practice. In The world association of lesson studies annual conference, Tokyo. WALSAC.
Gersten, R., Dimino, J., Jayanthi, M., Kim, J. S., & Santoro, L. E. (2010). Teacher study group: Impact of the professional development model on reading instruction and student outcomes in first-grade classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 47(3), 694-739. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0002831209361208
Golovchun, A. (2017, November 9). Content And Language Integrated Learning In Terms Of Multilingualism: Kazakhstani Experience. Retrieved from Central and Eastern European Online Library : https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=606703
Hussain, S. S. (2022). Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in ELT as a link between language learning and content development. Arab World English Journal, 13 (2) 386-400. https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no2.26
Marsh, D., Mehisto, P., Wolff, D. Frigols-Martin, M. (2010) The European framework for CLIL teacher education, Graz. European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML).
Mehisto, P. (2012). Criteria for producing CLIL learning material. Online Submission. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED539729.pdf
Mehisto, P., Winter, L., Kambatyrova, A., & Kurakbayev, K. (2022). CLIL as a conduit for a trilingual Kazakhstan. In The Language Learning Journal (pp. 1–15). https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2022.2056627
Morton, T. (2017, October 3). Reconceptualizing and describing teachers’ knowledge of language for content and language integrated learning (CLIL). Retrieved from Taylor & Francis Online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13670050.2017.1383352
Nhan, T. (2013). Promoting content and language integrated learning in gifted high schools in Vietnam: Challenges and impacts. Internet Journal of Language, Culture, and Society, 38(1), 146–153. http://aaref.com.au/en/publications/journal/
Pang, J. (2016, February 29). Improving mathematics instruction and supporting teacher learning in Korea through lesson study using five practices. Retrieved from Springer Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11858-016-0768-x
Sahin, M. D., & Öztürk, G. (2019). Mixed method research: Theoretical foundations, designs and its use in educational research. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 6(2), 301-310. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337946761
Takahashi, A. (2016, January 4). Collaborative lesson research: maximizing the impact of lesson study. Retrieved from Springer Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11858-015-0752-x
Willems, I., & Van den Bossche, P. (2019). Lesson study effectiveness for teachers’ professional learning: The best evidence synthesis. International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 1(1), 1-24. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJLLS-04-2019-0031/full/html
|
