assignments, and efforts with the intended attainment of the ICT-mastery objective.
Such ICT-mastery attainment is necessary for the participants to be able (a) to design
and teach the ICT in IBSE lesson and (b) to continue studying and using the ICT
tools after the course. Among the four course objectives, the ICT-mastery objective
can be achieved in a compressed course with sufficient contact hours, whereas the
learning with respect to the ICT in IBSE objective needs to be distributed sufficiently
to allow for a well-planned and mature lesson plan and curriculum time for classroom tryout. The support materials proved necessary, useful and robust in different
contexts. This finding suggests that it is not always necessary to develop materials
locally to have effective educational innovations. Instead, with certain adaptations,
one can use existing materials.
12.6.4 Reflections on the Findings and Methods
Based on our positive experiences with one theory-practice cycle, we think that this
principle should be wider applied in teacher education. Would it be possible to
identify a small number of core practices and have student teachers go through one
theory-practice cycle for each? For example, the study of formative assessment
could be followed by classroom practice with embedded formative assessment and
feedback. Regarding the depth-first principle, deeper understanding of one ICT tool
has surplus value compared to partial understanding of all three tools, and it leads to
better transfer to the whole ICT environment (breadth-later). This further suggests
the application of the depth-first principle as part of a solution for content overload in
teacher-education programmes.
Regarding the learning of ICT skills, collective practice of ICT skills in small
groups is more effective than either individual practice at home or the practice under
plenary step-by-step instructions to the whole class. Personalised, direct support
from the course instructor and peers is essential for participants to get over initial
hurdles of learning a new tool and to troubleshoot “Technological Content Knowledge” (TCK) problems. Beyond the basic manipulation skills, TCK problems
involve:
– Advanced features of the ICT tool (e.g. how to add the empirical graph to the
modelling activity and compare it with the modelling graph; how to make control
bars to change constants and initial values of variables of the model).
– Participants’ understanding of the phenomenon (i.e. concepts, laws and events) to
be experimented or modelled with the ICT tool and general experimentation/
modelling skills.
– Participants’ knowledge of mental model behind the digital tool that enables
(a) collection and modelling of information about the phenomenon (sampling,
digitalisation, numerical iteration) and (b) representation, analysis, and
processing of the collected/modelled data.
12 Stem, Inquiry Practices and Technology in Physics Education
157
Such ICT-mastery attainment is necessary for the participants to be able (a) to design
and teach the ICT in IBSE lesson and (b) to continue studying and using the ICT
tools after the course. Among the four course objectives, the ICT-mastery objective
can be achieved in a compressed course with sufficient contact hours, whereas the
learning with respect to the ICT in IBSE objective needs to be distributed sufficiently
to allow for a well-planned and mature lesson plan and curriculum time for classroom tryout. The support materials proved necessary, useful and robust in different
contexts. This finding suggests that it is not always necessary to develop materials
locally to have effective educational innovations. Instead, with certain adaptations,
one can use existing materials.
12.6.4 Reflections on the Findings and Methods
Based on our positive experiences with one theory-practice cycle, we think that this
principle should be wider applied in teacher education. Would it be possible to
identify a small number of core practices and have student teachers go through one
theory-practice cycle for each? For example, the study of formative assessment
could be followed by classroom practice with embedded formative assessment and
feedback. Regarding the depth-first principle, deeper understanding of one ICT tool
has surplus value compared to partial understanding of all three tools, and it leads to
better transfer to the whole ICT environment (breadth-later). This further suggests
the application of the depth-first principle as part of a solution for content overload in
teacher-education programmes.
Regarding the learning of ICT skills, collective practice of ICT skills in small
groups is more effective than either individual practice at home or the practice under
plenary step-by-step instructions to the whole class. Personalised, direct support
from the course instructor and peers is essential for participants to get over initial
hurdles of learning a new tool and to troubleshoot “Technological Content Knowledge” (TCK) problems. Beyond the basic manipulation skills, TCK problems
involve:
– Advanced features of the ICT tool (e.g. how to add the empirical graph to the
modelling activity and compare it with the modelling graph; how to make control
bars to change constants and initial values of variables of the model).
– Participants’ understanding of the phenomenon (i.e. concepts, laws and events) to
be experimented or modelled with the ICT tool and general experimentation/
modelling skills.
– Participants’ knowledge of mental model behind the digital tool that enables
(a) collection and modelling of information about the phenomenon (sampling,
digitalisation, numerical iteration) and (b) representation, analysis, and
processing of the collected/modelled data.
12 Stem, Inquiry Practices and Technology in Physics Education
157