Developing sustainable and scalable educational initiatives is a key challenge in low-income coun... more Developing sustainable and scalable educational initiatives is a key challenge in low-income countries where donor-funded short-term projects are limited by both contextual factors and programme design. In this concept paper we examine some of the issues related to in-service teacher development in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, grounded predominantly in our experiences of over 5 years of iteratively developing, refining and evaluating an intensive school-based professional learning programme for primary school teachers. “OER4Schools” integrates interactive pedagogy, Open Educational Resources (OER) and use of mobile devices (where available). The focus of this paper is on identifying what the main factors are perceived to be in sustaining and scaling up such a programme, from the perspectives of participating teachers, workshop facilitators and the research team. Synthesising our previous research and drawing on recent work in the field, we identify the key characteristics of e...
Highlights • Systematic analysis or coding of classroom interaction is enormously complex and dem... more Highlights • Systematic analysis or coding of classroom interaction is enormously complex and demanding • Methodological challenges include scope, grain size, reliability and validity • Adaptation of coding schemes for new research purposes is discussed and illustrated through a worked example
Introduction The Editors are thrilled to introduce the 50th Anniversary volume of the British Jou... more Introduction The Editors are thrilled to introduce the 50th Anniversary volume of the British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET). This momentous milestone has spurred us to share with the readership our pride and sense of responsibility for editing one of the top journals in the field. We are, of course, supported by the dedicated International Advisory Board, Editorial Board, reviewers, authors and readers who have made this possible over the years, plus the British Educational Research Association (BERA) and the publisher-Wiley-so we extend a huge thank you to you all. This includes all of the previous Editors, especially Nick Rushby, who stepped down in January 2016 after maintaining and developing the journal's strong reputation in the field during his 23 years of dedicated service. BJET has gone from strength to strength throughout its long history of publishing world-class research reports and reviews. This first, bumper issue has some special, featured research reviews and each subsequent issue in 2019 will likewise contain some celebratory sections and editorials by guest editors. These are intended to take stock of the field and its progress to date, and to look forward to what may be in store in the future and what the community would like to see. In this editorial, we would like to take the opportunity to look back over the past 50 years and explore the upcoming future. Looking back The offer of a review of BJET content over the past five decades, our first feature in this issue (by Bond, Zawacki-Richter, & Nichols), provided a unique opportunity for us to reflect on 50 years of the field in general. BJET, initially known as the Journal of Educational Technology, started out in a humble fashion, with three small issues a year. The first volume in 1970 edited by Norman Mackenzie of University of Sussex contained articles with titles such as "Audiovisual resources in Sussex schools," "Programmed learning in Africa 1963-1969," and "University TV research at Leeds." The image of the first issue's cover in Figure 1 shows that it focused on audiovisual technologies. Educational technology was framed as audiovisual equipment including slide projectors, film, radio and television. While some of these may now be obsolete, the reflections in that volume still seem applicable to today's field even if the technology has changed. The initial statement about the journal's focus remains remarkably contemporary: The journal is concerned with the theory, applications and development of educational technology and communications. This definition includes work in the fields of the psychology of learning, audio and visual means of presentation, educational planning and organisation, curriculum development and course design, the production of teaching and learning materials, the storage, retrieval, and dissemination of information, the allocation of resources, the costs and effectiveness of media in education, the design of learning spaces and the problems of innovation. (BJET Editors, 1970a, p. 5)
Greetings to the BJET community from the new editorial team. We took over in July 2016 and are ex... more Greetings to the BJET community from the new editorial team. We took over in July 2016 and are excited about the opportunity to lead and shape this esteemed journal. In this editorial we outline our policies and vision for the future and report on our first few months in post.
This paper describes teacher strategies and experiences with interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and d... more This paper describes teacher strategies and experiences with interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and draws on the published research in this area to understand how a systemic approach to technology-based innovations in schools can contribute to quality education for all. It explores ways to support the cultural shift in teacher and learner roles that helps to integrate the technology effectively into classroom teaching. It begins by considering how the features of IWB technology might potentially be exploited in the primary or secondary school classroom to support subject teaching and learning. International experiences of implementing IWB programs are then described, mostly from the United Kingdom where integration efforts are the most prominent, and implications for future intervention efforts are examined. The review concludes by defining the organisational conditions for enhancing teacher commitment and thus the likelihood for successful change. In particular, the role of teacher professional development is foregrounded and characteristics of effective programmes are outlined. Some comments about the relative costs and benefits, and recommendations for policymakers, are made.
This article begins by reviewing the relevant research literature concerning the portable revolut... more This article begins by reviewing the relevant research literature concerning the portable revolution in education. It outlines the advantages and disadvantages of portable forms of technology, with an emphasis on their potential impact upon student learning and attitudes. (The focus is on mathematics as far as possible, but writing is touched upon too as it is the main use for computers in school and hence the subject of much research.) A detailed discussion is then undertaken of the research on students' understanding of graphing and studies with graphic calculators and portable computers. We also discuss the related trend towards investigative learning in mathematics, the use of 'real world' activities, issues concerning collaborative use of portable computers and research on relevant gender issues. The review concludes that portable graphing technologies present an important opportunity to help students develop understanding and skills in the traditionally difficult curriculum area of graphing.
Research into classroom dialogue suggests that certain forms are especially productive for studen... more Research into classroom dialogue suggests that certain forms are especially productive for students' learning. Despite the large number of studies in this area, there is inadequate evidence about the prevalence of the identified forms, let alone their productivity. However, scarcity is widely presumed. The overall aim of the study reported in this article was to examine the extent to which the forms are embedded within current practice in English primary schools. Video-recordings of two lessons from each of 36 classrooms formed the database, with two subjects from mathematics, English and science covered in each classroom. Each lesson was coded per turn for the presence of 'dialogic moves' and rated overall for the level of student involvement in specified activities. Results revealed that the supposedly productive forms were not always as scarce as sometimes presumed, while also highlighting huge variation in their relative occurrence. They also point to the role of professional development (PD) for teachers in promoting use of some forms.
Without their extraordinary support and patience, this thesis would not have been possible. Thank... more Without their extraordinary support and patience, this thesis would not have been possible. Thanks also to my advisor, Dr. Benjamin Alcott, whose guidance throughout my PhD has been hugely beneficial. I am grateful to all those in Tanzania who assisted with or participated in this research. Amongst those who assisted, Mussa provided fantastic guidance as well as playing a vital role in training data collectors and conducting interviews. Titus also played a key part in gathering information and was always so helpful. Thank you as well to Nisha and Lauren, for being so welcoming and answering all my questions about educational television! Lastly, I would like to thank my parents, Mark and Nichola, for their wonderful help and encouragement.
Previous studies have frequently demonstrated that educational television viewing can have a posi... more Previous studies have frequently demonstrated that educational television viewing can have a positive effect on learning in low-income country contexts when shows are delivered in controlled settings. However, the consequence of day-to-day viewing in such contexts has scarcely been considered. Additionally, no recent published research has provided any information on the costs of educational television. The lack of research in these areas is striking. Examining educational television viewing in monitored settings provides limited information on the influence of routine television consumption. Further, the broad reach of numerous educational television programmes should provide low perviewer costs and, resultantly, strong cost-effectiveness findings. This PhD study therefore examined (1) the association between educational television exposure and mathematics capability and (2) the cost effectiveness of educational television interventions. To achieve this, research was carried out th...
This paper synthesises the research literature on teachers‟ use of Information and Communication ... more This paper synthesises the research literature on teachers‟ use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in primary and secondary schools in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular emphasis on improving the quality of subject teaching and learning. We focus on the internal factors of influence on teachers‟ use, or lack of use, of technology in the classroom. Our discussion attends to perceptions and beliefs about ICT and their motivating effects, technological literacy and confidence levels, pedagogical expertise related to technology use, and the role of teacher education. These factors are discussed in light of significant infrastructure and other external issues. We conclude by drawing out a number of pedagogical implications for initial teacher education and professional development to bring schooling within developing contexts into the 21 st century.
This paper reports on the outcomes of a University of Cambridge Centre for Commonwealth Education... more This paper reports on the outcomes of a University of Cambridge Centre for Commonwealth Education (CCE) funded pilot project, which assessed the feasibility of supporting interactive forms of subject teaching in conjunction with providing Open Educational Resources (OER) to ICT- and internet-equipped primary schools in Zambia. The project worked with partners to identify and respond to the needs of school-based professional development adapted to the local context. The intervention focused on participatory, collaborative and inquiry-based pedagogies, both within the classroom and for teacher development. We worked over a four-month period with eight experienced teachers in three basic (primary) schools serving disadvantaged communities. All participants integrated OER into mathematics lessons and developed more interactive practices, including collaborative learning. Student engagement and understanding increased. An initial workshop, ongoing peer co-operation and researcher support...
This paper focuses on the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) as a tool for encouraging and sup... more This paper focuses on the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) as a tool for encouraging and supporting classroom dialogue. Our concern here is with the promotion of ‘dialogic’ communication between teachers and students, which is now widely recognised as educationally valuable. In this study we investigated how teachers could use the technical interactivity of the IWB to support dialogic interactivity. The design of the study was predicated upon a partnership between the authors and three UK (primary, middle school and secondary) teachers of 8to 14-year-olds; examples of practice reported here derive mainly from secondary history. Outcomes include illustrative examples of teachers’ effective strategies for using the IWB for orchestrating dialogue. Implications for teachers’ initial training and professional development are considered.
Developing sustainable and scalable educational initiatives is a key challenge in low-income coun... more Developing sustainable and scalable educational initiatives is a key challenge in low-income countries where donor-funded short-term projects are limited by both contextual factors and programme design. In this concept paper we examine some of the issues related to in-service teacher development in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, grounded predominantly in our experiences of over 5 years of iteratively developing, refining and evaluating an intensive school-based professional learning programme for primary school teachers. “OER4Schools” integrates interactive pedagogy, Open Educational Resources (OER) and use of mobile devices (where available). The focus of this paper is on identifying what the main factors are perceived to be in sustaining and scaling up such a programme, from the perspectives of participating teachers, workshop facilitators and the research team. Synthesising our previous research and drawing on recent work in the field, we identify the key characteristics of e...
Highlights • Systematic analysis or coding of classroom interaction is enormously complex and dem... more Highlights • Systematic analysis or coding of classroom interaction is enormously complex and demanding • Methodological challenges include scope, grain size, reliability and validity • Adaptation of coding schemes for new research purposes is discussed and illustrated through a worked example
Introduction The Editors are thrilled to introduce the 50th Anniversary volume of the British Jou... more Introduction The Editors are thrilled to introduce the 50th Anniversary volume of the British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET). This momentous milestone has spurred us to share with the readership our pride and sense of responsibility for editing one of the top journals in the field. We are, of course, supported by the dedicated International Advisory Board, Editorial Board, reviewers, authors and readers who have made this possible over the years, plus the British Educational Research Association (BERA) and the publisher-Wiley-so we extend a huge thank you to you all. This includes all of the previous Editors, especially Nick Rushby, who stepped down in January 2016 after maintaining and developing the journal's strong reputation in the field during his 23 years of dedicated service. BJET has gone from strength to strength throughout its long history of publishing world-class research reports and reviews. This first, bumper issue has some special, featured research reviews and each subsequent issue in 2019 will likewise contain some celebratory sections and editorials by guest editors. These are intended to take stock of the field and its progress to date, and to look forward to what may be in store in the future and what the community would like to see. In this editorial, we would like to take the opportunity to look back over the past 50 years and explore the upcoming future. Looking back The offer of a review of BJET content over the past five decades, our first feature in this issue (by Bond, Zawacki-Richter, & Nichols), provided a unique opportunity for us to reflect on 50 years of the field in general. BJET, initially known as the Journal of Educational Technology, started out in a humble fashion, with three small issues a year. The first volume in 1970 edited by Norman Mackenzie of University of Sussex contained articles with titles such as "Audiovisual resources in Sussex schools," "Programmed learning in Africa 1963-1969," and "University TV research at Leeds." The image of the first issue's cover in Figure 1 shows that it focused on audiovisual technologies. Educational technology was framed as audiovisual equipment including slide projectors, film, radio and television. While some of these may now be obsolete, the reflections in that volume still seem applicable to today's field even if the technology has changed. The initial statement about the journal's focus remains remarkably contemporary: The journal is concerned with the theory, applications and development of educational technology and communications. This definition includes work in the fields of the psychology of learning, audio and visual means of presentation, educational planning and organisation, curriculum development and course design, the production of teaching and learning materials, the storage, retrieval, and dissemination of information, the allocation of resources, the costs and effectiveness of media in education, the design of learning spaces and the problems of innovation. (BJET Editors, 1970a, p. 5)
Greetings to the BJET community from the new editorial team. We took over in July 2016 and are ex... more Greetings to the BJET community from the new editorial team. We took over in July 2016 and are excited about the opportunity to lead and shape this esteemed journal. In this editorial we outline our policies and vision for the future and report on our first few months in post.
This paper describes teacher strategies and experiences with interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and d... more This paper describes teacher strategies and experiences with interactive whiteboards (IWBs) and draws on the published research in this area to understand how a systemic approach to technology-based innovations in schools can contribute to quality education for all. It explores ways to support the cultural shift in teacher and learner roles that helps to integrate the technology effectively into classroom teaching. It begins by considering how the features of IWB technology might potentially be exploited in the primary or secondary school classroom to support subject teaching and learning. International experiences of implementing IWB programs are then described, mostly from the United Kingdom where integration efforts are the most prominent, and implications for future intervention efforts are examined. The review concludes by defining the organisational conditions for enhancing teacher commitment and thus the likelihood for successful change. In particular, the role of teacher professional development is foregrounded and characteristics of effective programmes are outlined. Some comments about the relative costs and benefits, and recommendations for policymakers, are made.
This article begins by reviewing the relevant research literature concerning the portable revolut... more This article begins by reviewing the relevant research literature concerning the portable revolution in education. It outlines the advantages and disadvantages of portable forms of technology, with an emphasis on their potential impact upon student learning and attitudes. (The focus is on mathematics as far as possible, but writing is touched upon too as it is the main use for computers in school and hence the subject of much research.) A detailed discussion is then undertaken of the research on students' understanding of graphing and studies with graphic calculators and portable computers. We also discuss the related trend towards investigative learning in mathematics, the use of 'real world' activities, issues concerning collaborative use of portable computers and research on relevant gender issues. The review concludes that portable graphing technologies present an important opportunity to help students develop understanding and skills in the traditionally difficult curriculum area of graphing.
Research into classroom dialogue suggests that certain forms are especially productive for studen... more Research into classroom dialogue suggests that certain forms are especially productive for students' learning. Despite the large number of studies in this area, there is inadequate evidence about the prevalence of the identified forms, let alone their productivity. However, scarcity is widely presumed. The overall aim of the study reported in this article was to examine the extent to which the forms are embedded within current practice in English primary schools. Video-recordings of two lessons from each of 36 classrooms formed the database, with two subjects from mathematics, English and science covered in each classroom. Each lesson was coded per turn for the presence of 'dialogic moves' and rated overall for the level of student involvement in specified activities. Results revealed that the supposedly productive forms were not always as scarce as sometimes presumed, while also highlighting huge variation in their relative occurrence. They also point to the role of professional development (PD) for teachers in promoting use of some forms.
Without their extraordinary support and patience, this thesis would not have been possible. Thank... more Without their extraordinary support and patience, this thesis would not have been possible. Thanks also to my advisor, Dr. Benjamin Alcott, whose guidance throughout my PhD has been hugely beneficial. I am grateful to all those in Tanzania who assisted with or participated in this research. Amongst those who assisted, Mussa provided fantastic guidance as well as playing a vital role in training data collectors and conducting interviews. Titus also played a key part in gathering information and was always so helpful. Thank you as well to Nisha and Lauren, for being so welcoming and answering all my questions about educational television! Lastly, I would like to thank my parents, Mark and Nichola, for their wonderful help and encouragement.
Previous studies have frequently demonstrated that educational television viewing can have a posi... more Previous studies have frequently demonstrated that educational television viewing can have a positive effect on learning in low-income country contexts when shows are delivered in controlled settings. However, the consequence of day-to-day viewing in such contexts has scarcely been considered. Additionally, no recent published research has provided any information on the costs of educational television. The lack of research in these areas is striking. Examining educational television viewing in monitored settings provides limited information on the influence of routine television consumption. Further, the broad reach of numerous educational television programmes should provide low perviewer costs and, resultantly, strong cost-effectiveness findings. This PhD study therefore examined (1) the association between educational television exposure and mathematics capability and (2) the cost effectiveness of educational television interventions. To achieve this, research was carried out th...
This paper synthesises the research literature on teachers‟ use of Information and Communication ... more This paper synthesises the research literature on teachers‟ use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in primary and secondary schools in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular emphasis on improving the quality of subject teaching and learning. We focus on the internal factors of influence on teachers‟ use, or lack of use, of technology in the classroom. Our discussion attends to perceptions and beliefs about ICT and their motivating effects, technological literacy and confidence levels, pedagogical expertise related to technology use, and the role of teacher education. These factors are discussed in light of significant infrastructure and other external issues. We conclude by drawing out a number of pedagogical implications for initial teacher education and professional development to bring schooling within developing contexts into the 21 st century.
This paper reports on the outcomes of a University of Cambridge Centre for Commonwealth Education... more This paper reports on the outcomes of a University of Cambridge Centre for Commonwealth Education (CCE) funded pilot project, which assessed the feasibility of supporting interactive forms of subject teaching in conjunction with providing Open Educational Resources (OER) to ICT- and internet-equipped primary schools in Zambia. The project worked with partners to identify and respond to the needs of school-based professional development adapted to the local context. The intervention focused on participatory, collaborative and inquiry-based pedagogies, both within the classroom and for teacher development. We worked over a four-month period with eight experienced teachers in three basic (primary) schools serving disadvantaged communities. All participants integrated OER into mathematics lessons and developed more interactive practices, including collaborative learning. Student engagement and understanding increased. An initial workshop, ongoing peer co-operation and researcher support...
This paper focuses on the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) as a tool for encouraging and sup... more This paper focuses on the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) as a tool for encouraging and supporting classroom dialogue. Our concern here is with the promotion of ‘dialogic’ communication between teachers and students, which is now widely recognised as educationally valuable. In this study we investigated how teachers could use the technical interactivity of the IWB to support dialogic interactivity. The design of the study was predicated upon a partnership between the authors and three UK (primary, middle school and secondary) teachers of 8to 14-year-olds; examples of practice reported here derive mainly from secondary history. Outcomes include illustrative examples of teachers’ effective strategies for using the IWB for orchestrating dialogue. Implications for teachers’ initial training and professional development are considered.
This Working Paper showcases the work of the Cambridge Educational Dialogue Research (CEDiR) grou... more This Working Paper showcases the work of the Cambridge Educational Dialogue Research (CEDiR) group. We do this by presenting the paper in its dialogue form, in order to illustrate the very processes that we research. In all, this work was authored by a group of 22 staff and doctoral students. It is intended to be read and used by anybody with an interest in the role of dialogue in education. This may include teachers, school leaders, researchers and others beyond academia. We have tried to write it in an accessible style and the structure is flexible. As a whole, the paper is quite long. The idea is that readers can ‘dip in’ and return to the sections they find interesting in any order. See the contents page for the location of the verbatim extracts of dialogue as well as the methodology, analysis and critical discussion. PLEASE CITE AS: CEDiR Group (2018). A Dialogue about Educational Dialogue: Reflections on the Field and the Work of the Cambridge Educational Dialogue Research (CEDiR) Group. Faculty of Education Working Paper 2018/04, University of Cambridge. http://bit.ly/cedirWP.
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Papers by Sara Hennessy