Moving beyond the tools : pre-service teachers' views on what they value in a digital literacy short course
Date
2021-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS
Abstract
Background: A digital literacies short course, rooted in a pedagogical model of authentic learning and mapped against the TPACK model, was conceptualised and implemented to enhance the existing digital literacies and technological pedagocial content knowledge of student teachers and to promote an awareness of technology-enhanced curriculum practices.
Aim: In aiming to inform course improvement, our study interrogates student teachers’ perceptions of the aspects that they valued in the short course.
Methods: Guided by social constructivism and situated within a qualitative paradigm, twenty-four 2nd and 3rd year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students who completed the course participated in three semi-structured focus group interviews whereby data was analysed by means of constant comparison analysis.
Results: Findings suggest participants found value in authentic tasks and assignments as well as the process of knowledge creation. They did, however, differ in their views of the purpose and aim of such a course.
Conclusion: This study contributes to the gap in South African research and the growing South African interest in preparing teachers in adopting technology-enhanced practices and curriculum changes in schools, and argues that standardised theoretical training courses ignoring psycho-socio-cultural factors and individual differences should be reconsidered.
Description
CITATION: Strydom, S. C., Wessels, H. & Anley, C. 2021. Moving beyond the tools : pre-service teachers' views on what they value in a digital literacy short course. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 11(1):a929, doi:10.4102/sajce.v11i1.929.
The original publication is available at https://sajce.co.za
The original publication is available at https://sajce.co.za
Keywords
Distance education -- Education (Higher), College teachers -- Attitudes, Computer-Assisted Instruction -- Education (Higher)
Citation
Strydom, S. C., Wessels, H. & Anley, C. 2021. Moving beyond the tools : pre-service teachers' views on what they value in a digital literacy short course. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 11(1):a929, doi:10.4102/sajce.v11i1.929.