| Australian Journal of Educational Technology 1985, 1(2), 37-42. |
AJET 1 |
A growing number of teachers with little or no expertise in educational technology are becoming involved with technology in the classroom. Consequently there is an increasing awareness by teachers of the need to examine the facilities and effectiveness of the technology. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the potential of teacher generated research in educational technology.
The classroom might be described as a myriad of factors which affect learning. The classroom teacher is in the unique position of being able to control and/or manipulate many of these factors. It is the teacher who determines the role of technology (educational) in the classroom and thus, directly or indirectly, its effectiveness. Even in an individualised situation much of the responsibility for the ultimate success of the instruction lies with the teacher, in terms of selection of appropriate media, hardware, materials and in the organisation of the instructional situation. Classroom investigations undertaken by teachers therefore can provide valuable insights into, and information about, educational technology.
The studies discussed in this article were a part of a series of investigations conducted as small scale research projects by teachers from various specialist areas within the educational field. Many had little or no prior research background, nor had they previous experience apart from classroom involvement, with educational technology. The infinite variation in the use and function of educational technology is witnessed by the variety of topics and problems teachers chose to pursue. Studies varied from examination of the role of teachers in conjunction with technology to investigations of the specific attributes of a particular medium.
Although perhaps not earth shattering in their findings, these studies do offer some food for thought. Each goes beyond the surface use of technology and serves to remind us of factors often forgotten or not recognised, particularly in the case of the non-specialist education technology user. It is the teacher's use of the technology which makes it an integral part of the learning process. For the non-specialist designer preparing programs using photographic representations, just taking the photograph is not enough, and many an instructor might feel a twinge of guilt when reminded of the time he/she has used a somewhat inappropriate or cluttered transparency which confused more than it clarified. Reading 'guidelines for construction' or 'pitfalls for the unwary' does not impart the same reaction nor understanding as that put forward by the discovery learning in a research project.
Yeats (1985), utilising the discovery learning methodology concluded that such a methodology, with regard to the concepts involved in the learning of fluid power, required that students satisfy the pre-requisites of familiarity with relevant facts before embarking on a 'discovery journey'.
Whilst the limitations of small scale research must be acknowledged, the benefits to the teacher are undeniable. Within the daily routine of the classroom many instructional opportunities pass unnoticed or untapped. The creation of an increased awareness of the classroom environment through the conduct of a study, might serve to improve classroom interaction and subsequent learning. Even the most common, if underrated of technologies - print - has been given greater consideration through better understanding gained by investigation.
In further studies focusing on the use of printed materials Jones (1985) and McNish (1985) examined the relationship between the written word and diagrammatic form. Jones (1985) examined the usefulness of step by step written instructions in relation to a construction task usually undertaken using only diagrammatic instructions. He found students required far less teacher assistance on the task and that the resulting lack of interruptions facilitated more efficient learning time. McNish (1985) used a reverse procedure. His study incorporated line diagrams in materials which were generally given only in written text form. Again fewer difficulties with the task and a higher correct response rate were found. Focusing more closely on the form of the written word within the printing industry, Magnik (1985) compared two forms of lettering, typewritten and typeset. As was expected student preference was for the typeset notes which were considered more aesthetically pleasing and were found to have a greater positive and motivational appeal. No differences were found in performance however. This finding suggested that preference may not determine performance, particularly in adult learners.
Bastow (1985) examined the use of knowledge corrected responses in relation to the use of individualised programmed materials, and found not only did the use of this type of feedback enhance learning, but that in adult students, performance was also strongly influenced by motivation. Kernaghan (1985) also investigating the potential of feedback, endeavoured to determine the effectiveness of delayed feedback as opposed to immediate feedback on student test performance in a technical area of study. Two equivalent groups were used in the study, the variable being the timing of feedback. Three separate tests were given to students, superior performances being found on the third test for students provided with delayed feedback. Similarly, Crebbin (1985) examined immediate and delayed testing in relation to a pre-driver education course and found smaller segment presentations followed by immediate testing to be of greater value to students than large segments followed by delayed testing. Using a video format as the vehicle of instruction Kaiser (1985) also examined the sequencing of information in relation to a unit of instruction in a hairdressing course. He found that, in the context of this task too, short sequences of instruction followed by review techniques were superior to longer sequences.
Bastow, E. (1985). The use of knowledge corrected feedback in competency based skills program materials. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Brown, G. (1985). Commercially prepared materials and teacher presentations in the teaching of communication skills. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Calderan, P. (1985). Providing adequate process and procedural directions for learners from differing backgrounds in printing trades instructional materials. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Cordon, J. (1985). The effect of task demonstration on actual equipment versus task instruction using graphic symbolism in the teaching of practical electronics experimental procedures. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Crebbin, D. (1985). The effects of immediate testing and delayed testing on the recall of information. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
David, J. (1985). Motion and still frame related to program content. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Edwards, E. (1985a). Video demonstration in comparison to traditional demonstration method in plumbing trade instructions. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Edwards, D. (1985b). Demonstration of the moving components of machinery used on building sites. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Gibson, M. (1985). Colour versus black and white in a machinery operating instructional program. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Gill, G. & Bird, M. (1985). Interactive computers versus print materials in the presentation of a comparative visual/graphics task to visual and haptic students. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Hoskens, P. (1985). Perceptions of students and employers on the job seeking process. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Jones, G. (1985). Supplementing model drawings with instructional text. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Kaiser, B. (1985). Comparing a continued sequence program and an intermittent sequence program of video instruction in a hairdressing course. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Kernaghan, M. (1985). Immediate and delayed feedback in applied mechanics. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Kinnersley, B. (1985). The influence of lines on the effectiveness of data table reading. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Magnik, J. (1985). The effects of typeset lettering as opposed to typewritten lettering in instructional print materials. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
McNish, D. (1985). Line diagrams and the written word. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Noke, J. (1985). Evaluation of Bevel Gearing for Pattern-makers. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Summers, R. (1985). Re-examining the content of instructional materials. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Waterson, T. (1985). Eliciting learning responses through the use of colour in overhead projection materials electromagnetic process diagrams. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
Yeats, A. (1985). Discovery learning and product based learning. Unpublished study, Hawthorn Institute of Education.
| Please cite as: McNamara, S. (1985). Teacher generated research in educational technology. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 1(2), 37-42. http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet1/mcnamara.html |