ABSTRACT
During the COVID-19-related school closures teachers and students were challenged to suddenly switch to digital teaching at a distance. In particular, the challenge was to organize high-quality teaching in which students stay on task. Familiarity with technology may have helped to master the situation. However, only few studies so far have examined the quality of digital distance teaching (e.g., cognitive activation) during school closures and its relation to students' learning (e.g., effort investment). Moreover, systematic research concerning the role of familiarity with technology-enhanced teaching and learning acquired during face-to-face teaching is yet lacking. In our study, we used data from 729 ninth graders to investigate how student-observed learning activities when using technology at a distance were related to students' effort in learning in two subjects (mathematics, German). In addition, we examined whether student-perceived cognitive activation mediated this relation. Finally, the sample provides the unique opportunity to examine the role of familiarity, as some of the classes had been randomly equipped with tablet computers one year before the school closures and thus had the opportunity to gain familiarity with using technology in the classroom. Results from structural equation models showed that student-observed learning activities were associated with students' learning effort in both subjects. Student-perceived cognitive activation mediated this association. Familiarity with face-to-face technology-enhanced teaching gained before the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to be less important for high-quality digital distance teaching. Thus, infrastructural measures, such as equipping schools with digital devices so that teachers and students can familiarize themselves with technology, do not seem to be decisive for high-quality digital (distance) teaching-at least in the case of short-term change from face-to-face to digital distance teaching, as was necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Many schools introduced distance learning as a result of the school closings due to the Corona pandemic in March 2020. Such instruction was often organized digitally without much prior preparation. As a result, an increased exchange between teachers in online communities was to be expected. Analyzing the communication of the online community Twitter-Lehrerzimmer provided insight into topics and allowed to compare topics that were discussed before and during school closings. To identify topics, we applied computational linguistic analysis methods on 128,422 tweets and qualitative content analysis of 270 tweets. The results indicated that topics such as (a)synchronous digital teaching had already been discussed previously but was addressed more often and in more breadth during school closings. The Twitter-Lehrerzimmer was used for mutual support and exchange on urgent challenges such as the availability of high-quality software (compliant with data protection). The results reveal deficits in the German digitalization process from the perspective of teachers using Twitter and show the potential of online communities for information exchange and networking.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Teachers' professional vision includes the ability to apply general pedagogical knowledge about components of effective teaching and learning to reason about significant features of classroom practice. It requires teachers to (a) describe, (b) explain, and (c) predict classroom situations. Although the acquisition of underling knowledge can be considered as a key element of university-based teacher education programmes, to date, there has been little empirical research on teacher candidates' development of professional vision. AIMS: This study aims to improve understanding of how different university-based courses in teaching and learning impact the development of professional vision. SAMPLE: Participants were teacher candidates (N= 53) attending the same teacher education programme at a German university. They were enrolled in one of three different compulsory courses in teaching and learning, lasting one semester. METHODS: In a pre-test-post-test design, participants' declarative knowledge about teaching and learning was measured with a test, professional vision with the online tool Observer. Analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. RESULTS: Teacher candidates in all three courses showed significant gains both in declarative knowledge and professional vision. Patterns of results differed depending on the course attended. A video-based course with a focus on effective teaching resulted in highest gains in prediction of the consequences of observed events for student learning processes, which is the highest level of knowledge transfer. CONCLUSION: The development of professional vision is a strongly knowledge-guided process. In line with their content and aims, university-based courses can enhance teaching-relevant knowledge for teacher candidates.
