I denna studie har vi varit intresserade av att undersöka frågan om den digitaliserade läs- och skrivundervisningen utifrån ett lärarperspektiv. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka olika faktorer som kan påverka lärares inställning till ASL-metoden. Vi har särskilt intresserat oss för frågan om lärares digitala kompetens som en betydande faktor. Vi har valt att genomföra en enkätundersökning riktad till lärare som använder ASL-metoden i sin undervisning, för att försöka besvara frågan om vilka faktorer som kan tyckas ha påverkan på deras inställning till ASL-metoden. Det var 22 lärare som svarade på vår enkät och vi har sammanställt och analyserat enkätsvaren både med hjälp av kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod. Vi har även använt TPACK-modellen i vissa delar av vår analys. Med hjälp av TPACK-modellen har vi kunnat synliggöra olika komponenter, vilka tillsammans utgör de kunskaper som anses viktiga för att lärare ska kunna integrera digitala verktyg i sin undervisning, på ett sätt som främjar elevernas lärande. I vår analys kunde vi se att för de lärare som besvarat vår enkät så verkade inte digital kompetens ha en särskilt betydande roll i förhållande till deras inställning till ASL-metoden. Vi såg även att lärarna överlag hade en positiv inställning till metoden och att de såg betydligt fler möjligheter än hinder i arbetet med metoden. De vanligaste hindren som de såg var av teknisk karaktär till exempel nätverksproblem, men även att eleverna inte fick öva sin motorik och handstil. De slutsatser som vi presenterar är bland annat att en faktor som verkar vara av särskild betydelse för lärarnas positiva inställning till ASL-metoden är deras tilltro till de fördelar som kommer med att använda digitala verktyg i undervisningen.

Esta pesquisa investigou as contribuições do conhecimento pedagógico do conteúdo tecnológico para as competências docentes e para o processo de aprendizagem apoiado por ambiente virtual. Caracterizou-se como uma investigação qualitativa, de natureza descritivo-exploratória, em um contexto didático, com observação participante e abordagem netnográfica. Foi realizada na disciplina Ambientes de Aprendizagem Cooperativa Apoiados em Tecnologias da Internet: Novos Desafios, Novas Competências (EDM 5053), pertencente ao quadro de disciplinas da área de concentração da pósgraduação Didática, Teorias de Ensino e Práticas Escolares, da Faculdade de Educação da USP. Foram utilizadas técnicas qualitativas de coleta de dados (diário de bordo, formulários de avaliação processual, registros em chats, fóruns de discussão, entrevista e grupo focal). Os dados coletados foram analisados sob a perspectiva das categorias de autopoiese, metacognição e interação, relacionadas no horizonte interpretativo de um processo de ensinoaprendizagem, que dialogou com o modelo explicativo da ação docente Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). Dentre as contribuições, destacou-se o entendimento de que os objetivos didáticos são alcançados na inter-relação com os estudantes e na relação dialética teoria e prática, e não pela mera presença de infraestrutura tecnológica disponível nas aulas. As propostas pedagógicas devem estar abertas ao diálogo, à criatividade e à negociação de sentidos para a construção cooperativa do pensamento autônomo e exercício da liberdade. A ação docente experiente representou uma variável que reiterou a exigência de metodologias e estratégias representadas também pelo modelo TPACK, isto é, a articulação dos diferentes saberes, com destaque para o conhecimento pedagógico de conteúdo tecnológico. Este se constituiu em um aspecto orientador de reflexões necessárias para elaboração de propostas pedagógicas, apoiadas por tecnologias digitais de informação e de comunicação (TDIC), ou seja, fundamentou a importância do conhecimento docente em diálogo com o conhecimento discente, na seleção das tecnologias, no estudo de suas melhores estratégias metodológicas, qual sua intencionalidade educativa, com vistas ao atendimento das expectativas de aprendizagem e demandas de conhecimentos específicos, articuladas aos conteúdos tecnológicos. A continuidade de pesquisas na área pode levar à compreensão aprofundada do tema e impulsionar a pedagogia apoiada por TDIC, com a finalidade de enriquecer experiências docentes e discentes. / This research investigated the contributions of technological pedagogical content knowledge for teaching skills and the learning process supported by virtual environment. It is characterized as a qualitative research, descriptive and exploratory nature, in an educational context, with participant observation and netnographic approach. It was conducted in the discipline Supported and Cooperative Learning Environments in Internet Technologies: New Challenges, New Skills\" (EDM 5053), belonging to the hall of disciplines of the graduate field \"Didactic, Teaching Theories and School Practices, from Education Faculty at USP. Qualitative techniques of data collection (logbook, procedural review forms, chats records, discussion forums, interviews and focal group) were used. Data were analyzed from the perspective of the autopoiesis categories, metacognition and interaction, all related to the interpretative scope of teaching and learning process that dialogued with the explanatory model of the teaching action \"Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge\" (TPACK). Among the contributions the highlight was the understanding that educational purposes are achieved in the inter-relationship with the students and in the dialectical relationship between theory and practice, and not solely by the presence of technological infrastructure available in classroom. The pedagogical proposals must be open to dialogue, creativity and negotiation of meanings for the cooperative construction of autonomous thinking and exercise of freedom. The experient teaching action represented a variable that reiterated the requirement of methodologies and strategies also represented by the TPACK model, namely, the articulation of different knowledge, highlighting the technological pedagogical content knowledge. This constituted a guiding issue for reflections required to formulate pedagogical proposals supported by Digital Technologies for Information and Communication (DTIC), i.e., it underlies the importance of teacher knowledge in dialogue with the student knowledge in the selection of technologies, in the study of their best methodological strategies, which is its educational intentionality, in order to meet the learning expectations and demands of specific knowledges articulated to the technological content. Additional research in this area can lead to deeper understanding of the topic and boost pedagogy supported by DTIC in order to enhance teaching and student experiences.

Esta pesquisa investigou na produção acadêmica sobre EaD as questões emergentes do seu paradigma educacional em função da inserção das TDIC (Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e de Comunicação) por meio de plataformas virtuais com o objetivo de compreender principais tendências, contribuições e desafios identificados. Descreve os principais conceitos ligados à EaD e às plataformas virtuais de aprendizagem, destacando-se as características do Moodle. Apresenta as gerações da modalidade EaD, a legislação vigente, amplo número de produções científicas nacionais, predominante em cursos da rede privada da Educação Superior. Questiona seu paradigma como diferenciado do modelo tradicional de ensino e como são tratados os estruturantes didáticos em suas propostas de cursos bem como questões referentes à formação docente e à inserção das TDIC em diferentes modalidades de EaD. Focaliza a opção metodológica por uma pesquisa de natureza exploratória e descritiva de referências e a criação de categorias de análise ligadas aos estruturantes didáticos. Identifica as tendências, contribuições e desafios da EaD articulada à presença ou não dos estruturantes didáticos (contexto institucional, modalidades, fundamentação da visão de ensino e de aprendizagem, inserção dos recursos tecnológicos e suas contribuições aos processos de ensino e de aprendizagem e processo de avaliação). Conclui pela necessidade de uma ressignificação educacional da inserção das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação (TDIC) que reduza a reprodução da sala de aula tradicional e que forme docentes capazes de compreender a complexidade existente na convergência de dimensões antes menos integradas ao processo de ensino e de aprendizagem como as competências cognitivas, emocionais e éticas. A inserção das TDIC implica planejamento e formação prévia e continuada dos professores para evitar o que ocorre atualmente com os modelos tutoriais de EaD com estratégias pré-planejadas, processos diretivos rígidos, com memorização de fatos e/ou informações isoladas, reforçando paradigmas educacionais tradicionais. Os estruturantes didáticos precisam ser considerados nas articulações dos diferentes saberes docentes (conhecimentos específicos, conhecimentos pedagógicos e conhecimentos tecnológicos) com foco prioritário no protagonismo discente da aprendizagem e na interação colaborativa. O maior desafio consiste em reduzir a ênfase dada a tecnologia, como se ela, por si só, pudesse ser responsável pela melhoria da democratização e qualidade da educação. / This research investigated the academic production about EaD emerging issues of their educational paradigm according to the insertion of TDIC (Digital Information and Communication Technologies) through virtual platforms with the goal of understand main tendencies identified contributions and challenges. Describes the major concepts connected to distance education and virtual learning platforms highlighting the features of Moodle. Displays the generations of distance education modality, the current legislation, large number of national, prevailing scientific production in the private courses of higher education network. Questions his paradigm as distinguished from the traditional model of teaching and learning as the structuring are treated in their proposed courses as well as issues related to teacher training and the integration of TDIC in various forms of distance education. Focuses on the methodological option for an exploratory and descriptive research references and the creation of categories related to structuring didactic. Identifies trends, contributions and challenges of distance education articulated the presence or absence of didactic structuring (institutional context, procedures, grounds of educational vision and learning, integration of technological resources and their contributions to teaching and learning processes and evaluation process ). It concludes for the need for a redefinition of educational integration of Information and Communication Digital Technologies (TDIC) that reduces the reproduction of the traditional classroom, and form teachers able to understand the complexity existing in the convergence of dimensions before less integrated into the teaching process and learning as cognitive, emotional and ethical skills. The insertion of TDIC implies planning and prior and continued training of teachers to avoid what is currently happening with the tutorials models of distance education with pre-planned strategies, hard directive processes, memorization of facts and / or isolated information, reinforcing traditional educational paradigms. The didactic structuring need to be considered in the joints of different teaching knowledge (specific knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and technological knowledge) with priority focus on the role of student learning and collaborative interaction. A major challenge is to reduce the emphasis on technology, as if she alone, could be responsible for improving the quality of education and democratization.

The emergence of online learning environments and advances in web-based technologies enable teachers to interact and exchange ideas and experiences in online communities. However, these rapid technological advances also cause such online communities to disband quickly, before they have the opportunity to evolve into a community of practice, in which a group of teachers build a shared history, a shared repertoire of resources and activities, and mutually engage in collaborative professional development, over time. Moreover, rapid advances in technology necessitate on-going collaboration among teachers so that they develop meaningful technology integration practice. While such collaborations have taken place in face-to-face settings, how this might be achieved through participation in an online teacher community of practice has been under-researched. Therefore, the present study examines one long-standing, globally-distributed, online community of practice created by English language teachers, called "Webheads in Action", whose shared domain of interest centers on exploring the pedagogical uses of web-based technologies in English language teaching. The study employs netnography, or online ethnography, in which the researcher collects data through participant observation, interviews, and archiving, all of which is conducted completely online. The aim of this study was to understand the broader culture of learning, collaboration, and mentoring in this online language teacher community by exploring and analyzing its shared repertoire of resources, and activities; ways members engage in the collective development of this technology integration practice; and the role of participation in such an online community of practice on developing language teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge when designing instruction. The data for this study comes from various sources of data collected through online participant observation in this community's activities over a year, reflective observational fieldnotes, online interviews, and archived data. Throughout my online fieldwork, I participated in this online community's activities both synchronously and asynchronously. At the same time, I took reflective observational fieldnotes of my participation and observations during these activities, as well as community's spaces and email communications. As for archival data, I archived the email communication that occurred during my time in the field, as well as screenshots of the community spaces and platforms. I conducted in-depth interviews with four key people in this community in order to better understand the organization and background of this community and its activities, and interviewed five individual members in order to learn about their stories with and as Webheads. Through qualitative data analysis procedures, namely coding, categorizing and finding themes, the study provides a rich and thick description as well as an analysis of this community and its culture in the light of my experiences and observations, as well as the experiences of others. The study reveals insights as to the culture of teacher learning in an online community of practice and the mediation of technological pedagogical content knowledge in online communities of practice. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also presented, as well as an in-depth discussion of how ethnographic fieldwork practices are adapted in netnography with online communities of practice.

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become part of education as it has, in many cases, become the mode of choice of communication with people in all spheres of life. It provides teachers with the opportunity to access information from a vast array of resources that assists them in their teaching practices. Education in South Africa is constantly transforming to new requirements from the National Department of Education (NDoE). The fundamentals of Outcomes Based Education are lifelong learning and the development of 21st century skills that allow learners to use information for different contexts. ICT enables teachers and learners to access computer systems to develop skills, interact with their peers, colleagues, and the global society. Even though teachers know the value of ICT in teaching and learning, the pedagogical use of ICT in South African schools remains limited. In the SITES 2006, South African teachers acknowledged that they were enthusiastic to explore new ways to make teaching and learning more interesting, but that they encountered many barriers that hinder the pedagogical use of ICT for mathematics. This research has determined that the teachers’ ICT pedagogical knowledge contributed towards more effective teaching and learning practices of mathematics in South African schools. The study also describes how insufficient ICT pedagogical knowledge affected teachers’ confidence to explore ICT tools. This study followed a secondary data analysis (SDA) of the Second International Information Technology in Education Study of 2006 (SITES 2006) data from the 640 participating mathematics teachers in South Africa. The correlated data describes the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) of mathematics teachers while making use of ICT. Continuous professional teacher development is required to focus on the attainment of information technology pedagogical knowledge to further the use of ICT on the teaching of Mathematics. The study also indicates that South Africa lags far behind the other 22 countries that participated in SITES 2006. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Information and communication technology (ICT) has become part of education as it has, in many cases, become the mode of choice of communication with people in all spheres of life. It provides teachers with the opportunity to access information from a vast array of resources that assists them in their teaching practices. Education in South Africa is constantly transforming to new requirements from the National Department of Education (NDoE). The fundamentals of Outcomes Based Education are lifelong learning and the development of 21st century skills that allow learners to use information for different contexts. ICT enables teachers and learners to access computer systems to develop skills, interact with their peers, colleagues, and the global society. Even though teachers know the value of ICT in teaching and learning, the pedagogical use of ICT in South African schools remains limited. In the SITES 2006, South African teachers acknowledged that they were enthusiastic to explore new ways to make teaching and learning more interesting, but that they encountered many barriers that hinder the pedagogical use of ICT for mathematics. This research has determined that the teachers’ ICT pedagogical knowledge contributed towards more effective teaching and learning practices of mathematics in South African schools. The study also describes how insufficient ICT pedagogical knowledge affected teachers’ confidence to explore ICT tools. This study followed a secondary data analysis (SDA) of the Second International Information Technology in Education Study of 2006 (SITES 2006) data from the 640 participating mathematics teachers in South Africa. The correlated data describes the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) of mathematics teachers while making use of ICT. Continuous professional teacher development is required to focus on the attainment of information technology pedagogical knowledge to further the use of ICT on the teaching of Mathematics. The study also indicates that South Africa lags far behind the other 22 countries that participated in SITES 2006. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Esta pesquisa investigou na produção acadêmica sobre EaD as questões emergentes do seu paradigma educacional em função da inserção das TDIC (Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e de Comunicação) por meio de plataformas virtuais com o objetivo de compreender principais tendências, contribuições e desafios identificados. Descreve os principais conceitos ligados à EaD e às plataformas virtuais de aprendizagem, destacando-se as características do Moodle. Apresenta as gerações da modalidade EaD, a legislação vigente, amplo número de produções científicas nacionais, predominante em cursos da rede privada da Educação Superior. Questiona seu paradigma como diferenciado do modelo tradicional de ensino e como são tratados os estruturantes didáticos em suas propostas de cursos bem como questões referentes à formação docente e à inserção das TDIC em diferentes modalidades de EaD. Focaliza a opção metodológica por uma pesquisa de natureza exploratória e descritiva de referências e a criação de categorias de análise ligadas aos estruturantes didáticos. Identifica as tendências, contribuições e desafios da EaD articulada à presença ou não dos estruturantes didáticos (contexto institucional, modalidades, fundamentação da visão de ensino e de aprendizagem, inserção dos recursos tecnológicos e suas contribuições aos processos de ensino e de aprendizagem e processo de avaliação). Conclui pela necessidade de uma ressignificação educacional da inserção das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação (TDIC) que reduza a reprodução da sala de aula tradicional e que forme docentes capazes de compreender a complexidade existente na convergência de dimensões antes menos integradas ao processo de ensino e de aprendizagem como as competências cognitivas, emocionais e éticas. A inserção das TDIC implica planejamento e formação prévia e continuada dos professores para evitar o que ocorre atualmente com os modelos tutoriais de EaD com estratégias pré-planejadas, processos diretivos rígidos, com memorização de fatos e/ou informações isoladas, reforçando paradigmas educacionais tradicionais. Os estruturantes didáticos precisam ser considerados nas articulações dos diferentes saberes docentes (conhecimentos específicos, conhecimentos pedagógicos e conhecimentos tecnológicos) com foco prioritário no protagonismo discente da aprendizagem e na interação colaborativa. O maior desafio consiste em reduzir a ênfase dada a tecnologia, como se ela, por si só, pudesse ser responsável pela melhoria da democratização e qualidade da educação. / This research investigated the academic production about EaD emerging issues of their educational paradigm according to the insertion of TDIC (Digital Information and Communication Technologies) through virtual platforms with the goal of understand main tendencies identified contributions and challenges. Describes the major concepts connected to distance education and virtual learning platforms highlighting the features of Moodle. Displays the generations of distance education modality, the current legislation, large number of national, prevailing scientific production in the private courses of higher education network. Questions his paradigm as distinguished from the traditional model of teaching and learning as the structuring are treated in their proposed courses as well as issues related to teacher training and the integration of TDIC in various forms of distance education. Focuses on the methodological option for an exploratory and descriptive research references and the creation of categories related to structuring didactic. Identifies trends, contributions and challenges of distance education articulated the presence or absence of didactic structuring (institutional context, procedures, grounds of educational vision and learning, integration of technological resources and their contributions to teaching and learning processes and evaluation process ). It concludes for the need for a redefinition of educational integration of Information and Communication Digital Technologies (TDIC) that reduces the reproduction of the traditional classroom, and form teachers able to understand the complexity existing in the convergence of dimensions before less integrated into the teaching process and learning as cognitive, emotional and ethical skills. The insertion of TDIC implies planning and prior and continued training of teachers to avoid what is currently happening with the tutorials models of distance education with pre-planned strategies, hard directive processes, memorization of facts and / or isolated information, reinforcing traditional educational paradigms. The didactic structuring need to be considered in the joints of different teaching knowledge (specific knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and technological knowledge) with priority focus on the role of student learning and collaborative interaction. A major challenge is to reduce the emphasis on technology, as if she alone, could be responsible for improving the quality of education and democratization.

Esta pesquisa investigou as contribuições do conhecimento pedagógico do conteúdo tecnológico para as competências docentes e para o processo de aprendizagem apoiado por ambiente virtual. Caracterizou-se como uma investigação qualitativa, de natureza descritivo-exploratória, em um contexto didático, com observação participante e abordagem netnográfica. Foi realizada na disciplina Ambientes de Aprendizagem Cooperativa Apoiados em Tecnologias da Internet: Novos Desafios, Novas Competências (EDM 5053), pertencente ao quadro de disciplinas da área de concentração da pósgraduação Didática, Teorias de Ensino e Práticas Escolares, da Faculdade de Educação da USP. Foram utilizadas técnicas qualitativas de coleta de dados (diário de bordo, formulários de avaliação processual, registros em chats, fóruns de discussão, entrevista e grupo focal). Os dados coletados foram analisados sob a perspectiva das categorias de autopoiese, metacognição e interação, relacionadas no horizonte interpretativo de um processo de ensinoaprendizagem, que dialogou com o modelo explicativo da ação docente Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). Dentre as contribuições, destacou-se o entendimento de que os objetivos didáticos são alcançados na inter-relação com os estudantes e na relação dialética teoria e prática, e não pela mera presença de infraestrutura tecnológica disponível nas aulas. As propostas pedagógicas devem estar abertas ao diálogo, à criatividade e à negociação de sentidos para a construção cooperativa do pensamento autônomo e exercício da liberdade. A ação docente experiente representou uma variável que reiterou a exigência de metodologias e estratégias representadas também pelo modelo TPACK, isto é, a articulação dos diferentes saberes, com destaque para o conhecimento pedagógico de conteúdo tecnológico. Este se constituiu em um aspecto orientador de reflexões necessárias para elaboração de propostas pedagógicas, apoiadas por tecnologias digitais de informação e de comunicação (TDIC), ou seja, fundamentou a importância do conhecimento docente em diálogo com o conhecimento discente, na seleção das tecnologias, no estudo de suas melhores estratégias metodológicas, qual sua intencionalidade educativa, com vistas ao atendimento das expectativas de aprendizagem e demandas de conhecimentos específicos, articuladas aos conteúdos tecnológicos. A continuidade de pesquisas na área pode levar à compreensão aprofundada do tema e impulsionar a pedagogia apoiada por TDIC, com a finalidade de enriquecer experiências docentes e discentes. / This research investigated the contributions of technological pedagogical content knowledge for teaching skills and the learning process supported by virtual environment. It is characterized as a qualitative research, descriptive and exploratory nature, in an educational context, with participant observation and netnographic approach. It was conducted in the discipline Supported and Cooperative Learning Environments in Internet Technologies: New Challenges, New Skills\" (EDM 5053), belonging to the hall of disciplines of the graduate field \"Didactic, Teaching Theories and School Practices, from Education Faculty at USP. Qualitative techniques of data collection (logbook, procedural review forms, chats records, discussion forums, interviews and focal group) were used. Data were analyzed from the perspective of the autopoiesis categories, metacognition and interaction, all related to the interpretative scope of teaching and learning process that dialogued with the explanatory model of the teaching action \"Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge\" (TPACK). Among the contributions the highlight was the understanding that educational purposes are achieved in the inter-relationship with the students and in the dialectical relationship between theory and practice, and not solely by the presence of technological infrastructure available in classroom. The pedagogical proposals must be open to dialogue, creativity and negotiation of meanings for the cooperative construction of autonomous thinking and exercise of freedom. The experient teaching action represented a variable that reiterated the requirement of methodologies and strategies also represented by the TPACK model, namely, the articulation of different knowledge, highlighting the technological pedagogical content knowledge. This constituted a guiding issue for reflections required to formulate pedagogical proposals supported by Digital Technologies for Information and Communication (DTIC), i.e., it underlies the importance of teacher knowledge in dialogue with the student knowledge in the selection of technologies, in the study of their best methodological strategies, which is its educational intentionality, in order to meet the learning expectations and demands of specific knowledges articulated to the technological content. Additional research in this area can lead to deeper understanding of the topic and boost pedagogy supported by DTIC in order to enhance teaching and student experiences.

Thesis (M. Ed. (Technology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of this research was to investigate how Technology teachers in Grade 9 create an effective learning environment for teaching the topic of ‘Structures'. Technology is a new subject in the South African curriculum, therefore, the creation of a learning environment conducive to learning about Structures as one of the themes in Technology is crucial. In the South African curriculum for Technology, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), learners have to be taught about the following design process: Investigating, Designing, Making, Evaluating and Communication. Besides, learners need to know strengthening and the functions of Structures. The design process will ultimately lead learners into modern structural engineering where the aim is to create structures that are up to standard and operational, as they are in the real world. The design process for structures needs to take into consideration three main aspects: mechanical concepts, aesthetic concepts, and sustainable development, which are independent while interrelated at the same time. Modern structural engineering needs to coordinate humanity and natural development. Structures, in broad terms, relate to buildings, dams and bridges, therefore, for structures to be designed, they need architects and structural engineers. Structures have been part of humankind for shelter, storage, communication and to solve many human problems. The creation of a learning environment for teaching structures, which is the main focus of this research, was studied in relation to a constructivist learning environment, e.g. pre-conceptions, sensorial activation and the analysis of subject matter, in accordance with the Resource Theory. The Resource Theory calls them the ingredients believed to enhance learning, where a learning environment is created by physical facilities, human resources and fiscal resources. Studying technology using Resource Theory as the theoretical framework may give insight into the successful teaching of Technology as a subject in South Africa. Besides, the Resource Theory has characteristics of constructivist models like Education Reconstruction for Teacher Education (ERTE), which was used for studying science where learners’ preconceived knowledge, sensorial activation and subject matter analysis are considered as effective for creating a conducive learning environment. The Resource Theory vi emphasizes that physical resources, human resources and fiscal resources enhance an effective learning environment. The advantage of these constructivist models is that they represent the framework for an integrative approach to research on creating a learning environment for teaching topics such as Structures. The models firstly integrate sensorial activation; secondly, the empirical study of learners’ pre-conceptions; and thirdly, an analysis of the subject matter. When creating a learning environment for structures using the analysis of subject matter, sensorial activation and learners’ pre-conceptions, the pedagogical content knowledge for Technology teachers may also be successfully explored. Currently in some schools in South Africa, the topic of ‘Structures’ as one of the Technology themes, is taught in a general classroom with no equipment, materials and teachers’ lack of knowledge of the learning environment. Besides, the literature shows that there is no ordered environment earmarked for teaching and learning Technology. Some teachers are not able to teach effectively, as a result, there is no conducive learning environment for teaching the topic of Structures. This means that the learning environment in many schools in South Africa still leaves much to be desired. The main challenge is that teachers focus more on the curriculum and textbook’s sequencing of topics in teaching in a context of classrooms where practical tasks are not emphasised. In addition, teachers do not always have a clear understanding of the structure of the curriculum or the demands of the curriculum. Teachers need to be trained on how to integrate various resources, as the literature suggests, not only to follow textbooks as a way of sequencing their teaching. Owing to the above-mentioned gaps a study was needed to investigate how Technology teachers create an effective learning environment for teaching the topic of Structures. A qualitative approach and case study design were used to find out how a learning environment for Structures is created in Bohlabela Circuit. The data were collected using unstructured questionnaires and document or observation sheet for planning documents. Two Grade 9 Technology teachers participated in the study. Since this study was about investigating the learning environment created by Technology teachers when teaching the theme Structures, the findings revealed that these teachers had a knowledge of what creating a learning environment is, but it was not vii clear if they practiced this in their classrooms. They seemed to have a knowledge of the essence of prior knowledge, resources and content knowledge of Structures. The study recommends that curriculum advisors at Circuit level need to intensify workshops and visit Technology teachers in schools to check whether they have artefacts made by learners using the Design Process. Furthermore, observation during teaching is necessary, monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning of making Structures. The importance of this study is that the findings may be helpful to technology curriculum designers, teachers and learners, since workshops may be conducted in a proper way. Resources need to be coupled with teachers’ content knowledge of structures and strategies for instruction. Key concepts: Creation of learning environment; Content knowledge; Constructivists learning environment; Pedagogical content knowledge; Resource Theory; Sensorial activation; Structures; Technological pedagogical and content knowledge.

The following essay has the purpose of giving an account of how the increasing digitalization, medialization and flow of information has affected social science as a subject, and how this has changed the expectations put on students and teachers. Furthermore, the way teachers’ TPACK knowledge and web literacy skills affect their teaching is also examined. Lastly, students’ level of understanding for the term media and information literacy is further investigated.  This is being done with the help of the following three question formulations: 1. What further demands does the increasing digitalization, medialization and flow of information pose for students and teachers, and how does it connect to social science as a subject? 2. How do teachers' knowledge of TPACK and web literacy affect their teaching? 3. What level of understanding do students have for the term media and information literacy?  The essay is based upon 15 peer-reviewed scientific articles, which have been chosen to represent the field of knowledge and answer the three question formulations. The interconnection between media and information literacy and democracy makes the subject increasingly important in today’s society with threats like propaganda, misinformation, and anti-democratic rhetoric. One conclusion made is how important it is for the students’ learning outcomes that the teacher is well-informed and has the necessary knowledge to help and support the students in their learning. It is also important to consider that the way students define media and information literacy may differ from teachers’ understanding, and that can lead to students’ knowledge being interpreted as higher than it is in reality.