Thesis (M.Ed.) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The aim of this study was to investigate the availability and potential utilisation of educational technology in the teaching and learning of Geography in Grade 12 in Mankweng Circuit, in the under resourced area of Limpopo Province. The researcher used the constructivist theory with an emphasis upon constructivism as a theoretical framework. A qualitative research approach and a case study design were adopted for this study. Furthermore a purposive sampling strategy was used to sample seven teachers and four principals. In this study all the Secondary Schools fall under Quintile one-the Department of Basic Education’s classification category for no fee paying schools. There are no private or independent high schools that are privately owned, governed or funded in the Circuit. Government has made several attempts to improve the results by providing policies, resources such as infra-structure like classrooms and books, extended additional training of teachers and in some cases, schools took learners to camps for further studies. However, despite these efforts, the problem of the declining of results continues unabated. Data was collected through three methods, namely interviews, observation and document review. Data was analysed through the use of thematic content analysis method. The study came up with three major findings on availability and the use of computers in Grade 12 Geography, namely: (a) inadequate supply of and access to computers in schools and lack of security,(b) Lack of skill on the use of computers by teachers and (c) intermittent power interruptions at these schools influence the performance of learners negatively. These findings have major implications for the use of computers in the teaching of Geography in schools. Firstly, there is an urgent need to supply schools with computers if teachers and learners are to use them to enhance their teaching and learning of Geography and other subjects. Secondly, there is a need to train teachers in the use of computers in the teaching of subjects like Geography otherwise the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will overtake these schools and performance of learners will not improve. Thirdly, principals should attend training workshops to learn about their responsibility as ICT leaders at schools moreover there is a need to tighten security at schools in order to safeguard computers and other valuable equipment that support teaching and learning

The purpose of this study was to compare student attitudes toward technology of third and fourth grade students in Virginia relative to their exposure Lo technology education. The instrument used to measure student attitudes towards technology was a modified version of the Pupil's Attitudes Toward Technology - USA instrument developed at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The research design was a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent groups posttest only design. The research methodology utilized was factorial analysis of variance. The four independent variables were Gender, Grade Level, Treatment/Control Group, and Geographic Area. The dependent variable was student attitudes toward technology. All hypotheses were tested at the .05 alpha level of significance. The NASA funded project, Mission 21, was used as the treatment on 459 third and fourth graders in Virginia over the period of five months. Students in the same schools and grade levels as Mission 21 students, but who were not exposed to Mission 21, served as the control group. The control group contained 399 students. The study reported a significant difference between boys and girls attitudes towards technology. There was a significant difference in student attitudes toward technology between the Mission 21 students and the control group. There was no difference found in student attitudes towards technology by grade level. There was a significant difference of student attitudes towards technology between geographic areas (urban, suburban, and rural areas). The most common definition of technology from the Mission 21 students (treatment group) was "technology solves problems". The most common definition of technology from the control group was "I don't know". The results of the study provided evidence that both boys and girls who participated in the third and fourth grade Mission 21 project, did in fact, have a substantially more positive attitude towards technology than those students who did not. / Ph. D.

The purpose of the study was to explore the effect of integrating technological activities with science instruction. The researcher examined whether fifth-grade students' achievement and curiosity relative to the science unit were related to their participation in classes where the experimental treatment was employed. A secondary focus of the study was to determine whether students' curiosity about the unit prior to studying it was related to their achievement. The researcher used a quasi-experimental,pretest/post test design for the study. The researcher developed and field tested two instruments for use in the study: a measure of curiosity and a measure of students' science knowledge and comprehension relative to the unit studied on changing forms of energy. The sample (n=l23) was drawn from a population of fifth-grade students in Staunton and Augusta County, Virginia. Classrooms were randomly assigned as treatment and control. Treatment group teachers taught the unit by having students participate in two technological activities that corresponded with the science unit. Control group teachers used traditional science methods (i.e., primarily teacher demonstrations of science experiments) to teach the unit. Pretest and posttest data were analyzed using correlation analysis and analysis of covariance procedures. The researcher reported a significant difference between treatment group students' and control group students' curiosity, favoring the treatment group. No significant differences were found between groups in science achievement and no significant relationship between students' curiosity and achievement was reported. The researcher concluded that the integration of technological activities with science instruction may positively affect fifth-grade students' curiosity but may not enhance or deter from their science achievement. Hence, the science-technology linkage shows promise as a useful method of promoting greater student curiosity without negatively affecting their achievement. / Ed. D.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

by Koo, Ching Ngan Alfred. / Publication date from spine. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 194-206). / by Koo, Ching Ngan Alfred. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.iv / A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.v / A LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES --- p.vi / A LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background to the Study --- p.1 / Aims of the Study --- p.3 / The Significance of the Study --- p.4 / The Research Questions --- p.6 / Definition of Terms --- p.7 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- THE CURRICULUM INNOVATION --- p.9 / Background to the Change --- p.9 / Nature of the Change --- p.10 / Characteristics of the Change --- p.11 / Image and Aims --- p.12 / Principles of Curriculum Organization --- p.16 / Teaching Strategies --- p.18 / Content --- p.19 / Time --- p.21 / Assessment --- p.22 / Scale of the Change --- p.23 / Characteristics of the Change in Context --- p.24 / How AS Design and Technology was Promoted in Schools --- p.25 / Nature of AS Design and Technology --- p.28 / Public Perception of Sixth Form Education & the Subject --- p.28 / Characteristics of Schools Offering AS Design and Technology --- p.31 / Characteristics of Prevocational Education --- p.31 / Teacher Development Prior to Innovation --- p.34 / Problems in Implementing Design and Technology in the Sixth Form --- p.36 / Availability and Use of Resources --- p.38 / Priority Given to Design and Technology by Schools --- p.39 / Teachers' Experience and Training --- p.40 / Status of Design and Technology --- p.42 / Student Achievement in Public Examinations --- p.43 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.45 / Implementation Studies --- p.45 / Three Approaches to Curriculum Implementation --- p.45 / Fidelity Perspective --- p.46 / Mutual Adaptation --- p.51 / Curriculum Enactment --- p.52 / Three Perspectives on Curriculum Change --- p.53 / Technological Perspective --- p.53 / Political Perspective --- p.55 / Cultural Perspective --- p.57 / Implementation as a Process of Change --- p.60 / The Decision-making Process of Adoption --- p.61 / Who Makes Adoption Decisions --- p.61 / How Adoption Decisions Are Made --- p.61 / Factors Associated with Adoption --- p.66 / Factors Affecting Implementation --- p.69 / Characteristics of Change --- p.70 / Local Characteristics --- p.71 / External Factors --- p.72 / Problems in Implementing Integrated and Non-academic Subjects --- p.74 / Implementation Studies in Hong Kong --- p.77 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.80 / Collection of Background Information --- p.83 / Survey --- p.84 / Population and Sample --- p.85 / Data Gathering Instrument --- p.86 / Data Gathering Procedures --- p.87 / Case Study --- p.88 / Case Selection --- p.89 / Data Gathering Methods and Instrument --- p.89 / Data Gathering Procedures --- p.92 / Document Analysis --- p.95 / Data Analysis --- p.95 / Limitations of This Study --- p.96 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- FINDINGS --- p.99 / Adoption Decision in Schools --- p.100 / Characteristics of Schools Involved in this Study --- p.100 / Characteristics of the Principals --- p.102 / Characteristics of the Assistant Principals --- p.102 / Characteristics of the Teachers --- p.103 / Sixth Form Subjects Offered by the Schools --- p.105 / Adoption Decision-making in Schools --- p.106 / Why Schools Did Not Offer AS Design and Technology --- p.111 / Why Some Schools Offered AS Design and Technology --- p.115 / Implementation of the New Subject in Case Schools --- p.121 / Image and Aims --- p.122 / Curriculum Organization --- p.124 / Teaching Strategy --- p.125 / Content --- p.129 / Time --- p.132 / Assessment --- p.135 / Why the Implementation Occurred as It Did --- p.139 / Difficulties Met by The Teachers --- p.142 / Conclusion --- p.153 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- DISCUSSION --- p.157 / Adoption Decision in Schools --- p.157 / Factors Associated with the Adoption Decision --- p.158 / Emergence of New Policy on Sixth Form Education --- p.158 / Appropriateness of Subject to Schools --- p.159 / Nature of Subject --- p.159 / Function of the Subject --- p.160 / Characteristics of Schools Adopting the Innovation --- p.161 / Availability of Appropriate Teacher --- p.162 / Availability of Appropriate Teaching Resources --- p.163 / Supports from the Central Agencies --- p.164 / Adoption Mechanism in Schools --- p.165 / Implementation of the New Subjects in Case Schools --- p.166 / Factors Relating to Implementation in Case Schools --- p.167 / Clarity and Complexity of the Change --- p.168 / Availability of Teaching Resources --- p.169 / Supports from Central Agencies --- p.170 / Supports from School --- p.171 / Credibility of Teacher --- p.172 / Student Adaptability --- p.175 / Chapter CHAPTER SEVEN --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.180 / Conclusions to Research Questions --- p.180 / Recommendations for Improving Present Situation --- p.184 / Suggestions for Further Research --- p.190 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.193 / APPENDICES --- p.206

教育政策實施的進程研究至今仍然是不清晰的。近期的研究，對於政策能否實施，都是基於理性選擇的基礎上而作出闡釋，相信施行者都會依設定程序來執行。本項研究提出：實施時出現的落差，是源自忽視了人類認知過程的複雜性。本研究是把資訊科技教育政策的實施視為政策的學習，教師在實施過程中，因建構知識而帶來認知基模的改變。本研究透過訪問兩間香港中學的教師，瞭解他們如何內化資訊科技教育政策，從而探索政策的實施與教師認知的關係。探討實施過程的重點，是在於三方面的互動，包括：個別教師、資訊科技教育政策、教師與系統元素互動的實施平臺。根據研究結果和認知框架，建構出一個分為五個階段的認知架構：資訊科技教育政策的實施不僅是獲取技術，亦涉及教師的認知屬性；把內化資訊科技教育政策，體現為由隱性知識轉化為顯性知識，與知識建構的概念重組。研究發現，政策的實施是從個人到實踐社群、由個人的隱性知識轉化為組織的顯性知識及從政策的轉變到認知基模的改變。 / The implementation process has hitherto remained largely implicit in the research of education policy. Recent research on how policy does and does not get implemented has developed explanations with assumptions rest on rational-choice foundation that implementers respond to the policy that is intended. This study suggests viewing implementation gap as neglect of the complexity of the human sensemaking processes consequential to implementation. This study argues that policy implementation of ICT in education could be viewed as policy learning where knowledge is built and created during the implementation process for change in cognitive schema. Drawing on the cognitive frames, this study aims at exploring the relationship between policy implementation and teacher cognition to investigate how teachers in two Hong Kong secondary schools internalize the policy of ICT in education. The process of implementation is explored with emphasis on the interaction among individual teachers, the policy of ICT in education and implementation sites where teachers interact with system elements. Building upon the research findings and the cognitive framework of sensemaking, this study puts forth a five-phase cognitive framework of individual sensemaking, in which ICT policy implementation is more than just technical skill acquisition, involving teachers' cognitive attributes to internalize the policy by embodying explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge and by attributing into the cognitive structures with knowledge building and knowledge creation for conceptual reorganization. The policy implementation is unveiled from individual to community of practice whilst externalizing individual tacit knowledge to organizational explicit knowledge resulted from policy change to change in cognitive schema. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wan, Wing Fong. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-238). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Table of contents --- p.iv / List of figures --- p.vii / List of tables --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM / Introduction --- p.1 / Background of the study --- p.1 / Chapter 1 --- Policy context of ICT in education --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1 --- Global policy context --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Policy context of Hong Kong --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Cascade of policy implementation of ICT in education and practice in HK --- p.4 / Chapter 2 --- Theoretical background --- p.7 / Chapter 3 --- Purpose of the study --- p.9 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research questions --- p.10 / Chapter 3.2 --- Research context and target --- p.12 / Chapter 4 --- Significance of the study --- p.14 / Chapter 5 --- Limitations of the study --- p.16 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- REVIEW OF LITERATURE / Introduction --- p.17 / Chapter 1 --- An overview of education policy implementation --- p.17 / Chapter 2 --- New dimensions of educational change and education policy implementation --- p.21 / Chapter 2.1 --- A new unit of analysis in education policy implementation --- p.21 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Cognitive framework --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Sensemaking --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2 --- Strategic role of the implementation site --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Reconceptualization of learning --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Knowledge-creation metaphor as policy learning versus constructivism --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Teacher learning and teacher cognition --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Approaches to teacher learning --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Teacher knowledge --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- ICT policy implementation as organizational learning with technological vision --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.7 --- Collegial interaction in community of practice --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.8 --- System-wide interaction --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3 --- Conceptualization of implementation process --- p.45 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- The link between individual and organizational learning --- p.45 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Implementation as organizational learning --- p.46 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Cognitive preparation for paradigm shift --- p.47 / Chapter 2.4 --- Implementation outcomes --- p.48 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Outcome assessment --- p.48 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Conceptual reorganization during implementation process --- p.48 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Teacher capacity building --- p.50 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Social capital --- p.50 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Human capital and community of practice --- p.51 / Chapter 2.5 --- Role of technological advancement in educational change --- p.51 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- A review of technological advancement --- p.51 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Context of twenty-first century --- p.53 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Educational change --- p.54 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Implementation of ICT in education --- p.55 / Chapter 3 --- Related research and literature --- p.57 / Chapter 3.1 --- International research and literature --- p.57 / Chapter 3.2 --- Local research and literature --- p.59 / Chapter 4 --- Orientation to the nature of knowledge about education policy implementation --- p.60 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- THE STUDY / Introduction --- p.62 / Chapter 1 --- Implications for the study --- p.62 / Chapter 2 --- Framework of study --- p.64 / Chapter 3 --- Research questions and assumptions --- p.66 / Chapter 4 --- Research methodology --- p.67 / Chapter 5 --- Research design --- p.69 / Chapter 5.1 --- Site selection --- p.69 / Chapter 5.2 --- Data collection --- p.70 / Chapter 5.3 --- Data analysis --- p.75 / Chapter 6 --- Research limitations --- p.78 / Chapter 7 --- Consent, access and human participant protection --- p.79 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE OF TEACHER COGNITION: SENSEMAKING AS A NETWORK OF RELATIVITY / Introduction --- p.80 / Chapter 1 --- The influences of the teacher on sensemaking --- p.80 / Chapter 1.1 --- ICT implementation more than skill acquisition --- p.81 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Superficial similarities --- p.81 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Reflection on teaching --- p.82 / Chapter 1.2 --- Policy implementation as idiosyncratic understanding --- p.84 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- An act of interpretation --- p.85 / Chapter Vignette 1: --- How Quintus makes sense of the policy implementation of ICT in education in his individual perspective of cognition --- p.86 / Chapter 1.3 --- Sensemaking as deep and thorough understanding --- p.92 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Experiences and beliefs --- p.92 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Hot cognition --- p.98 / Chapter 1.4 --- Internalization as embodying explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge --- p.103 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Prior knowledge --- p.103 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Knowledge created in implementation process --- p.105 / Chapter 1.5 --- Internalization as an attribute of cognitive structures for conceptual reorganization --- p.111 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- A relational conception of understanding --- p.111 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Understanding as problems to encounter --- p.113 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Knowledge building as a mediator in conceptual reorganization --- p.115 / Chapter 2 --- A summary of key findings: Individual sensemaking of ICT implementation --- p.117 / Chapter 2.1 --- Relationship between individual informant-teachers and ICT policy --- p.118 / Chapter 3 --- Summary & discussion --- p.121 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- SOCIAL & DISTRIBUTED PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHER COGNITION: SENSEMAKING AS A NETWORK OF SITUATEDNESS / Introduction --- p.123 / Chapter 1 --- The influences of the school on sensemaking --- p.123 / Chapter Vignette 2: --- How Jadon makes collective sense of the policy implementation of ICT in education in his social and distributed perspectives of cognition --- p.125 / Chapter 2 --- Social perspective of teacher cognition --- p.129 / Chapter 2.1 --- Engagement --- p.130 / Chapter 2.2 --- Shared repertoire of knowledge and practice --- p.132 / Chapter 2.3 --- Joint enterprise --- p.134 / Chapter 2.4 --- Learning opportunities --- p.135 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Opportunities to discuss about subject matter --- p.136 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Opportunities to discuss about students and learning --- p.136 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Opportunities to discuss about teaching --- p.138 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Opportunities to express emotions --- p.139 / Chapter 3 --- Distributed perspective of teacher cognition --- p.141 / Chapter 3.1 --- Sensemaking affected by organizational context --- p.142 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Leadership practices and teacher sensemaking --- p.143 / Chapter 3.2 --- Sensemaking as a co-production of students and teachers --- p.148 / Chapter 3.3 --- Situatedness of sensemaking --- p.151 / Chapter 4 --- A summary of key findings: Collective sensemaking of ICT implementation --- p.153 / Chapter 4.1 --- Communities of practice as an analytic construct --- p.153 / Chapter 4.2 --- Situatedness for ICT implementation --- p.157 / Chapter 5 --- Interaction between the individual level- and school-level sensemaking --- p.159 / Chapter 5.1 --- Organizational knowledge created in implementation process --- p.162 / Chapter 6 --- Summary & discussion --- p.167 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- MAJOR FINDINGS, CONCLUSION & DISCUSSION / Chapter 1 --- Major findings --- p.169 / Chapter Research finding 1: --- From individual to communities of practice --- p.170 / Chapter Research finding 2: --- From individual tacit knowledge to organizational explicit knowledge --- p.186 / Chapter Research finding 3: --- From policy change to change in cognitive schema --- p.192 / Chapter 2 --- Conclusion --- p.196 / Chapter 2.1 --- Revised cognitive framework of teacher cognition & policy implementation --- p.196 / Chapter 2.2 --- Three propositions --- p.198 / Chapter 3 --- Discussion --- p.203 / Chapter 3.1 --- Theoretical implications --- p.203 / Chapter 3.2 --- Implications for policy --- p.205 / Chapter 3.3 --- Methodological implications --- p.207 / Chapter 3.4 --- Limitations and new opportunities for further investigation --- p.208 / APPENDIXES / Chapter Appendix 1 --- Interview protocol --- p.211 / Chapter Appendix 2 --- Information sheet and consent form --- p.214 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.216