Teacher Autonomy in Learning ICT/Web Tools

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TEACHER AUTONOMY IN LEARNING ICT/WEB TOOLS Phil Longwell 15 September 2013 Play video >

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These are the slides for the IATEFL Learning Technologies Special Interest Group webinar on 15.09.13. Abstract: Most of us have to, at some point, use ICT or web tools as part of our practice, but how autonomous are we when it comes to learning those tools? To what extent do we teach ourselves and to what extent do we learn from others? What training do we expect, if any? How can we create our own autonomy? This webinar is intended to build on research carried out for a master’s dissertation. Hopefully, it will also provide an up-to-date snapshot of current practice and you will be invited to participate in adding to this research for possible further publication. Date: 15 September 2013 Time: 1400 HRS GMT/UCT 1500 HRS BST 1600 HRS CEST Platform: Adobe Connect Link to Room: http://iatefl.adobeconnect.com/ltsig Host/Moderator: Heike Philp

Transcript of Teacher Autonomy in Learning ICT/Web Tools

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TEACHER AUTONOMY IN LEARNING ICT/WEB

TOOLSPhil Longwell

15 September 2013

Play video >

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Brief intro… EFL Teacher since 2007 Taught in Tanzania, South Korea, China,

Saudi Arabia and in the UK. Twitter @teacherphili – nickname. Completed MA in ELT at University of Warwick

2012. Research into this topic for dissertation. Published research online – via blog - and in

LASIG newsletter – ‘independence’ (Autumn 2012)

One year on… up to date ‘snapshot’. First time presenting to an IATEFL audience.

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Outline…

About the research Exploring ICT/web tool discovery

and use Barriers and Institutional Support Definitions of Teacher(-Learner)

Autonomy Research findings Exploring your Teacher Autonomy Q&A

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Research… Lack of existing literature on uptake of tools by

EFL/ESOL Teachers. Concept of Teacher Autonomy and Teacher-

Learner Autonomy as opposed to simply Learner Autonomy

Interest in extent to which teachers took responsibility to learn about ICT / Web tools.

Expectation of training. Taxonomy of current practice. Survey with 106 responses + 14 interviews. ‘Self-selection’ + representation. Employed vs. self-employed or freelance.

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Initial Research Questions -> Survey How do teachers discover ICT/web tools, what are

they using and why? How frequent is teachers’ use of ICT/web tools in

practice? Are they getting enough support to integrate these

tools? What are the expectations of institutions in training

teachers? How autonomous are teachers in learning these

tools for themselves and is this based on their ‘relationship’ with technology?

What are the barriers to implementing ICT/web tools into teaching practice?

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‘Relationship’ with technology

Technophobe / Technophile paradigm Immigrant/Native paradigm (Pesky Prensky!)

Visitor / Resident paradigm (White and Le Cornu, 2011)

Does perception or relationship with technology affect autonomous behaviour? Does this change over time?

Image ‘Of chaos came order’: #eltpics @robhaines

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ICT vs Web Tools

Distinction between ‘hardware’ and ‘software’.Research split question on ‘frequency of use of’ into two questions – ICT and Web Tools.Note: ‘Apps’ not specifically discussed in research. Assumed to be ‘web tools’ as software, although usually not browser-based.

Image: ‘iPad and monitor’ - #eltpics Victoria Boobyer Image: ‘Some Killer Apps’ - Joe Dale VRT Web Con 2013

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ICT – the ‘operating instructions’

Image: http://bit.ly/3YQNjW

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Exploring ICT/Web Tools Discovery and UseA couple of questions for you… taken from the survey

How do you learn about (discover) new Web Tools?

Survey Result >

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Barriers + Institutional Support

What are the barriers to learning about and then implementing ICT/Web Tools in respect of your teaching practice?

Texture Source: Image*After

If you are employed what support in this area do youreceive from the institutionyou work for?

Survey Result >

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Teacher (-Learner) Autonomy

Theories of Learner Autonomy originated outside technology

‘Genuinely successful learners have always been autonomous’ (Little, 1995) -> teachers as learners.

Teacher autonomy or more correctly, teacher-learner autonomy, has been defined as ‘the ability to develop appropriate skills, knowledge and attitudes for oneself as a teacher, in co-operation with others’ (Smith, 2003:1).

‘…the capacity, freedom, and/or responsibility to make choices concerning one’s own teaching’ (Aoki, in Benson, 2007: 31).

‘…a professional attribute’ (Benson, 2007:30). ‘freedom from constraint’ (ibid: 30).

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Teacher (-Learner) Autonomy

In relation to professional action:   A: Self-directed professional action (= ‘Self-directed teaching’) B: Capacity for self-directed professional action (= ‘Teacher autonomy (I)’) C. Freedom from control over professional action (= ‘Teacher autonomy

(II)’) In relation to professional development:   D: Self-directed professional development (= ‘Self-directed teacher-

learning’) E: Capacity for self-directed professional development

(= ‘Teacher-learner autonomy (I)’) F: Freedom from control over professional development

(= ‘Teacher-learner autonomy (II)’)

(Smith, ‘Dimensions of teacher autonomy’, 2003: 4)

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Exploring your Teacher Autonomy

How autonomous are you? How frequently do you do the following in respect of learning about ICT/Web Tools?

Never / Occasionally / Sometimes / Frequently / Every time

I fully learn about a tool and then teach it to others I learn by using and practising with it (trial & error) I rely on others to train me or to show me what to do I try to learn about it first then ask for help if needed I go online to find a training video or guide

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Research findings…• Interviews conducted with

14 teachers/teacher-trainers

• How ‘fluid’ is ‘relationship with technology?

• ICT/Web tools usage• Support/Training from

institution. • Barriers• Autonomous Behaviour.

Extended extracts from interviews here - http://audioboo.fm/teacherphili

Play audio >

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Research findings…

What emerged from the interview data was the ways in which teachers had created their own autonomy in the workplace.

Teachers self-directing their learning. Taking responsibility for learning tools. Social benefits of PLN (personal learning network). Rooted in personality. Frustration with others’ lack of resourcefulness Training should be given but teachers did not wait for this. Those that did invest substantial time being autonomous

learners were ‘rewarded’ by the amount of autonomy they appeared to have created for themselves.

AB could be learned, if not specifically taught. Freedom from control’ over ‘professional action’ allowed for

the possibility of teachers being able to create their own autonomy.

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Exploring your Teacher Autonomy II

What do you think are the factors that should be considered when measuring a person’s autonomy?

  Do you think it depends on the kind of tool

being learned?   Do you think it is possible to create your

own autonomy (in the workplace) and how?

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References:

Aoki, N. 2000. Aspects of teacher autonomy: Capacity, freedom and responsibility. Paper presented at 2000 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Language Centre Conference. In Smith, R. 2003. 

Benson, P. 2007. ‘Autonomy in language teaching and learning – State-of-the-art article’. Language Teaching 40:21-40.

Smith, R.C. 2003. ‘Teacher education for teacher-learner autonomy’ in Symposium for Language Teacher Educators: Papers from three IALS symposia (CD-Rom), J Gollin, G Ferguson and H Trappes-Loman (Eds.) Edinburgh. IALS. University of Edinburgh. Also available at: www.warwick.ac.uk/~elsdr/Teacher-autonomy.pdf Accessed 7 May 2012.

White, D and Le Cornu, A. 2011. Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday. 16/9. Available at: http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3171/3049. Accessed 13 June 2012.

Permission was granted from the four interviewees to use the audio extracts played.

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Q & A

The LASIG article: http://bit.ly/10VNsgT The full dissertation: http://bit.ly/19Yrtq1 or http://bit.ly/T2nGmv

Thanks for attending.