Exploring Relationship between Pakistani Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs and ICT Use for Teaching and Learning

Background: The aim of present study is to investigate relationship between Pakistani teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and ICT use for teaching and learning. Previous studies found close relationship between pedagogical beliefs and teaching practices including use of ICT. However, variation in results is also reported and attributed to cultural and contextual differences. Methodology: Quantitative approach was used to study a sample of 231 Pakistani basic education teachers from middle and upper-middle range private schools, mostly from large urban centres. Results: This study confirmed previously study results that constructivist-compatible pedagogical beliefs are significantly related to both traditional and constructivist use of ICT. However, it is also found that traditional-transmission pedagogical beliefs are significantly related to traditional use of ICT – a finding not reported in previous studies. Some amounts of ICT training for pedagogical purpose exhibit significant impact on ICT use, in particular constructivist use of ICT. Similarly age also play a role as younger teachers are more likely to use ICT, however, no significant difference of pedagogical beliefs and ICT use was found between male and female teachers. Recommendation for practice and further investigation are made in chapter 5.

Teachers' perceptions of effects of terminal examinations on teaching and learning at the secondary school level in Zimbabwe

This study was particularly aimed at the examinations and the effect they have on schooling at the secondary school level in Zimbabwe. The views and opinions of teachers on the use of terminal examinations for certification and the influence they are seen to have on teachers' approach to the curriculum were examined. The literature has shown that there is widespread criticism of the justice and effects of terminal examinations. It is argued that they lead to an over-emphasis of that which is measured, knowledge and intellectual ability, at the expense of that kind of education progress which is almost impossible to measure in an end-of-the-course assessment. Three hundred and six secondary school teachers responded to a survey which asked for teachers' perceptions of examinations and the curriculum. The findings of this study indicated that teaching is structured towards examinations. Although teachers are trying to teach and develop reasoning skills and other activities, the pressure of examinations and the importance of doing well in them force teachers to restrict themselves to examination requirements.

Enhancing teaching and learning speech acts: action research of Japanese as a foreign language /

This action research observes a second year Japanese class at a university where foreign language courses are elective for undergraduate students. In this study, using the six strategies to teach Japanese speech acts that Ishihara and Cohen (2006) suggested, I conducted three classes and analyzed my teaching practice with a critical friend. These strategies assist learners toward the development of their understanding of the following Japanese speech acts and also keep the learners to use them in a manner appropriate to the context: (I) invitation and refusal; (2) compliments; and (3) asking for a permission. The aim of this research is not only to improve my instruction in relation to second language (L2) pragmatic development, but also to raise further questions and to develop future research. The findings are analyzed and the data derived from my journals, artifacts, students' work, observation sheets, interviews with my critical friend, and pretests and posttests are coded and presented. The analysis shows that (I) after my critical friend encouraged my study and my students gave me some positive comments after each lesson, I gained confidence in teaching the suggested speech acts; (2) teaching involved explaining concepts and strategies, creating the visual material (a video) showing the strategies, and explaining the relationship between the strategy and grammatical forms and samples of misusing the forms; (3) students' background and learning styles influenced lessons; and (4) pretest and posttests showed that the students' Icvel of their L2 appropriate pragmatics dramatically improved after each instruction. However, after careful observation, it was noted that some factors prevented students from producing the correct output even though they understood the speech act differences.

TA tales : [re]storying the teaching and learning experiences of university teaching assistants

This inquiry examines reported critical incidents that shaped the lived experience of 5 university TAs as they negotiated multiple roles and relationships within the teaching and learning context. Questions and ensuing conversations explore the ways in which these critical incidents in teaching contributed to the TAs' understanding of themselves as teachers, of teaching and learning tensions in higher education, and of the institutional contexts in which they work. The inquiry also explores the ways in which narrative, particularly creative fiction, can represent the stories TAs tell of their experiences.

Postsecondary Teaching and Learning Development Needs: Motivators and Barriers Associated With Participation in Educational Development

This study investigated instructor perceptions of motivators and barriers that exist with respect to participation in educational development in the postsecondary context. Eight instructors from a mid-size, research intensive university in south-western Ontario participated in semistructured interviews to explore this particular issue. Data were analyzed using a qualitative approach. Motivation theory was used as a conceptual framework in this study, referring primarily to the work of Ryan and Deci (2000), Deci and Ryan (1985), and Pink (2009). The identified motivators and barriers spanned all 3 levels of postsecondary institutions: the micro (i.e., the individual), the meso (i.e., the department or Faculty), and the macro (i.e., the institution). Significant motivators to participation in educational development included desire to improve one’s teaching (micro), feedback from students (meso), and tenure and promotion (macro). Significant barriers to participation included lack of time (micro), the perception that an investment towards one’s research was more important than an investment to enhancing teaching (meso), and the impression that quality teaching was not valued by the institution (macro). The study identifies connections between the micro, meso, macro framework and motivation theory, and offers recommendations for practice.

English vocabulary teaching and learning strategies in Secondary Education

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Critical thinking as a self-regulatory process component in teaching and learning

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Blackboard for teaching and learning

A slideshow and supporting handout used in a workshop that discusses how Blackboard can be used to effectively support student learning.

Online teaching and learning presentations September seminar 2013

Slides from presenters at the CITE seminar for staff

Teaching and learning vocabulary : an introduction for English students. 'Enseñar y aprender vocabulario : una introducción para estudiantes de inglés'.

Resumen basado en el del autor

Form-focused instruction in second language teaching and learning : theoretical proposals and research findings.

El artículo revisar diferentes propuestas de investigación y teóricas sobre el aprendizaje y enseñanza de la segunda lengua.

All in all : a plural view of our teaching and learning. 'En total : una visión plural de nuestra enseñanza y aprendizaje'.

Textos en español y en inglés

Teaching and learning in multicultural schools : an integrated approach.

Este texto proporciona detallados consejos prácticos y sugerencias para los educadores de escuelas pertenecientes a comunidades muy diversas, culturalmente y lingüísticamente. Algunos capítulos se centran en las necesidades de los estudiantes de comunidades de inmigrantes, especialmente los que están aprendiendo la lengua de enseñanza, aunque también se incluyen otros grupos minoritarios.

A practical introduction to first steps : assessment, teaching and learning. 'Una introducción práctica a los primeros pasos : evaluación, enseñanza y aprendizaje'.

Es un recurso pensado para apoyar a los docentes en la labor de mejorar los niveles de alfabetización infantil y, alcanzar los objetivos que se han marcado para los estudiantes y las escuelas. Para ello, se establece la evaluación de este proceso de enseñanza del lenguaje oral y escrito, a través del llamado 'proceso de desarrollo continuo', por el cual el profesor puede supervisar y evaluar el progreso de sus alumnos desde la guardería y en los sucesivos años de escolarización, mediante la utilización de estrategias que cubran las necesidades específicas de cada uno de ellos en el contexto de la misma clase.