Developing and validating a new reliable instrument for assessing open distance learning educator's learning management system - TPACK

A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education by combination of coursework and research Johannesburg, 2017Modern-day open and distance learning (ODL) educators are increasingly being called upon to apply different forms of knowledge to integrate web-based learning management systems (LMSs) effectively for teaching and learning. To test this assumption, this study set out to develop and validate a new reliable instrument for assessing ODL educators’ perceived learning management system technological pedagogical content knowledge (LMS-TPACK). Past empirical studies grounded in Mishra and Koehler’s TPACK framework (2006) were examined to construct the self-report survey. Quantitative data were collected from 332 educators. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were computed. The findings reveal key LMS-TPACK constructs that have proven to be both valid and reliable. Six out of the seven subscales used to assess LMS-TPACK were found to be significant, i.e. LMS knowledge (LMS-K), pedagogical knowledge (PK), content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), LMS pedagogical knowledge (LMS-PK) and LMS-TPACK, while LMS-CK failed to emerge in the factor structure. Several possible reasons are proposed for the lack or absence of LMS-CK. The resulting Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the different constructs as well as the overall instrument scale provide compelling evidence for stable internal consistency reliability. Alpha for the entire LMS-TPACK survey was found to be excellent (α = .931). Recommendations are made for improvements to the instrument and directions for future research are highlighted.MT201

Exploring First Year Engineering Students’ Levels of Technological Literacy at Two Higher Education Institutions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

In this study, the technological literacy of students in their first year of an engineering programme within two higher education institution (HEI’s) is described, analysed and compared. Furthermore, the study explores the possible influences of socio-economic status (SES) on the technological literacy of engineering students. Drawing on Mitcham’s (1994) framework, he describes technological literacy by two interacting components, namely, how one ‘thinks’ about technology (nature of technology) and how one interacts with technology (interaction with technology), acknowledging the socio-cultural context of an individual, where social, cultural, educational and work backgrounds influence one’s understanding of technological literacy. The study used a mixed-method approach applying the sequential use of both quantitative and qualitative data collection. During the quantitative data collection phase, the Technological Inventory Profile (TIP) was used to determine the students’ levels of technological literacy. During the qualitative data collection phase (n=2), the profiles of one female student from a high SES  and one male student from a low SES background  who entered Engineering programmes, were probed. A case study approach was used to determine patterns and trends in their background that shaped their levels of technological literacy. Preliminary findings of the quantitative data using descriptive statistics suggests that students, in general, have a basic level of technological literacy based on the dimensions Artefact, Process, Direction/Instruction, Tinkering and Engagement. However, preliminary results of the qualitative part of the study using interviews with the two Engineering students shows that there is a tentative influence of SES on the participants’ technological literacy

Trends and challenges of higher education in Nigeria: Fine and applied arts technological literacy

This study explores the trends and challenges of teacher educators in the Fine and Applied Arts (FAA) and the impact on technological literacy. In Nigeria, internet facilities and digital technologies have changed the method of instruction and levels of student involvement in art education.  Visual art educators use multimedia software in Nigeria to provide challenging and authentic learning materials that develop the student’s potential and creativity through exploration, discovery and creativity. This study investigates the availability, accessibility and usability of ICT technological tools. Furthermore, it explores the strengths and challenges of pedagogical approaches used in the context of two higher education institutions in Nigeria. In this regard, the study focuses on the trends and challenges of higher education in Nigeria: art, design and technological literacy in perspective. A fundamental technology-based theoretical framework, namely, van Dijk’s (2005) resource and appropriation theory (RAT) formed this study's theoretical framework. The study was conducted at two higher education institutions considered to be the oldest tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. It adopts a qualitative research approach, using a multiple case study, purposively selecting participants, comprising twenty student teachers and four lecturers. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and classroom observations. The data collected were transcribed, coded and analysed using content analysis to generate relevant themes for discussion. The findings of this research can inform curriculum planners, improve the models for advancing the technological literacy of FAA lecturers and students and can equip lecturers and students to meet the present and future needs of art education in a global society. Keywords: Fine and Applied Arts (FAA), Technological Literacy, Higher Education Art Education Trends in Art Teacher Education

Validating an instrument for use in assessing the technological literacy of upper secondary school students

This is an extract, with permission, from the proceedings of the 2013 SAARMSTE Conference.In this paper an instrument for assessing upper secondary school students‘ levels of technological literacy is presented. The items making up the instrument emerged from a previous study that used a phenomenographic research approach to explore students‘ conceptions of technological literacy in terms of their understanding of the nature of technology and their interaction with technological artefacts. The instrument was validated through administration to 969 students on completion of their 12 years of formal schooling. A factor analysis and Cronbach alpha reliability co-efficient was conducted on the data and the results show that a four-dimension factor structure (namely, Artefact, Process, Direction/Instruction, and Tinkering) strongly supported the dimensions as developed during the original phenomenographic study. The Cronbach alpha reliability co-efficient of each dimension was satisfactory. Based on these findings, the instrument has been shown to be valid and reliable and can be used with confidence

The development and validation of an instrument — the Technological Profile Inventory — to determine students’ levels of technological literacy in South Africa

In this article we describe the development and validation of an instrument – the technological profile inventory (TPI). The instrument can be used to determine students’ level of technological literacy. The items used in the TPI were drawn from a previous study (Collier-Reed, 2006) and were based on a rigorous qualitative analysis of interview data which was in turn informed by categories that emerged from a phenomenographic analysis. Data were collected from four groups of students, three groups of first year students at university Engineering (167), Commerce (65), Arts (218), and one group of high school students (179). The students’ responses to the TPI were subjected to exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach alpha testing, as well as a one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The result of the analysis was a modified version of the TPI where the data were found to be reliable and valid. The significant factors that defined the ‘nature of technology’ were found to be the view of technology as either an Artefact or related to a Process, while those constituting ‘interaction with technological artefacts’ were Direction/Instruction and Tinkering. A cohort analysis suggests Engineering students are statistically more likely to view technology as a process and interact with technological artefacts with less fear and more likely through self-initiation (Tinkering) – a more advanced technologically literate position. On the other hand the Arts students are more likely to expect direction or instruction from an authority figure (Direction/Instruction) when interacting with a technological artefact - a less technologically literate position. Further work involves determining how to meaningfully combine the scores achieved by an individual completing the TPI to ultimately determine a score indicative of their applicable level of technological literacy

Admitting engineering students with the best chance of success: technological literacy and the Technological Profile Inventory (TPI)

This is an extract, with permission, from the proceedings of the 2011 SASEE Conference.In this article we describe the development and validation of an instrument – the Technological Profile Inventory (TPI). The instrument can be used to determine whether an applicant’s level of technological literacy is suitable for admission to an engineering programme. It might be argued that students entering an engineering programme should demonstrate a level of technological literacy, not sought during the admission process at most universities in South Africa, which rely primarily on the National Benchmark Testing instrument and the National Senior Certificate examination results. The items used in the TPI were drawn from a previous study (Collier-Reed, 2006) and were based on a rigorous qualitative analysis of interview data which was in turn informed by categories that emerged from a phenomenographic analysis. Data were collected from 198 Engineering and 237 Commerce students and the items subjected to exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach alpha testing. The result of the analysis was a modified version of the TPI where the data were found to be reliable and valid. The significant factors that defined the ‘nature of technology’ were found to be the view of technology as either an artefact or related to a process, while those constituting ‘interaction with technological artefacts’ were direction and tinkering. A cohort analysis suggests that the anecdotal view of the possible difference in technological literacy between Commerce and Engineering students is supported by the data – Commerce students are statistically more likely to view technology as an artefact and interact with technological artefacts only when directed to do so, a less technologically literate position. Further work involves determining how to meaningfully combine the scores achieved by an individual completing the TPI to ultimately determine a score indicative of their applicable level of technological literacy

The re-design of a fourth year Bachelor of Education programme using the Constructive Alignment Approach

The focus of this article is on the re-design of a fourth year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Due to the changes in teacher qualifications, as outlined in the 2015 Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualification (MRTEQ) policy document, Higher Education Institutions were required to adapt their Initial Teaching Education (ITE) programmes to meet the requirements of the new policy document. This article describes the use of a backward mapping approach, in conjunction with the application of a constructive alignment framework, used by the education faculty at UWC to adjust the teaching and learning in the B.Ed programme to address the outcomes and standards required by the MRTEQ policy document. Given the type of student enrolled at UWC, the article provides a discussion on the challenges involved in developing a programme for students who might not have been adequately prepared for their tertiary studies due to the disadvantaged school contexts they come from. The article thus provides a reflective discussion on the challenges involved in the re-design process that used the pre-service teacher competencies expected at the end of the B.Ed programme at UWC, to develop the teaching and learning programme and assessment tasks for the fourth year B.Ed course.Received: 02 August 2018Accepted: 31 October 2018Published online: 29 November 2018</p