Publication: Exploring beginning teachers’ learning of classroom management cases in wiki-based learning environment : a case study
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Date
2014
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Abstract
This research investigates beginning teachers' use of wiki-supported case-based learning environment to solve classroom management cases and how the wiki-supported environment aims to foster beginning teachers' construction of knowledge. This study involved 22 randomly selected beginning teachers who came from 10 secondary schools in Singapore and whose teaching experience ranged from 1 to 3 years. Case-based activity units were conducted over the 2-day workshop with each day's activity spanning 6 hours. The case context was classroom management issues faced by beginning teachers in secondary schools. Question prompts designed in wiki were used to scaffold the participants' discussions in relation to problem identification, strategies proposition, and decision-making of strategies proposed. Qualitative analysis was performed on the teachers' reflection logs and online learning scripts extracted from the wiki. The participants identified problems, proposed strategies and the proposed strategies accepted by the teachers were analysed in terms of frequency and content. Additionally, the online learning scripts were also analysed to identify the most common patterns of discourse for evidence of knowledge construction. The findings reveal that the wiki-supported environment did provide a platform for participants to brainstorm and reflect on the problems identified and strategies proposed by their peers, as they engaged in active discussions with their peers. There was also evidence to suggest that the wiki-supported case-based learning environment helped foster beginning teachers' knowledge construction.