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The task designers’ mixing desk : its theoretical underpinnings and workings as a guide for language teachers to incorporate a generative use of ICT in their lessons
Author
De Souza, Denise E.
Supervisor
Towndrow, Phillip A. (Phillip Alexander)
Abstract
The expectation for teachers in Singapore schools to incorporate the use of ICT in their lessons as a whole, necessitates an understanding of the claims, concerns and issues teachers have regarding this expectation. There is also a pressing need for teachers to be provided with a pedagogically supported and theoretically viable designing tool to guide them through the process of designing tasks that incorporate a generative use of ICT.
The overarching theme of this dissertation is related to the claims, concerns and issues language teachers have about incorporating the use of ICT in their classroom lessons. More specifically, the two research questions explore what frameworks or guidelines teachers in schools are using to design ICT incorporated lessons and whether their ability to design tasks will be facilitated by the introduction of the TDMD (Towndrow, 2007).
Qualitative data was collected via face-to-face interviews with four teachers and collaborative work was done with two of them. The analyses of teachers’ claims showed that they acknowledged the interest and preference students had for ICT incorporated lessons. Investigation into their concerns highlighted teachers’ dissonance and inability to justify incorporating a generative use of ICT, the investment of time it entailed and the kind of learning it encouraged, against the paper and pen examinations they were entrusted to prepare students for. Issues raised highlighted that teachers were relying on teachers’ sharing sessions or themselves for ideas on how to design language tasks incorporating ICT but some teachers felt language did not lend itself to the benefits of ICT as much as other subjects.
The effective use of the TDMD as an evaluative tool and task designer’s tool, by an English Language teacher and a Literature teacher, suggests that the TDMD is a practically and theoretically viable tool that can be used to support language teachers and guide them in thinking about and designing tasks that incorporate a generative use of ICT.
The overarching theme of this dissertation is related to the claims, concerns and issues language teachers have about incorporating the use of ICT in their classroom lessons. More specifically, the two research questions explore what frameworks or guidelines teachers in schools are using to design ICT incorporated lessons and whether their ability to design tasks will be facilitated by the introduction of the TDMD (Towndrow, 2007).
Qualitative data was collected via face-to-face interviews with four teachers and collaborative work was done with two of them. The analyses of teachers’ claims showed that they acknowledged the interest and preference students had for ICT incorporated lessons. Investigation into their concerns highlighted teachers’ dissonance and inability to justify incorporating a generative use of ICT, the investment of time it entailed and the kind of learning it encouraged, against the paper and pen examinations they were entrusted to prepare students for. Issues raised highlighted that teachers were relying on teachers’ sharing sessions or themselves for ideas on how to design language tasks incorporating ICT but some teachers felt language did not lend itself to the benefits of ICT as much as other subjects.
The effective use of the TDMD as an evaluative tool and task designer’s tool, by an English Language teacher and a Literature teacher, suggests that the TDMD is a practically and theoretically viable tool that can be used to support language teachers and guide them in thinking about and designing tasks that incorporate a generative use of ICT.
Date Issued
2008
Call Number
PE1068.S55 Des
Date Submitted
2008