Margaret Farren

Lecturer

Computer Applications

Dublin City University

Dublin 9

Tel. (00353)1 7005539

Fax. (00353) 1 7005445

Email:mfarren@compapp.dcu.ie

I am engaged in a self-study of my teaching practice. This involves systematic enquiry into my teaching, implementing informed action in order to bring about improvement. According to Bruner (1987) "knowledge is a process not a product." I believe that my knowledge about teaching and about learning is always in process. In the conference presentation, I will explain how I used the self-study/action research approach to help me come to a better understanding of my teaching as I worked with teachers who are studying for a Masters Degree in Computer Applications in Education.

There is a growing interest in accountability of teaching practice among teachers in higher education. This interest led to the formation of the Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in 1992. Zeichner (1998) describes the movement as the most important innovation in research on teacher education. International interest in the area of self study has grown (Russell & Munby, 1992; Whitehead, 1994; Loughran, 1996; Korthagen & Kessels, 1999). Self-study is important for the development of a new epistemology for the scholarship of teaching and learning (Carnegie,2001; Schon, 1995; Whitehead, 2000). The Carnegie Foundation Web Site for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning uses multiple forms of presentation to represent pedagogy in practice.

http://kml.carnegiefoundation.org/gallery

Having undertaken a self-study of my own teaching in using interactive learning programs with groups of students, involving Interactive video for my Masters Degree, I now wish to extend this work into a self-study of my own teaching in higher education.

Whitehead (1996) believes that values are embodied in our practice and their meanings can be communicated in the course of their emergence in practice. He encourages us to account for our own educational development through the creation of our living educational theory and through the use of our values as living standards of judgement that we can use to test the validity of our claims to educational knowledge. Living theory is educational theory based on practice as lived and experienced by teachers themselves. It is constituted by the descriptions and explanations which individuals produce for their own learning in enquiries of the kind, 'How do I improve my practice?

• What am I concerned about/what do I want to improve;

• What am I going to do about it;

• What data will I need to collect to enable me to make a judgement on my

Effectiveness;

• Act and gather data;
• Evaluation of effectiveness;
• Modification of concerns, ideas and actions in the light of the

Evaluations;

• Submission of description and explanation of my learning in the

educational enquiry, 'How do I improve my practice?' to a validation

group.

For my self-study, I have used this action research approach to help me explore my own teaching practice in order to bring about improvement.

The Computer Applications Department at Dublin City University offers a two-year part time Masters degree in Computer Applications in Education. I teach on the following modules: Interactive Multimedia - term one; Computer Applications for Education module - term two; and Network Information Management module - term three.

Each module runs for one semester (12 weeks) and the above modules were designed as linked modules. In the conference presentation, I will focus on the Computer Applications in Education module.

The module goals are:

To enable participants to:

a). Examine the development of the use of ICT in education in the broader context of current educational theory and practice.

b). Integrate and evaluate the use of ICT in the curriculum.

c). Explore the potential for improving the impact of ICT in education through research and curriculum development.

In her book 'Action Research in Higher Education', Zuber-Skerrit (1992) points out that when she asks for student feedback after a course, she realises that everyone was on a different course! I can relate to her experience. However, the teachers come with different interests and needs and the challenge for me is to support them in their search for meaningful learning.

In 1999-2000, I taught on the Computer Applications in Education module. Having reviewed the module, and looked at the coursework, I feel that I did not provide the learning experiences that would enable the teachers to link theory and practice. Feedback from the teachers on the course confirmed my belief. I knew that the module should have a balance between theory and practice, however, I was not doing this in my teaching. I identified with Whitehead's (1989) idea of the 'living contradiction' that is, the values, which I hold are not being lived fully in my teaching. I could see contradictions in my own practice between what I believed and my actual teaching.

This year, 2000-2001, I was determined to give teachers more responsibility for their learning. I stated my teaching goals/values to the group at the start of the module. I asked them to set their own goals in relation to the module goals. My reason for this is that I believe that it is vital to acknowledge the creative engagement of the learner in making what they are learning their own so that they feel challenged by the assignments. I agree with Starrat (2001) who emphasises that "cultivation" is central to the learning process. By this he means "democratic leadership is primarily concerned to cultivate an environment that supports participation, sharing of ideas, and the virtues of honesty, openness, flexibility and compassion." Cultivation goes beyond terms like instruction and delivery. I am also challenged by Ehrmann's (2001) point that there is an assumption that "once exposed to new technology enabled approaches, students will abandon their old assumption about how best to learn and adopt new approaches."

I hope to show how action research has both challenged and supported me in improving my teaching and supported the teachers in their understanding and use of ICT in the classroom. It is important that teaching and learning are understood as a complementary process. From this, it is clear that teaching, like learning, is an ongoing process.

Bruner, J.S. (1987) Towards a Theory of Instruction. Oxford University Press.

Ehrmann, S. (2001) http://resources.blackboard.com/scholar/general/

Hamilton, M.L. (1998) Reconceptualising Teaching Practice: Self-study in Teacher

Education: Falmer Press

Littlejohn, A.H. and Stefani, L.A. (1998) Effective use of communication and

Information Technology: bridging the skills gap: ALT-J Vol 7 patt 2.

Monke, L. (1996) Computers at School: The web and the plow.

http://www.ora.com/people/staff/stevet/netfuture/1996/May1696_19.html

Mc Niff, J. (1996) You and Your Action Research Project: Routledge.

Norton, P. and Wiburg, K. (1998) Teaching with Technology: Harcourt Brace

College Publishers.

O'Reilly, D., Cunningham, L. and Lester, S. (1999). Developing the Capable Practitioner:

Kogan Page.

Schon, D. (1995) The New Scholarship requires a New Epistemology, Change,

November/December, 1995.

Starratt, R.J. (2001) Democratic Leadership Theory in late modernity: an oxymoron or

ironic possibility? American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Conference, Seattle.

Whitehead, J. (2000) How Do I Improve My Practice? Creating and

legitimating an epistemology of practice. Reflective Practice. 1 (91-104).

Zeichner, K. (1998) The New Scholarship in Teacher Education. Transcript of

Vice-presidential address to Division K of AERA, San Diego, 1998.

Zuber-Skerrit, O. (1992). Action Research in Higher Education: Kogan Page.

Strommen, E.F. (1992). Constructivism, Technology, and the Future of Classroom

Learning. : http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/k12/livetext/docs/construct.htm