Sharing Professional Practice – Tutors have their say

Main Article Content

Michael Hallissy

Abstract

This paper analyses the theoretical construct of professional practice knowledge; the ‘tacit knowledge’ that all teachers use when engaging with digital technologies.  To reach this end and to gather the views of tutors, a framework developed by Mishra and Koehler –Technological Pedagogical and Content Framework (TPACK) – was employed. This was used in parallel with the Flanders Interaction Analysis Category (FIAC) Framework to collect semi-structured interview and interaction analysis data.  This paper will present a selection of the data gathered and analysed using the TPACK framework.

The research found that faculty need ongoing training opportunities where they can develop their professional practice in order to use Synchronous Computer Mediated Conferencing (SCMC) tools to design interactive sessions that are not teacher dominated.  The paper recommends that HE institutions design a signature pedagogy for academic staff and students on how SCMC technology can be used within specific online interactive programmes.

It also found that there is a need for academic staff to capture their own professional practice; to sit back and ask, what is going on here?  Having reflected on their practice, tutors should then be encouraged to share their own experiences, or their tacit knowledge, with their peers.  Institutions can then begin to capture and reflect on this ‘hot action’  around the use of SCMC technologies. Ultimately this information may help faculty to design learning experiences that will improve student-learning. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Hallissy, M. (2016). Sharing Professional Practice – Tutors have their say. Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.22554/ijtel.v2i1.12
Section
Original Research

References

Allen, E. and Seaman, J. (2013). Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States. [Online]. Available at: http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf. [Last accessed October 2016].

Cox, S. and Graham, C. (2009). An Elaborated Model of the TPACK Framework. Paper presented at the Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference 2009. Chesapeake, VA.

Eraut, M. (1994). Developing Professional Knowledge and Competence London: Falmer Press.

Flanders, N. A. (1970). Analyzing Teacher Behavior. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Gillham, B. (2000). Case Study Research Methods. London: Continuum.

Graham, C. (2011). 'Theoretical considerations for understanding technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)'. Computers & Education, 57, 1953-1960.

Hallissy, M. (2014). Building teacher professionalism in teaching-learning interactions between online tutors and learners during synchronous tutorials – a case study from Hibernia College. (EdD), Institute of Education, https://www.academia.edu/9427758/Building_teacher_professionalism_in_teaching-learning_interactions_between_online_tutors_and_learners_during_synchronous_tutorials_a_case_study_from_Hibernia_College.

Laurillard, D. (2012). Teaching as a Design Science. Building Pedagogical Patters for Learning and Technology. New York and London: Routledge.

Loughran, J. (2010). What expert teachers do: Enhancing professional knowledge for classroom practice. Oxon, UK: Routledge.

Mishra, P. and Koehler, M. J. (2006). 'Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge'. Teachers College Record, 108 (6), 1017-1054.

Palloff, R. M. and Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Palloff, R. M. and Pratt, K. (2011). The Excellent Online Instructor. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Robson, C. (2002). Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers. (2nd Ed.). Oxford, UK; Malden MA: Blackwell Publishers.

Rovai, A. P. (2004). 'A constructivist approach to online college learning'. Internet and Higher Education, 7 (2), 79-93.

Shulman, L. S. (1986). 'Those Who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching'. Educational Researcher, 15 (2), 4-14.

Shulman, L. S. (2005, Feb 6-8). The Signature Pedagogies of the Professions of Law, Medicine, Engineering, and the Clergy: Potential Lessons for the Education of Teachers. Paper presented at the Teacher Education for Effective Teaching and Learning Conference. Irvine, California.

Silverman, D. (2000). Doing Qualitative Research A Practical Handbook. London: Sage Publications.

Stavredes, T. (2011). Effective online teaching: foundations and strategies for student success. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.

Veletsianos, G. (2010). Emerging technologies in distance education. Edmonton, Alta.: AU Press.

Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research Design and Methods. (Fourth Ed.). (Vol. 5). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage