The Effects of Integrated Technology-Based Approach and Peer Coaching in Teaching Geometry: A Closer Look At Teachers’ Tpack and Students’ Understanding

Aim/PurposeTo study on the effects of integrated technology-based approach and peer coaching on teachers’ TPACK and students’ understanding in learning geometry in secondary level. Background Teachers have confronted with difficulties while applying technology in classroom teaching. The need of cooperation with others under the peer coaching which supports and encourages teachers in generating ideas for improving classroom teaching is the key to improve their designing of the integrated technology-based approach lessons to promote and support an effective teaching and learning of geometry. Methodology Participants were three in-service teachers and one pre-service teacher who had taught geometry in grade 7 and samples were thirty-two seventh-grade students of a school in Yala, Thailand. Questionnaire and open-ended questions were used for assessing teachers’ development of TPACK while geometric achievement test was employed to examine students’ understanding before and after learning with the integrated technology-based approach lesson plans under the peer coaching process. Descriptive statistics and a Developmental Model for TPACK were used for assessing teacher’s TPACK while paired-samples t test and one-sample t test were used to determine students’ understanding in geometry. ContributionThis research fulfills the effectiveness of geometry teaching and learning process by integrating old and new technologies to design new technology-based approach under the process of peer coaching. The contribution in this study not only enhanced students’ learning in geometry, but teachers also received feedback for developing and improving their essential skills which are important for using technologies in teaching practice and developing their TPACK. Findings The teacher participants’ development of TPACK levels improved after the process of peer coaching. The students enhanced their understanding in learning geometry after the use of the integrated technology-based approach lesson plans under the process of peer coaching. Recommendations for Practitioners Practitioners can select the three alternative types of technologies in the integrated technology-based approach lesson plans based on context and school’s readiness, teachers, and students which should concentrate to an effective geometry learning for students. Recommendations for Researchers Researchers should investigate the effects of appropriate, modern, and easily-accessible technologies integrating with peer coaching process to improve an effective of geometry learning. Impact on Society This research indicated the effectiveness of students’ geometry learning that showed the remarkable impact on supporting students in learning visualization. It considers as meaningful learning experience that they could use technologies for their learning. A solid foundation on geometry through a meaningful representation that they acquired during learning enabled them to solve real life problems in their society in the future. Future Research Researchers should investigate the effects of the integrated technology-based approach and the peer coaching process in teaching and learning geometry in higher level and in other different topics..

The Contribution of Meta-Cognitive Guidance to Building Geometry Teaching Units and Improving Classroom Teaching Processes

In this paper, we examine the importance of building instructional units that incorporate metacognition intent processes that contribute to the development of geometric thinking. We show that the implementation of metacognition processes in the initial stages of constructing tailored instructional units will improve students’ geometric ability. The study was performed on middle school mathematics teachers of the ninth grade. The experiment we conducted shows that building instructional units that incorporate metacognition intent benefit learning processes on two levels: First, in the subject matter. Second, they contribute to a deeper understanding that improves student’s ability to connect related subjects to mathematical geometry. moreover, we will present a practical model that incorporates different aspects that could operate a guideline for middle school mathematics teachers.

Evaluation of Teacher Professional Development Program—A Developmental Evaluation Approach

The professional development of teachers is the main mechanism for improving classroom teaching and improving students’ learning outcomes. To have secondary school teachers improve their teaching by using the new teaching approach of project-based learning, this study engaged teachers to participate in Teachers’ Project-Based Learning Program (T-PjBLP) to learn new knowledge, pedagogy, and skills. During the program implementation, the study applied a developmental evaluation (DE) approach to evaluate teachers’ professional development and to assist them to develop an initiative program for students. In the DE approach, the role of the researcher was as a team member, shaped the course of development to help participants learn, and tracked the professional development process and results through a digital technology platform. The participants in this study consisted of 7 science teachers coming from two secondary schools. The major findings indicated that more than 95% of participants agreed that digital technology was a wonderful platform to provide them with an opportunity to share ideas, feedback, and experiences about what they learned from the program. Also, most of them provided positive feedback about their learning. To conclude, the program effectively changed teachers teaching beliefs from the teacher-centered approach to the learner-centered approach and used what they learned from the program to develop an initiative program for students. However, some limitations encountered in applying the DE approach to evaluate the program also were discussed in this study.

Collaborative Video-Based Action Research Studies to Assess Classroom Teaching Performances and Improve Educator Programs

Race to the Top (RttT) reforms in States around the nation have initiated changes in the way teachers are evaluated and in the way new teachers are certified. The focus of this chapter is on sets of video-based action research studies aimed at analyzing and assessing classroom teaching performances and evaluating program effectiveness in a Professional Development School (PDS) partnership setting. The studies were part of a larger longitudinal research project begun in 1998. Authors present selected sets of studies as exemplars of a model research approach for continually changing and improving classroom teaching and the PDS's integrative pre-and inservice teacher education program. Readers are provided with the research and inquiry questions of the studies, key findings, and how findings were used to provide evidence of program effectiveness.

Message from the Guest Editors

It is the great honor for us to edit proceedings of “7th World Conference on Educational Technology Researches (WCETR-2017)” held on 20 – 22 April 2017, at the AB College, Pristina, Republic of Kosovo. This privileged scientific event has contributed to the field of educational sciences and research for seven years. As the guest editors of this issue, we are glad to see variety of articles focusing on Asynchronous Learning, Learning and Content Management Systems, Authoring Software, Learning and Teaching With Technology, Constructivist Perspectives, Learning Objects, Cooperative/Collaborative Learning, Internet cafes and students, Data Mining Strategies For ELearning Organizatins, Learning Environments, Diffusion of Innovation, Learning Management Systems, Distance and Open Learning Environments, Learning styles, Educational Technology & Globalization, Lifelong learning, Course Material Design, Life Long Learning and Technology, Virtual Education, Mobile Learning, Creativity and innovation in learning technology, Multimedia Applications, Ebooks, Network Based Education and Training, Education of Education Technology, Pedagogical and Practical Issues, Educational technology and research methods, Professional Development & Teacher Training, Engineering and Educational Technology, Simulations In Education, Hypermedia Applications, Teaching/Learning Strategies, ICT Literacy In Education, Computer Games for Learning, Improving Classroom Teaching, Online lerarning, Innovation and Change In Education, Open users educational software, Instructional Design, Researches methods of the educational technology, Intelligent ELearning Systems, Eportfolios, Intelligent Training Technology, Social Shared sites (facebook, twitter, ….)and education, Interactive ELearning Systems, Special teaching area technology, Interactive Learning Environment, Human Resources In Educational Technology, Knowledge Management In Elearning, HumanComputer Interaction, Virtual University and etc. Furthermore, the conference is getting more international each year, which is an indicator that it is getting worldwide known and recognized. Scholars from all over the world contributed to the conference. Special thanks are to all the reviewers, the members of the international editorial board, the publisher, and those involved in technical processes. We would like to thank all who contributed to in every process to make this issue actualized. A total of 48 full papers or abstracts were submitted for this conference and each paper has been peer reviewed by the reviewers specialized in the related field. At the end of the review process, a total of 16 high quality research papers were selected and accepted for publication. I hope that you will enjoy reading the papers

Collaborative Video-Based Action Research Studies to Assess Classroom Teaching Performances and Improve Educator Programs

Race to the Top (RttT) reforms in States around the nation have initiated changes in the way teachers are evaluated and in the way new teachers are certified. The focus of this chapter is on sets of video-based action research studies aimed at analyzing and assessing classroom teaching performances and evaluating program effectiveness in a Professional Development School (PDS) partnership setting. The studies were part of a larger longitudinal research project begun in 1998. Authors present selected sets of studies as exemplars of a model research approach for continually changing and improving classroom teaching and the PDS's integrative pre-and inservice teacher education program. Readers are provided with the research and inquiry questions of the studies, key findings, and how findings were used to provide evidence of program effectiveness.