DEPTH – Developing Professional Thinking for Technology Teachers: An International Study

Abstract

The tools to help teachers reflect on their professional knowledge are few in number, and often difficult to utilise. This paper reports on a study conducted with both primary and secondary technology initial teacher education students in a number of different countries who were given the same teacher-knowledge graphical framework as a tool to support reflection on their own professional knowledge. We wanted to investigate if, despite the different country contexts, student teachers of technology could take advantage of their experience with graphic visualisation to help them articulate abstract notions such as aspects of their developing teacher knowledge. We discovered that the graphical tool acted as a framework that enabled them to set out their subject knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and 'school' knowledge and was useful in helping them become more self-aware. In this paper, the framework itself is introduced, the way it was presented to the novice teachers is outlined and the relative impact of such 'self awareness' on their understandings, enabled by the framework, is then discussed.

Reconceptualising PCK research in D&T education: proposing a methodological framework to investigate enacted practice

“…From a pedagogical perspective, D&T is said to be characterised by a pedagogy where there is no 'right answer' but rather different responses to the same problem are valued, some more than others (Banks et al 2004). Spendlove (2012) highlighted that working in a space bereft of explicitly defined content knowledge as a unique advantage of D&T education, in that ownership lies with the teacher, who can in turn draw upon their own interests, their students' interests, and recent developments in the field to engage learners with relevant concepts when required.…”

Emerging perspectives on the demonstration as a signature pedagogy in design and technology education

“…Much has been written about the importance of reflective practice for professional development (cf Wood et al 2009;Race 2007;McCormack 1997;Schön 1991;Luft 1982) and specifically for teachers (cf Banks et al 2004;Jay and Johnson 2002;Brookfield 1995). Ericsson and Pool (2016) write about naïve, purposeful and deliberate practice.…”

Teachers learning about technology and technology education: Insights from a professional development experience

“…The study of a professional development experience for teachers, reported in this paper, was underpinned by the model shown in Fig. 1, which is an integration of the models of Banks et al (2004) and Stein et al (2000). By combining the two models (Banks et al, 2004;Stein et al, 2000), we attempted to devise a clearer, simpler model than the original model (Stein et al, 2000) that would underpin and guide our interactions with teachers, as well as form a framework for data collection and analysis during the study.…”

“…Alongside this, the need for teachers to develop sophisticated notions of the role knowledge plays in society, and to be able to create futures-oriented and equitable learning environments responsive to students needs, have become paramount (Education Queensland, 2000). Banks and Barlex's (1999) teacher education experience, and the professional development studies undertaken by Banks et al (2004), and Jones and Moreland (2004) have highlighted the changes and challenges to teacher professional knowledges (Shulman, 1986) when technology education is introduced. For example, there has been recognition of the important place teachers' personal subject construct knowledge has in underpinning the whole range of their professional knowledge about technology.…”

“…1, which is an integration of the models of Banks et al (2004) and Stein et al (2000). By combining the two models (Banks et al, 2004;Stein et al, 2000), we attempted to devise a clearer, simpler model than the original model (Stein et al, 2000) that would underpin and guide our interactions with teachers, as well as form a framework for data collection and analysis during the study. The combined model maintains the critical component of teachers' reflections on their own and others' conceptions of technology, on pedagogical knowledge and upon technological practices in accord with the recommendations of Banks et al (2004), Jones and Moreland (2004), Jones, Mather, and Carr (1995), and Stein et al (2000).…”