Relationships between teachers` pedagogical beliefs, subject cultures, and mediation practices of students' use of digital technology

Abstract

Drawing on the data from 26 interviews with different subject teachers in two countries, Estonia and Latvia, this study aimed to reveal how pedagogical beliefs and subject cultures shape the ways primary and secondary school teachers mediate students` use of digital technology. Teachers are acknowledged to be important socializing agents, affecting young people`s experiences with digital technology, but it is still unclear how the mediation practices of teachers are related to such intrinsic factors as teachers` beliefs about the nature of learning, nature of technology, self-efficacy beliefs, and subject cultures. Our study indicates that teachers mainly act as guides or coaches to help students make sense of the various opportunities that digital technology provide. Teachers also use a variety of restrictions related to technology use according to their dominant pedagogical beliefs and subject domains. These two roles are not mutually exclusive, combining according to what teachers believe will best support learning. A small group of teachers in our sample also strive to broaden students` understanding and adopt new skills for using technology in innovative ways. Implications for teacher training and peer-to-peer learning are discussed based on our findings.

Mediation of young children’s digital technology use: The parents’ perspective

“…The "optimal mediation" could vary at different places (such as at home, on vacation, while travelling, or with grandparents) and at different times (during weekdays, during weekends, or during holidays). The future education should be aware of these different contexts and this knowledge could also be applied to educational programs for children, parents (Cook, 2016) and teachers (Karaseva, Siibak, Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt, 2015). For example, it could be recommended that parents should think more about the mediation of situations where they have less control over their children's technology usage, such as when the child is with grandparents or at summer camps.…”

Investigation of the Self-efficacy of the Teachers in Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Their Use of Information and Communication Technologies

“…Accordingly, teachers in different disciplines may have different self-efficacy for technology integration in education. ICT competences may vary with their culture related to various disciplines (Karaseva Siibak & Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt, 2015). This situation may result from the structure and functioning of the disciplines (Darby, 2009).…”

Relationships between in-service teacher achievement motivation and use of educational technology: case study with Latvian and Estonian teachers

“…Both countries serve as interesting examples in studying pedagogic use of ICT, because since regaining independence in 1991 there have been strivings for a general education curriculum that focuses on integration of ICT in every school subject (Empirica, 2014;Grivins, 2012). Subsequently, large-scale teacher training programmes have been carried out over years and considerable investment spent in school equipment, however, still many teachers question the role of ICT in their teaching (Karaseva et al, 2015).…”