The teacher as ICT-coach: how to enhance the development of Learning and ICT in higher education

Author(s):

Herman SchimmelKlaas Van Veen

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

16. ICT in Education and Training

Format:

Paper

Session Information

16 SES 06B, Teachers and ICT

Paper Session

Time:

2008-09-11

10:30-12:00

Room:

B4 416

Chair:

Ed Smeets

Contribution

The paper is based on a study among teachers of higher education in the Netherlands and aims to explore knowledge creation and sharing regarding ICT and learning. More specifically, the paper examines the role ICT coaches play in the development of knowledge through networking, both virtually and face-to-face. In HAN University in The Netherlands, a professional university with 5 faculties, 27.000 students and 2500 staff, teachers are appointed as ICT-coach. The aim of the study, which is still in progress, is to see which role the ICT-coaches have in the development of ICT in education, how their colleagues work with regard to this and if and how knowledge creation takes place between ICT-coaches, virtually and face-to-face. This paper aims to make a contribution to the following topics: - Knowledge sharing and creation among teachers with regard to the use of ICT in education. - The role of face-to-face and virtual networks as tools of knowledge sharing and knowledge creation with regard to the use of ICT among professionals in education in the Netherlands. From a theoretical point this paper will draw upon work from the field of Knowledge Management (Hislop 2005, Wenger 1998 and 2004, Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995, Davenport and Prusak 2000), the field of Change Management in Education (Ramsden 1998, Fullan 2001 and 2003, Trowler 2003, Kotter 1995) and the field of Learning & ICT (Weistra 2005, Salmon 2002, Garrison and Anderson 2003)

Method

The study will primarily focus on the networking of the ICT-coaches both virtual and face-to-face and the way knowledge within this ICT-coach network will be developed and used. A multi-method approach was used in the study based on quantitative and qualitative data gathering. In November 2006 a survey was done with all teachers of HAN University. The results of this survey were used to determine the subjects and questions for a series of semi-structured interviews in 2007 in order to get more qualitative information from the ICT-coaches and project coordinators. Content analysis of a virtual environment, observations of face-to-face meetings and a second survey will complete the study. In spring 2007 the group of ICT-coaches existed of 31 persons. Semi-structured interviews were used and made between February 2007 and September 2007 on the institute of the concerning ICT-coach.

Expected Outcomes

The findings so far show that although there is a lot of knowledge about ICT & Learning in educational institutes, the main focus is on knowledge transfer to students. Other findings are: • ICT-coaches in this university work without a shared vision and without a structured job description. • There is hardly any virtual knowledge sharing between the ICT-coaches. • Most knowledge sharing is face-to-face and only within their own institute. • The results show that teachers on the university that use an e-learning environment mainly only use these as a substitute for their handouts.

References

BROWN, J. S. and "DUGUID, P (2000). The social life of information. Harvard Business School Press. DAVENPORT, T. H. and PRUSAK, L (2000). Working knowledge. 2000th ed., Harvard Business School Press. FULLAN, M (2001). Leading in a culture of change. John Wiley & Sons Inc. London. GARRISON D. R. and ANDERSON, T (2003). E-learning in the 21st century. 2003rd ed., RoutledgeFalmer, London. HISLOP, D (2005). Knowledge management in organizations. 2005th ed., Oxford University Press. ITZKAN, S. J. (1994). Assessing the future of telecomputing environments: Implications for instruction and administration. The computing teacher, 22 (4), 60-64. LIEBOWITZ, J (2007). Social networking. The Scarecow Press, Inc, Maryland, USA. NONAKA, I and "TAKEUCHI, H (1995). The knowledge creating company. 1995th ed., Oxford University Press. RAMSDEN, P (1998). Learning to lead in higher education. 2004th ed., London, RoutledgeFalmer. RIEBER, L. and "WELLIVER, P. W. (1989). Infusing educational technology into mainstream educational computing. International journal of instructional media, 16 (1), 21-32. TROWLER, P, SAUNDERS, M and KNIGHT, P (2003). Change thinking, change practices. WENGER, E (2004). Knowledge management as a doughnut: Shaping your knowledge strategy through communities of practice. Ivey business journal, 68 (3), 1-8. WENGER, E (1998). Communities of practice, learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge University Press.

Author Information

Herman Schimmel

Sheffield Hallam University

Faculty Development and Society

Elst

157

Klaas Van Veen

Leiden University, Netherlands, The

Update Modus of this Database

The current conference programme can be browsed in the conference management system (conftool) and, closer to the conference, in the conference app.
This database will be updated with the conference data after ECER.

Search the ECER Programme

Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
Search for authors and in the respective field.
For planning your conference attendance, please use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference and the conference agenda provided in conftool.
If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.