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As design thinking expands into educational contexts, teams engaged in the process increasingly encounter situations that involve facilitating collaborative problem-solving. In design-focused workshops and other collaborative design activities, facilitators play a key role in supporting small group interactions in order to generate ideas, structure discussions, and guide the process. Yet despite this increased focus on collaborative design thinking, there is little research to inform either facilitator roles or facilitator practices in this process. We address this gap by presenting a qualitative study that thematically examines our experiences as university-based facilitators who supported a community-wide educational design event. Specifically, we served as facilitators in a collaborative, multi-stakeholder, educational design thinking workshop that sought innovations for a local high school improvement initiative. This research is a qualitative study of our own facilitation processes based on data generated through open-ended self-reflection questionnaires and facilitator planning and debriefing discussions. Our results demonstrate that design facilitation resonates with Thomas Kuhn’s (1977) notion of “essential tension.” Essential tension exists within multiple aspects of design thinking roles and practices—including processes, products, discussion flow, and group dynamics. We reflect on these findings and propose implications for design thinking facilitation in future research and practice.

Most colleges of education employ a standalone technology integration course as a part of their teacher preparation programs. But in a 2016 higher education brief associated with the National Educa...

In a 2-year longitudinal study, we examined the effectiveness of a new technology-infused approach for teaching technology integration (TI) skills to teacher candidates. In the new approach, we inf...

Many educational technology proponents support the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model as a way to conceptualize teaching with technology, but recent TPACK research shows a ne...

Getting your work published in journals in ways that will help to advance your scholarly record is a complex and multifaceted process. This article is written for early career researchers and graduate and postgraduate students, providing practical advice about what to consider when developing a research and publication profile and establishing yourself within a research community. It explains a range of criteria that are useful to consider when choosing the best journal “fit” for each publication and for your academic trajectory. We hope that considering the elements identified and explained in this article will help you to find a fit that is “just right” for each of your future publications.

We compared the effectiveness of learning technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) domain knowledge in a new technology-infused approach for teaching technology to teacher candidates with a more traditional, stand-alone course. In the new approach, learning to use technology is infused into program methods courses. Candidates all improved their TPACK domain scores. Interestingly, there were interactions of cohort × time of testing on the TPACK measures. Candidates' scores from the stand-alone course increased more rapidly for TK and TPK, whereas candidates' pre- to posttest scores from the technology-infused courses increased faster for CK and PK. Qualitative data also supported the quantitative results. In the discussion, we account for the differences, connect the results to the literature, and pose questions for consideration in future research.

We were concerned about teaching a stand-alone technology integration course while advocating that teachers employ full integration. Our college moved to a tech-infusion model whereby our educational technology curriculum would be incorporated in methods courses. Using a qualitative approach, we documented experiences of teacher educators who were content experts and were asked to teach a tech-infused course. In comparison to their first time teaching their course, during their third experience they demonstrated that knowledge in teaching teacher candidates how to integrate technology was highly developmental in nature and supported by advancements in instructors' expertise. We found evidence that small changes in their practice were creating larger consequences within our college; it appears our professional development model is creating a positive cultural shift.

Wearable personal learning technologies can gather data from the person wearing the device or from the surrounding environment and enable that data to be transferred to another device or shared via the cloud. Wearable technologies can serve as a valuable asset in the classroom enhancing differentiation of instruction and student engagement. They also can assist students with a variety of physical limitations. Data collection from these wearable personalized learning technologies enables the building of student profiles—leading to a “quantified” self for assessment and instruction. However, the proliferation of wearable devices may also increase concerns about privacy and security of data, dependence on outside vendors for storage and analysis of big data, and access by students of all socioeconomic levels. Addressing these issues in the teacher education curricula suggests added emphasis on affordances for instruction, digital citizenship, and a code of ethics related to data use. Classroom applic...

Access to and use of mobile technologies are growing exponentially. The authors of this study identified four schools of education in the United States that self-identified as having a fully implemented curriculum for teachers on mobile technology use in PK–12 classrooms. In-depth interviews were conducted with a representative from each institution in order to determine the factors that influenced their ability to change their educational technology curriculum to include teaching about mobile devices. The interviews revealed that an institutional commitment to innovation, a belief in the importance of being on the cutting edge, and expectations from local school districts were important motivators for change. Leadership and vision, institutional and administrative support, and the expectation that all faculty members participate in the implementation of the curriculum were important internal characteristics for success. Finally, increasing faculty knowledge about mobile technologies, funding, and...

In this action research study, we describe the implementation of a program to infuse technology in general methods courses as a requirement of a teacher preparation program. Results from teacher candidate focus groups revealed successes and dilemmas of infusing technology into the courses. Candidates ably described prospective use of elements of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), but were less confident of their ability to develop and implement content‐based lessons in which P–12 students employed technology to meet content and technology standards. Recommendations include continuing to fine‐tune the new courses, providing more resources for professional development (PD), and encouraging instructors to participate in more PD leading to greater modeling of hands‐on learning with a focus on content and pedagogical uses of technology.

The purpose of this study is to establish a snapshot of the extent to which teacher educators are preparing teacher candidates to use mobile learning technologies in PK–12 class-rooms, with the goal of drawing more teacher credentialing institutions into the conversations surrounding this initiative. We used a questionnaire consisting of open-ended items to identify teacher preparation institutions that are functioning as innovators in this area and to determine their adoption method. Our results indicate the innovators are using a variety of methods as they explore the possibilities, but, as a whole, we have not yet reached the tipping point necessary for this innovation to take hold. As we are in the early stages of what could become a movement, we anticipate that this article will stimulate some forward momentum and cross-institution sharing.

This article advocates for the use of social networking tools as a way for teachers and students to enrich learning possibilities. While some school systems resist the use of social networking tools for learning purposes, others are moving forward with this idea. There is clearly a need for policy that will guide the decision-making and pedagogical orientations of school administrators and teachers. The authors suggest that policy surrounding the use of social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram take into account two equally important objectives: innovation and safety. They propose that educational institutions create policies that empower learners to strengthen their communication skills, expand global perspectives, and create unlimited networking capacity.

In an effort to reform a teacher education program by strengthening content-area preparation and adding opportunities to practice by extending the time for student teaching, Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College eliminated a group of teacher education courses, including the standalone educational technology course. Educational technology faculty members were charged with developing an alternative approach of infusing technology into methods courses. Our first step was to conduct this benchmarking study of the standalone course to determine the successful lessons and practices that should be incorporated into the new program design. Results from analysis of pre- and post-course survey results and focus-group data indicated that candidates' confidence and TPACK scores increased in the standalone course. We will share benchmarks that arose from the study with program developers for adoption or adaptation to the new technology-infused courses where appropriate. Findings may also ...

Dispute about professional doctoral programs in education has increased, with much hinging on the design of educational doctorate (EdD) programs. In this study, the first cohort of graduates responded to a new, innovative EdD program designed to develop them as leaders, scholars, and practitioners. Twenty graduates completed an exit survey, and a content analysis of their dissertations was performed. Both were done to improve the program. Graduates valued curricular and instructional features, engaged in actions to improve their local settings, endorsed a sense of community that developed, and reported changes in their professional identities. Their dissertation work validated these ideas.

This paper discusses the outcomes of a professional development project offered to faculty of Arizona State University’s College of Teacher Education and Leadership. The goal of this project was to assist instructors with progressing technologies and to help them transform their pedagogy to leverage the affordances provided through the integration of Web 2.0 tools. Through the redesign of an instructional unit to incorporate social networking, instructors experienced positive outcomes. Findings suggest that the benefits of integrating social networking tools used in a meaningful way while carefully considering how they fit within specific content areas and teaching methodologies included increased feedback for students and a more student-centered approach to teaching. These are important considerations for teacher education programs of the 21st century.

This article is a scholarly reflection of a novice researcher conducting an action research investigation as a professional developer working with a group of elementary teachers. By the third analysis cycle, the researcher-practitioner became overwhelmed due to the amount and variety of qualitative data, and to the additional complexities caused when situational context needed to be considered. When the researcher sought council from a colleague outside the research event, a new function emerged called External Conversations, based on a common action research procedure, the critical friend. The critical friend had knowledge and experiences in common with the professional developer, but did not have exposure to the action research setting. Because of the critical friend’s lack of contextual understanding, collaborative dialogue to make sense of the data increased the researcher’s ability to see the data within context. The External Conversation strengthened the data analysis because it addressed three dilemmas of action researchers in the field of education as identified by the literature and experienced in practice: isolation, accounting for tacit knowledge, and data overload. Although this process was time consuming, using an External Conversation within an action research investigation may strengthen a study, and could be especially supportive for novice researchers.

MySpace and Facebook are innovative digital communication tools that surpass traditional means of social interaction. However, in some instances in which educators have used these tools, public reactions to them have resulted in sanctions. With the notion that traditional ideas of privacy and teacher conduct are not yet defined in online worlds, the researchers developed a case-based reasoning intervention to support more informed decisions by preservice teachers. The case-based coursework led students to perceive a need for more definitive guidelines about their participation in social networking spaces. The findings have professional development implications for educators and educational institutions that wish to harness the positive potential of social networking tools without risking professional status. (Keywords: social networking, case-based reasoning, online ethics, professional development, teacher education)

The purpose this study was to explore how a veteran first-grade teacher collaboratively negotiated the implementation of a project with her students while, at the same time, addressed grade-level standards. Researchers investigated the teacher's strategies for integrating the district's standards into project topics, investigative activ- ities, and final presentations. They also examined the teacher's strategies for promoting students' participation in project planning and independent problem-solving. Data sources included field notes, teacher interviews, videotaped observations, and transcribed teacher, and student inter- views. As an extension to teacher-directed approaches to implementing the project approach, the results of this study revealed a collaborative approach to implementing projects that allowed the teacher and the students to work together for project planning and learning. The teacher felt suc- cessful with meeting grade level learning needs, and the students were given the opportunity to fuel their learning by expressing their natural interests and curiosities, and become problem solvers.

University instructors discuss a required educational technology course in a teacher education program and the impact of two forces: (a) Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge, commonly known as TPACK (Misha & Koelher, 2006), and (b) action research data. Over the past two semesters, two new assignments have been instituted based on these two factors. Data revealed concerns on the part of some students: (a) resistance to collaborative work, and (b) concern about implementing this model of technology integration in their future classrooms. Finally, next steps to improve course assignments are discussed, as are efforts to place the course in a context in which it contributes to the transformation of other courses in the teacher licensure program.

YEARS AGO, when e-mail rapidly became the norm for communication in schools, blasting "nasty-grams" was soon discovered to be a no-no. As teachers grew more familiar with digital communication tools, they figured out quickly what was appropriate use of e-mail--and more important, what was not. You have probably seen a variation of this story in your own workplace. One day, an e-mail sent from a superintendent to a principal was forwarded to all the teachers on campus. The superintendent was horrified that her private communication with the principal had been broadcast to people in a way that she felt was inappropriate and even unprofessional. But there are no "take backs" in electronic communication. And when someone forwards an e-mail to two friends, and each of them forwards it to two more friends, digital communication can easily go "viral." A more recent version of this story happened last year in a teacher preparation course. The "get to know your classmates" assignment was simple: post a photo of yourself and three of your favorite websites that you envision using as a future teacher. Many of the students in this class posted their personal MySpace.com pages. One student's site, though, was particularly shocking. It showed a bloody hand with a 10-inch machete stuck in it, blood dripping down the page, and a quote stating, "Force the hand that writes." The shock did not stop there. The "personal icon" for this future teacher was a wrist with a dotted line and the words "cut here." This student chose to submit his personal website as part of this assignment, and the images were unforgettable. The instructor wondered how parents would respond if this person were their child's teacher. The instructor realized that a conversation with the entire class might be in order. She made a general announcement about the assignment, describing how students transitioning into teaching should consider managing their online lives with an eye to their future careers. The next day, the student with the blood-soaked profile page had set it to "private" (meaning only users that he deemed his "friends" could view the link). However, from that point forward, even his successes in class could not erase the lasting effects of the bloody My-Space page. Changing or omitting the "get to know your classmates" assignment would avoid this possibility in future semesters. But doing so would deny the instructor an opportunity to have an important conversation with her students, and it would deny the students an opportunity to learn some essential lessons about self-restraint and the importance of reputation to their future roles. This story is just one example of the personal information we have seen future teachers post online. It is common to see content related to alcohol, drugs, and sex posted on future teachers" social networking profiles. Both preservice teachers and many inservice teachers do not seem to understand that the line between their personal lives and professional lives is not black and white in today's world. Colleges of education and district professional developers need to have in-depth conversations across the country on the topic of using social networking sites. WHAT ARE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES? Social networking sites are interactive websites designed to build online communities for individuals who have something in common--an interest in a hobby, a topic, or an organization--and a simple desire to communicate across physical boundaries with other interested people. These sites are not unlike the old-fashioned "party line" telephones, but they leave a more permanent record of the conversations. Most social networking sites include the ability to conduct live chats, send e-mails, upload videos, maintain a blog or discussion group, and share files. Users can also post links to pictures, music, and video, all of which have the potential to create a virtual identity. …

Results from this study suggest teachers believe technology may provide English language learners (ELLs) an advantage in developing writing skills. Using a theoretical framework by Hadaway, Vardell, and Young (2002) citing seven teacher practices that support the writing of ELL students when writing processes are embedded in real-world activities, this research sought to isolate technology supports within the framework. Practices include: time and opportunity to write, a reason for writing, a genuine audience, access to role models, a safe environment, useful feedback, and a sense of community. Fourteen K-8 classroom teachers reflected on specific classroom events whereby technology was used to support activities in which ELLs wrote within a project-based environment. Using a collective case study approach, the yearlong investigation used qualitative analyses of impressions from the teachers and the professional developer who supported these teachers. The study concluded that the Hadaway, Vardell...

This paper investigates the questions and considerations that should be discussed by administrators, faculty, and support staff when designing, developing and offering a hybrid (part online, part face-to-face) degree program. Using two Web questionnaires, data were gathered from nine instructors and approximately 450 students to evaluate student and instructor perceptions and opinions of hybrid instruction and activities. In comparison to prior research, the results of this study offer larger and more significant policy and programmatic implications for degrees based on the hybrid format, including instructional technology training and support for students and instructors, creation of common class procedures and expectations, and development of consistent schedules that maximize benefit and flexibility for students and instructors.

This chapter reviews the capabilities of social networking tools and links those capabilities to recent legal and ethical controversies involving use of social networking tools such as Facebook and MySpace. A social cognitive moral framework is applied to explore and analyze the ethical issues present in these incidents. Three ethical vulnerabilities are identified in the use of social networking tools: 1) the medium provides a magnified forum for public humiliation or hazing, 2) a blurring of boundaries exists between private and public information on social networking sites, and 3) the medium merges individuals’ professional and non-professional identities. Prevalent legal and social responses to these kinds of incidents are considered and implications are suggested for encouraging responsible use. The chapter includes a description of the authors’ current research with preservice students involving an intervention whereby students read and think about real cases where educators use social networking. The intervention was created to improve students’ critical thinking about the ethical issues involved. Recommendations for applying institutional codes of conduct to ethical dilemmas involving online tools are discussed.

Almost every person reading this sentence owns a smartphone. And I know I could win a large bet on whether or not the majority of you checked your text messages before your feet hit the floor this ...