Abstract: Technology is more present than ever. Young people are interested in technological products, but their opinions on education and careers in technology are not particularly positive (Johansson in Mathematics, science & technology education report. European Round Table of Industrials, Brussel, 2009). If we want to stimulate students’ attitudes towards technology we need to have a better understanding of the factors which determine attitudes. Different studies (e.g. Volk and Yip in Int J Technol Des Educ 9:57–71, 1999; Jones et al. in Sci Educ 84(2):180–192, 2000; George in Int J Sci Educ 28(6):571–589, 2006; Salminen-Karlsson in Int J Sci Educ 29(8):1019–1033, 2007) have proven that students’ characteristics correlate with their attitudes towards technology. As these studies often focus on effects on a specific aspect of attitude; the total effect cannot be interpreted correctly because attitude is a multi-dimensional concept (Osborne et al. in Int J Sci Educ 23(5):441–467, 2003). This study focuses upon six aspects of attitude namely: interest, career aspirations, boredom, consequences, difficulty and gender issues. Therefore a multivariate model has been set up. This allows us to answer the main research question: What is the predictive power of students’ characteristics with regard to aspects of their attitudes towards technology? The revalidated version of the Pupils Attitude Towards Technology instrument (Ardies et al. in Des Technol Educ 18(1):8–19, 2013) was used in a large (n = 2,973) scale investigation of 12–14 year old students (Grade 1 and Grade 2 of secondary education). Given the multilevel nature of the data and that students are allocated to specific teachers, we analysed the data with a multivariate multilevel approach. The results of the study show a decline in interest in technology from the first to the second grade of secondary education. This finding appears to be stronger for girls. Interest in technology is significantly positively related to the amount of time that technology is taught for, as well as to the teacher. Parents have a positive influence on several aspects of attitude to technology when mothers and/or fathers have a profession related to technology. Equally, the presence of technological toys at home is a significantly positive characteristic. As the results confirmed previous, fragmented studies in related disciplines like science education, this study contributes to the wider body of knowledge concerning students’ attitudes towards technology and how this can be investigated.

Abstract: There is extensive evidence that active learning works better than a completely passive lecture. Despite this evidence, adoption of these evidence-based teaching practices remains low. In this paper, we offer one tool to help faculty members implement active learning. This tool identifies 21 readily implemented elements that have been shown to increase student outcomes related to achievement, logic development, or other relevant learning goals with college-age students. Thus, this tool both clarifies the research-supported elements of best practices for instructor implementation of active learning in the classroom setting and measures instructors' alignment with these practices. We describe how we reviewed the discipline-based education research literature to identify best practices in active learning for adult learners in the classroom and used these results to develop an observation tool (Practical Observation Rubric To Assess Active Learning, or PORTAAL) that documents the extent to which instructors incorporate these practices into their classrooms. We then use PORTAAL to explore the classroom practices of 25 introductory biology instructors who employ some form of active learning. Overall, PORTAAL documents how well aligned classrooms are with research-supported best practices for active learning and provides specific feedback and guidance to instructors to allow them to identify what they do well and what could be improved.

Abstract: This paper reports the perceptions of 20 international technology education scholars on their country’s involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Survey research was used to obtain data. It was found that the concept of STEM education is being discussed differently by nations. Some consider STEM education to be the improved teaching of the separate subjects of STEM. Others believe STEM should be taught using an integrative subjects approach. Many believe it is a combination of both of these approaches. Different countries are exploring STEM because of political and economic pressures and because some believe it is a means to improve the delivery of this knowledge. The development of a STEM agenda is mixed. In many countries there have been discussions about STEM education, but little action has been undertaken to modify educational systems to deliver this form of education/instruction. Countries are providing professional development experiences to show teachers how to incorporate STEM into their teaching practices.

Abstract: There is no questioning that the way people live, interact, communicate, and conduct business is undergoing a profound, rapid change. This change is often referred to as the “digital revolution,” which is the advancement of technology from analog, electronic and mechanical tools to the digital tools available today. Moreover, technology has begun to change education, affecting how students acquire the skill sets needed to prepare for college and a career and how educators integrate digital technological instructional strategies to teach. Numerous studies have been published discussing the barriers of integrating technology, the estimated amount of investment that is needed in order to fully support educational technology, and, of course, the effectiveness of technology in the classroom. As such, this article presents a critical review of the transitions that technology integration has made over the years; the amount of resources and funding that has been allocated to immerse school with technology; and the conflicting results presented on effectiveness of using is technology in education. Through synthesis of selected themes, we found a plethora of technological instructional strategies being used to integrate technology into K-12 classrooms. Also, though there have been large investments made to integrate technology into K12 classrooms to equip students with the skills needed to prepare for college and a career, the practical use of this investment has not been impressive. Lastly, several meta-analyses showed promising results of effectiveness of technology in the classroom. However, several inherent methodological and study design issues dampen the amount of variance that technology accounts for.

Abstract: While many technology assessments (TAs) formally conducted by TA organizations in Europe and the USA have examined the implications of new technologies for ‘quantifiable risks’ regarding safety, health or the environment, they have largely ignored the ethical implications of those technologies. Recently, ethicists and philosophers have tried to fill this gap by introducing tools for ethical technology assessment (eTA). The predominant approaches in eTA typically rely on a checklist approach, narrowing down the moral assessment of new technologies to evaluating a list of pre-defined ethical issues. In doing so, they often remain external to processes of technology development. In order to connect the ethics of technology more closely with processes of technology development, this paper introduces a set of principles for an ethical-constructive technology assessment approach (eCTA), reflecting on insights developed in the philosophy of technology and Science and Technology Studies, and drawing on examples of telecare technologies. This approach bases itself on an analysis of the implications of technology processes at the micro-level, particularly for human–technology relations. The eCTA approach augments the current approach of the ethics of new and emerging science and technology at the meso- and macro-levels of institutional practices

Abstract: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration in teacher education and teaching practices of teachers is a complicated and challenging issue. As far as pre-service teachers are concerned, this becomes critical because they need to be equipped with the competencies for their future teaching practices. The objective of this study is to identify pre-service teachers’ perceptions of ICT integration in teacher education and its association with their teaching practices. A stratified two-stage probability sampling design was used. Firstly, three Turkish state universities with the highest and lowest number of the pre-service teachers were chosen. Secondly, pre-service teachers from the subject domains of Turkish language, social sciences, elementary education mathematics and science were selected. A qualitative method was used in this study. Data were collected from 782 pre-service teachers from open ended questions in a survey and interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Qualitative data were analyzed with thematic coding. The results identified the specific conditions of ICT integration in teacher education and pre-service teachers’ perceptions of ICT integration and the associations with their teaching practices.

Abstract: In the 21st century, educators believe using technology can be an effective factor in education for the new generation, making educational goals easier to achieve In fact, technology is being studied by teachers and implemented into classrooms for a positive effect on student learning Many teachers are integrating multimedia tools in teaching students different skills including synthesizing, analyzing, evaluating, and presenting information When students use technology, they learn to convert data into information and transform information into knowledge Also, using multimedia tools gives students the opportunity to participate and interact in the classroom Consequently, the trend for integrating technology into education has become more widespread in most schools today Digital storytelling is one of the multimedia tools that can support teaching and learning as well as students’ motivation This research explores how digital storytelling can be an effective tool for both teachers and students in order to support learning and skills Keywords: Multimedia tools, Digital storytelling, Students skills and their motivation

Abstract: The study reports on an investigation about the impact of science-technology-society (STS) instruction on middle school student understanding of the nature of science (NOS) and attitudes toward science compared to students taught by the same teacher using traditional textbook-oriented instruction. Eight lead teachers used STS instruction an attempt to improve student understanding of NOS concepts. The major findings of the study suggest that students experiencing STS instruction improve their understanding of the nature of science and attitudes toward science significantly more than do students who were instructed with traditional instruction. Analysis of the data indicates that students in STS classrooms attain more positive changes in their views about the NOS. Specifically, the STS students displayed powerful changes in their understanding of the ways in scientific theories and the scientist. Implications for improving teacher professional development programs are suggested.

Abstract: In the new Swedish curriculum for the preschool (2010) technology education is emphasized as one of the most significant pedagogical areas to work with. The aim of this article is to investigate how girls and boys explore and learn technology as well as how their teachers frame this in free play in two Swedish preschools. The study is inspired by an ethnographic approach and is based on qualitative data collected through video-taped observations and informal talk with children and teachers in two preschools. It is concluded that girls and boys learn to approach and handle technology differently, thereby confirming rather than dissolving gender boundaries. The girls more often have a special purpose in building something they need in their play, that is, they mostly engage in technological construction as a sideline. The boys, on the other hand, more often award technological construction a central part in their play; building is an end in itself. Teachers are not so active in supporting free play involving technology among the older children, nor in giving boys and girls equal opportunities to explore and use material and toys which are not gender-stereotyped. One important implication is that in-service education needs to address not only experiments and construction but also gender issues and how teachers can create equal opportunities for boys and girls in the free play.

Abstract: From the contexts of current social, educational and health policy, there appears to be an increasingly inevitable “mobilisation” of resources in medicine and health as the use mobile technology devices and applications becomes widespread and culturally “normed” in workplaces. Over the past 8 years, students from the University of Leeds Medical School have been loaned mobile devices and smartphones and been given access to mobile-based resources to assist them with learning and assessments as part of clinical activity in placement settings. Our experiences lead us to suggest that educators should be focusing less on whether mobile learning should be implemented and more on developing mobile learning in curricula that is comprehensive, sustainable, meaningful and compulsory, in order to prepare students for accessing and using such resources in their working lives.

Abstract: Because of a deeply gendered history of craft education in Finland, technology education has a strong gender-related dependence. In order to motivate girls into pursuing technological studies and to enable them to see their own potential in technology, gender sensitive approaches should be developed in technology education. This study explores differences between girls’ and boys’ motivation towards technology education in primary school (grades one to six). A questionnaire was carried out with pupils in grades five and six (n = 281). An Explorative Factor Analysis was performed on statements of motivation, and the independent samples t test was used to examine gender differences in pupils’ motivation. Factor analyses showed that pupils’ motivation structure consisted of nine factors. The results also showed gender differences in most factors. Compared to boys, girls were significantly more interested in studying environment related issues. They also felt it fundamental to obtain support and encouragement from teachers. Additionally girls enjoyed more than boys making useful and decorative artefacts for their homes. In contrast, boys liked more than girls building electronic devices and, in general, cared what kinds of artefacts were made in craft lessons. Boys were more self-confident; felt that they could learn new things; felt very enthusiastic about craft lessons and felt it was fun to learn how to operate different tools. These findings reveal obvious gender-based differences in pupils’ motivation. Curriculum writers and teachers should therefore pay more attention to girls to assist them with seeing the relevance of technology in their everyday lives as well as technology related careers.

Abstract: ContextThe past decade has witnessed a sustained emphasis on information and communication technologies (ICT) in education, coupled with the rise of online social media and increasing pervasiveness...

Abstract: Chin-chi Chao, National Chengchi University Behind CALL teacher education (CTE) there is an unproblematized consensus of transfer, which suggests a positivist and tool-centered view of learning gains that differs from the sociocultural focus of recent teacher education research. Drawing on Beach’s (2003) conceptualization of transfer as consequential transition, this qualitative study seeks a cross-contextual understanding of language teacher learning with digital technology as the teachers in this study moved from a CTE course back to their own teaching contexts. Near the end of a CTE course, 19 in-service language teachers were asked to build connections between their experiences in the course and their teaching by creating a presentation. Four types of connections were identified, including thoughtful action planning, past experience refinement, and limited and reluctant use. In-depth interviews eight months later with four of the teachers found that they could seldom use the tools in the ways they had planned. However, they each experienced consequential transition as they struggled to reflect on their CTE course experience in everyday teaching. These results challenge the view that transfer in CTE must be about using technology. It is suggested that a focus on critical reflection of technology use may encourage teachers to continue reflective engagement in the ever-changing and complicated digital learning and teaching context.

Abstract: Aim: STEM has attracted great consideration. The purpose of research is: (i) study STEM education; (ii) explore STEM education with the creative and experiential activity; (iii) suggest applying STEM education by designing technical toys for the middle school student. Study Design: This study used a qualitative approach to carry out teaching integration for STEM education. Place and Duration of the Study: The study applied to teaching the technological field in Vietnamese middle schools. The design performed at the Faculty of Technology Education, Hanoi Original Research Article Quang et al.; BJESBS, 11(2): 1-12, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.19429 2 National University of Education (HNUE), Vietnam in April 2015. Methods: This study used the integrated approach to design subjects for STEM education. Results: Two procedures for integration undertook with analysis. A sample of producing technical toy was consistent with developing students’ competencies. Conclusion: Integrated approach to STEM education through designing technical toys is possible. Recently, there has been a booming interest in Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education [1,2], but the approaches to STEM still remains controversial in diverse educational contexts. This study addressed this issue by exploring STEM education with the use of creative and experiential activities in a Vietnamese educational context. It also proposed a practical model for integrating STEM into teaching technology in secondary schools by designing technical toys. The implementation of the practical model suggests the possibility in using the integrated approach to STEM education through designing technical toys for middle school students in Vietnam. By applying the subject knowledge domains to solve real world problems and settings, the students can experience the benefits of a concrete and active learning in a meaningful and practical context. The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary integration approaches are consistent with the development of the students’ competencies.

Abstract: Empirical evidence on the way in which expert designers from different domains cognitively connect their internal processes with external resources is presented in the context of an extended cognition model. The article focuses briefly on the main trends in the extended design cognition theory and in particular on recent trends in information processing and embodiment theory. The aim of the paper is to reflect on the implications of an understanding of expert design cognition as an extended system, which can account for complexity and non-linearity in design thinking and problem-solving, for technology and design education. This is achieved by showing the relevance of the cross-correlations and the dynamics involved at the intersection of cognitive phases, intention-driven decision making and embodiment principles of experts for novice education in technology and design. It is argued that twentieth century one-sided approaches to design education no longer adequately serve the needs of the twenty first century. It is further argued that a combined information-processing + embodiment approach may be the answer. The article presents salient results of a case study using think-aloud-protocol studies in a quasi-experimental format that was used as it has proven to be a central instrument yielding scientific data in the cognitive science paradigm. Results suggested extended design environments may be particularly well-suited to the mediation of design thinking. Finally, based on these results, the article examines how educators can exploit the combined approach to advance the making of connections between the inner and outer world in design education.

Abstract: Technology integration is an important aspect of student competence in the 21st century. The use of technology in teaching and learning is a valuable practice for supporting student learning and engagement. Modelling the pedagogical practices that integrate authentic, performance-based opportunities for technology integration was the focus of a project designed to support future teachers with acquiring these same pedagogical practices. The project was an opportunity to demonstrate value for a competency-based approach to teacher education that integrates technology literacy as a required component of teaching and learning in the 21st century. It explored the extent to which preservice teachers integrated technology tools in the lesson plans they created. The use of various self-selected technology tools using this approach served as an illustration of the important aspects of sound instructional pedagogy including authentic learning, technology integration and performance-based learning.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate pre-service teachers’ technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) in Turkey. By using the “Survey of Pre-service Teachers’ Knowledge of Teaching and Technology” developed by Schmidt et al. (2009), the study sought to determine if significant differences could be found in pre-service teachers’ perceptions of TPACK when examined by gender, age, educational program, year of study, kind of instruction (day or night education) and field experience. Regression analysis was also used to examine if technology knowledge (TK), pedagogical knowledge (PK) and content knowledge (CK) significantly contributed to pre-service teachers’ TPACK development. Participants of this study were 491 elementary pre-service teachers who attended the summer semester at Pamukkale University. The analysis of the collected data found a significant difference in pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the TPACK when examined across gender, program, year of study and field experience, but no significant differences were found regarding age and kind of instruction. Finally, our regression model showed that CK and PK contributed significantly to pre-service teachers’ TPACK development, but TK was not a significant predictor.

Abstract: This case study examines the use of online tools, including blogs, as a means of enhancing face-to-face professional development in writing instruction for teachers in rural districts. Since many rural districts serve large physical areas that are geographically distant from larger metropolitan areas and/or colleges and universities, teachers in these districts may have fewer professional development opportunities. This study examines the use of digital tools to offer continued support when a physical presence may not be feasible. Over the course of a year, middle and high school English language arts teachers in three rural districts in South Carolina received approximately 60 hours of face-to-face professional development in writing instruction. To increase communication and collaboration between teachers and professional development providers, as well as to offer ongoing support for teachers throughout the year, Google Sites with blogs were established for each district. Teachers reported primarily using the sites to download and review professional development materials. Results revealed only partial participation in blogging across districts. Blogs were used in several ways: to report implementation of strategies modeled through professional development, to reflect on assigned readings, to express positive responses to the professional development, and to voice concerns over implementation. The authors discuss possible obstacles to both participation and collaboration via blogs, as well as the challenges rural settings may pose when using digital technology more broadly to support professional development.Rural schools continue to be an important part of the educational landscape of the United States. With more than half of all school districts (57%) located in rural areas, over 12 million students, or approximately 24% of our nation's schoolchildren, attend rural schools (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2013). According to the most recent data available, rural high schools have a graduation rate of 77.5% on average, as calculated using the Swanson model, which accounts for year-to-year retention of individual students (Strange, Johnson, Showalter, & Klein, 2012). Some states-including South Carolina, where this study took place-do not release figures that allow the Swanson index to be calculated. It is believed that inclusion of data from these states would likely lower the overall rural graduation rate calculated via the Swanson index (Strange et al., 2012).Strange et al. (2012) note, "Rural education frustrates some who wish it would conform to its image of simplicity" (p. 21). In fact, rural districts are complex and diverse, serving an increasingly varied student population with growing numbers of English learners and students who are living in poverty (Johnson, Showalter, Klein, & Lester, 2014). Rural schools often have the advantage of smaller classes and a strong sense of community, but they also face issues of underfunding and a lack of resources (Bouck, 2004). Scholars have raised concerns about structural and social inequalities that may lead to continued challenges in rural schools (Lindahl, 2011; Roscigno, Tomaskovic-Devey, & Crowley, 2006), but these concerns have gone largely unnoticed in public discourse.The difficulty of providing effective professional development for teachers compounds the distinct challenges facing rural schools. Barley and Beesley (2007) found effective professional development to be a main factor in the success of high-performing, high-needs rural schools, but more research is needed to understand how to provide such professional development to rural schools (Arnold, Newman, Gaddy, & Dean, 2005). Geographically dispersed schools and the varying and specific needs of rural teachers based on their unique contexts make providing professional development particularly perplexing (Peterson, 2012; Wilson & Ringstaff, 2010). No two rural districts, even within the same region, are the same. …

Abstract: This study explores possible differences in the views on assessment between two groups of teachers teaching technology in compulsory school: (1) teachers with subject-specific teacher training in technology education; and (2) teachers without such training. This topic is of particular interest because of the recent changes in the regulations that govern compulsory schools in Sweden, such that only certified teachers now will be permitted to teach and assign grades, despite the clear lack of certified teachers in technology education. The study is situated in two fields of interest—technology education and assessment. Both topics are highly relevant, especially in combination, because previous research on teachers’ assessment practices in technology is rare. In this study, the goal is to contribute to deepening the understanding of how subject-specific teacher training affects teachers’ ability to assess students’ knowledge while maintaining alignment with stated regulations. The results show significant difference between these two groups’ use of curriculum documents as the basis of their teaching and their self-efficacy in assessing student’s knowledge in technology. The results suggest interesting possibilities for curriculum alignment and indicate that the opportunities for student learning increase according to whether teachers are specifically trained in the subject.

Abstract: The premise of this chapter is that indigenous technologies have a place in Technology Education, and a case is made for the integration of indigenous technology into Technology Education curricula. The potential outcomes are profound—students from both Western and indigenous cultures who are empowered to participate in the development and critique of technologies from multiple perspectives, widened scope for community participation in teaching and learning, and enhanced collective participation of the custodians of indigenous and Western knowledge systems. The implications of such an approach encompass content, materials and equipment, pedagogies and assessment. First, curriculum developers and teachers need to understand and commit to the value of an integrated approach.

Abstract: Our increasingly globalized world is driven by shared knowledge, and nowhere is that knowledge more important than in education. Now more than ever, there is a demand for technology that will assist in the spread of knowledge through customized, self-paced, and on-demand learning.The Handbook of Research on Innovative Technology Integration in Higher Education provides an international perspective on the need for information and communication technology in education and training. Highlighting the use of technology in both formal and informal learning, this book is an essential reference for academics, corporate leaders, government agencies, profit and non-profit organizations, policymakers, or anyone interested in the use of technology to educate and share information.

Abstract: BackgroundTechnology represents a major topic in educational research. Nevertheless, a gap in the research remains concerning how teachers can bring technology into the classroom. This study focuse...

Abstract: Technology applications aligned with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workplace practices can engage students in real-world pursuits but also present dramatic challenges for classroom implementation. We examined the impact of teacher professional development focused on incorporating these workplace technologies in the classroom. Because existing measures primarily use only presence or type of technology as proxies for implementation quality, we developed an expanded framework that incorporated (a) the type of technology used; (b) the degree of alignment to STEM practices; (c) the use of student-centered pedagogical practices; and (d) the degree of relevance to real-world contexts. While our framework successfully described the variation in technology implementation in our study group, we found no statistically significant difference between teachers with and without extensive training on STEM workplace technologies. Our results provide evidence that the framework captures quality ...

Abstract: At present social networks are becoming important in all areas of human activities. They are simply part and parcel of everyday life. They are mostly used for advertising, but they have already found their way into education. The future potential of social networks is high as it can be seen from their statistics on a daily, monthly or yearly increase in the number of their users. The purpose of this article is to provide a short description of the concept of social network and its classification according to the way how they function or their main purpose. In addition, the authors discuss two main approaches to teaching and the educational theories out of which connectivism is the first theory which takes into account the existence of computer networks and considers all knowledge and abilities as a result of mutual interconnection of information and people. Thus, it is the theory which enabled the implementation of ICT into education and has completely changed the traditional teaching and learning. In conclusion, the authors also explore a few already existing educational social network sites and their benefits for education.

Abstract: IntroductionScience is a universal subject with no boundaries and the claim for its inclusion in the school curriculum was established based on its ability to revolutionize human life as well as the society. Evidence on relevance of science in schools suggests that science has been found to have influence on every field of human endeavor. Prakash (2005) while arguing for the inclusion of science in school curriculum described science as a subject that provides unique training in observation and reasoning for students and enables them to form an objective judgment. This is corroborated by Armstrong (2001) who emphasized that science is taught to provide training in and knowledge of scientific method that is useful in life pursuits.Science as a subject and discipline has contributed immensely to the development in our society and has helped the modern society to be able to respond effectively to changing social, economic, and environmental trends to meet sustainability goals. Olatoye (2007) emphasized that science will continue to be a tool for explaining interactions between human activities and our environment while also proffering solutions to many problems that may arise as a result of human activities.Turner (2003) presented four arguments to support the teaching and learning of science in schools viz: economic argument, democratic/humanistic argument, skills argument, and cultural argument. The economic argument of teaching science in schools is based on the need to produce more scientists to meet the supply demands in science-related fields. The economic argument is considered as the dominant reason why science is taught especially in advanced and prosperous countries (Hassard, 2010).The relevance and importance of ICT in the teaching of science has been discussed and advanced at relevant fora. The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) (International Technology Education Association, 2000), the International Society of Technology in Education, ISTE (2000) and British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, BECTA (2010) recommended the use of ICT in the teaching of science subjects, as a result of observation that reveals that science teachers are not using ICT for teaching and learning of science.Ramayah (2006) emphasised that ICT provides access to a huge range of resources that are of high quality and relevant to scientific learning. In some instances, the multimedia resources available enable visualization and manipulation of complex models, three dimensional images and movement to enhance understanding of scientific ideas. Lua and Sim (2008) reiterated the capability of ICT in widening the range of materials that can be used in teaching and learning to include text, still and moving images and sound, and increase the variety of ways that the material can be used for whole class and individual learning. Therefore, science teachers have the opportunity of meeting the needs of students with different learning styles as well as being creative in their teaching through the use of ICT.Of what use is Demographic variables a determinant to effective teaching?Demographic variables have been described as major factors that may influence or predict the use of ICT resources by individuals. Among the demographic factors that are often cited as having an influence on ICT use include: gender; income; level of education, skills and age (UNDP, 2011; Inan and Lowther, 2009). For the purpose of this study, demographic variables such as age, gender, teaching experience, subject(s) taught, computer use experience, and educational qualification were considered. Therefore, for teachers to effectively make use of ICT resources in the classroom, they must have easy access to various types of ICT resources (Alston, Miller, Chanda, and Elbert, 2003). Access describes the extent to which a particular user is able to easily locate particular resources for use as well as the degree of accessibility of accessibility of such resources. …

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of computer assisted projectbased instruction on learners’ achievement in a science and technology course, in a computer course and in portfolio development. With this aim in mind, a quasiexperimental design was used and a sample of 70 seventh grade secondary school students from Org. Eşref Bitlis Primary School in Istanbul was selected. The students were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: the control group and experimental group. Instruction to control group was provided by the traditional project-based learning approach, to the experimental group was provided computer assisted project-based learning approach. Both groups were given instruction on the topic of Our Living Conditions in the syllabus of 7th grade Science and Technology course. During the five-week instruction, experimental group was required to prepare the projects with using computer assisted project-based method, while control group used traditional project-based method. At the end of the study, the findings revealed that science and technology and portfolio assessment scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than that of the control group. This result indicates that the learning gains are higher when instruction is provided by computer assisted project-based instruction than by the traditional method.

Abstract: Human-centered design is of growing importance for professional designers and in the past two decades a series of techniques for designers to develop understanding of and empathy with a diversity of users has been developed within this field. In the second half of the twentieth century, intended users were involved late in the design process, i.e. during the testing of products or prototypes. More recently, the user is involved in the early phases, when the direction is set. Users have rich local contextual knowledge and can work together with professional designers. Although these techniques are now entering mainstream design education at the university level, they have not yet reached Design and Technology Education in primary and secondary schools. Most teachers do not yet provide opportunities for pupils to conduct research to uncover the needs, wishes, and experiences of specific user groups. However, this understanding of users belongs in D&T education, because artifacts have a dual nature: a physical and an intentional nature. In this paper we describe a Contextmapping method for pupils (aged 9–12 years) and illustrate this with a design project. The assignment for the pupils was to “design a playground in which children and elderly people are active together” in which the pupils developed an understanding of elderly people through Contextmapping.