Sarah Howard
CoCo Research Centre |
PhD research project
Teacher change: Individual and cultural risk perceptions in the context of ICT integration
This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of risk and risk-taking behaviours in the context of ICT-related educational change. Perceptions and behaviours are examined through teachers’ talk about risk: individual perceptions of risk-taking, and how their perceptions relate to risk perceptions in the wider school culture. When teachers implement new teaching practices they are taking risks; they leave proven teaching practices and learn to apply new methods, tools, and strategies in the classroom. The research defines “risk” as the potential for undesired results, specifically when individuals and groups engage in change. The project has chosen to study risk-taking in the area of technology integration – how teachers begin to utilize educational technology in the secondary-level classroom, effectively facilitating information literacy in student learning in Australia and the United States. Study findings will provide new perspectives into teachers’ values and beliefs regarding educational change. This information will help schools support teachers as they learn to innovate in the classroom, thus making school change efforts more effective.
This project has ethical approval from the University of Sydney and the New South Wales Department of Education and Training.
View the full abstract here.
Download the project Information Sheet here.
Download SERAP Approval 2007018 documentation here.
Current research projects
"Multi-user virtual environments and research into the learning and transfer of scientific knowledge and inquiry skills"
Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
"Interactive Distance eLearning (IDeL) for Isolated Communities"
Faculty of Education, University of Newcastle
“Comprehensive School Reform in Rural K-8 Schools in the Southeast: Integrative Technologies for Quality Initiatives”
Learning Systems Institute, Florida State University
“Examination of student’s thinking and learning through their online interactions”
Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
“Co-constructing scientific literacies in an online collaborative community”
Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
Past research projects
“Immersive learning Environments: Study of teacher innovation using The Learning Federation (TLF) digital learning resources”
CoCo Research Center, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
“Developing new models of leadership for learning and teaching at the University of Sydney: A case study of assessment”
CoCo Research Center, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
“Approaches to Study and Uses of Technology among Students of the 'Net Generation'”
CoCo Research Center, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
“The role of mentoring practice in the conceptual development and professional growth of preservice teachers”
School of Policy and Practice, University of Sydney
“The use of blended learning environments for enhancement of ICT literacy”
CoCo Research Center, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney
Publications and Conference papers
Howard, S. K. (2010, accepted). A holistic view of teachers’ risk perceptions in the context of technology integration and educational change. Paper submitted to the American Educational Research Association, Denver, Colorado, USA.
Howard, S. K. (2010, accepted). What makes technology “risky”?: An exploration of teachers’ perceived risk in the context of technology integration. Paper submitted to the American Educational Research Association, Denver, Colorado, USA.
McKeown, J., Howard, S., Capps, J., DeMeester, K., & Kim, C. (2009, October 27-31). Integrating technology with supportive instruction to support learning, school improvement, and technology initiatives in rural K-8 schools. Paper presented at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology's Annual International Convention, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Howard, S. K. (2009, Spring). How serious are duty of care risks in virtual reality? Education Quarterly.
Sutherland, L., Howard, S. K., & Markauskaite, L. (2009, online). Professional identity creation: Examining the development of beginning preservice teachers’ image of themselves as teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, xx(xx).
Markauskaite, L., Sutherland, L. M., & Howard, S. K. (2008). Knowledge labels and their correlates in an asynchronous test-based computer-supported collaborative learning environment: Who uses and who benefits? Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 3(1), 65-93.
Howard, S. K. (2009, November 29 - December 3). Identification of generic group traits: Findings from two blended learning preservice teacher courses. Paper presented at the Australia Association for Research in Education, Canberra, NSW, Australia.
Capps, J., Howard, S. K., Spector, J. M., DeMeester, K., & McKeown, J. (2008, October). Project share: A superordinate online rural community. Paper included in the proceedings of The Information Society for the Information Age Annual Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Howard, S. K., & DeMeester, K. (2008, August). Managing teacher risk-taking in ICT-related educational change. Paper presented at The Eighth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture and Change in Organisations, Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
Markauskaite, L., Sutherland, L. M., Howard, S. K. (2008). Knowledge labels and their correlates in an asynchronous test-based computer-supported collaborative learning environment: Who uses and who benefits? Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 3(1), 65-93.
Howard, S. K. (2007, November). Teacher change: A preliminary exploration of risk-taking in the context of ICT integration. Paper presented at Australian Association for Research in Education 2007, Fremantle, WA. Full paper
Howard, S. K. (2007). Preliminary descriptive statistical report and data summaries of teacher responses during the Summer 2007 Workshop of the Integrative Technologies for Quality Initiatives Project. Learning Systems Institute, Florida State University.
Howard, S. K. (2007, June). Managing change and using new technology. Paper presented at the Integrative Technology in Rural Schools Research Project, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
Howard, S. K. (2006, November) Teacher change: Authentic professional development in ICT. Paper presented at Learning Technologies 2006, Queensland.
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