A two-stage model of teachers’ training in Learning Management Systems

A two-stage model of teachers’ training in Learning Management Systems

Maria Idalina Santos [email protected] Ana Amélia A. Carvalho [email protected]

Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra - Portugal

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Introduction

A two-stage model of teachers’ training in LMS - Idalina Santos and Ana Amélia A. Carvalho 2

• The educational policies in Portugal prioritized the need for teacher training and development in the ICT area;

• A gap between the knowledge acquired in teacher training and development courses and the use of this knowledge by teachers in the classroom, bringing about the necessity of partnership actions (Ponte 2000; OECD 2005; Pretto and Pinto 2006; Nóvoa 2009).

The research


The main questions are:

• How did the trainees evaluate the training model?

• What was the impact of the training model in the their practices?

The model


Our model of teachers’ training is based …

promoting reflection-action-reflection (Schön, 1992)

constantly present during the training course

the five-stage Salmon’s model (2011) and Garrison and Vaughan’s CoI

framework (2008)

present in the online sessions

A blended-learning approach to a training course held on LMS Moodle (Carvalho, Lustigova, and Lustig 2009; Stacey and Gerbic 2009).

The model (online sessions)


Cognitive presence - Social presence – Teaching presence

The model


Our model of teachers’ training has two stages:

The first stage - is the training process (completed) -was carried out during the school year of 2010-2011;

The second stage - is the monitoring phase (taking place during the school years of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013) , giving support to teachers in the use of technology.

The model


The model


First stage(2010-2011)

25-hour face-to-face sessions

25-hour online sessions (homework unscheduled

time)

Second stage(2011-2013)

workshops and non-formal training

monitor the teaching practices

promote the establishing of communities of

practice (Wenger 2006)

The model


All trainees had to complete two tasks:

• individual – a course in the LMS (with or without interactive applications) for teaching during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 to their students;

• in group – multidisciplinary teams who conceived and continue conceiving multidisciplinary courses using interactive activities to use with their students during 2011-2012 (we stressed the peer coaching process).

Methodology


• A longitudinal case study (Merriam 2009; Yin 2009)

– First stage: May to July 2011;

– Second stage: in progress;

Data collection:

• An Identification Questionnaire;

• An Opinion Questionnaire;

• Interviews.

Methodology


Data Collection

Two questionnaires (IQ and OQ)(first and last sessions)

IQ: with items related to academic, professional and digital literacy characterization

OQ: to collect the trainees’ opinions about the training course. It has two parts that evaluated:

the training model and the use of the LMS Moodle

Three constructs of UTAUT model (effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and trainees’ attitude toward using technology)

Interviews(follow-up

phase)

To assess changes in trainees’ behavior and in using the LMS (Kirkpatrick, 2006)

Methodology


Participants’ characterization


• 33 secondary school teachers (22 female and 11 male);

• their ages ranged from 29 to 56;• different professional situations (76% were

school staff) and different initial training;• different levels of educational achievement –

all of them had a degree, except one. One also has a post-graduation course and four have a master’s degree.





Data Analysis


Data Analysis


Data Analysis


Data Analysis


Data Analysis


Data Analysis


Data Analysis


Findings and Conclusions


The trainees were very satisfied with the blended-learning approach;

They responded positively to our training model and acknowledged the importance of teachers training courses adopting blended-learning practices;

The face-to-face interaction helps in the building of the communities and in the feeling of belonging;

Findings and Conclusions


The trainees enhanced the importance of social interaction in learning environments facilitated by empowering tools present in LMS, such as forum and chat;

They also recognised the importance of profiting from the different dimensions of LMS, which helps speed up and simplify complex learning environments;

Peer coaching process fosters professional collaboration and collegial exchange and it was accomplish in this training course through multidisciplinary tasks.

Limitations andproblems encountered


The initial schedule was modified: February - June from May – July;

Some trainees could not apply their training course activities with their students;

Technical problems with Moodle and a heterogeneous group prevented certain activities;

The trainees had an indifferent attitude in relation to messaging to obtain online support (52%; mean=3.2);