Considering the widespread belief in the potential of mobile technology to enhance core activities of teachers, like lesson planning and preparation, limited research has been conducted on the use of mobile technology to support these activities. To address this research gap, this study delved into the acceptance of an intent-based chatbot specifically designed to aid preservice teachers (n = 92) during planning tasks. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods and guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), findings indicate that Perceived Usefulness was a significant predictor of Chatbot Use, while the role of Ease of Use was more nuanced. Qualitative data analysis provided valuable insights into the factors that influence chatbot adoption or nonadoption, allowing for a contextualized understanding within the TAM framework.
This report describes recent efforts by the NTLS associations addressing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to facilitate effective use of makerspaces in schools. The 25th Anniversary of NTLS provides an opportunity to not only report on this specific effort, but also describe the way in which cross-disciplinary dialog at NTLS is translated into collective efforts. This typically begins with a conversation at the summit followed by subsequent collaborative efforts. The sections that follow describe collective efforts to facilitate the use of open hardware in K-12 schools.
Teaching through collaborative making has found its way into K12 schools and colleges of education, but minimal research exists on making for learning in special education settings. Even less research is available focusing on preservice special education teachers using making as a pedagogical tool for academic interventions. This multiple case study explored five preservice special education teachers’ perceptions, conceptions, acting knowledge, and efficacy when teaching students with disabilities through making. Results indicated that participants’ beliefs about teaching through making evolved, and they reported a deepened understanding of effective teaching methods for students with disabilities.
The prevalence of data in every aspect of life in modern society makes it critical that students are given experiences investigating real issues with real data. Our research question was as follows: In what ways can mathematical action technology used with a real-world context involving the wage gap contribute to students’ sense of identity and agency, that is, student actions and utterances indicative of building identity and agency? This paper describes the use of mathematical action and conveyance technologies with an open-ended task in classroom environments that promoted reasoning and problem-solving. High school students explored median incomes in the United States broken down by race, education level, and occupation using TI Nspire(TM) technology. By engaging students in noticing and wondering where their voices were honored and respected, this “figured world” resulted in a lesson that motivated and involved students in doing mathematics and contributed to developing their mathematical identities and agency in the process.
This qualitative study investigated how mixed-reality simulations supported the development of justice-oriented core teaching practices within a large elementary education program. Told from the point-of-view of two methods instructors, using candidates’ written and oral reflections, the authors examined the use of Mursion® mixed reality simulation software as a tool for rehearsing to teach content through a justice-oriented lens. Three themes emerged from the words of the teacher candidates in the focus group, as well as in their written reflections after completing each of the simulation cycles during their coursework: (a) simulations provided a safety net for students (and their teachers) in PK-12 schools; (b) simulations made the learning of these core practices focused on skill development (versus classroom management) and thus less messy; and (c) simulations provided a safe space to apply justice-oriented lenses while engaging students in content. Simulations augmented the candidates’ field experience, while providing a window on their development as teachers committed to becoming change agents enacting just and equitable learning. Implications and the limitations of using simulations to support teacher candidate learning are discussed, particularly when the goal is teaching for equity.
