Do teachers dream of electric classrooms?
The experiences of future teachers teaching writing online
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/wap.33350Keywords:
online instruction, writing instruction, preservice teachers, partnership, feedback, contextAbstract
As more classes are moving from the brick and mortar environs to online instructional spaces, the experiences of future teachers with communication technologies in online contexts merit attention. The authors describe the study of an Online Writing Partnership to examine participants' beliefs about the efficacy of online instruction and the quality of student/teacher relationships that are built via online means. Findings indicated four contextual threads of particular salience to the participants of the study, threads which contributed to a general sense of frustration with the online context for teaching: (1) social presence between participants; (2) the nature of relationships established between teachers and students; (3) the role and authority of a teacher in those relationships; and (4) their preconceived expectations of learning environments. Preparing future teachers for experiences in online teaching and learning may require providing avenues for examining their beliefs about the work required to form effective student/teacher relationships in virtual spaces.
References
Bolter, J. D., & Grusin, R. (1999). Remediation: Understanding new media. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Bullock, D. (2004). Moving from theory to practice: An examination of the factors that preservice teachers encounter as they attempt to gain experience teaching with technology during field placement experiences. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 12(2), 211-237.
Burant, T. J., & Kirby, D. (2002). Beyond Classroom-based Early Field Experiences: Understanding an "Educative Practicum" in an Urban School and Community. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 561-575.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). How Teacher Education Matters. Journal of Teacher Education, 51(3), 166-173.
Darling-Hammond, L., Chung, R., & Frelow, F. (2002). Variation in Teacher Preparation: How Well Do Different Pathways Prepare Teachers to Teach? Journal of Teacher Education, 53(4), 286-302.
Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(1), 33-49.
Hew, K. F., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: Current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(3), 223-252.
Levin, B. B., He, Y., & Robbins, H. H. (2006). Comparative analysis of preservice teachers' reflective thinking in synchronous versus asynchronous online case discussions. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 14(3), 439-460.
Lortie, D. C. (1975). Schoolteacher: A Sociological Study. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Marra, R. M. (2004). An online course to help teachers "use technology to enhance learning": Success and Limitations. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 12(3), 411-429.
McLuhan, M., & Zingrone, F. (Eds.). (1995). Essential McLuhan. New York: BasicBooks.
Mitchell, J. (2003). On-line writing: a link to learning in a teacher education program. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 127-143.
Ong, W. J. (1982). Orality and literacy: The technologizing of the word. London: Routledge.
XXXX. (2008). An Exploration of Preservice Teachers' Experiences in an Online Writing Partnership. Unpublished Dissertation. University of Florida.
