Thesis Abstract and Dissertation Abstracts
University academics' perceptions of the impact of new technologies on their teaching roles
Abstract Category: Education
Course / Degree: Master of Education (Honours 1)
Institution / University: University of New England, New South Wales, Australia
Published in: 2000
The research investigated university academics' awareness of changes in their teaching roles as a result of the impact of educational technologies. Key-informant long-form semi-structured interviews were undertaken with nineteen members of faculties at the University of Newcastle. Three of these formed an initial theoretical and methodological construction trial, and sixteen became the main respondent base. Purposive, snowball and saturation sampling were used to select the main participants from two faculties, based on their involvement (or otherwise) in a flexible delivery and technology-based initiative project instigated by the university. The inquiry focused exclusively on participants' self-identified perceptions of teaching and learning, technology in higher education, and the changes they perceived were occurring in their roles from technology's impact. Analysis of interview transcripts used grounded theory and a phenomenological interpretive model. Results suggested that human-tohuman educational interaction was held as ideal, with personal contact being seen as the fundamental ground of all teaching and learning. Educational technologies were therefore assessed by the academics as to how they measured up to this ideal. Fundamental teaching and learning paradigms were shown to be formed and focused, being either reinforced by technologies or being used to reject engagement. While performance of some teaching functions had changed with technology use, core roles were both perceived and evidenced as being fundamentally constant, despite the impact of technologies. Implications for the University of Newcastle were identified, primarily being issues in technology introduction, flexible delivery and continuing professional education. Further research was recommended, including more in-depth study of innovation diffusion, a reexamination of flexible and on-line initiatives, longitudinal inquiry to test conceptualisation-change over time, and investigation at other universities to determine whether common phenomena were being observed.
Thesis Keywords/Search Tags:
teaching roles, university academics, educational technology, higher education, teaching and learning, innovation diffusion
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Submission Details: Thesis Abstract submitted by Greg Boddy from Australia on 16-Sep-2010 09:12.
Abstract has been viewed 3423 times (since 7 Mar 2010).
Greg Boddy Contact Details: Email: gboddy@westnet.com.au Phone: 61 7 3839 6975
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