ERIC Number: EJ1103695
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1475-939X
EISSN: N/A
Being an "Agent Provocateur": Utilising Online Spaces for Teacher Professional Development in Virtual Simulation Games
deNoyelles, Aimee; Raider-Roth, Miriam
Technology, Pedagogy and Education, v25 n3 p337-353 2016
This article details the results of an action research study which investigated how teachers used online learning community spaces to develop and support their teaching and learning of the Jewish Court of All Time (JCAT), a web-mediated, character-playing, simulation game that engages participants with social, historical and cultural curricula. The nature of reflection that was generated in the asynchronous and synchronous professional development spaces is discussed. Data analysis of online discussion and chat transcripts revealed that two forms of reflection were generated: reflection on self-as-teacher (juggling roles, responsibility, teaching challenges) and reflection on students (socio-cognitive and relational dimensions). The results speak to the importance of selecting online spaces that support the overall objectives of the professional development, as well as provide a rich forum to discuss the game in question. Having both asynchronous and synchronous spaces allows teachers the freedom to express themselves in multiple ways. Findings guide instructional design, generate insight on the interaction of online spaces and support teachers in how they learn and teach virtual simulation game experiences.
Descriptors: Faculty Development, Computer Simulation, Educational Games, Computer Games, Computer Mediated Communication, Synchronous Communication, Asynchronous Communication, Web Based Instruction, Electronic Learning, Communities of Practice, Educational Environment, Action Research, Reflective Teaching, Data Analysis, Teacher Educators, Teacher Education, Data Collection, Transcripts (Written Records), Teacher Responsibility, Jews, Day Schools, Grounded Theory
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A