ERIC Number: EJ1420303
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1537-2456
EISSN: EISSN-1943-5932
E-Learning in Primary Science Education: Teachers' Pedagogical Beliefs and Use of Digital Technologies
Yu Chen; Winnie Wing Mui So; Zhihong Wan
International Journal on E-Learning, v22 n4 p343-371 2023
This study aimed to understand elementary school teachers' beliefs about science teaching and e-learning and to identify changes in their beliefs and practices while using an e-textbook designed for science learning. Two experienced science teachers from the same elementary school participated in this study and taught two science topics: Simple Machines and Living Things & Habitats, using the e-textbook. Lesson observations and pre- and post-lesson interviews with the teachers were used to collect multiple data of the teachers' beliefs and practices. Results revealed that the teachers with opposing pedagogical beliefs differed in their pedagogical use of the e-learning resources. The teacher who perceived science teaching from a more constructivist perspective tended to use varied teaching methods, giving more opportunities for students to experience independent e-learning activities, while the teacher who considered the process of science teaching with more traditional beliefs made dominant use of lectures and was resistant to technology use. Moreover, the results indicated that the teachers with different pedagogical beliefs might have had different teaching experiences with e-learning resources, and subsequently developed different beliefs and attitudes toward e-learning, which in turn affected their teaching practices. The implications of this study for teacher professional development and e-learning implementation in primary schools are discussed.
Descriptors: Electronic Learning, Elementary School Science, Teacher Attitudes, Educational Technology, Elementary School Teachers, Textbooks, Professional Development, Teaching Methods
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education. P.O. Box 719, Waynesville, NC 28786. Tel: 828-246-9558; Fax: 828-246-9557; e-mail: info@aace.org; Web site: http://www.aace.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A