Markus Mostert & Lynn Quinn Rhodes University Grahamstown South Africa Using ICTs in Teaching and Learning: Reflections on Professional Development of Academic Staff

Introductions Markus has a Masters Degree in Computer- Assisted Education from the University of Pretoria. As the Coordinator of Educational Technology in the Academic Development Centre at Rhodes, his primary responsibility is to assist academic staff with integrating Information Technology into teaching and learning. Collage: Dina Belluigi

Introductions Lynn has been involved in the field of Academic Development since Her first career was as a high school English teacher. When she first started working in the ADC her work mainly involved supporting students in terms of academic writing. Her MA research project focused on students' writing in HE. From 1999 the ADC at Rhodes began to focus more on academic staff development saw the introduction of the first version of the Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE). The qualification has been designed and is taught by most of the staff in the ADC. Lynn has, for some years, been the co- ordinator of the PGDHE and the ADC MEd students. This year she will teach the Assessors' Course. Aside from the formal programmes, she does other work to support lecturers at Rhodes University, particularly in relation to the evaluation of teaching and courses. At the end of 2006 she completed her PhD which is entitled: 'A social realist account of the emergence of a formal academic staff development programme at a South African university'. (Collage: Dina Belluigi)

Overview Context: HE / PGDHE Focus: Using ICTs in teaching and learning Educational developers / Academic Development staff Academic staff / PGDHE participants Issue: Separateness Lens: Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge “Solution”: Professional Learning Communities

Context Changing Higher Education Impact of technology Professional Development of Academic Staff Communities of Practice These professional communities have allowed a sense of belonging and confidence in shared decision-making when (often) external factors seemed to be working against us … (in Unwin 2007:296)

Background The PGDHE Learning about ICTs in the PGDHE

ICTs and Higher Education Separating practices Separating discourses What does this mean for professional development? CP T

Reflections on our programme Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Implications for staff developers Implications for curriculum development

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge CP T TPCK represents a class of knowledge that is central to teachers’ work with technology. This knowledge would not typically be held by technologically proficient subject matter experts, or by technologist who know a little of the subject or of pedagogy, or by teachers who know little of that subject or about technology.

Content Knowledge CP T Subject matter Central facts, concepts, theories, procedures Explanatory frameworks that organize & connect ideas Roles of evidence & proof Nature of knowledge & inquiry

Pedagogical Knowledge CP T Processes & practices, methods of teaching & learning Educational purposes, values, aims Theories of learning

Pedagogical Content Knowledge CP T Shulman (1986) Pedagogy applicable to teaching of specific content Fitting approaches Representation & formulation of concepts, techniques, knowledge of difficult/easy concepts, ss’ prior knowledge, epistemology Appropriate conceptual representations

Technology Knowledge CP T Standard technologies Advanced technologies Skills to operate OSs, hardware, std software Install peripherals & software Backups Learn & adapt

Technological Content Knowledge CP T Reciprocal relationship Constraints & affordances Knowledge representations Content changed by technology Nature of learning can also be changed by technology

Technological Pedagogical Knowledge CP T Existence, components & capabilities of ICTs How they are used in teaching How teaching might change Tools for a specific task, fitness, affordances, strategies

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge CP T Quality teaching requires developing a nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between technology, content, and pedagogy, and using this understanding to develop appropriate, context-specific strategies and representations

Implications for educational developers Content Knowledge Pedagogical Knowledge Pedagogical Content Knowledge Technology Knowledge Technological Content Knowledge Technological Pedagogical Knowledge Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge CP T

Implications for curriculum development Team-based activity Composition of the team Role of the educational technologist The ICT enthusiast “will be there to mediate … the potential of the technologies with the desired pedagogies. … they will be able to reduce anxieties and allow the development of confidence within the learning community with the technologies being used” (Unwin 2007:302).

Discussion This paper describes one strategy for promoting the use of ICTs in the teaching and learning practices of a higher education institution in South Africa. Integrating ICTs in a professional development course for lecturers simultaneously addresses the lack and skills of staff developers and that of academic staff who benefit from experiencing the use of ICTs as “students”. I wonder if it will be useful to start a discussion by relating our own experiences of staff development. Please tell us how your institution assists teachers in using ICTs in their teaching.

Discussion