Theme Issue Refereed Articles
What Do Graphics Calculators And Pedagogical Change In The Secondary Mathematics Classrooms Have In Common?
Allan Leslie White
pp. 3-10
Graphics calculators, with a screen large enough to display simultaneously graphs, tables or a student's keying sequence and answers to multiple problems,
have gained widespread acceptance in secondary school classrooms. They provide a cheap, powerful tool for exploring and communicating particular mathematical
concepts and their use by teachers in the classroom has been described using metaphors (White, 2004) such as a demon, a servant, an idol, a partner or a
liberator. They provide a potential 'pedagogical Trojan Horse', moving teachers towards greater student-centred classroom strategies (White, 2004). As
teachers and students gain in confidence and experience in the use of graphics calculators, the very nature of the teaching and learning process in the
classroom changes (Farrell, 1996). Graphics calculators become a focus that the teacher and students can use to communicate and share their understanding
(Simonson & Dick, 1997). This paper develops a matrix of pedagogical approaches available to the teacher intending to use graphics calculators in the classroom
that arises from the research literature. It also discusses the limitations of graphics calculators and their pedagogical implications, such as using examples
which push the graphics calculators' technical limits to assist student understanding (Cavanagh & Mitchelmore, 2003).
Propositional vs. Practical Knowledge: Exploring the Metaphors and Images of Pre-service Teachers
Robyn Torok
pp. 11-29
This paper examines how pre-service teachers deal with the commonly reported theory–practice divide during their early teaching experiences by focusing on key elements
of their practical theories. The findings come from a mainly qualitative case study of three pre-service teachers in their final year of university study. Participants
had their practical theories elucidated through an interview process, as well as several profiling instruments. Views of how participants coped with the theory–practice
divide were narrowed to two areas: behaviour management and pedagogy. Multiple data sources were triangulated and relationships developed on an a posteriori basis. The
findings are presented as case studies of each of the three participants. Participants' schooling experiences, educational philosophy and personality type were found to
be significant in influencing perceptions of the usefulness of educational theory. A filtration system model was developed where theory flows to practice through four
main filters, with the amount of material progressing determining the size of the theory–practice divide. The major finding was that it was not so much the nature of this
divide that was a hindrance to the development of pre-service teachers but the constraints of teacher-centred pedagogy imposed by supervising teachers that prevented the
pre-service teachers from experimenting and developing their own practical theories.
Pedagogical and Learning Strategies for Promoting Internet Information Literacy in Singapore Secondary School Students
Poh Gek (Julie) Lim
pp. 30-43
Internet information literacy has the potential to open the whole world of knowledge to easy access and use. Computer literacy and Internet readiness alone do not empower
the learner to capitalise on the use of the Internet to acquire useful knowledge. Without information literacy, the learner would be overwhelmed not only by the information
overload but also by being confronted with the amount of unreliable information posted on the Internet. Therefore this paper looks at how the Internet age might influence
the ways that students learn and how to capitalise on it to prepare those students for the digital world of today and how to be empowered for the future challenges of the
increasing complexities of tomorrow. The findings indicate that the integration of discipline-specific Internet information literacy into the curriculum is essential before
we can enhance student learning using the Internet for resource-based learning. It is also to equip them with relevant information management skills and the ability to
learn independently. These are fundamental skills required to become emerging lifelong learners in the midst of an information explosion so as to be able to meet the
challenges of the 21st century and the knowledge economy.
Exploring Chinese Educators' Learning Experiences and Transnational Pedagogies
Ting Wang
pp. 44-59
This paper presents an interpretative study of an Australian offshore graduate program conducted in China between 2002 and 2003. It investigated the learning experiences of
Chinese participants in a transnational education context. It employed semistructured and in-depth interviews of 20 participants over a 12-month period. The findings of
the study showed that most participants developed more complex understandings of learning throughout the course. Their learning experiences and exposure to Western educational
ideas and practices seemed to have led them to reflect on their inherited assumptions and to expand their perspectives. The findings indicated the potential for growth in
recipients of transnational education as a result of different cultures and traditions coming into contact. The study also highlights the need for appreciation of local
contexts in developing transnational programs. It suggests that some efforts need to be made to tailor course provision to adapt to the local culture and nature of the
learners. Customised course materials and crosscultural pedagogies need to be taken into account to ensure effective learning and teaching in transnational programs.
