Summary of TPACK-related journal 15

Title                            : Perceptions of Prospective Teachers on Digital Literacy

Author                        : Emre Çam and Mübin Kiyici

Year                            : 2017

Publisher                    : Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology

Source                        : www.eric.com

This research tried to find the digital literacy levels of prospective teachers in terms of several variables by using quantitaives analysis. The sample are taken from 354 prospective teachers studying in different departments of Sakarya University College of Education. The researchers showed the gender influence towards the results. The 30-item instrument used to gather the data was the “Digital Literacy Scale” developed and used by the researchers. The scale involved 5 different factors such as information literacy, visual literacy, software literacy, technology literacy and computer literacy. Exploratory Factor Analysis, Cronbach alpha, t-test and Anova were used for data analysis. Results showed that in terms of gender variable digital literacy levels of male prospective teachers and in terms of department variable digital literacy levels of computer education and instructional technology teaching department were found high. Besides, the digital literacy levels of prospective teachers having continuous Internet connection or a computer that they can continuously use were found high. In addition, the research found that prospective teachers’ personal income levels had no effect on their digital literacy levels. The researchers added that the role of digital literacies were influential nowadays and it became the the needs of everyday activities such as business, education etc. The good teaching and learning environment supporting the digital literacy would give positive impact to future learners.

Summary of TPACK-related journal 14

Title                            : Figure Analysis: A Teaching Technique to Promote Visual Literacy and Active Learning

Author                        : Amy M. Wilesy

Year                            : 2016

Publisher                    : Mercer University, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education

Source                        : www.eric.com

To improve learning, it needs an active learning techniques in the traditional lecturers. Because  there are many techniques, students are supposed to apply concepts and understanding that they had already obtained. The challange is how to incorporate active learning into the classroom of courses with the difficult content, such as molecular-based biology courses. To address both of these challenges, a technique called figure analysis was developed and implemented in three different levels of undergraduate biology courses. Here, students learn content while gaining practice in interpreting visual information by discussing figures with their peers. Student groups also make connections between new and previously learned concepts on their own while in class. The instructor summarizes the material for the class only after students deal with it in small groups. Students reported a preference for learning by figure analysis over traditional lecture, and female students in particular reported increased confidence in their analytical abilities. The survey given reported that figure analysis helped them learn (88%) and helped them learn more than traditional lectures (74%). Students also reported that figure analysis taught them how to read and interpret figures (84%). Most students (75%) agreed or strongly agreed that talking with their peers facilitated their understanding better than examining the figure on their own.