Helena Baert (PhD Student)Department of Health Science, Kinesiology, Recreation and Dance, University of Arkansas

WEB 2.0 TOOLS IN PETE Encouraging the social, collaborative and reflective construction of knowledge.

Review of Relevant Literature:Observational practice and internship are a crucial part of the senior year in a physical education teaching program. Bulger (2006) explains that a senior year in Kinesiology is a critical period to assist students in a smooth transition from being a student to being a professional. In the University of Arkansas, this critical time starts with a period of observation, reflection and practical training. In the second stage of their final year, the students enter an internship where they can apply the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to succeed in the work field. Evans and Powell (2007), Moore and Chae (2007), Ray and Hocutt (2006), and Wubbels (2001) reported that Web 2.0 tools have potential for the development of professional teacher communities by enhancing knowledge creation, reflective practice, collaboration and social interaction among teacher candidates. Albion (2008) claims that “the best way to help teachers learn about web 2.0 tools is to have them learn with web 2.0 tools” (p.18). In order to benefit from advancements of social networks for professional development, web 2.0. activities should be introduced early on in the teacher preparation program (Albion, 2008). Consequently, the development of patterns of authentic practice during and beyond the teacher education preparation program can be enhanced and the use of web 2.0 sites can become integral to the personal learning network and continuous professional development of novice teachers (Voithofer, 2007). Evans and Powell (2007) continue this conversation by acknowledging the use of e-portfolios using web 2.0 tools to “forward the professional engagement of teachers while building the authentic experience required to support use of Web 2.0 in their practice” (p.21, Albion, 2008). This study will investigate both the use of web 2.0 tools as well as its progression towards using e-portfolios.

Purpose: This pilot study will employ an exploratory inquiry to

uncover the perceptions that Physical Education teacher candidates held regarding the usefulness of social networks and wikis as instructional tools to enhance connectivity and learning through a web enhanced component.

An Exploratory Inquiry Who? 20 PE teacher candidates.

How? 2 Research Phases / 2 courses, both involving a web-components

1) Spring 2009: Practicum Course: focus on using web 2.0 tools.2) Fall 2009: Internship Course focus on the development of a personal learning network through e-portfolio development. Both courses are implemented completely off-campus and research shows that students often feel disconnected from their peers and guiding faculty members during that time (Casey, Bloom & Moan, 1994; Mayer, 2002). In order to improve the level of connectivity while enhancing reflection and critical thinking during the observation experience, an online portion to the course has been implemented in January 2009.

This web-based portion includes:•A social network (NING) utilizing email, discussion forum posts and blogs to encourage reflection, discussion and enhance connectivity. •A wiki, a webpage and collaborative instrument where students can freely add, edit, erase and create knowledge will be used to help students create and collaborate on lesson plans or develop a Personal learning Plan (Leuf & Cunningham, 2001)

Study Design:1) Web-Questionnairesa)Four basic multiple choice questions regarding their prior experience with web 2.0 tools. b)closed-ended questions were asked to evaluate the instructional design component of the course and their own learning using a five-point Likert scale with response categories ranging from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5). c)Three open-ended questions in which the students were asked to describe the successes, challenges, and suggestions associated with the online component of the course.2) Quantitative Analysis of responses to the Likert-Scale type questions. 3) Qualitative Analysis of responses to the three open-ended questions:4) Interpretation of the information to unveil specific nuances, patterns, and understanding from the teacher candidates’ insights.

Timeline:

ReferencesAlbion, Peter (2008) Web 2.0 in teacher education: two imperatives for

action. Computers in the Schools, 25 (3/4). pp. 181-198.Bulger (2006) Maintaining Connections: A Web-Enhanced Approach to

Undergraduate Internship Supervision. Physical Educator; 63(3), p114-125.

Evans, M. A., & Powell, A. (2007). Conceptual and practical issues related to the design for and sustainability of communities of practice: the case of e-portfolio use in preservice teacher training. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 16(2), 199 - 214.Moore, J. A., & Chae, B. (2007). Beginning teachers' use of online resources and communities. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 16(2), 215 - 224.Ray, B. B., & Hocutt, M. M. (2006). Teacher-created, Teacher-centered

Weblogs: Perceptions and Practices. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 23(1), 11-18.

Voithofer, R. (2007). Web 2.0: What is it and how can it apply to teaching and teacher preparation? Paper presented at the American

Educational Research Association Conference. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://education.osu.edu/rvoithofer/papers/web2paper.pdf.Wubbels, T. (2007). Do we know a community of practice when we see

one? Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 16(2), 225 - 233.Leuf, B., & Cunningham, W. (2001). The wiki way: Quick collaboration on

the web. New Jersey: Addison-Wesley.

Web 2.0: Read, Write and Participate. Tools: 1)Social Network NING:

a) Discussion Forum: Introductions, questions related to the management and organization of PE, reflections of practicum experiences.Students respond to a question and to the responses of their

peers to encourage reflection in critical thinking.

b) Blogs: while discussion forums are more direct, blogs provide more room for creative reflection. Phase 1: students receive the assignment to reflect on an interview with their mentor teacher. Phase 2: students will reflect on their experiences as well as comment on the experiences on their peers.

2) Wiki:Phase 1: Create and collaborate on lesson plansPhase 2: Create e-portfolio that includes resume,

several lesson plans, unit plans and the organization of a personal learning plan.

Phases Course Analysis/Interpretation

Phase 1 Practicum: Jan-May 2009 June-August 2009

Phase 2 Internship: Aug-Dec 2009 Jan-March 2010