Educating for Intelligent Use of the Web: Opportunities and Challenges in Teacher Education
Source: Journal of Technology and Teacher Education Vol. 21, No. 4, October 2013, p. 485-510.
This study examines the characteristics, advantages and shortcomings of the educational approaches used by Israeli students, who have developed and taught curricula on the intelligent use of the Web.
The participants were 180 students in a teacher training college in Israel.
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Most of the students chose balanced approaches for developing and teaching curricula on the subject, relating both to the benefits and the dangers of using the Web.
Quite a few, however, chose a negative critical approach focusing on the dangers and harmful effects of the Internet.
A marginal minority chose a positive approach stressing only the beneficial uses of the Web.
In light of the analysis of the students’ reflection questionnaires, the authors were able to identify those factors that assist and those that inhibit the teaching of the subject based on each of the approaches.
In addition, recommendations were made for optimally adapting an approach for developing and teaching sub-topics of the curricula, while enhancing the advantages and reducing the disadvantages.