Content-focused technology inquiry groups: preparing urban teachers to integrate technology to transform student learning

Hughes, Joan E. and Ooms, Ann (2004) Content-focused technology inquiry groups: preparing urban teachers to integrate technology to transform student learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 36(4), pp. 397-411. ISSN (print) 1539-1523

Abstract

This paper examines the process of establishing and sustaining content-focused technology inquiry groups, a teacher professional development model where groups of teachers with similar content and grade areas identify problems of practice and inquire into technology-supported solutions. Through a longitudinal case study of an urban arts-humanities technology inquiry group, this research reveals three phases of group development: (a) defining the group, (b) identifying content-focused technology inquiries, and (c) initiating content-focused technology inquiries. The main advantage of the first year of participation for teachers was their use of technology to solve content-related problems in their classrooms. Challenges included a shifting content focus for the inquiry group, time availability for participants' inquiries, and the availability of technological innovations that matched the participants' problems of practice.

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