Developing Student-Teachers' Content Knowledge and Teaching Skill through a Model of Integrating Problem-Based Learning with Information and Communication Technology

Subject Areas : Infomartion Technology

Mehdi Karami ¹ , Zohreh Karami ² , Mohammad Attaran ³

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Received: 2012-05-11 Accepted : 2012-06-16 Published : 2012-04-01

Keywords: Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Content Knowledge, Teaching Skill,

Abstract :

The aim of the present research was studying the effect of combining problem-based learning with information and communication technology on the development of content knowledge and pedagogical skills of student-teachers of teacher training center. All student-teachers of Shahid Bahonar Teacher Training Center of Hamadan province in 2011 were selected as population of the research, and of them, two groups of primary education major were chosen as the sample. The methodology of the present research was quasi-experimental, and the pretest-posttest design with control group was employed. In the control group, a program was generated by the teacher-trainer using Power Point software, and through that program, the student-teachers were taught how to teach mathematical concepts using problem solving and discovery learning methods. In the experimental group, after collecting information and devising their plan based on problem solving and discovery learning methods, the student-teachers were required to teach mathematical concepts in Power Point environment. In fact, the issue they were dealing with was how to design a dynamic program by means of which their students were enabled to discover concepts. The procedure of carrying out the research lasted for two weeks. So, after performing the research, both groups were given theory and practice tests in the fields of content knowledge and pedagogical skills. The analysis of the results of two tests (theory and practice) by means of independent-sample t test showed that knowledge and skill performance of student-teachers who had combined problem-based learning with ICT in order to solve the problem was better than the group who had merely employed the ICT.