Deep impact: a study of the use of hand held computers for teacher professional development in primary schools in the Global South.
Abstract
The Digital Education Enhancement Project is investigating the ways in which new technologies can improve the teaching of literacy, numeracy and science in primary schools in Egypt and South Africa. 48 primary teachers (24 in each country) have been carrying out a sequence of classroom-focused professional development activities, using a range of new technologies. Each teacher has been provided with a hand held computer and pocket camera for use throughout the project. This study reports on the use made of these devices by teachers and students across a twelve-month period. The findings of the study indicate that use of the hand held computers has enhanced teacher professional capabilities and development. The study suggests that future research and development should exploit the potential for improvement and the conditions in which such outcomes can be realised, and further investigate the potential of state of the art technologies for contributing to teacher education in developing contexts.
Citation
European Journal of Teacher Education (2004) 27 (1) 5-28 [doi: 10.1080/0261976042000211856]