Digital learning resources: What are teachers looking for?

Wim de Boer

EdReNe - 2nd Strategic seminarJune 9th June 11th 2008

Digital learning resources: What are teachers looking for?

Wim de Boer

EdReNe - 2nd Strategic seminarJune 9th June 11th 2008

CurriculumA plan for learning...

The plan in The Netherlands: the textbook

Curricular spider webRationaleContentTeacher roleMaterials & ResourcesGroupingLocationTimeAssessmentAims & ObjectivesLearning activities

Learning materials on the moveNew educational organisation and approaches: more emphasis on independent learning, competences, authentic learning environments New providers: other providers, new partnerships, new roles publishersThe role of ICT (digital learning resources, VLEs, quality, metadata / traceability / access)Shortage of teachersNew ways of funding the learning resources

Educational Resources Monitor ResearchAnnual examination of trends in the field of educational materialstwo-dimension model: digital & paper-basedcoherent packages of subject-related learning resources (we call it texbooks) & learning resources that don't have the coherency and are smaller, for more flexible use (we call it flexible learning materials)what is used, how much,why and how searched for and selected?

Main findings The texbooks are still widely used There are interesting differences between sectors, gender, experience and topics on the use Most teachers still use paperDigital is more flexible and more used in "newer" educationSearching for resources goes by Google, it costs a lot of time

Teaching time with textbooks and flexible learning materialsonly textbooks

combination

only flexible learning materials

Grafiek3

0.66

0.2

0.14

Grafiek1

0.66

0.2

0.14

aaaa

Blad1

POVOPO/VO

only methods67%65%66%

combination21%20%20%

only flexible resources12%15%14%

alleen methodegebonden leermiddelen66%

combinatie20%

alleen niet-methodegebonden leermiddelen14%

Blad1

Blad2

only methods

combination

only flexible resources

Blad3

Teaching time used with digital or paper-based learning materialspaper

combination

digital

Grafiek1

0.71

0.2

0.09

Blad1

Blad2

verschijnings-vormen leermiddelenpapercombinationdigital

Sector

PO/VO

papercombinationdigital

71%20%9%

Blad2

Blad3

MBD03F49BEA.xls

Grafiek1

0.66

0.2

0.14

aaaa

Blad1

POVOPO/VO

only methods67%65%66%

combination21%20%20%

only flexible resources12%15%14%

alleen methodegebonden leermiddelen66%

combinatie20%

alleen niet-methodegebonden leermiddelen14%

Blad1

Blad2

Blad3

Why use flexible learning materials?To better connect with pupils reality; it is more fun Flexible learning materials are enriching, and are used in projectsThey are often digital and found on the internet

Differences in those that create and those that useflexible learning resources used:

Looking for learning materialsHow often do teachers search?How much time it takes them?Google is most used as a starting point

POVOPO/VOdaily3%6%5%weekly27%33%31%monthly55%45%48%almost never16%16%16%never0%0%0%

POVOPO/VO< 5 min8%9%9%5-15 min35%24%27%15-30 min37%39%38%> 30 min20%29%27%

What do teachers find important when searching for flexible learning materials?Most important:options for independent workoptions for differentiationcoverage of (relation to) curriculum goals (examination requirements)instruction and didactics (pedagogy) costsvisual impression of the material target group

Important:role of ICT tests (evaluation) user experiences of colleaguesshort description of the contents long description of the contents (2 a4)Not (so) important:availabilityrequired educational timestudies to comparisons between methodstable of contentsbibliographic information reviews of third parties (such as journals)market share of the method

Of most importance when selecting flexible learning materials

Questions?More information:www.slo.nl/Leermiddelenmonitor w.deboer@slo.nl

Subject matter and target group analysis: see Smith & Ragan