Malcolm Roberts | Waikato Institute of Technology (original) (raw)

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Thesis Chapters by Malcolm Roberts

Factors that Facilitate or Impede the Effective Implementation of Open Source Software to Support Learning and Teaching in a New Zealand Senior High School, 2022

According to the literature, there is a gap between the learning style of students and the pedago... more According to the literature, there is a gap between the learning style of students and the pedagogy currently used in high schools. Therefore, this case study focused on a new school that aimed to close this gap by changing pedagogy, adopting an open educational philosophy and using open source software to support learning.
This study’s main focus was the factors that facilitate or impede the effective implementation of open source software to support learning and teaching in a senior high school. Subsidiary questions involved the stakeholders’ views about the nature of open source software, rationales for its use in the school, its advantages and disadvantages in the educational context, and the pedagogy used in classrooms by teachers in relation to open source software. Because the literature review indicated that little research has been conducted on the use of open source software in senior high schools, this study contributes to knowledge about the use of open source software in education.
The case study included a thematic analysis lens when analysing interview and survey data. All major stakeholders, including the Board of Trustees, senior management, teachers and students, were asked for their opinions about the use of open source software for learning and teaching within the school. Interview and survey data were coded to generate common themes that are reported in the results chapter and considered further in the discussion chapter.
Analysis of responses showed that open source software was used to scaffold learning in specialist subject areas of the curriculum. The main advantage of open source software was considered to be its provision of equitable access to all students in the school to specialist educational software to scaffold their learning. However, open source software was identified as one component of a mixture of software used by teachers and students in the school. Cloud-based software such as Google Apps for Education and social networking software played an equally important role in the school’s open connectivist learning. The school had a unique open educational culture that included open teaching spaces, open educational resources and an inquiry-based programme that gave students a choice of projects.
iv
This research confirmed the importance of digital tools for scaffolding learning in a high school that provides a mixture of software for students, as well as highlighting the increasing importance of cloud-based software and social networking software to support constructivist and connectivist learning on the network for high school students who are using their own devices.
The major factors identified were people (learning vision and open educational culture), pedagogy (constructivism and connectivism to accompany learners, nurture and bring learning to life) and digital tools (choice, access and a mixture of software available for learning) to learn within a community-of-practice in the senior high school. Open source software is a component of a software mix, which allows equitable access, sustainability, adaptability and cost-saving in a school where digital tools support the people and pedagogy in achieving school goals.

Papers by Malcolm Roberts

How has your digital classroom continued to receive income and support from the school? 7. Early ... more How has your digital classroom continued to receive income and support from the school? 7. Early on your digital classroom was a pioneer concept in your school. Has there been any change in the perception of a digital classroom by the major stakeholders? School administration, parents and Board of Trustees? 8. What are the major changes that your digital classroom has undergone in the last four years and what is the reason for the changes? 9. What are the positive aspects of the digital classroom environment? 10. What are the negative aspects of the digital classroom environment? brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Wintec Research Archive 11. Where do you see the digital classroom environment going in the next five years? Methodology Case Study methodology: a profile of the digital classroom in 2009 will be developed then compared to the 2005 profile. According to (Creswell, 2003, p. 105) "In qualitative study inquirers state research questions, not objectives or hypothesis. These research questions assume two forms: a central question and associated sub questions." Creswell (2003, p.15) states that "Case studies, in which the researcher explores in depth a program, an event, a process or one or more individuals. The case(s) are bounded by time and activity, and researchers collect detailed information using a variety of data collection procedures over a sustained period of time". Case Study Protocol 1. Interviewee was identified and contacted. 2. The purpose of the interview was explained and a date/time arranged for the interview. 3. From the research questions a list of open ended questions was formulated. 4. A interview consent form was sent to the Interviewee. 5. The signed consent form was given to the Interviewer prior to the Interview. 6. Permission was asked to digitally record the interview. 7. The interview was started; the interviewer did not take notes during the interview. The interviewer tried to make the teacher feel at ease by asking them to define a digital classroom at the start of the interview. 8. Interviewee was thanked at the conclusion of the interview. 9. Interview digital recordings were transcribed by the researcher.

Factors that Facilitate or Impede the Effective Implementation of Open Source Software to Support Learning and Teaching in a New Zealand Senior High School, 2022

According to the literature, there is a gap between the learning style of students and the pedago... more According to the literature, there is a gap between the learning style of students and the pedagogy currently used in high schools. Therefore, this case study focused on a new school that aimed to close this gap by changing pedagogy, adopting an open educational philosophy and using open source software to support learning.
This study’s main focus was the factors that facilitate or impede the effective implementation of open source software to support learning and teaching in a senior high school. Subsidiary questions involved the stakeholders’ views about the nature of open source software, rationales for its use in the school, its advantages and disadvantages in the educational context, and the pedagogy used in classrooms by teachers in relation to open source software. Because the literature review indicated that little research has been conducted on the use of open source software in senior high schools, this study contributes to knowledge about the use of open source software in education.
The case study included a thematic analysis lens when analysing interview and survey data. All major stakeholders, including the Board of Trustees, senior management, teachers and students, were asked for their opinions about the use of open source software for learning and teaching within the school. Interview and survey data were coded to generate common themes that are reported in the results chapter and considered further in the discussion chapter.
Analysis of responses showed that open source software was used to scaffold learning in specialist subject areas of the curriculum. The main advantage of open source software was considered to be its provision of equitable access to all students in the school to specialist educational software to scaffold their learning. However, open source software was identified as one component of a mixture of software used by teachers and students in the school. Cloud-based software such as Google Apps for Education and social networking software played an equally important role in the school’s open connectivist learning. The school had a unique open educational culture that included open teaching spaces, open educational resources and an inquiry-based programme that gave students a choice of projects.
iv
This research confirmed the importance of digital tools for scaffolding learning in a high school that provides a mixture of software for students, as well as highlighting the increasing importance of cloud-based software and social networking software to support constructivist and connectivist learning on the network for high school students who are using their own devices.
The major factors identified were people (learning vision and open educational culture), pedagogy (constructivism and connectivism to accompany learners, nurture and bring learning to life) and digital tools (choice, access and a mixture of software available for learning) to learn within a community-of-practice in the senior high school. Open source software is a component of a software mix, which allows equitable access, sustainability, adaptability and cost-saving in a school where digital tools support the people and pedagogy in achieving school goals.

How has your digital classroom continued to receive income and support from the school? 7. Early ... more How has your digital classroom continued to receive income and support from the school? 7. Early on your digital classroom was a pioneer concept in your school. Has there been any change in the perception of a digital classroom by the major stakeholders? School administration, parents and Board of Trustees? 8. What are the major changes that your digital classroom has undergone in the last four years and what is the reason for the changes? 9. What are the positive aspects of the digital classroom environment? 10. What are the negative aspects of the digital classroom environment? brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Wintec Research Archive 11. Where do you see the digital classroom environment going in the next five years? Methodology Case Study methodology: a profile of the digital classroom in 2009 will be developed then compared to the 2005 profile. According to (Creswell, 2003, p. 105) "In qualitative study inquirers state research questions, not objectives or hypothesis. These research questions assume two forms: a central question and associated sub questions." Creswell (2003, p.15) states that "Case studies, in which the researcher explores in depth a program, an event, a process or one or more individuals. The case(s) are bounded by time and activity, and researchers collect detailed information using a variety of data collection procedures over a sustained period of time". Case Study Protocol 1. Interviewee was identified and contacted. 2. The purpose of the interview was explained and a date/time arranged for the interview. 3. From the research questions a list of open ended questions was formulated. 4. A interview consent form was sent to the Interviewee. 5. The signed consent form was given to the Interviewer prior to the Interview. 6. Permission was asked to digitally record the interview. 7. The interview was started; the interviewer did not take notes during the interview. The interviewer tried to make the teacher feel at ease by asking them to define a digital classroom at the start of the interview. 8. Interviewee was thanked at the conclusion of the interview. 9. Interview digital recordings were transcribed by the researcher.