Drennan, G. D. (2018). Affordances of iPads in schools: The role of the educational technology coach (Doctoral dissertation, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334305355_Affordances_of_iPads_The_role_of_the_educational_technology_coach

Abstract:

“This thesis developed a research-based model of an educational technology coach. The multi-case qualitative study, founded in grounded theory, explored how five educational technology coaches helped five teachers to integrate the affordances of iPads into their teaching, through observing one- on-one sessions and interviewing participants. A conceptual framework was developed that suggested that the iPad’s technological capabilities created technological affordances that led to new pedagogical affordances, for example, the camera allowed for photos to illustrate concepts. The implications of the relationships between these three concepts were described as six ways in which teachers’ pedagogy can be changed: polysynchronous teaching and learning; digitised, enhanced learning compared to digital, transformed learning; student ownership of learning with teachers as facilitators; students as teachers of content and technology; and teachers’ triple agendas of content elaboration, academic argument and digital citizenship. A matrix described a dependent, influenced, serendipitous and autonomous learning model that gave insight into the relationships between direct or no direct educational technology coach instruction and built-in or purchased apps. Kolb’s experiential learning theory was applied to an exemplification of the work of the educational technology coach. Examples of data instantiating elements of the TPCK and SAMR models in the work of educational technology coaches showed how teachers’ TPCK benefitted. Data was categorised into a framework with eight sections: teacher-driven scheduling; educational technology coaches’ relationships with teachers; teacher-driven agendas; educational technology coach-driven agendas; educational technology coaches’ relationships with parents; educational technology coaches’ relationships with students; empowering students; teachers’ relationships with students; educational technology coaches and teachers learning from others; and personal professional development. Finally, an emerging model of an educational technology coach was proposed with the underlying principle of the educational technology coach discovering how the teacher wanted the iPad or app to better his or her pedagogy. This was followed by a consideration of the resultant concepts: meeting times; knowledge of applications; multifunctional or creative apps; trialling and testing apps; student purchases; teaching about the iPad and an app; collegiality; and modelling desired behaviour.”