Cui, J. (2020). Science teachers’ instructional design practices for a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environment in New Zealand secondary schools [Doctoral dissertation, University of Auckland]. University of Auckland Research Repository. https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/54062

Abstract:

“An increasing number of New Zealand schools have introduced and implemented bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiatives, a significant trend in New Zealand education. A considerable body of literature and emergent practices have demonstrated how teachers’ effective instructional design practices can influence students’ abilities to learn and students’ educational attainment. Some research has been carried out on the impact of technology integration on students’ attitudes and learning performance as well as the influence of teachers’ professional learning and development in BYOD environments. However, little is known about teachers’ instructional design practices for a BYOD environment. This study aims to understand science teachers’ instructional design practices for BYOD environments in New Zealand secondary schools. It explores teachers’ practices in a BYOD environment and offers new insights into New Zealand BYOD initiatives. The qualitative study included three phases: Phase 1,analysis of 222 New Zealand secondary schools’ documents related to BYOD; Phase 2, an open-ended survey completed by72 science teachers; and Phase 3,semi-structured interviews with 12 science teachers and three experts in the field of New Zealand secondary science education. Document analysis was used for Phase 1 and thematic analysis for Phases 2 and 3 data. The Phase 1 findings showed that 222 out of 347 New Zealand secondary schools (64%) had adopted BYOD initiatives at the time of the study. Collating and analysing 837 documents from these 222 schools revealed seven categories of information, including: vision, enrolment, news, reports, general information about BYOD, information on responsible use of technology in a BYOD environment, and technical instruction. The findings from Phases 2 and 3 linked macro-, meso-and micro-level contextual factors with teacher knowledge, perceived affordances and constraints, professional learning and development, engagement, and instructional design practices. The study found that participating teachers attached more importance to knowledge of technology and pedagogy than content. When reviewing these teachers’ instructional design practices within the ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation) framework, their analysis and evaluation phases appeared to consistently inform the three phases of design, development, and implementation. Finally, with reference to the SAMR (substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition) model, most participating teachers characterised the extent of their technology use as either modification or redefinition, as they generally felt confident and comfortable with their current teaching with technology.  These findings provide insights and practical implications for teachers, schools, teacher education providers, and policymakers, as well as guidance for future studies of BYOD and in the broader field of technology in education.”