Collaborative exploration of language teachers’ digital didactical designs for tablet classrooms

Abstract

This study explored the digital didactical designs of four senior and FET language teachers at a private school. Participants collaborated within a Community of Practice during the study that served as a Teacher Professional Development opportunity, aimed at integrating technology into their teaching. The research design involved Collaborative Action Research for data gathering purposes. The phenomenon was represented as an explorative, descriptive case study. Data collection instruments included focus-group interviews, observations and documents based on the teaching practices of the participants. The study employed a conceptual framework involving the Digital Didactical Design theoretical framework, surface and deep learning in relation to Bloom’s Taxonomy, the Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition model as well as Teachers’ ICT proficiency levels. Nine interviews, 24 observation sheets as well as lesson documents were analysed using content analysis and coding. During the study, all participants managed to present true digital didactical designs, especially during their second lessons. They gained an appreciation for and ability to integrate digital tools into their teaching practices. While the inputs of the Community of Practice were beneficial, the use of the Digital Didactical Design observation sheet was time-consuming and not user-friendly, although it contributed to teachers’ designs. The study contributed a checklist for lesson design that applied the elements of Digital Didactical Design, as well as an updated observation sheet that can be used during oral reflections on lessons to determine teachers’ digital didactical designs.