Adaptive Expertise: Mapping Technology in the Elementary Classroom

• In Event: Adaptive Expertise for Teaching in Academic Domains: Argumentative Writing, Literature, Collaborative Problem Solving, and Technology-Based Inquiry

Abstract

Objectives

We designed a professional development model to help teachers develop technical and conceptual knowledge to integrate digital-mapping technologies in upper elementary grades. Using an adaptive expertise lens, we document how teachers utilized their knowledge and experience in the classroom.

Theoretical framework

The work presented in this study was informed by Hatano and colleagues’ (1984, 2003) notion of adaptive expertise. It was concomitantly grounded in sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1986). Because we incorporated intricate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software in our inquiry activities we sought to create communities of learners (Rogoff, 1994) and use learning though participation in practice (Lave, 1996) in our training. We also utilized two paths to adaptive expertise: one that started with exploration but then was followed by practice, while the second started with practice but ended with innovation (Schwartz and colleagues, 2005, 2009).

Method

The original study lasted for three years; however, this investigation focuses on four teachers who were trained during Year 3. All were veteran fifth-grade teachers with more than seven years of experience. The teachers worked at three Midwestern urban schools that served a diverse student population.

The 30 hours of training that the teachers went through aimed to create a balance between two types of learning: incidental (knowing why) and basic skills (knowing how to) (Baroody, 2013). Incidental learning helped teachers hone their conceptual understanding of abstract mapping principles. While learning basic skills helped teachers develop procedural knowledge to operate the software. The intervention lasted for six weeks. The results below are based on fieldnotes obtained from daily classroom observations, teachers’ responses to post-training questionnaires, and post-intervention interviews.

Results

Factors that impact adaptive expertise

Socio-emotional qualities

We found that teachers who voluntarily signed up to participate in the study were more relaxed, confident, willing to explore the GIS software, spent more time preparing for lessons, invented ways to help the students with concepts and technology, and were more willing to allow students to explore; these teachers showed signs of adaptive expertise. However, teachers who were selected by their administration to participate were less likely to show these characteristics. These teachers used routine expertise focusing more on procedural than conceptual knowledge.

Revealing limited knowledge

Teachers who depended on routine expertise were willing to reveal the limits of their knowledge (Crawford et al., 2005); whereas, teachers using adaptive expertise sought to invent solutions before asking for assistance unless they faced technical issues far removed from the realm of their knowledge.

Domain-general and domain-specific knowledge

Due to long years of experience, all teachers showed well-structured domain-general pedagogical knowledge. However, teachers varied widely regarding domain-specific knowledge regarding the operation of the GIS software.

Assessing students’ performance

Teachers with more adaptive expertise monitored the students more closely, provided more feedback, and allowed students to demonstrate their understanding to different audiences in the school and the community.

Scholarly Significance

This work adds to the scholarship that aims to assist teachers integrate hard-core technology in everyday activities in the elementary classroom.

Authors

• May Jadallah, Illinois State University

• Joel Studebaker