Using Technology to Enhance Pre-Service Reading Education: the Promise of Blended Learning

• In Event: The Role of Pre-Service Education in Producing and Perpetuating (In)Equalities:The Case of Early Grade Reading (Part ONE)

Proposal

This presentation describes the design and development of innovative blended learning modules created for USAID’s Teacher Education Project (TEP) in Pakistan to help both pre-service instructors and their student teachers gain content knowledge, critical pedagogical skills, and analytical capacity in the field of reading education. The presenters first share the results of their situational analysis of the status of pre-service institute coursework in early grade reading, which revealed, among other findings, that “…[teacher] educators generally address the content knowledge of their subjects, and do very little to prepare teacher trainees to be able to teach those subjects...” They then go on to describe the unique features of the Blended Learning series “Growing Up to Read and Write: Teaching Early Reading and Writing,” which was specifically designed in response to the situational analysis. The series includes four multi-media strands that build upon one another, with each strand containing text, audio-visual clips, and suggestions to help college/university faculty prepare prospective teachers to teach reading in an evidence-based manner. For each topic addressed, (for example, “Breaking the Code - Reading Text”), there are five segments that teacher training college staff and their prospective students use together: a “Read About It!” segment that introduces and serves as the foundation for the module, a “See It” segment that is a brief animation of the concept addressed in the module, an “Analyze It” segment that asks viewers to critique videos from actual primary classrooms and determine whether the particular topic under discussion is well taken into account, a “Practice It” segment that asks teacher trainees to apply newly –learned content and pedagogical knowledge, and a “Reflect on It!” guide that poses questions, writing prompts, and additional classroom activities that the teacher trainer can use to enhance students’ understanding. Through these segments, learning is carefully scaffolded , clear examples of effective practice are provided, and explicit comparisons between students’ assumptions about reading instruction and the principles in the modules are required, so that users have multiple opportunities to reflect on their learning and apply new knowledge.

By demonstrating the segments of this blended approach, by discussing the choices and challenges faced by the production team, by sharing the data on how the modules were used by the Pakistani teacher college staff, and by exposing the results of the learning assessments delivered to trainees, the presenters make the case that Blended Learning can combine the best features of face-to-face and technology-based instruction to introduce content about reading instruction into the pre-service training cycle. The data they share suggest that Blended Learning provides sufficient support to pre-service training faculty so that they can teach their students to: a) recognize effective classroom practices that support the acquisition of reading and writing skills, b) plan and implement a progression of reading and writing activities that expand into an instructional sequence, and c) reflect on the effect one's teaching has on students' literacy learning. The presenters conclude by sharing recommendations on how a Blended Learning approach can support the transition to stronger pre-service instruction in reading in other developing country contexts.

Author

• Rachel Christina, Education Development Center (EDC)