Trojan Horse Theory in Technology-Rich Classrooms

Last weekend was for my reading and searching articles. I found many research articles close to my study. One of the articles that wanna write about is Levin and Wadnany's article (2006).

"Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices in Technology-Based Classrooms: A Developmental View"

This article is interesting for me that it is a longitudinal study exploring changes in teachers’ beliefs and practice when they use technology in classroom teaching. Specifically, the results were discussed in three areas: beliefs on learning and teaching; Evolving classroom practices; and Views on Technology. The study uses three sets of categories in the analysis of teachers’ beliefs. The conceptions of learning are categorized into: behaviourist, cognitive constructivism, social constructivism, and radical constructivism. The conceptions of teaching were classified into: passing information, transmission of knowledge, meeting students’ needs, and helping students become independent learners. Teachers’ teaching models are grouped into: direct instruction, collaborative learning, cognitive apprenticeship, and discovery leaning. Teachers’ views on technology were analysed according to three types: technical interest, communicative or practical interests, and emancipatory knowledge interests.

In other words, they looked into three main areas when conducting the study of teachers’ beliefs. They make connections among the three conceptual domains of classroom teaching in a technology-rich environment. The metaphor given at the suggestions and implications part was Becker and Ravitz’s (1999) “Trojan Horse” theory, which implies that computers intrigue changes in classroom teaching practice as well as impact on teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. The findings also support Argyris and Schon’s theory of action (1974), which maintains that humans learn from their actions, and use what they learn to plan and carry out future actions, which al ultimately affect their beliefs (Kane, et al., 2002).

Furthermore the study reflects differences dimensions of teachers’ beliefs. The beliefs of teachers in this study were not inconsistent but rather complementary and having multiple-conception perspectives. As teaching and learning are complex and multifaceted phenomena, just like how people communicate and interact in communities.

Finally the study provides suggestion on the development of teachers’ beliefs that it takes place in a continuum, from teacher centred teaching and learning to student centred teaching and learning; from relating mainly to an individual student to groups or learning communities; from disciplinary-based learning goals to inter-disciplinary, and from viewing technology as a technical tool to a learning partner.