Thesis | ތީސީސް

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hoba.ium.edu.mv/handle/1/296

Browse

Browsing Thesis | ތީސީސް by Title

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Understanding teacher educators' pedagogical and technological cultural habitus (PATCH) : an ethnographic study in the Maldives
    (The University of Waikato, 2015) Adam, Aminath Shafiya
    A substantial body of literature discusses the complexity of integrating technology in teachers’ pedagogical practices (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). The literature over the last two decades, specifically suggests that teachers and teacher educators have shown limited pedagogical changes regardless of their frequent use of technologies in their teaching. However, the literature overlooks the impact teachers’ culture may have when investigating their use of technologies in their practices. Bourdieu (1977) argues that people’s practices are embodied within their cultures; hence they form habitus through their past and present experiences, both consciously and unconsciously. I argue that teachers’ pedagogical and technological practices cannot be fully understood without considering the social and cultural norms of their specific cultures. My thesis aims to explain the impact of Maldivian teacher educators’ culture and background on their pedagogical and technological practices. The main research question therefore is: How do teacher educators’ pedagogical and technological practices form in the Maldives? Sub-questions arising from this are: 1) What are the social and cultural learning norms that influenced teacher educators’ use of technologies in their pedagogy? 2) How does the institutional context influence teacher educators’ use of technologies in their pedagogical practice? 3) How do teacher educators form their pedagogical and technological practice? My research used an ethnographic methodology, linked with Bourdieu’s (1977) habitus as a lens for exploring teacher educators’ practices in the Maldives. Data were gathered from eleven teacher educators who work in a Maldivian university context: using interviews, observations, focus groups and the hanging out approach. The findings were generated through grounded theory for capturing an in-depth understanding of how these teacher educators’ pedagogical and technological practices were formed. Key findings demonstrated that teacher educators’ pedagogical and technological practices were influenced by their own culture, early learning experiences in the Maldives, and their workplace (institutional context). The study revealed that these teacher educators selected and used specific digital technologies available in their workplace to deliver content. As a result, they formed their pedagogical (content-oriented) and technological (PowerPoint-assisted) cultural habitus that most often mirrored their existing pedagogical thinking. This study has contributed to the research field by recognising the impact of these teacher educators’ culture and background on their pedagogical and technological practices. It fills a critical gap (i.e. a connection between technology use, pedagogy, and culture) which has been neglected in the technology integration research and models. My research therefore, contributes a PATCH framework for understanding teacher educators’ pedagogical and technological habitus and an additional layer into the TPACK framework to represent teacher’s PATCH. Through applying Bourdieu’s habitus lens, I have devised a conceptual framework for investigating pedagogical contexts, an outline of ethnographic process and an analysis model for understanding qualitative data using various technological tools.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Use of role-play in language and literacy development for English as a second language (ESL) learners: an exploratory case study of a Maldivian school
    (Islamic University of Maldives, 2023-03) Moosa, Shama
    Providing children with opportunities to develop their language in a positive environment is vital. Engagement in different types of play allows children to utilise their language skills. Roleplay is one of the most common methods used by teachers in order to facilitate young English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ language development and literacy skills. The purpose of this study is to investigate how role-play facilitates language and literacy development in ESL learners of grade two level students. Participants of this case study include purposively selected 20 students and 2 teachers. Data were collected by means of classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and teachers’ lesson-plan documents. Data for this study were analysed by following Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis framework. The findings revealed that role-play has a positive impact on students’ literacy and language development. It also revealed that role-play is a relevant method for students to enhance their vocabulary through exposure to new vocabulary, and through writing scripts. During role-plays, students incorporated language structures and grammar points, resulting in a holistic improvement in their language development and literacy skills. The study indicates the importance of using role-play in teaching English language and literacy skills. Implications of this study therefore will provide guidance indicating the importance of using roleplay to facilitate to English language teachers who teach ESL especially to elementary grade students. Giving more details of how this method can boost the students’ vocabulary as well as other language skills.