Evaluation of the Circular-Spiral Structure of Teaching-Learning-Assessment in an ICT Environment

Noga Magen-Nagar
2016 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal  
In the digital era the process of structuring knowledge is perceived as a circular-spiral continuum of learning-directed instruction, active reflective learning, and performance-based contextual evaluation following the new International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS). This research explores the extent to which the teacher's mastery of Computer and Information Literacy (CIL) influences the process of structuring knowledge in an Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
more » ... ronment. The study encompassed 203 teachers who participated in the national ICT program in Israel "Adapting the education system to the 21st century". SEM analysis finds that the process of structuring knowledge in an ICT environment is circular and includes the use of ICT teaching strategies, learning to write in an ICT environment, and alternative ICT assessment. This process is clearly influenced by the level of the teacher's mastery of computer literacy and knowledge for each of the components of its structuring. The research findings note the complexity of the process of structuring knowledge in an ICT environment and emphasize the importance of the dependency between all the components of the process and the teacher's mastery of CIL. Following the research findings we recommend the continuous, direct and explicit development and promotion of CIL amongst the teachers as an integral part of the process of their professional development in this changing reality. An international study was performed in 2013 in order to assess computer and information literacy (CIL) skills of eight-graders. The survey also collected data on the teachers' professional development policy and on the requirement to guide the teachers toward CIL mastery [8] . CIL is an extensive field of knowledge, skills, and understanding, which are essential to creating and managing communication beyond the limit of acquaintance [4] . It is defined as "an individual's ability to use computers to investigate, create and communicate in order to participate effectively at home, at school, in the workplace and in society" [9, p. 17]. According to ICILS [9], The CIL construct was conceptualized in terms of two strands that framed
doi:10.20533/licej.2040.2589.2016.0301 fatcat:humexitaejcd5h3mzwroefatpu