Date

2019-07-22

Author

Hünük, Deniz
İnce, Mustafa Levent
Tannehıll, Deborah
Öztürk, Mehmet Ata
Yanık, Mehmet
Savucu, Yüksel

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Learning communities (LC), depending on the social nature of human learning, are useful tools for supporting teachers’ professional development. During participation in an LC teachers’ share their knowledge and experiences on teaching and learning in an attempt to improve their practices by on-going interaction and sharing. Often, this discourse is enhanced through an examination of additional reliable knowledge resources including experts, books, journals, and audiovisual materials. Internet-based learning management systems (LMS) are viable means to bring information resources for the use of teachers in LCs. This study aims to present the design of an LMS using the asynchronous and synchronous technologies to support the teachers’ LCs in Turkey. In the design of LMS, first, a comprehensive needs assessment study by survey method was completed. Participants of the survey study were 390 physical education teachers working in eastern, central, and western cities of the country. The survey study included validated questionnaires in general and physical education specific teaching competencies. Then, three focus group interviews, representing teachers from the three locales across the country and including six to eight teachers in each were conducted. Analysis of survey and focus group interview data indicated that teachers’ possible information needs were on 1) knowledge of current physical education curricula, 2) course/instructional design, 3) instructional strategies and methods, 4) measurement and evaluation, 5) inclusive/adapted physical education, and 6) professional development opportunities. A module for each topic, totally six modules, was created to present in the LMS. Each module included a) powerpoint presentations, b) written materials including relevant books, research papers, reports, c) audiovisual resources, and d) quizzes and inquiry questions for self-evaluation. Each module also included a real-time communication opportunity with the subject experts on a given date, time, and the topic. In conclusion, conducting a comprehensive needs assessment study to examine the possible information needs of teachers might be useful in designing asynchronous and synchronous LMS opportunities to support LC participants.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/84407

Collections

Department of Physical Education and Sports, Conference / Seminar