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The Integration of Constructivist and Sociocultural Learning Principles with ICT in Teaching Physics

Abstract
To fulfil the requirement of nation development and globalisation, Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has introduced educational reforms at primary, secondary and tertiary levels that require Vietnamese teachers to acquire new understanding and skills in using information communication technology (ICT) to support teaching with a student-centred approach. There is, however, little literature to guide Vietnamese teachers on how to achieve these goals. This thesis aimed at developing, trialling and evaluation a theoretical pedagogic model for integrating student-centred learning principles with ICT for the teaching physics in the Vietnamese context. The project began with the development of an initial theoretical model based on a review of the relevant literature. This model was evaluated by New Zealand and Vietnamese experts and subsequently revised to form the CSI model (The Pedagogic Model of Integrating Constructivist and Sociocultural Learning Principles with ICT) used in the implementation phase of the project. The CSI Model was implemented by a lecturer in a university optics course and data was collected from different groups of people (students, observers, the lecturer and a teaching assistant) and by different methods (observations, optics tests, California Critical Thinking Skills Tests, interviews and surveys) to triangulate and enrich the data. The optics course was taught to two groups. The ICT implementation into optics teaching and learning in both groups was underpinned by the CSI Model. Students of one group (Morning Group) utilised more ICT applications than the other group (Afternoon Group): the Morning Group students’ learning was supported by a learning management system (LMS). The optics test results show that in both groups, the students’ scores in the post-test were statistically significantly higher than their scores in the pre-test. In addition, in the post-test, the group of students who utilised more applications of ICT to support their learning scored significantly higher than the other group. It is noted that there is no statistically significant difference in the pre-test scores of the two groups. Findings from student, lecturer and teaching assistant interviews revealed that most students in the two research groups felt that the way the optics course was taught enhanced their learning and made learning optics fun and exciting. Results from the California Critical Thinking Skills Tests also showed that post-test scores of the students in both research groups were significantly higher than their pre-test scores. In the post-test, the students scored significantly higher in both the total score as well as the individual scores for each critical thinking skill. In the research context, the CSI Model appears to be an effective pedagogic model. Findings showed that the model helped to improve the students’ physics test scores, enhanced their critical thinking skills, and increased interaction within the learning environment.
Type
Thesis
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Nguyen, N. H. (2016). The Integration of Constructivist and Sociocultural Learning Principles with ICT in Teaching Physics (Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)). University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/9977
Date
2016
Publisher
University of Waikato
Rights
All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.