i-manager's Journal on School Educational Technology (JSCH)


Volume 14 Issue 2 September - November 2018

Article

Providing Counseling Services in High Schools: Partnerships in Higher Education

Gina Cicco*
Associate Professor, The School of Education, Department of Counselor Education, St. John's University, New York, USA.
Cicco, G. (2018). Providing Counseling Services in High Schools: Partnerships in Higher Education. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.15097

Abstract

This article will discuss the importance and implications of providing high quality school counseling services in K-12 schools, and specifically in high schools. The delivery of comprehensive school counseling programs and related services such as mentoring and academic advisement have been linked to students' academic success, graduation rates, and post-secondary outcomes in terms of college admission and retention (Castro-Atwater, 2013; DeKruyf, Auger, & Trice-Black, 2013; Engberg & Gilbert, 2014). The multi-faceted roles of contemporary school counselors will be highlighted, with a focus on responsive services that they deliver directly and indirectly. Competencies that school counselors are expected to demonstrate in successful schools will expand beyond providing individual and small group counseling services to delivering comprehensive guidance curricula in academic, personal/social, and career development domains through services, such as classroom guidance, consultation, and coordination of special events (Schmidt, 2014). School counselors are charged with taking on advocacy and leadership roles to ensure that all students have equal access to a diversity of post-secondary options while offering training to enhance students' college preparedness and planning skills. To do this effectively, ethically, and responsibly, school counselors must seek to achieve multicultural competence and continual professional development (Davis, Davis, & Mobley, 2013; Savitz-Romer, 2012). The impact of effective counseling programs and services will be reviewed as well as the need for students to obtain rigorous college and career preparation, which can be enhanced through technology and software geared towards delivering guidance curricula. An example of an actual high school and university partnership will be shared to illustrate the potential for high schools to partner with institutions of higher education to fulfill mutual goals while serving the community of learners. Institutions of higher education can contribute to K-12 schools by offering professional development on instructional technologies, particularly those utilized in career and college preparedness services for students, and by providing the expertise of trained faculty and their interns to supplement existing school resources (Gysbers, 2013).

Article

Virtual Classroom: A Gift for Disabled Children

D. R. Robert Joan*
Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Christian College of Education, Marthandam, Tamil Nadu, India.
Joan, D. R. R. (2018). Virtual Classroom: A Gift for Disabled Children.i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 7-11. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.15100

Abstract

In the present scenario, schools eliminate disabled children by conducting entry behavior or intelligence test. For that reason, all gifted and talented students are admitted in the general education classroom. Fulfilling the educational needs of the students in the classroom is currently a major problem for a lot of teachers in institutions. Among the many varied challenges faced by the general education teacher, one challenge is mainly impenetrable. That is, how does the teacher fulfill the special needs of students with extraordinary academic ability and the needs of those students who are not as sophisticated? The insensitive reality of overcapacity and budget cuts makes it increasingly difficult to meet the educational needs of every student. Teacher centered instruction, or teaching the same curricula to all students, is no longer a feasible approach. Teachers have to discover innovative ways to stimulate thinking and create advanced learning opportunities for all students, especially for learning disabled children. The best way to make classes more effective was by using virtual technology in the classroom for learning disabled children. In this article, the author discussed how teachers could infuse best practices from learning disabled children through the formation of a virtual classroom environment in learning.

Research Paper

The Effect of Personal Learning Network Exposure on Pre-Service Teacher's Digital Resource Search Habits

Tracy Russo* , Jason Siko**
* Senior Online Design Consultant, Extended and International Operations, Ferris State University, USA.
** Associate Professor and Director of Accreditation, College of Education, Madonna University, USA.
Russo, T., and Siko, J. (2018). The Effect of Personal Learning Network Exposure on Pre-Service Teacher's Digital Resource Search Habits. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 12-23. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.15152

Abstract

Teacher confidence with technology integration remains generally low over time, and teacher preparation programs have been tasked with supplying the education sector with teachers ready to implement an ever-changing toolkit of technologies. These efforts can be hampered by isolation of the traditional technology course and lack of field component. In this pilot study, the authors leverage students' personal experiences gained while creating a selfdeveloped Personal Learning Network (PLN) to build confidence and capabilities for searching appropriate web-based resources to include in a technology-infused lesson plan. Through two course iterations, framing PLN construction around internet searches of their final project resources was found to increase PLN and resource portal utilization, a course goal to improve the quality of selected resources over those found in more simplistic internet searches. Further iterations look to increase connections between assignments exploring technologies and integration into studentcreated lessons.

Research Paper

Influence of Social Intelligence of Secondary School Teachers on the Academic Achievement of their Students

Chandini*
Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, St. Ann's College of Education (Autonomous), Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
Chandini. (2018). Influence of Social Intelligence of Secondary School Teachers on the Academic Achievement of their Students. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 24-30. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.14904

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the Influence of the Social Intelligence of Secondary School Teachers on the academic achievement of their students. A sample of 100 secondary school teachers was assessed to find their Social Intelligence by using the Social Intelligence Scale designed by Dr. N. K. Chadha and Usha Ganeshan to assess the Social Intelligence of the sample. The marks obtained by the students in SSLC board exam were used to assess the student's academic achievement. The result of this study showed the number of teachers having average Social Intelligence is more than the teachers having high and low Social Intelligence. There is no significant difference in Social Intelligence of Male and Female teachers. But there is a significant difference in Social Intelligence of Rural and Urban school teachers and a significant positive relationship between Social Intelligence of Secondary School teachers and their Students Academic Achievement. The finding have implications for the teachers to empower themselves by having high Social Intelligence which promote students’ betterment and healthy environment in schools.

Survey Paper

Toward an Integrated Technology Integration Framework for Teacher Preparation: Instructional Technological Competence

S. Korucu-Kis * , K. S. Ozmen**
* Department of English Language Teaching, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
** Department of English Language Teaching, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
Korucu-Kis, S., and Ozmen, K. S. (2018). Toward an Integrated Technology Integration Framework for Teacher Preparation: Instructional Technological Competence i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 31-50. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.14926

Abstract

A number of technology integration frameworks have been introduced to gain a better understanding of intrinsic factors influencing teachers' use of technology. While some frameworks emphasize the incorporation of technology with pedagogy, others underline the critical role of beliefs in a successful implementation process. However, what is missing in these frameworks is to blend these separate but interdependent constructs into a coherent framework. Thus, the present study aims to close this gap by proposing a technology integration framework extending a previous research study that introduced the idea that student teachers' technological awareness, beliefs, knowledge, and skills should be addressed simultaneously in technology courses given that addressing these constructs in isolation impedes the continual interaction between them, thus causing student teachers to feel not well prepared to teach with technology. The proposed framework is intended to provide a common language for teacher educators to discuss how student teachers should be prepared to achieve technology integration in classrooms.