Abstract:

Japan, just like the rest of the world, is promoting the use of ICT in education. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality and confidence of teachers’ "teaching skills utilizing ICT." For this reason, teacher training and development of learning materials have been conducted with the aim of improving "teaching skills utilizing ICT." The aim of this training and development is to improve these skills by providing knowledge and information on instruction methods and practical examples. However, a survey of Japanese school teachers has shown that self-evaluation is low regarding "teaching skills utilizing ICT." This suggests that even if knowledge and information on ICT are given through training and materials, the planning and practice of ICT-based lessons may not be confidently and continuously considered. In this study, we will examine the acquisition and improvement of "teaching skills utilizing ICT" with a different policy that uses ICT for lessons already planned and practiced. The purpose of this study is to analyze and examine changes in lesson plans and the self-evaluation of "teaching skills utilizing ICT" through investigation based on this new policy.

An investigation was conducted to correct and improve lesson plans that had already been planned and practiced using ICT. As an ICT, a tablet PC that had been installed with the interactive whiteboard application “miyagi Touch” was used (Itagaki et al, 2018). The participants were 22 students who had already undergone practical training for their elementary school teaching licenses. The target lessons were 20 science lessons and 20 social studies lessons already planned and practiced by the participants individually.

The investigation was carried out according to the following procedures (1) to (6):
(1) Understand the significance and purpose of the investigation and procedure;
(2) Explain the lesson’s aim, contents, etc. planned and practiced in the practical training;
(3) Perform self-evaluation of "teaching skills utilizing ICT" (pre-test);
(4) Watch a video about the functions and operation methods of “miyagi Touch”,and perform the same operation on a tablet PC.
(5) Utilizing the “miyagi Touch,” modify the ICT-based lesson plan and explain why any changes were made;
(6) Perform a self-evaluation of "teaching skills utilizing ICT" (post-test).

We analyzed the parts of the lesson plan revised using ICT for “the functions,” “how to use,” and “the expected effects.” In addition, the self-evaluation of "teaching skills utilizing ICT" was compared pre-test and post-test. A total of 132 revisions to the 40-case lesson plans appeared. “The expected effects” were categorized into nine in the revised parts of the lesson plans in science and social studies and organized according to lesson stage. In the "development stage," the appearance rate of each of “the expected effects” of science fell within 2-18%. On the other hand, in social studies, the appearance rates of "knowledge establishment " and "focus" were high, totaling 50%. To compare the self-evaluation of "teaching skills utilizing ICT" pre-test and post-test modifying the lesson plan, a t-test was performed. As a result, in the four items, the scores post-test correcting the lesson plans were high, and a significant difference was recognized. This suggests that knowing the functions and operation methods of ICT can modify and improve the ICT-based lesson plans and the self-evaluation of "teaching skills utilizing ICT."

Keywords:

Teaching skills utilizing ICT, lesson plan, practical training.