John Woollard is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Inclusive Education, Southampton Education School, University of Southampton. He is also a member of Computing at School, British Computer Society. Following his PGCE and teaching at primary level, in 1975 John moved into secondary school special education needs work. He was teacher-in-charge and head of department in three different Hampshire schools before becoming a teacher advisor for IT and SEN. During the early 1990s John had a variety of positions as consultant, advisor and inspector. John was a Registered OFSTED Inspector for primary schools as well as team inspector for secondary ICT, mathematics and SEN. In 1997 John moved to LSU College, Southampton to coordinate the MSc in computer-based learning, SEN in initial teacher education and undergraduate computer science. John joined the University of Southampton in 1998 and has completed his PhD in 2004. He is a teacher trainer and supervisor for masters and doctorate students researching e-learning, classroom practice and teacher training. Current interests:Inclusive practices in classroom and online teaching and learningComputational thinking and development in computer science teachingCAA and e-assessment through e-portfoliosDefining metrics of quality for virtual learning environmentsUsing chat to support social and emotional educationPsychology for the classroomPromoting the value of computing in the curriculum Phone: 02380 592998 Address: School of Education, University of Southampton Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ
There has recently been significant emphasis placed on environmental education through the United... more There has recently been significant emphasis placed on environmental education through the United Nations’ Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). One of the aims of the DESD is to ‘prepare young people for a lifetime of sustainable living’, and yet, despite this, there is a lack of evidence to suggest whether or not the aims of ESD have been achieved within schools. This paper presents findings from a longitudinal study investigating one class of 14‐ and 15‐year‐old Geography students in England%s understandings of sustainability and their attitudes towards sustainable development. The research used dialogic diaries and semi‐structured interviews to explore the students’ understandings of sustainability, within a case study framework. The study found that the students’ understandings of sustainability became more nuanced across the year, with a focus on the environmental perspective of sustainable development. Many students also appeared to feel a growing sense of r...
Computing is a rigorous, intellectually rich discipline alongside Maths, Science, or History. Lik... more Computing is a rigorous, intellectually rich discipline alongside Maths, Science, or History. Like those subjects, Computing explores foundational principles and ideas, rather than training students in skills that date quickly. In an increasingly digital, knowledge-based age, Computing is fundamental both to full citizenship, and to our economic health as a nation. Yet, incredibly, Computing is virtually absent from UK schools. Instead, secondary schools in England currently teach ICT. The original concept behind ICT was to teach students how to use software to solve real-world problems. That would have been a tremendous achievement had it succeeded. However, what has actually happened in far too many schools is that ICT focuses solely upon IT literacy, and supporting teaching and learning in other curriculum contexts. ICT is not the discipline of understanding and knowledge of computers and the way they work. The creation of the EBac provides the perfect opportunity to send a clear...
E-learning has become everyday and commonplace features of higher education across the world yet ... more E-learning has become everyday and commonplace features of higher education across the world yet in some institutions the opportunities and affordances of technology have yet to be fully exploited. To better enable the initial exploitation of e-learning, this paper describes the development of a theoretical construct, based on original research, describing the characteristics associated with the successful deployment of technology evidenced in Egyptian higher education supported by the concepts of a technology acceptance model. The theoretical construct is designed to both, reflect the research findings and, support developments in e learning. It is presented as a hierarchy critical success factors (CSF) based around the quadrant of curriculum, tutors, learners and technology. Findings illustrate the importance of curriculum content nature (theoretical, pragmatic); tutor characteristics (attitude towards e-learning, proficiency of the technology, and support); learners’ characteristics (computer competency, English language proficiency, and learning style); and technology (usability, affordances and infrastructure) for successful e-learning implementations. It is concluded that by systematically considering these factors the implementation of e learning can be made more effective and efficient.
... http://www.mscmalaysia.my/codenavia/portals/msc/images/pdf/ss-roadmap.pdf (Accessed: 21 Febru... more ... http://www.mscmalaysia.my/codenavia/portals/msc/images/pdf/ss-roadmap.pdf (Accessed: 21 February 2012) [6] Mohamad, M. Mobile ... Bristol: Futurelab [11] S. Siraj and MP Saleh, “Aplikasi teknologi dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran peringkat sekolah menengah: jangkaan ...
Classless learning takes place when the provision supports the learner regardless of their back... more Classless learning takes place when the provision supports the learner regardless of their background or learning preferences. This article draws together the concepts of quality in e-learning and that of classless learning bringing a better understanding of ideas. Quality is a process ...
When a child paints, when a child draws and when a child pastes they participate in Piagetian con... more When a child paints, when a child draws and when a child pastes they participate in Piagetian concrete activity. The activities are concrete because they are the combination of mental processing and physical activities. On the computer the situation is similar. The extent to which ...
A small selection of the range of educational/training situated e-learning in Southampton Educati... more A small selection of the range of educational/training situated e-learning in Southampton Education School
This paper provides a literature review of the popular theories and models of technology acceptan... more This paper provides a literature review of the popular theories and models of technology acceptance of relevance to today’s technology developments in the 4E context. The original technology acceptance model (TAM) was derived from the theory of reasoned action and has since been developed and extended to include factors of age, gender, prior experience, ability, etc. It provides the framework to measure users’ perceptions of and intentions to use technology within and across organisations. Through research TAM has been empirically proven to be a robust model for understanding end-user adoption of technology and for examining the acceptance of new and developing technology by users with different characteristics in different organisations. The flexibility of TAM to be extended and modified to take into account other relevant factors makes it a powerful framework. This paper identifies the underpinning theories and potential application in a concise way and concludes that TAM has and ...
International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 2019
Scientific research on dyslexia has taken place for the past 50 years during which time arguments... more Scientific research on dyslexia has taken place for the past 50 years during which time arguments on brain deficiency have created tensions between education and cognitive neuroscience researchers. However, clinical research on dyslexia through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has finally revealed that a dyslexic’s brain works differently. The findings have finally brought in a new synergy between research in education and cognitive neuroscience and empirically supported the neurodiversity movement. Recently, neurodiversity has been used as a framework for specific learning difficulties (SpLD) justice and to support dyslexia in inclusive education. This qualitative study was conducted to understand the Malaysian mainstream primary school teachers’ beliefs about SpLD and the current framework for Malaysian literacy support programme. The data collection is through social media focus group discussion and individual instant messaging interviews with forty-one teachers. The ...
The desire for inclusive education is recognised by many countries, but the practice is inconsist... more The desire for inclusive education is recognised by many countries, but the practice is inconsistent because of the complexities and variability in implementation. Malaysia has committed to and embarked on the journey towards educational system reform. The pledge to provide quality and inclusive education is emphasised in the 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint. However, Malaysia’s contexts, including its diverse ethnicity, language, culture, religion, education and school systems, have implications for the implementation and promotion of inclusive education. This study explores and brings to light teachers’ significant yet overlooked views of inclusion and inclusive education at this important juncture of the country’s phase. It aims to bring a better understanding of the promotion of inclusive education in Malaysia’s primary schools, by focusing on the practitioners’ views. The study adopts a qualitative approach that employs descriptive and exploratory methods. Participants ar...
The argument for using maps in education is well made and, for many, need not be rehearsed furthe... more The argument for using maps in education is well made and, for many, need not be rehearsed further. Maps are a natural part of the geography curriculum. We use maps as resources because they are available and they are effective in communicating information. Map reading skills are important because maps exist in abundance and people without map skills are severely disadvantaged. Whether it is find a shop in a precinct, to make a car journey or to take a walk in a country park, the map is ubiquitous and map reading skills are essential. But there are values to maps that go outside the geography curriculum. Maps are not just tools for finding one’s way around but they go well beyond that…
International Journal of Computer Science Education in Schools, 2019
This study investigates the relationship between computational thinking performance and general s... more This study investigates the relationship between computational thinking performance and general school achievement and explores to see if computational thinking performance can be predicted by algebra and informatics achievement. The sample group of 775 grade 8 students was drawn from 28 secondary schools across Kazakhstan. The students responded to a Computational Thinking Performance test of 50 multiple-choice questions and Computational Thinking Scale questionnaire. The test covers the concepts: logical thinking, generalisation and abstraction. The validity and reliability of the multiple-choice questions are tested using the Item Response Theory. The Likert type questionnaire covers five factors: creativity, algorithmic thinking, cooperation, critical thinking and problem solving. School achievement results (secondary data) include scores for a number of school subjects. The results of the study showed that the multiple-choice questions are valid and a reliable tool to measure c...
There has recently been significant emphasis placed on environmental education through the United... more There has recently been significant emphasis placed on environmental education through the United Nations’ Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). One of the aims of the DESD is to ‘prepare young people for a lifetime of sustainable living’, and yet, despite this, there is a lack of evidence to suggest whether or not the aims of ESD have been achieved within schools. This paper presents findings from a longitudinal study investigating one class of 14‐ and 15‐year‐old Geography students in England%s understandings of sustainability and their attitudes towards sustainable development. The research used dialogic diaries and semi‐structured interviews to explore the students’ understandings of sustainability, within a case study framework. The study found that the students’ understandings of sustainability became more nuanced across the year, with a focus on the environmental perspective of sustainable development. Many students also appeared to feel a growing sense of r...
Computing is a rigorous, intellectually rich discipline alongside Maths, Science, or History. Lik... more Computing is a rigorous, intellectually rich discipline alongside Maths, Science, or History. Like those subjects, Computing explores foundational principles and ideas, rather than training students in skills that date quickly. In an increasingly digital, knowledge-based age, Computing is fundamental both to full citizenship, and to our economic health as a nation. Yet, incredibly, Computing is virtually absent from UK schools. Instead, secondary schools in England currently teach ICT. The original concept behind ICT was to teach students how to use software to solve real-world problems. That would have been a tremendous achievement had it succeeded. However, what has actually happened in far too many schools is that ICT focuses solely upon IT literacy, and supporting teaching and learning in other curriculum contexts. ICT is not the discipline of understanding and knowledge of computers and the way they work. The creation of the EBac provides the perfect opportunity to send a clear...
E-learning has become everyday and commonplace features of higher education across the world yet ... more E-learning has become everyday and commonplace features of higher education across the world yet in some institutions the opportunities and affordances of technology have yet to be fully exploited. To better enable the initial exploitation of e-learning, this paper describes the development of a theoretical construct, based on original research, describing the characteristics associated with the successful deployment of technology evidenced in Egyptian higher education supported by the concepts of a technology acceptance model. The theoretical construct is designed to both, reflect the research findings and, support developments in e learning. It is presented as a hierarchy critical success factors (CSF) based around the quadrant of curriculum, tutors, learners and technology. Findings illustrate the importance of curriculum content nature (theoretical, pragmatic); tutor characteristics (attitude towards e-learning, proficiency of the technology, and support); learners’ characteristics (computer competency, English language proficiency, and learning style); and technology (usability, affordances and infrastructure) for successful e-learning implementations. It is concluded that by systematically considering these factors the implementation of e learning can be made more effective and efficient.
... http://www.mscmalaysia.my/codenavia/portals/msc/images/pdf/ss-roadmap.pdf (Accessed: 21 Febru... more ... http://www.mscmalaysia.my/codenavia/portals/msc/images/pdf/ss-roadmap.pdf (Accessed: 21 February 2012) [6] Mohamad, M. Mobile ... Bristol: Futurelab [11] S. Siraj and MP Saleh, “Aplikasi teknologi dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran peringkat sekolah menengah: jangkaan ...
Classless learning takes place when the provision supports the learner regardless of their back... more Classless learning takes place when the provision supports the learner regardless of their background or learning preferences. This article draws together the concepts of quality in e-learning and that of classless learning bringing a better understanding of ideas. Quality is a process ...
When a child paints, when a child draws and when a child pastes they participate in Piagetian con... more When a child paints, when a child draws and when a child pastes they participate in Piagetian concrete activity. The activities are concrete because they are the combination of mental processing and physical activities. On the computer the situation is similar. The extent to which ...
A small selection of the range of educational/training situated e-learning in Southampton Educati... more A small selection of the range of educational/training situated e-learning in Southampton Education School
This paper provides a literature review of the popular theories and models of technology acceptan... more This paper provides a literature review of the popular theories and models of technology acceptance of relevance to today’s technology developments in the 4E context. The original technology acceptance model (TAM) was derived from the theory of reasoned action and has since been developed and extended to include factors of age, gender, prior experience, ability, etc. It provides the framework to measure users’ perceptions of and intentions to use technology within and across organisations. Through research TAM has been empirically proven to be a robust model for understanding end-user adoption of technology and for examining the acceptance of new and developing technology by users with different characteristics in different organisations. The flexibility of TAM to be extended and modified to take into account other relevant factors makes it a powerful framework. This paper identifies the underpinning theories and potential application in a concise way and concludes that TAM has and ...
International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 2019
Scientific research on dyslexia has taken place for the past 50 years during which time arguments... more Scientific research on dyslexia has taken place for the past 50 years during which time arguments on brain deficiency have created tensions between education and cognitive neuroscience researchers. However, clinical research on dyslexia through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has finally revealed that a dyslexic’s brain works differently. The findings have finally brought in a new synergy between research in education and cognitive neuroscience and empirically supported the neurodiversity movement. Recently, neurodiversity has been used as a framework for specific learning difficulties (SpLD) justice and to support dyslexia in inclusive education. This qualitative study was conducted to understand the Malaysian mainstream primary school teachers’ beliefs about SpLD and the current framework for Malaysian literacy support programme. The data collection is through social media focus group discussion and individual instant messaging interviews with forty-one teachers. The ...
The desire for inclusive education is recognised by many countries, but the practice is inconsist... more The desire for inclusive education is recognised by many countries, but the practice is inconsistent because of the complexities and variability in implementation. Malaysia has committed to and embarked on the journey towards educational system reform. The pledge to provide quality and inclusive education is emphasised in the 2013-2025 Malaysia Education Blueprint. However, Malaysia’s contexts, including its diverse ethnicity, language, culture, religion, education and school systems, have implications for the implementation and promotion of inclusive education. This study explores and brings to light teachers’ significant yet overlooked views of inclusion and inclusive education at this important juncture of the country’s phase. It aims to bring a better understanding of the promotion of inclusive education in Malaysia’s primary schools, by focusing on the practitioners’ views. The study adopts a qualitative approach that employs descriptive and exploratory methods. Participants ar...
The argument for using maps in education is well made and, for many, need not be rehearsed furthe... more The argument for using maps in education is well made and, for many, need not be rehearsed further. Maps are a natural part of the geography curriculum. We use maps as resources because they are available and they are effective in communicating information. Map reading skills are important because maps exist in abundance and people without map skills are severely disadvantaged. Whether it is find a shop in a precinct, to make a car journey or to take a walk in a country park, the map is ubiquitous and map reading skills are essential. But there are values to maps that go outside the geography curriculum. Maps are not just tools for finding one’s way around but they go well beyond that…
International Journal of Computer Science Education in Schools, 2019
This study investigates the relationship between computational thinking performance and general s... more This study investigates the relationship between computational thinking performance and general school achievement and explores to see if computational thinking performance can be predicted by algebra and informatics achievement. The sample group of 775 grade 8 students was drawn from 28 secondary schools across Kazakhstan. The students responded to a Computational Thinking Performance test of 50 multiple-choice questions and Computational Thinking Scale questionnaire. The test covers the concepts: logical thinking, generalisation and abstraction. The validity and reliability of the multiple-choice questions are tested using the Item Response Theory. The Likert type questionnaire covers five factors: creativity, algorithmic thinking, cooperation, critical thinking and problem solving. School achievement results (secondary data) include scores for a number of school subjects. The results of the study showed that the multiple-choice questions are valid and a reliable tool to measure c...
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