ICLS 2000 Proceedings

Understanding Adoption of Software Tools: Comparative Case Studies of Teacher Beliefs About and Use of Inquiry-Support Software

Gabrielle Matese, Sue Marshall and Danny Edelson
Northwestern University
School of Education and Social Policy
2115 N. Campus Dr.
Evanston, IL 60208
Tel: 847-491-8193, Fax: 847-467-1418
Email: matese@ils.nwu.edu, smarshall@nwu.edu, edelson@ils.nwu.edu

Abstract: This set of comparative case studies takes some first steps at understanding how to support teachers' efforts to adopt and use an inquiry-support software environment called the Progress Portfolio. We explore two key issues: teachers' beliefs about the functionality of the tool, and ways in which teachers customize it to support inquiry-based learning. Using interview data and software artifacts, the study explored some of the striking similarities and differences in beliefs and tool customization across three teachers engaged in the same instructional unit. Findings provide evidence for an initial category scheme of tool functions perceived by teachers to meet both teacher needs and student needs in scientific investigations. Additionally, teachers' customized Portfolio templates revealed a continuum of general-purpose to task-specific designs to scaffold student inquiry within or across science units. Implications for future research are discussed in light of these results, including a need to expand on the existing belief category scheme and customization examples, and a need to do longitudinal research that will shed more light on changing beliefs and use as a result of experience.

Keywords: teacher beliefs and practices, science education

Preferred Citation Format:
Matese, G., Marshall, S., & Edelson, D. (2000). Understanding Adoption of Software Tools: Comparative Case Studies of Teacher Beliefs About and Use of Inquiry-Support Software. In B. Fishman & S. O'Connor-Divelbiss (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (pp. 33-38). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

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