The use of digital resources to enhance graphical communication and techniques in grade 7 technology classroom

Abstract

The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) has significantly impacted the educational sector, thus providing an array of digital resources such as YouTube videos, PowerPoint slides, WhatsApp, eBooks, and audio recordings, which have become effective and innovative media for transmitting knowledge and skills in this day and age. The need to understand pedagogical practices when digital resources are integrated has become indispensable. Hence, this study aimed to explore the use of digital resources to enhance graphical communication and techniques in Grade seven (7) Technology classrooms. Two questions guided the study: 1. How do Technology teachers use digital resources to enhance the understanding of graphical communication and techniques in Grade seven (7) Technology classrooms? 2. What are Technology teachers’ reflections on the use of digital resources to enhance learners’ performance in graphical communication and techniques in Grade seven (7) Technology classrooms? Non-participant observation was used for research question 1. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis were subsequently used for research question 2. To achieve this study’s goal, the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) was used as its framework. The TPACK framework assisted teachers in considering how their knowledge domains intersect to teach and engage learners with educational technologies effectively. The relevance of the TPACK framework was drawn from the fact that Grade 7 Technology teachers used digital resources (Technology) to teach (Pedagogy) graphical communication and techniques (Content). When brought together, these three domains could be explored so much better under the TPACK framework. This study employed a qualitative research approach to explore the use of digital resources to enhance graphical communication and techniques in Grade 7 Technology classrooms. The population of the study were schools located in the Capricorn South District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Hence, the study purposively sampled five (5) Grade 7 Technology teachers – one Technology teacher per school. The findings of the study indicated that Grade 7 Technology teachers used PowerPoint slides that are mostly embedded with pictures, diagrams, drawings, animations and video clips (YouTube videos) to effortlessly teach the concept of graphical communication and techniques. Grade 7 Technology teacher’s choice of using PowerPoint as a digital resource was associated with its accessability and usability. From the study's findings, it was apparent that Grade 7 Technology teachers focused more on curriculum coverage than achieving learning outcomes. The findings also revealed teachers’ reflection that their learners were not performing well in graphical communication and techniques despite the use of digital resources. In their reflection, these Grade 7 Technology teachers did not hide the lack of formal training and deficiency of continuous professional development as a stern problem in their deprived use of digital resources to enhance learners' performance in graphical communication and techniques. Therefore, the study concluded that insufficient TPACK skills among Grade 7 technology teachers did not enable them to enhance the teaching and learning of graphical communication and techniques. Hence, the study made several recommendations that could enhance the teaching and learning of graphical communication and techniques in Grade 7 Technology classrooms. These recommendations include a TPACK based lesson plan, innovative instructional methodology model and an SET model for advancing equity and inclusion in the teaching and learning that Technology teachers can adopt in Grade 7 to address challenges in their pedagogies and uphold good practices and/or enhance performance in their classrooms.