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Preparing Teachers for Teaching Informatics: Theoretical
Considerations and Practical Implications
Vassilios Dagdilelis
Department of Educational and Social Policy
University of Macedonia
Thessaloniki, Greece
+30 2310 891 336
dagdil@uom.gr
ABSTRACT
The integration of ICT in Primary and Secondary Education is
considered of great importance for the enhancement of both
teaching and learning. However, a successful integration of ICT in
the teaching practice requires a well-organized training of
teachers. In this paper, we present qualitative results from a
national-scale program aiming at training Secondary Education
teachers in the usage of ICT. Specifically, we focus on the training
of Informatics and Computer Science teachers that were for the
first time included in this training program taking place the last 12
years in Greece. These trainee-teachers will act as trainers of
teachers after the successful completion of their own training.
Several important aspects of organizing the training of trainers are
examined, while some findings concerning the major problems of
preparing teachers for teaching Informatics are analysed.
Categories and Subject Descriptors
K.3.2 [Computers and Education]: Computer and Information
Science Education – Computer science education, literacy.
General Terms
Teachers of Computer Science.
Keywords
Secondary Computing Education, Teacher’s Training.
1. INTRODUCTION
Over these last 12 years in Greece, a very large program has
gradually been implemented whose aim is to integrate ICT into
education generally, and into teaching practice specifically.
Recently, Informatics and Computer Science teachers were also
included. Training of teachers is an important part of this project
– especially Informatics’ teachers. Preparation of the trainers is
also an important part of the project. It is obvious that the success
of the whole program lies heavily in the successful training of the
relatively small number of teachers that are going to train a great
number of teachers in the next face of the program. In this paper,
several important aspects of this preparation of trainers are
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Stelios Xinogalos
Department of Technology Management
University of Macedonia
Naoussa, Greece
+30 23320 52469
stelios@uom.gr
examined and some findings, concerning the major problems of
preparing teachers for teaching Informatics are.
2. ORGANIZING THE TRAINING OF
TEACHERS
The preparation of trainers takes place in training schools named
with the Greek acronym “PAKE” which stands for
PAnepistimiaka Kendra Ekpedefsis, meaning "University Centers
for Educating (Trainers)". These centers periodically operate as
schools preparing trainers. In other words, they are a very special
kind of educational establishment where trainers of teachers are
instructed by highly specialized educators.
Integrating effectively technology into teaching is a very
demanding task. Mishra και Koehler ([8], [9]) proposed the
TPACK framework. Accordingly to this framework, effective
technology integration for teaching specific content or subject
matter requires a deep understanding and a negotiation between
three components: Technology, Pedagogy, and Content. Their
combination is necessary, as a form of a specific expertise of the
teacher. This framework, eventually, should be considered in a
broader sense: in many cases the social dimension of a specific
subject matter is also important – and Informatics/Computer
Science belongs to this category.
Preparing trainers is an even more demanding goal, from two
points of view:
(a) in the international literature there is a relatively sufficient
number of research findings on the preparation of teachers in
various subjects. There are however, far less data regarding
the trainers of teachers and trainers of secondary professors.
(b) the trainers, both during their preparation, and when actually
training other teachers, have to operate almost simultaneously
at different levels: they have to prepare teachers who, in turn,
will teach students. Consequently, they must learn how to get
prepared, in order to teach teachers who will teach students.
The following diagram, with each arrow meaning “educates”,
may better explain the role of PAKE:
Figure 1. Educating trainers in “PAKE”.