Introduction 

Teachers mediate the teaching and learning processes when they integrate technology into their teaching. The mediator role that the teacher is in involves a particular mindset. This mindset is reflective of novel psychological insights that draws attention to teaching actions with computer use in the classroom. The way we conceptualize these psychological insights is conveyed through metaphors.

Theoretical framework

According to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, teacher is a mediator of students’ learning. There is continuous interaction between instruction and student conceptual change. Through the use of teachers’ cultural tools (material and psychological), teachers mediate students to be active members and contributors where mediation occurs. Teaching is seen as an assisted performance within the zone of proximal development. Within the zone of proximal development, thought is expressed through language to shape and specify their relations to students and their teaching circumstances.

The purpose of the study was to identify teachers’ psychological insights that serve to mediate student learning when using computer technology in their teaching.

Methods

Participants 

Participants were six high school science teachers in Singapore that have been using computer technology in their teaching for three years. Years of teaching experience range from two years to twenty years.

Context 

Participants (teachers) were preparing their students for the General Certificate of Education examinations. Teaching and learning actions were strongly centred around the examination.

Data Collection  

Participants’ teaching with the use of  computer technology were examined using observations particpants’ teaching actions in their classrooms transcripts of the classroom discourse from teaching observation, transcripts of individual interviews, focus group interviews, and narratives.  

Analysis  

Natural metaphoric language was identified based on Ontological metaphors, Commodity metaphors, Conduit metaphors, and Orientational metaphors.

1. Ontological metaphors – present concepts as objects (e.g. computer technology opens up the topic for discussion in the classroom)

    

2. Commodity metaphors – present concepts as an ontological metaphor that can be traded, exchanged, or passed (e.g. computer technology helps in giving a visual grasp of the concept)

    

3. Conduit metaphors – concepts mapped onto commodity metaphors are transferred from one person to another along a pathway (e.g. computer technology helps students to get the main concept.  

    

4. Orientational metaphors – concepts that have no inherent directionality are given direction or orientation. (e.g. computer technology keeps the students on task towards a target)

Validity and limitations 

One limitation was the heavy emphasis on the analysis of language and from verbatim verbal data sources, which may result in a lack of conceptual depth of the language taken.

However, participants’ language in classroom discourse was cross referenced with metaphoric language in the interview transcripts, focus group interviews, and narratives in order to identify the communicative meanings of the metaphor language.