Exploring the Framing Effect of Drawing Task Instructions on Science-Major Novice Preservice Teachers’ Technology-use Knowledge

Abstract

Digital technology-assisted teaching and learning is a trend in schools at all levels around the world, and beliefs about technology use are one of the predictors to see if, and to what extent, teachers would adopt technology in their classes. In the field of educational research, drawing tasks are one of the potential research tools that have been shown to reflect participants’ educational beliefs. We propose that the instructions for a drawing task would frame participants’ thinking, as it is difficult for participants to depict images outside the direction of instruction. In the current study, 44 science- majors entering preservice teachers were recruited, and a two-round drawing task along with a random-assigned experimental design were introduced to evaluate this hypothesis. The instruction of the first-round drawing was used to disrupt the framing effect of the instruction of the second-round drawing by activating the participants’ target knowledge. The results indicated that the participants depicted more images of technology use in the second-round drawing after their technology knowledge had been activated, but the pedagogical theme was not significant. Methodological, theoretical, and practical implications of the results are discussed.