Abstract

This article presents a study on in-service professional development of Lithuanian secondary school language teachers. The motivation is based on the understanding of language education as a highly interactive, complex process that requires a teacher’s digital literacy skills combined with integrated instructional approaches. This requires the implementation of a set of professional development activities. As a research methodology, we use a mixed method approach based on collecting eye tracking data in the first phase and, then, focus on comparative teacher self-reflection using data analysis and qualitative interviews. Finally, based on the collected qualitative and quantitative data, educational experts develop and present recommendations on the scope and direction of professional development. As a result of this study, a comprehensive set of the eye tracking data from the experiment involving 93 participants in total and 23 recorded lessons is presented. This includes variables such as number of visits, time to first fixation, number of fixations, and fixation duration vertically and horizontally. The discussion presents the results of the qualitative part of the study, including comprehensive teachers’ feedback. In conclusion, an integrated training program for in-service language teachers is presented, including an eye tracking experiment that provides data for extensive self-reflection and feedback.

Highlights

  • The solution, in our view, would be a kind of decentralization aimed at professional development, based on encouraging cooperation between teachers, self-reflection, and a focus on natural educational settings such as a school class and supported educational environments

  • After collecting data with the aid of eye tracking glasses, heat maps and gaze plots were exported for each recording taken during the lectures

  • Three experts from different institutions in Lithuania analyzed the video recordings: (1) an expert working in the field of teacher education with a focus on mathematics and technology, (2) two university researchers who are engaged in research on technology enhanced learning from different perspectives and are involved in improving teacher training programs

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Summary

Introduction

The solution, in our view, would be a kind of decentralization aimed at professional development, based on encouraging cooperation between teachers, self-reflection, and a focus on natural educational settings such as a school class and supported educational environments. One of the solutions for resolving such interactivity in teaching and learning process is to deploy instruction which is based on a cognitive load model In this regard, according to [4], such important “effects” of cognitive load-based instruction are, for example: split-attention, modality, transiency, redundancy, expertise reversal as well as element interactivity, and working memory depletion should be mentioned. In order for these aspects to be Sustainability 2021, 13, 12504. E-LE, E1 means interview excerpt number 1 for this particular expert

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