Developing a digital application (EVALOE-DSS) for the professional development of teachers aiming to improve their students’ linguistic competence

Abstract

This paper reports the development and validation of a digital application (Assessment Scale of Oral Language at School - Decision Support System, EVALOE-DSS) for the professional development of teachers aiming to improve their students’ linguistic competence. We performed a multiple case study involving seven teachers and their students from seven different schools. Over a six–month period, the teachers used the digital application to self-assess their classes, make decisions and introduce changes into their teaching practices. The researchers observed four class sessions of each teacher and assessed them with the same digital application. Each teacher-researcher dyad discussed the tool and its use over three meetings during the semester. Despite some differences between the teachers, use of the digital application produced progress in the competences of both the teachers and the students. Thus, the digital application can be used for professional development in teachers.

Keywords:

• Self-assessment
• decision-making
• linguistic competence
• professional development
• school
• digital application
• teaching methodology

Acknowledgements

We express our deep gratitude to the teachers who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

This study was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (EDU2015-63616-P) (MINECO / ERDF).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marta Gràcia

Marta Grácia, PhD in Psychology, is an associate professor at Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona in Spain. Her research focuses on teaching and learning oral language, particularly in dialogic practices across the curriculum.

Jordi Casanovas

Jordi Casanovas, MSc, is engaged in research and development of e-learning platforms and Machine Learning. His work is centered on Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics, especially on K12 level and blended learning.

Carles Riba

Carles Riba holds a PhD in Philosophy and Educational Sciences. His research focuses on interaction and communication processes and the methodologies that facilitate their study, especially observational and qualitative studies that incorporate data related to the context and point of view of the subject.

Maria Ribera Sancho

Maria Ribera Sancho, Ph.D is a tenured professor of the Department of Service and Information System Engineering at Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya. She has been active in the software engineering field for over twenty-five years. Her main research areas are conceptual modeling, information system, software engineering, service science, management and engineering (SSME).

Maria Josep Jarque

Maria Josep Jarque holds a PhD in Educational Psychology (University of Barcelona, Spain) and a MA in Linguistics (University of New Mexico, USA). She is a professor and researcher at the University of Barcelona. Her research mainly focusses on oral language teaching and learning as well as sign language linguistics and deaf education.

Josep Casanovas

Josep Casanovas, PhD, is the head of inLab FIB at Barcelona School of Informatics. His main research areas are Modelling and Simulation, Internet and Information Systems. He is the author of numerous research articles and other kinds of publications and has collaborated in the development of many projects for the European Union and other companies and institutions.

Fàtima Vega

Marta Grácia, PhD Fátima Vega has a PhD from the University of Barcelona (Programme in Education and Society). Her research focuses on advising teachers in L1 teaching and learning, naturalistic intervention and augmentative and alternative communication.