Collaboratively developing instructional activities of conceptual change through the Internet: Science teachers' perspectives

Introduction Internet technology illuminates some potential ways of innovations in education. Currently, it is very common for teachers to search some on-line information to enrich their instruction. However, they may find a plethora of information on-line but not always find something very useful for teaching. The Internet opens another avenue for teachers to enhance their instruction; that is, the Internet may provide an effective medium for teachers to develop instructional activities collaboratively. This study describes a web-based system allowing teachers of various experiences, specializations, and in different locations to contribute their ideas collaboratively. This challenges traditional pedagogical practice that teaching relies mainly on the teacher’s personal plans, experiences and, at most, the teacher may acquire some ideas from his or her colleagues within the school. However, any innovation in education can not ignore teachers’ perspectives toward the implementation. Through interviewing twenty junior high school science teachers, this study explored teachers’ views about collaborative instructional design through the Internet, in general, and their views about a related web system, in particular.