Interpreting Experiences of Teachers Using Online Technologies to Interact with Teachers in Blended Tertiary Environments

Abstract

This research made a phenomenological interpretation of key stakeholders' experiences with educational online technologies (EOT), to determine their present EOT needs and challenges and provide a basis from which to propose methods for effective EOT support. It analysed the EOT experiences of 10 students and 10 teachers from New Zealand and Australia and interpreted the meanings of the phenomena through an abstraction of local and global themes. This paper is the fifth in a series of six publications that presents the local themes. It documents the interpretations of teachers' experiences with other teachers, in reference to their use of two different types of EOTs: learning management systems (Blackboard), and online networking tools (Twitter and Facebook). These interpretations, which include descriptions of teachers' EOT challenges, helped to inform a set of recommendations for effective EOT use, to assist institutes in their efforts to address EOT challenges and meet stakeholders' needs.