The Case for Hypermedia Video Ethnographies: Designing a New Class of Case Studies that Challenge Teaching Practice

Teacher educators are under increased pressure to prepare preservice teachers theoretically and practically to teach culturally, linguistically, and learning diverse students. This article describes an effort to expand traditional written case study methods to include hypermedia video ethnography (HVE) cases studies in teacher education. A set of design principles is proposed that overcome the limitations of written case studies. These principles are authenticity, problem representation, multiple perspectives, and juxtaposing theory and practice. A specific HVE is used to illustrate the features of this new case study format and its potential in meeting the current demands in teacher education. ********** THE PROBLEM Although there is a trend toward mainstreaming English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students, as well as other special population students, into the regular classroom, ESL issues have yet to be fully mainstreamed into preservice teacher education curriculum. In addition, most inservice teachers feel ill-prepared to appropriately accommodate ESL students in either instruction or assessment (e.g., Carrasquillo & Rodriguez, 1995; Clair, 1995; Gollnick, 1992; Penfield, 1987; Simms & Leonard, 1986). Therefore, even if preservice teachers have received preparation for meeting the needs of special population students in their teacher education programs, they may find it very difficult to apply what they have learned when placed with inservice teachers who are uncertain about their own ability to support diverse student populations. One of the greatest difficulties of preparing prospective teachers is establishing a concern for and acceptance of the need for theory in practice. Students of teaching need sufficient experience with, exposure to, and understanding of practice to see how the theory being promoted through instruction is indeed practical and to recognize how practice represents theory. For example, best practices for ESL students are based on second language acquisition, sociocultural, and human development theories (e.g., Fillmore & Snow, 2000) in addition to theories of learning and teaching, which generally form the foundation of teacher education (Pugach, Barnes, & Beckum, 1991). Even when teacher education addresses theory in these areas, students of teaching are left on their own to decide how the theory applies and how to apply the theory. This is particularly true in the preparation of mainstream teachers, who may mistake the strategies of good teaching for the substance of good teaching, thereby underestimating the depth and complexity of understanding required to take an active role in the education of ESL students. They much learn to recognize the context for practice, to construct the practice in that context, and to evaluate whether it was effective or not. As a result, preservice teachers are in need of greater experience with, and exposure to, ESL classroom practice in which the theory of good classroom practice is articulated and made visible and identifiable in teaching. A general approach to revealing the theory of good practice has been a focus on the development and use of case studies. The purpose of this article is to describe an effort to expand traditional written case study methods to include hypermedia-anchored instruction based in the use of video ethnographies of classroom life captured on CD-ROMs. First, the rationale for using case studies is reviewed. Second, the challenges of using only written case studies to support teachers in seeing the theoretical and practical embedded in the practices of teaching are outlined. Against this backdrop, a set of design principles is then proposed that overcome the limitations of written case studies. Finally, a specific video ethnography of practice focusing on ESL issues is used to illustrate how hypermedia case study formats allow students of teaching to explore and then author studies of practice related to ESL students. …