Using cloud-computing applications to support collaborative scientific inquiry - Examining pre-service teachers’ perceived barriers to integration

Oct 15, 2026

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Technology plays a crucial role in enabling collaboration within the scientific community. Cloud-computing tools such as Google Drive can model collaborative work and support inquiry in secondary science classrooms, yet little is known about how pre-service teachers envision using cloud-based collaborative technologies. The study identifies first-order barriers, including perceived time demands, and second-order barriers covering limited support for face-to-face collaboration, classroom management concerns, and beliefs that the technology does not help students understand the nature of science.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background: Science inquiry and collaboration

Cloud-computing tools and their educational role

Study focus: Teachers’ perceived barriers

Implications for preservice education technology courses

| Volume 39(3) | Summer/été 2013 | | --- | --- | Using cloud-‐computing applications to support collaborative scientific inquiry: Examining pre-‐service teachers’ perceived barriers to integration Utilisation d'applications infonuagiques pour appuyer la recherche scientifique collaborative: examen des obstacles à leur intégration tels que perçus par les futurs enseignants Joel D. Donna, University of Minnesota Brant G. Miller, University of Idaho Abstract Technology plays a crucial role in facilitating collaboration within the scientific community. Cloud-computing applications, such as Google Drive, can be used to model such collaboration and support inquiry within the secondary science classroom. Little is known about pre-service teachers’beliefs related to the envisioned use of collaborative, cloud-based technologies. These beliefs may influence future integration. This study finds several first-order barriers, such as perceptions that these tools would take too much time to use. Second-order barriers include perceptions that this technology would not promote face-to-face collaboration skills, would create classroom management challenges, and beliefs that the technology does not help students understand the nature of science. Suggestions for mitigating these barriers within preservice education technology courses are discussed. Résumé La technologie joue un rôle essentiel pour faciliter la collaboration au sein de la communauté scientifique. Les applications infonuagiques telles que Google Drive peuvent être utilisées pour donner forme à ce type de collaboration et pour appuyer le questionnement dans les cours de sciences du secondaire. On connaît pourtant peu les opinions que se font les futurs enseignants d’une telle utilisation des technologies collaboratives infonuagiques. Or, ces opinions pourraient influencer l’intégration future de ces technologies en salle de classe. Cette étuderévèle plusieurs obstacles de premier plan, comme l’idée que l’utilisation de ces outils informatiques prend trop de temps. Parmi les obstacles de second plan, on note les perceptionsselon lesquelles cette technologie ne promeut pas les compétences collaboratives de personne à CJLT/RCAT Vol. 39(3) personne, pose des problèmes de gestion de classe et n'aide pas les étudiants à comprendre la nature de la science. Des suggestions sont proposées pour atténuer ces obstacles dans les cours de technologie des programmes d’éducation. Introduction Science education reform documents call for students to learn and do science in ways that are similar to authentic scientific research (AAAS, 1993; Duschl, Schweingruber, & Shouse, 2007; NRC, 1996) . Students are to engage in scientific practices through investigations in which students ask questions, make hypotheses, collect and analyze data, and create and defend conclusions (NRC, 2011). Within these guided and open-ended inquiry investigations (NRC, 2000), students are to collaborate and engage in conversations with their peers to create a community of discourse that participates in evidence based arguments (Duschl, Schweingruber,& Shouse, 2007) . Peer-based collaboration closely models the nature of science in which scientists work (NSTA, 1999; University of California Museum of Paleontology, 2011) . Scientists work in collaboration in a variety of aspects of their work including the development of studies, the analysis of data, the building of theory and providing peer feedback. Collaboration can often take place at a distance. Information and communication technologies play an increasingly crucial role in facilitating such collaboration within science (Olson, Zimmerman & Bos, 2008) . Technology helps facilitate the collaborative sharing and analysis of data (e.g. Biomedical Informatics Research Network) and for experiments to be run remotely (e.g. Upper Atmospheric Research Collaboratory) . On smaller scales, groups of scientists use publicly available online tools for communica

FAQs

What role do cloud-computing applications play in collaborative scientific inquiry?

The document explains that cloud tools like Google Drive can model collaboration and support inquiry practices within secondary science classrooms.

What are the main first-order barriers identified in the study?

First-order barriers include perceptions that these tools would take too much time to use.

What second-order barriers affect integration of cloud-based collaborative technology?

Second-order barriers include beliefs that the technology would not promote face-to-face collaboration skills, would create classroom management challenges, and would not help students understand the nature of science.

Oct 15, 2026

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