Barriers and solutions to innovation in teacher education

This article proposes how mobile technologies are being employed innovatively in teacher education across the European Union, contributing to an adjustment in teacher training models. It identifies various barriers and challenges to innovation and illustrates how teacher educators have addressed these in the first year of an Erasmus+ funded project

Examining Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Technology Self-Efficacy: Impact of Mobile Technology-Based Physics Curriculum

While iPads and other mobile devices are gaining popularity in educational settings, challenges associated with teachers’ use of technology continue to hold true. Preparing preservice teachers within teacher preparation programs to gain experience learning and teaching science using mobile technologies is critical for them to develop positive beliefs and self-efficacy for future technology integration. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in preservice elementary teachers’ technology self-efficacy during their participation in a specialized science content course that utilized a mobile technology-based physics curriculum, Exploring Physics. The Exploring Physics curriculum is available as a hybrid online-offline application running on multiple platforms (iOS, Android, PC/Mac). Participants included 34 preservice elementary teachers who participated in preand post-implementation of a technology self-efficacy survey. Data sources also included two focus-group and individual interviews with six participants, weekly classroom observations, and artifacts. Results showed significant positive changes in participants’ technology self-efficacy regarding the use of mobile technologies in science teaching. Factors that supported participants’ technology self-efficacy included: (a) firsthand experiences with iPads, (b) enhanced science content understandings, (c) high interactivity and engagement, and (c) instructor modeling the use of technology. Findings have implications for preservice teacher preparation for technology integration in science teaching

Learning Science With Mobile Technologies: Opportunities for Enhancing Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Science Conceptual Understanding

The use of technology is increasing rapidly in our society, and classroom teachers must recognize the impact and importance of technology in the lives of their students. It is crucial that college faculty involved in teacher training design courses that integrate mobile technologies to prepare the next generation of teachers. In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of an iPadbased curriculum app, Exploring Physics, to enhance preservice elementary teachers’ physics conceptual understanding in a physical science content course. Data were collected using a pre-and postPhysics Conceptual Understanding (PCU) survey and open-ended questionnaires. We found significant statistical gains in participants’ (N = 73) physics conceptual understanding at the end of the course. Qualitative findings suggest that the learning experience allowed participants to experience the pedagogical affordances of mobile technologies as learners and future teachers and found themselves to be more comfortable with the idea of integrating technology into their future classrooms. The results of this study provide insights into the importance of providing preservice teachers with opportunities to experience the use of mobile technologies in their teacher preparation programs

Pre-service teachers use e-learning technologies to enhance their learning

The purpose of this study was twofold. The primary purpose was to improve pre-service teacher education by using technology to help pre-service teachers bridge the gap between academic preparation and practice. The secondary, but still important, objective was to familiarize pre-service teachers in the use of technology to support their future pedagogical activities. Therefore, this research sought to develop a method for training undergraduate students in designing, implementing, and evaluating lesson plans to solidify the relationship between research, pedagogy, and teaching practice. Specifically, this study investigated the implementation of e-learning as a method of instruction to help pre-service teachers evaluate and improve upon the implementation of their lesson plans during their real world practicum experiences. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1) What successes, challenges, and benefits do university instructors and pre-service teachers experience in using and analyzing video in teacher education methods coursework? 2) In what ways did the use of e-learning help the pre-service teachers improve their teaching during the practicum experience? Results showed that participants reported improved lesson planning, improved lesson implementation, visual interpretations of best practices, modeling, and peer and university instructor feedback as successes of the e-learning project. Challenges included participants’ frustrations of being overworked and overwhelmed with the technical problems associated with e-learning. Overall participants judged the e-learning project as a very positive aspect of their teacher training

Montana K-8 Teacher Preparation in STEM

The goal of this thesis is to find out how K-8 teacher education programs in Montana can be improved to better prepare teachers to teach science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts. While research has been done on what types of courses best prepare teachers for the classroom, my study focuses on how well Montana colleges and universities prepare K-8 certified teachers to teach STEM concepts. A survey was sent out to K-8 certified teachers across Montana to determine how well new teachers can utilize the technology available in their classrooms and what concepts within Common Core Math and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) teachers are adequately prepared to teach in their first few years. Results were inconclusive, as the response rate of the survey was too low to be statistically significant. However, the data collected has implications for future research as the Montana Office of Public Instruction and Montana colleges and universities must decide if it possible to provide teacher candidates with enough depth in STEM content areas in a broad K-8 certification program

Technology Competency Within The Non-Traditional Preservice Teacher Candidate Population: Survey Results

This study utilized action research with quantitative data analysis to investigate the personal technological skills and use of web-based applications of nontraditional teacher candidates enrolled in elementary education courses at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in the southeastern section of the USA. The goal was to gain a better understanding of the technological challenges encountered by non-traditional candidates and to determine how technology can inform instructional delivery of curriculum to improve this population’s representation, expression, and engagement of learning outcomes. Data were collected through an anonymous electronic survey distributed to each student enrolled in the elementary education courses. A total of 320 students were enrolled, 148 respondents participated in the survey to equal 46% (N = 148) of the elementary education teacher candidate population. Of the 148 participants, 109 classified themselves age 24 and older; for the purposes of this study, this group is defined as nontraditional teacher candidates. The results revealed that (a) the H0 was rejected for seven of the eight tested categories, therefore strengthening the HA; (b) 50% of teacher candidates, whether traditional or nontraditional, self-reported in the Learner to Basic levels category; (c) 47% of traditional and non-traditional candidates reported Proficient to Advanced level, thereby strengthening the alternative hypothesis. These findings are compelling and led to the development of a new conceptual framework, the Teacher Education Technology and Web-Based Application Survey (TETWAS), which proposes that faculty in an elementary preparatory program could promote and enhance the learning experiences of candidates

Pre-service Primary Teachers' Use of iPads to Support Teaching: Implications for Teacher Education

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Digital Storytelling and Young Children: Transforming Learning Through Creative Use of Technology

Using Puentedura’s framework for transformative use of technology for learning, and the guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice, practitioner vignettes, and practical strategies highlight the possibilities for integrating digital storytelling activities in the PK-3 classroom in support of literacy learning. The chapter explores ways in which digital storytelling can be a transformational way for young children to develop an array of literacy skills. The vignettes share examples of teachers integrating digital storytelling activities in transformative ways to enhance children’s learning. The chapter provides suggestions for lesson ideas and digital tools for engaging young children in a variety of storytelling projects

Characterising the perceived value of mathematics educational apps in preservice teachers

This study validated the semantic items of three related scales aimed at characterising the perceived worth of mathematics-education-related mobile applications (apps). The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) model was used as the conceptual framework for the analysis. Three hundred and seventy-three preservice students studying primary school education from two public and one private Australian universities participated in the study. The respondents examined three different apps using a purposively designed instrument in regard to either their explorative, productive or instructive instructional role. While construct validity could not be established due to a broad range of variability in responses implying a high degree of subjectivity in respondents’ judgments, the qualitative analysis was effective in establishing content validit

IMPACT, Fall 2012

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