Examining Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development in The Natural Setting of A Teacher Preparation Program

This study examined preservice elementary mathematics teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development throughout their final year in the natural setting of a teacher preparation program. Data were collected from thirty-eight preservice teachers via a TPACK self-assessment scale with seven subdomains at the beginning and end of the final year. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis were used. Results showed that participants had significantly positive gains in their PK, TK, TPK, PCK, and TPACK with medium to large effect sizes. Correlation analysis indicated that participants developed a more integrative understanding of TPACK. Participants’ TCK, TPK, and PCK were significant predictors of their TPACK at the end of the program. The teacher preparation program seems to support preservice teachers’ pedagogical thinking primarily. Therefore, it is suggested to enhance the technological aspects of the program

Explaining computer use among preservice teachers: Towards the development of a richer conceptual model incorporating experience, demographic, motivation, personality, and learning style clusters of variables.

Despite the professional training that North American teachers receive, many believe they are not well prepared to implement computer technology in their classrooms (Industry Canada, 2003; The CEO Forum, 2001). Educational computing research has failed to provide conceptually integrated frameworks and theories that can best predict or explain the factors that facilitate computer use, whether in a computer course or for general purposes. The conceptual framework that emerged in this study incorporated specific determinants of computer use---demographics, experience, learning style, motivation, and personality---for new teachers that represent prominent themes in theories of human motivation and decision making. However, among the twenty-one variables that constituted these five clusters, experience, intrinsic motivation, program of study, gender, familiarity with computer terminology, and educational level were the only significant predictors of computer use. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2006 .Z642. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2455. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2006

Using graphs to represent physical phenomena in a fourth grade classroom

This study examined to what extent inquiry-based instruction supported with real-time graphing technology improves fourth grader\u27s ability to interpret graphs as representations of physical science concepts such as motion and temperature. This study also examined whether there is any difference between inquiry-based instruction supported with real-time graphing software and inquiry-based instruction supported with traditional laboratory equipment in terms of improving fourth graders\u27 ability to interpret motion and temperature graphs. Results of this study showed that there is a significant advantage in using real-time graphing technology to support fourth graders\u27 ability to read and interpret graphs

A Systematic Review of Music Teacher Education Research within the United States:1982-2010

Music education researchers have explored several issues within music teacher education (MTE) including: coursework, teacher and musicianship skills, design and implementation of undergraduate programs, and music teacher identity development. An examination and discussion of this research will assist those responsible for educating future music teacher educators with developing meaningful and effective teacher training programs. In this systematic review, I examined the research published in peer-review journals between 1982 and 2010 and defended music education dissertations between 2005 and 2010. The purpose of the current synthesis was to synthesize peer-review research relating to MTE and to recount the findings and connections of existing research for current music teacher educators. Before studies were included in the synthesis, I reviewed each one to ensure they met the following inclusion criteria: (a) relevant to the proposed research questions under consideration; (b) published in a peer-review journal or a defended dissertation between 2005-2010; (c) printed in English; (d) published between 1982 and July 2010; (e) involved subjects who were members of an undergraduate teacher preparation program in the United States; (f) detailed in the presentation of the methodology; and (g) presented the content so that relevant information could be attained. To further explore the implications of the current synthesis' findings, three practicing music teacher educators completed a two-part questionnaire designed to elicit information about their perspectives of MTE research and opinions of the current findings. I reviewed, categorized, and reported responses from each questionnaire as part of the research synthesis intending to identify the role of research in MTE, commonalities, possible concerns, and possible future research needs for meaningful research agendas specific to music teacher education

Using immersive and modelling environments to build scientific capacity in primary preservice teacher education

Research has shown that primary school teachers often have a poor background in science and scientific concepts, and as a consequence may feel particularly under-prepared to teach science. This study examines the effect of an intervention that investigated the knowledge and understanding of science concepts for a group of 8 first-year preservice primary teachers. The intervention consisted of engaging the participants using two technology-based resources: Omosa, a 3D game-like virtual learning environment (VLE), and Omosa NetLogo, a simulation/modelling environment. A small-N study design was used in this study to determine whether or not the intervention resulted in improving preservice teachers’ science content knowledge. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and concept maps. Overall, the findings suggest that the combination of the immersive and modelling environments facilitated and provided appropriate knowledge-building opportunities for participants by supporting their cognitive engagement

Impact of mobile technology‐based physics curriculum on preservice elementary teachers’ technology self‐efficacy

The growing popularity of mobile technologies in educational settings, from grade schools through college, has prompted science educators to prepare preservice teachers to successfully integrate technology into science teaching. This mixed‐methods study explores the effectiveness of a mobile technology‐based physics curriculum, Exploring Physics, on preservice elementary teachers’ technology self‐efficacy. Participants included 67 preservice elementary teachers enrolled in a specialized physics content course at a large public university in the United States. The experimental group (N = 34) used the Exploring Physics curriculum on iPads, and the comparison group (N = 33) used a hardcopy version of a similar curriculum. Data sources included a technology self‐efficacy survey administered as pre‐ and posttests, focus group and individual interviews with 24 participants at two time points, weekly classroom observations, and artifacts. Data analyses included repeated measures analysis of variance and posthoc t tests with Bonferroni adjustments and grounded theory techniques. The results showed significant positive changes in the experimental group participants’ technology self‐efficacy. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in the comparison group participants’ technology self‐efficacy. Several affordances of the curriculum assisted the experimental group participants in developing an appreciation for using mobile technologies in science teaching. Implications for preservice teacher preparation for technology integration in science teaching are discussed

Technology integration: A study on the impact of increased technology access

Colleges with teacher education programs have struggled to integrate technology into the curriculum. While access to technology has increased and support for technology usage is present, technology integration has not dramatically changed within the majority of classrooms (Cuban, 2001; Opperheimer, 1997; Stenson & Bagwell, 1999). Education faculty members should model effective technology integration within their classrooms in order for their preservice educators to see examples of how to incorporate technology into teaching and learning. Teachers tend to teach the way that they were taught (Judson & Swanda, 2001; Lortie, 1975). Without seeing how to integrate technology use across content areas, preservice educators struggle to make meaningful connections about how to integrate technology to enhance student learning (Hammond, 2007). The primary focus of this study was to investigate how effectively one small, private university integrated educational technology into the classroom setting after the access to technology increased. It was believed that a new facility with accessible and high quality technology had the potential to enhance technology being incorporated throughout the professional core. Therefore, this study examined if the actual teaching methods were affected after access to technology increased. The researcher examined the change in how professional core courses were taught from the professors\u27 points of view. Then preservice educators were asked if the increased access to technology altered how education faculty members\u27 manner of instruction. Increased access to education technology impacted faculty members\u27 teaching methods. While their syllabi did not demonstrate how the new facilities affected education faculty teaching methods, the faculty interviews did. The professors continued to model how to use the equipment, what to use the equipment for, and how to use technology to teach the content. In addition, the researcher found an increased amount of classroom time was used to demonstrate educational technology was integrated as a communication tool, resource, or productivity tool. Differences in technology integration occurred after moving to the new facility. Education faculty members\u27 personal computer use increased as evidenced in the LoTi survey and education faculty interviews. Faculty interviews showed that education faculty members\u27 current instructional practices benefited from increased access to educational technology in the classrooms and the availability of the education computer lab. Interview results also showed that faculty members benefited from the synergy of similar software having been installed in offices, classrooms, and the computer lab. The preservice educators recognized that educational technology was used more often and for more purposes in the new building. They learned how to use educational technology because their education professors had modeled it. The education computer lab with the SMARTBoard provided greater access to hardware and software than was previously available. In contrast to other studies that investigated how change occurs when educational technology is introduced, this study noted three important contributing factors to increased educational technology use in the classroom: time, access, and collaboration. Greater access led to increased time and collaboration among preservice educators and education faculty members

Elementary teachers' reflections on major influences impacting their decisions in reading and language arts instruction during their first two years of teaching

A case study methodology revealed ways that four elementary teachers, who were graduates of the same teacher education program and employed in the same school system in which they had studied as elementary and high school students, negotiated their reading and language arts instructional decisions during their first two years of teaching. The investigation explored orientations toward the teaching of reading and factors they determined as those impacting their instruction. Information was synthesized from the following sources: (a) participants' biographical data, (b) inventories and surveys, (c) investigator's observations of participants' teaching and subsequent field notes, (d) structured and unstructured interviews, (e) reflective webs, and (f) reflective journals and lesson plans

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