Expert technology-using teachers: Visions, strategies, and development

In order to establish a theory of practitioner perceptions of technology integration, this study used a grounded theoretical framework to examine how teachers view and use technology, as well as the experiences that influence their development of technology integration expertise. Technology integration was defined by eight expert technology-using teachers\u27 technology integration visions, strategies, and the experiences that motivated them to develop technology integration expertise. Eight expert technology-using teachers were solicited from a population of 31 recipients of a state technology award program that required submission of a portfolio documenting classroom technology use. Using a multiple case study research design and grounded theoretical framework, data were collected from three sources: interviews, observations, and award portfolio documents. These data sources were analyzed for each teacher using constant comparative analysis methods and represented in individual case study reports. The eight case study reports were compared to develop a theory that transcended the individual cases. The findings indicated that expert technology-using teachers\u27 strategies for technology were based on the goal of achieving meaningful technology integration, using technology for to enhance student comprehension, increase student motivation, and/or increase students\u27 achievement by applying technology skills. Their visions epitomized meaningful technology integration that enhanced student understanding typically by placing technology in the hands of their students. However, many of their expressed visions sometimes conflicted with their actual implemented strategies. With regards to the experiences that influence development, four sets of experiences emerged from the data as critical to motivating the teachers to pursue more technology integration: Technology in Context (developing an interest through exposure and building basic technology skills); Implementation in the Classroom (motivated by students or other stakeholders reactions); Advancing Technology Integration Knowledge (self-initiating learning opportunities and implementing, revising, and reflecting); and Sharing with Others (engaging in leadership opportunities and teaching teachers technology). Implications of this research suggest using meaningful technology integration visions and strategies as a goal for teachers, aligning technology integration with teachers\u27 current pedagogical and curricular strategies. In addition, experiences from the four sets that emerged from the data as influencing technology integration development should incorporate this idea of meaningful technology integration

Revisiting Preservice Technology Integration Course Content: What are the Critical Objectives?

Technology integration classes are constantly changing. At both the University of Oklahoma and Indiana University, placing this undergraduate course online for the pandemic exposed considerable redundancy. This conversion allowed us to streamline content, model effective online practices, engage students in developing remote learning skills and focus on course objectives to ensure that each activity was aligned with our goal to create effective technology using teachers.https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_faculty_books/1065/thumbnail.jp

Teacher beliefs and uses of technology to support 21st century teaching and learning

Previous research has established the importance of teachers’ beliefs to classroom practices including teachers’ choices of instructional strategies (Smith & Southerland, 2007; Wilkins, 2008) and assessment methods (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2009), as well as their selection of instructional resources (Speer, 2008), and technology tools (Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Sadik, Sendurur, & Sendurur, 2012). As noted by Fives and Buehl (2012), research on teacher beliefs spans nearly 60 years and includes over 700 empirical studies. Yet, despite this large body of work, additional research is needed to explicate the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and their uses of digital technologies, specifically those that support 21st century teaching and learning

Interpretation of research on technology integration in teacher education: preparation and current practices

Researchers have called for renewed efforts in exploring both what knowledge should be taught in preservice teacher education programs with regard to technology. In addition, researchers have also called for renewed efforts on how to best prepare teachers to effectively use that knowledge to support teaching and learning. There were multiple ways to approach this problem, but researchers selected a two-phase mixed-methods research design. This chapter examines how the research focus and results were selected and interpreted through the two-phase mixed-methods research design. The chapter describes why and how specific populations were selected (teacher educators and practicing teachers). In addition, the chapter describes why data sources were selected (surveys and multiple case studies - interviews, documents). The analysis of data is also detailed, noting the various statistical tests run, as well as the methods for coding open-ended data. Furthermore, descriptions of interpretations of the results and how findings were established are presented

Teacher beliefs and technology integration practices: A critical relationship

Early studies indicated that teachers' enacted beliefs, particularly in terms of classroom technology practices, often did not align with their espoused beliefs. Researchers concluded this was due, at least in part, to a variety of external barriers that prevented teachers from using technology in ways that aligned more closely with their beliefs. However, many of these barriers (access, support, etc.) have since been eliminated in the majority of schools. This multiple case-study research was designed to revisit the question, "How do the pedagogical beliefs and classroom technology practices of teachers, recognized for their technology uses, align?

Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology in education: a synthesis of qualitative evidence

This study reviewed qualitative studies that focused on strategies to prepare pre-service teachers to integrate technology into their lessons. A meta-ethnography approach was utilized to locate, critically appraise, and synthesize the results of these studies. Based on an extensive search in the Web of Science, 19 articles were included in this synthesis. The results were divided into two parts: (1) key themes explicitly related to the preparation of pre-service teachers (e.g., using teacher educators as role models, learning technology by design, scaffolding authentic technology experiences), and (2) conditions necessary at the institutional level (e.g., technology planning and leadership, co-operation within and between institutions, training staff). To present how these key themes related to each other, an overarching model was developed. By interpreting the results of the review, recommendations were discussed for pre-service teacher technology training and future research

Addressing technology integration concerns: Asynchronous video mentoring between pre-service teachers and exemplary technology-using in-service teachers

Research has identified that pre-service teachers have concerns about technology integration (e.g., their future school would lack technology resources; technology is not applicable in their subject areas). Mentoring has been highlighted as a means of overcoming these concerns. In this study, we present and investigate one strategy – an asynchronous video mentoring session between a class of 199 pre-service teachers and four exemplary award-winning technology-using in-service teachers. A small group of the pre-service teachers (n = 31) voluntarily expressed their concerns. The four in-service teachers were videotaped as they responded to these concerns. All 199 pre-service teachers watched the videos and described how the in-service teachers’ responses either alleviated or increased their concerns. A majority of the pre-service teachers (58%) reported that their primary concerns regarding technology integration were less acute after they watched the teachers’ presentation. Teacher education programs might consider the use of digital technologies to support student voices and increase the opportunities for interaction between pre-professionals and practising professionals