It's not just another new thing: technology as a transformative innovation for social studies teacher education

Abstract

Technology is an innovation that can offer much to facilitate a transformative social studies approach. The paper discuss-es the potential for technology in social studies teacher edu-cation by providing survey and interview results and models and examples for successful integration. The suggestion is that technology can provide opportunities for empowering students and teachers, but meaningful, student-centered critical constuctivist approaches are vital. The model pre-sented includes modeling and applying, reflecting, involving students actively, and developing a community of learners with a technology focus throughout the entire social studies education experience. Teachers are often subjected to so much that a response regarding inno-vation may be to just wait for a little while and it will go away. Technology is one such innovation that is here to stay and can offer much to social stud-