How Prepared Are Our Pre-Service Teachers to Integrate Technology? A Pilot Study.

Abstract

This study examines pre-service teachers’ technological, pedagogical and content knowledge and the relationships between the factors influencing the development of this knowledge. It concludes with a discussion about the major implications of these findings for the improvement of pre-service teacher education courses. The participants were preservice students enrolled in teacher education programs in one Australian university in 2011. The findings suggest that more needs to be done to prepare pre-service teachers to use technology. Learning opportunities need to be created to develop students’ personal levels of ICT proficiency and make explicit connections to the expectations of teachers described in the Australian Curriculum and the National Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level). In 2011 following the challenge of compulsory curriculum renewal and involvement in the Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project, Seaview University (pseudonym) began the process of evaluating the implementation of their new pre-service education courses to ensure these were aligned with the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2010) and the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) at the Graduate Level (AITSL, 2011). Specifically, there was a need for pre-service teachers to be able to: • Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students (Focus Area 2.6); • Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning (Focus Area 3.4); • Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching (Focus Area, 4.5) (AITSL, 2011). As a result, there was an interest in investigating our pre-service teachers’ existing knowledge, perceptions, access to, and experiences using, technology to support their learning and teaching. The study involved surveying students to establish baseline data as a leading indicator of students’ learning with technology (Lyddon & McComb, 2008). This could be used to evaluate the impact of changes made to the design of topics (also referred to as subjects or courses in some institutions). This study was conducted independently of the TTF Project and involved all students in the School of Education at Seaview University across all topics. This study examines pre-service teachers’ content, pedagogical and technological knowledge and the relationships between the factors influencing the development of this knowledge. It concludes with a discussion about the major implications of these findings for the re-design of pre-service teachers’ courses.