Instructional Technology Theory Alignment with Practical
Application During Student Teaching
This naturalistic case study investigated what student teachers learn
about practical classroom instructional technology applications during
elementary field placement. Underlying influences on student teachers implementing
instructional technologies are described along with their cooperating teachers’
accounts of factors in the school that either promote or inhibit professional
technological growth. Analysis of these experiences and influences was
directed toward finding approaches to how schools of education can successfully
merge instructional technology theory with classroom practice.
Student teacher/cooperating teacher participants were placed into the
following buddy system configuration:
-
Pair One: Instructional technology novice preservice teacher with
a nearing proficient cooperating teacher.
-
Pair Two: Nearing proficient instructional technology literate preservice
teacher with a proficient or advanced cooperating teacher
-
Pair Three: Proficient instructional technology literate preservice
teacher with a proficient or advanced cooperating teacher.
Technology experience acquired beyond educational coursework requirements
added to the student teachers’ fundamental technology ability and often
reflected positively on their desire for self-directed learning. Daily
cooperating teacher modeling and collaboration combined with proactive
problem solving in classroom context became determining factors in each
student teacher’s capacity to approach technology implementation during
his or her field experience. Student teachers with the strongest self directed-learning
characteristics grew much more adapt at synthesizing academic technology
theory into practical technology curriculum classroom authentic learning
experiences. The degree of synthesis was directly related to whether they
moved toward technology integration approaches that motivates and challenges
students in critical, creative, and constructive thinking and learning
experiences.
Three themes heavily supported by data emerged: a) collaboration and
rapport; b) self-directed learning; c) equipment: time and availability.
Key barriers were: high classroom student-to-computer ratio, student computer
skills, equipment availability, and confident knowledge in setting up equipment.
Overall, time’s relationship to effort often outweighed student teachers’
decisions to integrate technology.
top