Technology Integration in Teacher Preparation Programs:

Potential Solutions to Current Problems

Jonathan Leslie, Student
Georgia College & State University

Overview of Issues

With increasing demands on teachers not only educate students but to create holistic approaches to learning, many in the education field are looking for assistance within the area of technology. Because of this, teachers are being asked to become more technologically savvy and be able to effectively use existing technologies to their fullest capacity. With the current crop of teachers being more exposed to technology than there veteran counterparts, they are asked to not only teach the core curriculum but are pushed to become developers of multimedia presentations, complete with visual and auditory stimulation and interactive learning modules. Is this asking too much of today's teachers? If asked, a teacher will easily rattle off numerous responsibilities that they have to do within the classroom, but should computer whiz be one of them? If so, what are we doing to prepare these new teachers so that they are able to assume this new role?

Issues Facing Teachers Concerning Technology

Computer Hardware

In most classrooms, teachers are limited to the amount of technology available. In most instances, classrooms are limited to two computers, one of which is provided solely for the teacher's use while the other is to be used for the students. One of the inherit problems with this arrangement is that most classroom populations border on 30 students. This ratio is not conducive to the idea of integrating multimedia presentations and interactive assignments to create a more holistic learning experience and provide the students with the stimulation necessary to enhance the learning process.

The teacher station is, most often, off-limits to the students because it is that station in which the teacher has to maintain records, create tests and communicate with the administration and parents. With these tasks being located on one machine, teachers are reluctant to allow students full access to programs or presentations in fear of potential corruption of data or records.

Computer Software

Access to sophisticated software remains limited as counties are often unable to pay the large fees associated with the more effective and useful learning software available. Even if teachers are computer savvy enough to be able to locate programs that enhance student involvements and learning, it is doubtful that the school would have the necessary technology to allow the tools to be shown to an entire class through the use of multiple computer stations or overhead projector.

Technology Support and Development

Another major problem facing technology integration into the classroom is the lack of necessary support staff to make such an endeavor possible. In more rural counties, teachers that want to make the jump to more technology-centered teaching find their abilities limited due to lack of effective help in both technology support and integration. Counties that have a larger tax base are able to hire individuals skilled in both technology and education to provide their teachers with someone who will assist them in redesigning their plans to successfully incorporate computers and multimedia into the learning process.

The problem is that these counties are often able to hire few individuals with this background, thus creating backlogs of teachers seeking assistance. This backlog has multiple negative effects. First, the instructional technologist is often pressed for time and is unable to see projects to their fruition. The building of multimedia presentation takes time and consistent development to ensure the proper information and results. Second, teachers often face strict timelines to teach material in order to prepare students for the rigorous testing that is now prevalent in school systems. If a teacher wishes to incorporate technology into a particular lesson, the instructional technologist has a small window of opportunity to provide the services in order for the teacher to meet the schedule. Third, the backlog creates a sense of frustration on the part of the teacher. They are pressed to integrate technology but are often let to their own devices. This creates a sense of frustration and can often resort to more traditional methods of instruction for reasons of a lack of time and support.

Technology Focus in Teacher Preparation Programs – Solution?

These issues are a severe detriment to the push of incorporating technology successfully into the classroom. But as overwhelming as they may seem, there are avenues to explore in assisting teachers with developing, integrating and working with technology effectively. The most effective way to provide teachers with the knowledge to use and integrate technology successfully is to incorporate that information within the teacher preparation program. It is at this point that students are the most accessible to new ideas and attitudes to using technology. If proper instruction on computer usage is given, along with lessons on integration and blending with curriculum, new teachers will be better suited to take that information into the classroom. These teachers will be better prepared to work with what technologies are available to them to develop curriculum and lessons that use technology as the enhancement to education that it is designed to be. The attitude of the preparation program needs to be one of thinking of the future of education and not just teaching standard learning methods but to focus on what can be realistically achieved.

Practical Approaches for Technology Training for Teacher Preparation Programs

Field-Based Teacher Preparation Programs

In a field-based teacher preparation program, students are placed within a school with a veteran teacher in their field of emphasis. It is at this time that students work with the teacher to develop lesson plans, as well as learning the skills necessary for success in the teaching field. This form of training has been successful in creating effective teachers since it puts the individual in the classroom from an early time to emphasize the work and effort involved. It is also at this point that students are able to begin to incorporate the technology training that should be given to them within the program itself.

In the early portion of the teaching placement, the student has opportunities to begin to integrate the technology available with the material presented. Since the veteran teacher has already designed a teaching method that is successful, the student teacher has flexibility and motivation to attempt to incorporate technology into their student teaching as both an experiment and an enhancement to their work.

This approach can be successful on two fronts. The student teacher is able to work through technological problems that would normally cause chaos within a normal class. Each day of participation allows the fine-tuning of the integration so that the student-teacher has an excellent grasp of practical uses of the existing technology of the classroom. The veteran or host teacher is then able to use the experimental work done by the student teacher to enhance their understanding of the technology and begin to integrate the new medium into their teaching methods. This field based experiment in technology integration can only be successful if the student teacher is willing to take the initiative to see existing teaching methods and understand how they may be enhanced with technology of any sort. The background for this evaluation can be taught in the classes that are a standard part of any teacher preparation program.

Traditional Teacher Preparation Programs

In a traditional teaching program, the format followed is that the student teacher takes the necessary course work to fully understand learning theories and practices that will provide them with a deeper understanding of the teaching and learning profession. Once the background has been provided, student-teachers are placed in classroom with veteran teachers and further learn the profession of teaching and learning. The integration of multimedia and technology into a program of this practice has to come at the forefront of the educational process. It is imperative that educators realize that all teaching students are not proficient with technology. By providing classes that enhance those skills, it is then possible to have teaching classes down the line in which technology and the inclusion of media into the art of teaching is encourages and practiced.

Once these courses, designed to enhance the student teacher's abilities in new media, have been covered and core knowledge has been established, the student teacher is then free to use the time within the classroom to develop proficiency. In this regard, the student teacher has the same opportunity to learn what does and does not work in their field.

It does need to be noted that this approach to technology integration and experimentation is only viable if all parties agree to its policies. The host teacher must be willing to be flexible and allow the student teacher to experiment and try new methods of instruction without the stress of failure. This is important in that the student teacher is already in a vulnerable state, not really a teacher, but not really a student. If the host teacher is fully supportive of this experimentation, the student teacher may feel more comfortable in working new ideas into the mix to development meaningful lessons. The student teacher must have the initiative to want to develop new mediums of instruction and teaching.

There is a tendency to mock or emulate the teaching methods of the host teacher, for reasons of effectiveness and compatibility. The student teacher must resist this tendency and want to strive to “push the envelope” in terms of technology within the lesson. A good way to work towards this goal is to have the student teacher work with the technology specialist of the school, if one, to develop ideas and initiatives that can be achieved within the limited term of student teaching. Finally, the attitude of the teacher preparation program staff must embrace the idea of increased technology and not view it as “good, if possible”. They must strive to foster the idea that breaking new grounds and building upon the effective teaching methods by using technology is not only encouraged but highly desired. Any lack of enthusiasm on the idea of increased interactive technologies will only set back any initiative that is brought by the student.

Cohort Method of Learning Integration

One of the best methods proposed for training pre-service teachers to use technology is the concept of a cohort system. A cohort system is already in use by many colleges to build a team of new teachers and allow for simultaneous development of skills and learning. The cohort system emphasizes the aspect of “group learning”. Within each group, there are varying levels of technology proficiency as well as background in other areas of teaching such as pedagogy and content expertise (Smith, 2003). Each group has the opportunity to work with each member's strength in order for the entire group to learn integration of technology as a deeper learning rather than step by step methods of software instruction. Each member has something to bring to the table as far as technology ideas to integration with curriculum. This exchanging of ideas and thought processes encourages both technology usage and effective incorporation of media.

Conclusions

All teaching programs are beginning to see that if we are to develop solid teachers that are able to take advantage of the new technologies and mediums available, early training and instruction is essential. It is up to the university to determine the best methods of what programs and curriculum are best suited for their students, but there is no doubt that arrangements such as cohort learning and field-based teacher training are the most effective.

Students must be able to take full advantage of the technologies out there and also have to become motivated to push their teaching methods to new levels or even alter their entire approaches to teaching. It must be said that technology will not solve all of the ills that fact teaching and learning, but it is a right step in the evolution of education. Pre-service teachers and teaching programs have to embrace the new era.

One of the by products of improving teacher proficiency with technology is the increasing of the marketability of the teacher ( Robinson, 2003) and the program. If individuals determine that they want to enter a teacher preparation program that provides them with the necessary skills in teaching and learning styles as well as infusing technology into the curriculum, then providing those options increases a college's prestige at recruiting top teachers. The new teacher, upon completion of the program, comes out with credentials beyond just certification. They are proficient in learning styles, methodologies, and technology. They are on the cutting edge of education and can take the initiative of pushing new curriculum and a more constructivist approach to learning.

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