Draft - From The Computer Lab To The Classroom: A Case Study On The Nature of Technology Integration In a Social Studies Methods Course With Preservice Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of the study was a case study on the nature of technology integration in a social studies methods course and its impact on the practices of preservice teachers during the course and during their practica experiences. The study was conducted with seven preservice teachers and the methods instructor. The case study addressed the following areas: the constructivist integration of technology, the impact of instructor's modeling behavior on preservice teachers' attitudes and practices toward information technology, factors that influenced preservice teachers' attitudes toward using information technology, factors that promoted preservice teachers' integration of technology during their practica experiences, factors that hindered preservice teachers' integration of technology during their practica experiences, and the impact of technology integration on the basic computer skill levels of preservice teachers.

Data were collected through observations, document analysis, formal and informal interviews and questionnaires. Data were coded and analyzed using the constant comparative method and descriptive statistics. The descriptive statistics design was used to enrich the case study data. The data on the constructivist integration show that the instructor integrated components of the proposed constructivist model developed by Ewing et al. (1998) for the WWW STARS Project.

Using the Teachers' Attitude Toward Computer (TAC) scale, there was no noteworthy difference between the pre-course and post-course scores of preservice teachers' attitudes toward computer. The case study data show that the main reason why the descriptive statistics data were not noteworthy was that all the preservice teachers had positive attitudes toward computer at the beginning of the course and the course reinforced that positive attitude.

Using the Teachers' Attitude Toward Information Technology, there was no noteworthy difference in the pre-course and post-course scores of preservice teachers' attitudes toward information technology. The case study data show that the main reason why the descriptive statistics data were not noteworthy was that preservice teachers had a positive disposition to information technology prior to the integration of technology in this course. A breakdown of the components of TAT yielded similar results. Though, the case study data show that preservice teachers had a positive attitude toward computer and information technology prior to the beginning of this course, one major finding was that preservice teachers stated that the integration of technology in the methods course made them 'comfortable', 'confident' and 'more fluent' in using technology in teaching.

Preservice teachers felt that the instructor's style of integrating technology was beneficial to them in varying degrees. The advanced users felt that the instructor's modeling behavior did not meet their expectations for the course because of their experience level. The beginner and intermediate users felt that the integration was very beneficial to them. Preservice teachers identified five factors that influenced their attitude towards information technology and computer technology. Preservice teachers identified ten factors that influenced the integration of technology during their practica experiences. Preservice teachers identified thirteen factors that affected technology integration during their practica experiences.

Using the North Carolina Basic Technology Competencies (NCBTCE) modified by this researcher, there was a noteworthy difference in the pre-course and post-course mean percentile scores of preservice teachers. The post-course scores were higher than the pre-course scores. The advanced and intermediate users felt that technology integration did not make a significant difference on their computer skill levels, whereas the beginners felt that there was significant impact on their computer skill level.