Although many studies in the field of education and teacher preparation research have attempted to assess the value of introducing technology as a whole to future teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation program, most have been unable to distinctly determine how valuable such an introduction is, especially since there are so many aspects of technology that teachers could possibly make use of and in so many contexts, ranging from their classroom instruction tools as well as their own personal and professional organizational methods.
As it stands, most teacher education programs strive to keep technology at the forefront in terms of what is required of students in the teacher education program by having them complete assignments using basic technology, but there is little in the way of practical applications of this technology for future teachers, thus leaving a knowledge gap for many outside of what they have learned about technology in their personal lives through the use of personal email, social media, and communication tool use.
For teachers just beginning to enter their field and undergoing the last remaining bits of their teacher education preparation, a last step on the part of education educators is approaching the concept of technology and the possibility of its integration into their classrooms as well as their own methods of classroom-related organization and maintenance. The studies that have attempted to measure the success of making technology classes a part of teacher education programs
One study that was recently released saw the need for greater understanding of the value of technology education programs for teacher education and preparation and as a result, the use of one technology class by itself and somewhat outside of the regular teacher education programs they attended was examined in terms of how it made the future teachers feel about approaching technology in the classroom setting. The results of this study, which were recently published in the academic Journal of Technology and Teacher Education concluded that just one course significantly boosted the confidence levels of those in teacher education programs by allowing them a direct experience with technology based on their needs as those involved with teacher preparation .
To be more specific, this study that examined the use of one technology class in order to eliminate confusion in the study concluded that “a single course greatly impacts perceived computer ability but not general computer attitudes; that course instruction as well as prior technology experience has a significant influence on preservice teachers ability to understand the usefulness of integrating technology in the classroom” (Lambert et al 2008). In short, the finding was that by giving those enrolled in teacher education programs one course that is exclusively related to technology in the classroom, confidence levels are boosted and this will make teachers more likely to use current technology in their classrooms. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that the study notes that a prior familiarity with technology is also important, thus anyone entering a teacher preparation program should consider his or her familiarity with basic modes of technology, especially in terms of email, social media, and more importantly, word processing and other related and common software.
Furthermore, what this also indicates to those considering entering a teacher education program or teacher preparation course of study is that if you do not already have skills with technology in its most basic form and are not at all confident about your ability to use such forms of technology in the classroom, it might be worth your time to consider taking a technology class, either within the context of your teacher education program or outside of it, at least to build the confidence necessary before you begin teaching in your classroom—especially since most of your students, particularly if you will be teaching at the high school level, will be well versed in technology.
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Source : Lambert, J., Yi Gong, & Cuper P. (2008). Technology, Transfer, and Teaching: The Impact of a Single Technology Course on Preservice Teachers’ Computer Attitudes and Ability. Journal of Technology & Teacher Education, 16(4), 385-410.
