ARE FIRST YEAR TEACHERS USING TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOIM?
How do first year teachers feel about technology in the classroom?
CHALLENGES
• In this qualitative research study, 25 elementary
school teachers in south central Texas were
interviewed. Findings include teachers are
overwhelmed by the available technology, problems
with the hardware, and restraints on time because of
mandated state standardized testing (Flemming & Hynes, 85).
SOCIOECONOMIC DIVIDES: urban and rural schools vs suburban
CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT
• Although new teachers often have excellent technology for their own personal or
professional practice, they typically struggle with how to integrate technology into their
instruction. Early career teachers tend to question the effectiveness of using
technology for instructional purposes because they believe that use of technology in
the classroom increases classroom management issues (Weber & Waxman, 65).
[T]he quality of the overall use of technology
improved from the Fall to the Spring semester...This
progress indicates increased familiarity and comfort
with their role as teacher as well as with technology
integration itself, demonstrating a willingness to make
changes and take instructional risks as part of the
learning process (Weber & Waxman, 80).
TRAINING
What technologies are available for the classroom?
INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS
CLASSROOM SOCIAL MEDIA
CLASSROOM BLOGS
MINDMAPPING TOOLS
iPADS and APPS
When technology was integrated into the instruction,
it was largely used by teachers as a simple content
delivery tool for students to take notes and attempt
practice problems. Technology use was rarely
student-centered, as students had little opportunity
for individualized use for exploration or inquiry, or
even to produce new knowledge or create products
with technology (79-80).
In the Fall, the novice teachers were between
“low-level use of technology” and “somewhat
meaningful use of technology.” In the Spring, the
teachers were transitioning beyond “somewhat
meaningful use of technology” toward “meaningful use
of technology (80).”
SYSTEMATIC CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS OF
FIRST-YEAR TEACHER INTERNS’ PEDAGOGICAL
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS