Effects of the integration of technology practices into elementary method courses on the confidence levels and use of technological applications by preservice teachers

This study examined a gap that exists between the knowledge and skills preservice teachers have acquired through the only required technology course they have taken and the knowledge and skills they are expected to possess in order to integrate technology successfully into the elementary science, math, social studies, and language arts methods and practices. A time-series experiment utilizing a single-group design with repeated measures was conducted with a group of 26 self-selected preservice teachers.; The study investigated whether the integration of technology practices into the elementary method courses for preservice teachers would positively influence their self-reported confidence level. The findings indicated the preservice teachers' confidence level in integrating specific technologies into their teaching practices increased over the two semesters they were involved in this study. The study also investigated whether the integration of technology practices into the elementary method courses would result in a positive correlation in the preservice teachers' confidence level and use of technology in the classroom while student teaching. The findings revealed that the preservice teachers demonstrated a higher use of the technologies in which they had more confidence and with the technologies that the supervising teachers used in the classroom.; Teaching preservice teachers how to integrate specific technologies into their teaching methods helped to increase their confidence. The opportunity for the preservice teachers to be exposed to the technologies while learning teaching practices in their method courses, to have experience in using the technologies while student teaching, and to see the technologies being modeled by their supervising teachers, increased the preservice teachers' confidence level and use of the technologies.; Based on the findings of this study, two recommendations are put forth. First, require that the faculty who teach the elementary education method courses provide instruction to the preservice teachers on ways to integrate technology into their teaching practices and methods. Second, place the preservice teachers only with supervising teachers who have been identified as teachers who integrate technology on a regular basis with their students.