Preparedness of Preservice Teachers to Integration of ICT Into Learning and Teaching Process: Change in Knowledge and Beliefs (original) (raw)

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the preparedness of preservice teachers for ICT integration, in terms of the changes in knowledge and beliefs. For this aim, an ICT integration training was designed and delivered via an online learning environment. 60 preservice teachers from a state university attended to this training. A mixed method was used in this study. Qualitative data were collected through discussions carried out through the environment; quantitative data were collected through a TPACK scale. One-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used to analyse quantitative data to find out the change in the preservice teachers’ ICT integration knowledge. The results of ANOVA analysis showed that there has been a significant and positive change in preservice teachers’ knowledge at the end of the training. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data to find out the change in the preservice teachers’ beliefs related to ICT integration. The results of the content analysis revealed that the preservice teachers’ beliefs regarding ICT integration changed in a positive way at the end of the training. At the beginning of the training, the preservice teachers expressed mostly their concerns and conditions about using ICT in teaching and learning process. At the end of the training, all concerns and conditions have disappeared and the preservice teachers pointed out only their intentions of using ICT in their teaching. Furthermore, their intentions to use ICT in teaching and learning process has shifted from a teacher-centred approach to a student centred approach at the end. Keywords: ICT Integration; preservice teachers; preparedness to ICT integration; beliefs; TPACK Summary ICT integration studies have shown that it is not possible to explain ICT integration through solely the demographic characteristics, computer competences, skills and attitudes of the teachers. Teachers don’t feel themselves ready to integrate ICT into teaching and learning process. Researches have shown that teachers’ ICT usage for instructional purposes depends on their own past learning experiences with respect to ICT and whether they have received any training on ICT integration. So, it is important to ensure that preservice teachers are ready to integrate ICT into teaching and learning process within teacher education programs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the preparedness of preservice teachers for ICT integration, in terms of the changes in knowledge and beliefs. For this purpose, an 11-week course of training on ICT integration was designed and delivered via an online learning environment. The study group was formed by 60 preservice teachers who enrolled in the “Computer Supported Mathematics Teaching” course. Elgg (https://elgg.org/), which is an open source social networking application, was downloaded, setup on a server, designed for this training, and then used as an online learning environment. A mixed method was used in this study. Qualitative data were collected through discussions carried out via the online learning environment; quantitative data were collected through a TPACK scale. One-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used to analyse quantitative data to find out the change in the preservice teachers’ ICT integration knowledge. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data to find out the change in the preservice teachers’ ICT integration beliefs. The results of ANOVA analysis showed that there has been a significant and positive change in the preservice teachers’ knowledge at the end of the training. The results of the content analysis revealed that the preservice teachers’ beliefs regarding ICT integration also changed in a positive way at the end of the training. The results of the content analysis have showed that preservice teachers’ statements regarding ICT integration divided into three main themes; conditions, concerns and intentions. At the beginning of the training, the preservice teachers expressed mostly their concerns and conditions about using ICT in teaching and learning process. They asserted that there should be appropriate technologies, environment and support in schools to integrate ICT into teaching and learning process, and they stated their concerns in terms of environment, teacher, subject and student. Their expressions related to these themes were focused on “teachers”. Additionally, they delineated their intentions of using ICT in teaching and learning process within the context of a teacher-centred approach. At the end of the training, the preservice teachers’ all concerns and conditions have disappeared, so any expression related to these themes were detected. The preservice teachers’ all expressions have consisted of their intentions of using ICT in teaching and learning process at the end of the training. Furthermore, their intentions of using ICT in teaching and learning process has shifted from a teacher-centred approach to a student centred approach at the end of the training. Consequently, it has been shown that ICT integration training which was planned for this research played an effective role ensuring the preservice teachers have been prepared to ICT integration. The preservice teachers equipped with such an ICT integration training are thought to be successful in integrating ICT into teaching and learning process in the future. So, this study is hoped to lead further practical integration studies.