{"id":885,"date":"2009-01-01T01:11:00","date_gmt":"2009-01-01T01:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8888\/cite\/2016\/02\/09\/strategies-for-preparing-preservice-social-studies-teachers-to-integrate-technology-effectively-models-and-practices\/"},"modified":"2016-06-04T01:45:48","modified_gmt":"2016-06-04T01:45:48","slug":"strategies-for-preparing-preservice-social-studies-teachers-to-integrate-technology-effectively-models-and-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citejournal.org\/volume-9\/issue-1-09\/social-studies\/strategies-for-preparing-preservice-social-studies-teachers-to-integrate-technology-effectively-models-and-practices","title":{"rendered":"Strategies for Preparing Preservice Social Studies Teachers to Integrate Technology Effectively: Models and Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/p>\n

The importance of technology use in education has been widely acknowledged. Many researchers have posited that technology use integrated with relevant teaching methods improves student learning (Hastings & Tracey, 2005; Kozma, 2003; Winn, 2002). Researchers report that technology can not only provide authentic, engaging, and collaborative learning environments but also can enable students to learn at any time with peers outside of classrooms (Jonassen, Peck, & Wilson, 1999; Kozma, 2003; Morey, Bezuk, & Chiero, 1997). Yet, the evidence is mixed, at best, that this investment of time, money, and resources has produced measurable change in student learning outcomes, or in teaching practices that effectively leverage the capabilities of technology to improve student learning (Cuban, Kirkpatrick, & Peck, 2001; Mehlinger & Powers, 2002; National Center for Education Statistics, 1999, 2000; Windschitl & Sahl, 2002).<\/p>\n

Based on these findings, it is not surprising that much of the research related to technology integration in K-12 classrooms continues to demonstrate that teachers feel inadequately prepared to use technology effectively in their classrooms, particularly to support teaching and learning activities in their disciplines (Hew & Brush, 2007; Schrum, 1999; Strudler & Wetzel, 1999). This lack of support leads teachers to use technology for low-level, supplemental tasks, such as drill and practice activities, word processing, educational games, and computer-based tutorials (Strudler & Wetzel, 1999; Willis, Thompson, & Sadera, 1999).<\/p>\n

Ineffective or inadequate use of technology by K-12 teachers may be directly related to the preparation provided to preservice teachers at teacher education institutions. Some researchers believe that teacher certification programs still view technology as an add-on to their curricula (Brush et al., 2003; Pellegrino, Goldman, Bertenthal, & Lawless, 2007). This lack of appropriate preparation perpetuates teachers\u2019 feelings of ill-preparedness with regard to technology (Schrum, 1999; Strudler & Wetzel, 1999). As a result, they continue to use computers for lower level tasks, many of which align minimally with core academic standards (Strudler & Wetzel; Willis et al., 1999).<\/p>\n

Despite conclusions such as these, solid theoretical frameworks that focus on preparing teachers to leverage technology in ways that enhance teaching methods in K-12 classrooms are rare. Many times, preservice teachers are exposed to a plethora of skills-based training activities (e.g., creating multimedia presentations, creating Web sites, developing blogs and wikis, and editing video). However, insufficient effort is made to align technology with discipline-specific pedagogy (Brush et al., 2003; Mishra & Koehler, 2006). Thus, researchers have begun examining methods for developing technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) among both beginning and experienced teachers (Koehler, Mishra, & Yahya, 2004; Mishra & Koehler, 2006).<\/p>\n

The TPCK model posits that context-neutral approaches to preparing teachers to utilize technology for pedagogical purposes will generally fail because they tend to overemphasize pure technology skills as opposed to methods of integrating technology into teaching and using technology to support pedagogical goals (Mishra & Koehler, 2006).<\/p>\n

Thus, technology integration experiences integrated with authentic teaching and learning experiences in teacher preparation are recognized as more effective than traditional stand-alone technology classes, in which technology skills and experiences are taught separate from the classroom context (Brush et al., 2001; Hoelscher, 1997; Strudler & Wetzel, 1999).<\/p>\n

Specifically with respect to social studies, Lee (2008) has provided a set of guidelines for effectively integrating TPCK into a social studies context. These guidelines include the following:<\/p>\n