Instructional Media & Technology Tweed W. Ross Kansas State University

Einstein Alive and Well “Problems cannot be resolved at the same level of consciousness that created them.”

Setting the Discussion Most pre-service teachers throughout the country take one or more ICT courses. These courses vary considerably and are developed to meet complex local contexts and needs. Research on the effectiveness of these courses in student teaching experiences and on the job is spotty.

Defining our Context Instructional Media & Technology is a two credit hour required course. Generally taken early in the professional program at COE-KSU students per semester in an on-line environment. One tenured faculty + 3 graduate assistants “Use technology to teach technology.”

K-State College of Education Environment No computer lab classrooms. Mobile computer labs. Completely wireless for 4 years. Checkout laptops (Macs) for student use. Extensive in house faculty and IT support. Some classrooms equipped with advanced technology-portability equipment for the others.

Outside Driving Forces State licensing. NCATE. COE-KSU Conceptual Framework. –Charlotte Danielson, Framework for Teaching. ISTE.

Personnel Driving Forces Tenured faculty perceptions. Inability to find faculty or graduate assistants with technology skills AND classroom experience. Students with new skills and attitudes the embrace technology to-- –Communicate. –Access information. –Share. K-12 environment changing

Course anomalies Entirely on-line. –Only one face to face meeting for orientation. –Three tests Efforts to insure test security. Students can take test as anytime in the semester. –Contain two parts: randomly generated multiple choice + skill demonstration. Course is asynchronous –Students can complete the course in anytime frame they choose prior to the end of the semester. –Seat time is not a factor. Student maturity and time management are factors.

What We Know Employer perceptions –Modest satisfaction Technology to meet local environmental needs, application software, and level of sophistication. Student perceptions –Ross & Wissman (2001) Redesigning Undergraduate Technology Education, Journal of Technology and Teacher Education 9(2), –OEIE (2002) Technology Use in COE Methods and Clinical Courses, Manhattan, KS. –Center for Extended Studies/OEIE ( ) Undergraduate Program Evaluation.

What We Don’t Know How to insure that all students are able to ISTE NETS*T in: –Their methods classes. –Their supervised teaching experiences in our PDS schools. –Their actual classroom experience. How to reach out to different non-KSU campus environments, particularly in SW Kansas. Insure methods faculty have the technology skills to effectively evaluate and guide student technology in technology-rich content teaching experiences.

Changing Models of Perception=Unresolved Complex Issues University courses undefined by clock hours. On-campus classes offered to off-campus students. Ownership and portability of course materials in a world where universities compete for students. Defining success in a ways that do not rely on student relativity.