Preservice versus Inservice Educators’ Attitudes Toward Information Technology Presentation to the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education (SITE) 10th International Conference March 4, 1999 San Antonio, Texas Rhonda Christensen Gerald Knezek University of North Texas

Categories of Educators Preservice University coursework on campus Student teaching Inservice Mentor teachers Regular classroom teachers Administrators

Data Samples Inservice vs preservice (interns) ( ) Mentor teachers vs. 1st year teachers ( ) Preservice teachers enrolled in courses prior to student teaching ( , , 1999)

Instrumentation Teachers Attitudes Toward Computers (TAC) Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Information Technology (TAT) Stages of Adoption of Technology

Some Research Findings  Attitudes toward technology become more positive with “training”.  Some attitudes change more quickly than others (anxiety, acceptance, etc.)  Teacher attitudes toward technology impact student attitudes.  Attitude change is the precursor to new behaviors.  Teacher Training is Essential!

Stages of Adoption of Technology Stage One: Awareness Stage Two: Learning the Process Stage Three: Understanding and application of the process Stage Four: Familiarity and confidence Stage Five: Adaptation to other contexts Stage Six: Creative application to new contexts

Inservice Teachers Prior to Technology Education

Inservice Teachers After One Year of Technology Education

Snapshot of School Consortium Stages of Adoption (1998 data for 1141 Texas Educators)

Preparing Teachers to Teach with Technology  University of North Texas College of Ed. Technology Applications Endorsement  1100 Computer Applications  WP, SS, DB  3440 Technology and the Teacher  Teacher Productivity  4100 Computers in the Classroom  Technology Integration  4xxx Higher level technology course

PDS Mentor Teachers vs. 1st year Teachers vs. Administrators (TAC)

South Texas Teachers (pre and post) vs. Teacher Interns (TAC)

Future Directions for Teacher Ed. Pilot integrating technology into COE methods courses Develop a mentor program for COE instructors of methods courses Symbiotic Mentoring Technology mentoring from preservice CECS4100 students/ Pedagogical mentoring from inservice teachers

Spring 1999 Stages (pretest)

Inservice vs. Preservice Preservice teachers who have been through the computer education sequence feel confident/competent to use technology in the classroom. Preservice teachers rate themselves as a higher stage than inservice teachers.

Invervice vs. Preservice Inservice teachers who have technology- supportive administrators tend to have higher attitudes toward technology. Inservice teachers who have training tend to have higher attitudes toward technology.

Summary - Three Essential Elements  Will  Attitudes (Anxiety, Acceptance, etc.)  Skill  Competencies  Teacher Training  Tools  Software/hardware

Research Online _ Research studies _ Online instruments _ Downloadable instruments Or contact: Rhonda Christensen Gerald Knezek