Title: Constructing embodied understanding of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: preservice teachers' learning to teach with information technology

Authors: Ping Gao; Gerald M. Mager

Addresses: Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, University of Northern Iowa, 411 Schindler Education Center, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614-0606, USA ' School of Education, Syracuse University, 230 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

Abstract: This paper reports the key findings of a qualitative, exploratory study on preservice teachers' learning to teach with information technology (IT) across the last three semesters of their preparation programme. Triangulated qualitative data were collected and analysed on an ongoing basis to track what the nine preservice teachers learned, and how they learned as well as how they used such learning to what effect. This study suggests that learning to teach with IT is an idiosyncratic, multi-dimensional, and developmental process that involves confirmation and adjustments to many aspects of change simultaneously. Six participants showed the steady progress in using a variety of IT in various field placements and became technology advocates. Thus, learning to teach with IT holds the potential to transform teaching and learning in schools amongst and through preservice teachers.

Keywords: Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge; TPACK; preservice teachers; learning to teach; qualitative research; information technology; schools; field placements; technology advocates; school placements; student learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMILE.2013.051654

International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, 2013 Vol.1 No.1, pp.74 - 92

Received: 03 Sep 2012
Accepted: 07 Sep 2012
Published online: 28 Feb 2014 *

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