A Professional Development School Technology Integration and Research Plan

Abstract

Technology diffusion in public schools has varied in scale from local and state initiatives to large-scale governmental-funded programs. Teachers' use of technology, however, remains limited and still focuses on the tools rather than on learning outcomes and teaching processes. Teacher education programs face a similar challenge in having pre-service teachers integrate technology and model best practice for teachers in public schools. One model for teacher education is viewing public schools and the university-based teacher education program as Professional Development Schools (PDS) where pre-service teachers and host teachers learn alongside each other in actual teaching including technology use. In this case, a mature PDS model (20 years old) is described along with how technology has been implemented across the teacher education program and within the PDS-network member schools. This case poses for the reader two questions: (1) How can technology diffusion occur in a PDS model addressing the different agendas of university, school, and state? (2) How can a technology integration plan also include program evaluation and/or research features so that the plan is formally and systematically studied?