Design as a Focus for Technology Integration

Abstract

The Plugging in to L.I.T.E.S. project (Leaders in Technology Enhanced Schools-a previously funded Technology Innovation Challenge grant project) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) has been very successful in its attempts to enhance the technology integration skills of teacher education students, and to improve the capabilities of our faculty members to provide effective modeling of technology integration strategies. This was accomplished through the use of professional development activities focused on design tasks, and the use of a “design studio” metaphor to organize and promote the redesign of our curriculum to align with the Illinois Core Technology Standards required of all newly certified teachers. To further the technology integration skills of our teacher candidates, partnerships were established with 25 school districts in our service area where many L.I.T.E.S.-trained mentor teachers work, and teacher candidates rotated through these schools in a two-year, field-based teacher education program that emphasized technology integration. In addition, a comprehensive online resource was designed to explicate the state's technology standards for students and to assist them in the development of electronic portfolios that demonstrate their technology integration competencies. To date, more than 800 teacher education students have been supported in their efforts to plan and implement instructional practices that effectively integrate technology. The lessons learned through this project will hopefully provide guidance to those involved with technology integration in teacher education programs.