Examining PRESERVICE teachers’ use of SMARTBOARD and pc tablets in lessons

Abstract

Transfer of knowledge to future generations has always been performed by people since existence of early humans. Today, with the developments in technology, education is presented in several ways and through a wide variety of tools such as two- or three-dimensional learning contents, animations, video conference lessons and interactive applications. Parallel to these developments, smartboards, tablets, virtual laboratories and cooperative learning environments have resulted in more innovative solutions in teacher training and changed the way of teaching. Education given with this type of technological tools helps make learning more permanent. The quality of education given with technological tools is determined by students’ approach to and knowledge about these tools. In the present study, the purpose was to reveal preservice teachers’ views about the use of smartboards in classes. The study was carried out with 124 preservice teachers attending different departments at Education Faculty of a state university in the Southeast of Turkey in the Fall Term of the academic year of 2016–2017. The results obtained in the study demonstrated that there were significant differences between the preservice teachers’ views about the audio-visual use of tablet computers and smartboards in classes with respect to their departments. Analysis of the research data also revealed that use of tablet computers in classes did not decrease motivation based on gender.