Investigation of Prospective Teachers’ Information and Communication Technology Integration Practices in Terms of Transformative Learning Theory

Abstract

AbstractAn examination of prospective teachers' information and communication technology (ICT) skills development in an undergraduate program indicated that the only course available to practice these skills was the teaching practice course. However, the practice and development of these ICT skills in the tea chi ng practice course has not been clearly elucidated. In other words, while the contribution of the teaching practice course in terms of theoretical ICT knowledge is known, how this knowledge is applied is unknown. Under such uncertainties, it is impossible to determine the roles of teaching practice course stakeholders play in terms of ICT integration. Based on transformative learning theory at a micro level, the ai m of this study was to analyze prospective Information Technology (IT) teachers' ICT transformations. Methodological triangulation, a mixed methods research design, was adopted arid designed as a survey method. Over an academic year, data was collected from 54 prospective IT teachers, two university supervisors, and six. practice teachers. Learning Data Collection Sets (questionnaire and interview form) were used to analyze the ICT practice transformations, with interview forms, focus group interview forms, and the researcher's diary being used as the data collection tools. The results showed that though a majority of the prospective IT teachers were likely to experience transformative learning, approximately one-third were able to achieve an ICT transformation within the scope of the teaching practice course. In this context, a more efficient model is proposed for ICT practices in the scope of a teaching practice course.KeywordsInformation and Communication Technology Integration, Information arid Communication Technology Integration in Adult Education, Teaching Practice Course, Transformative Learning Theory.It could be argued that all actors in education, such as teachers, prospective teachers, instructors, and administrators, regarding issues such as infrastructure requirements and education programs, are now interactively involved in the process of information and communication technologies integration. When ICT in Turkey is examined in terms of its historical developments, computers were first introduced to public schools in 1984 (Ozar & Askar, 1997) and computer courses were added to the curriculum as elective courses (Deryakulu, 2008). Though such a start could be considered a precursor to ICT integration, the combination of hardware and software at that time restricted overall integration (Earle, 2002). ICT began with the training of teachers rather than with the setting up of its substructure (World Links, 2007), and so ICT was defined as a tool for students to gain access to course achievements (Kocak Usluel, Kuskaya Mumcu, & Demiraslan, 2007; Fulton, Glenn, & Valdez, 2004). However, ICT has a very complex structure today, and needs to be viewed from the stakeholders' positions to allow for a more stringent examination. Semenov (2005) indicated teachers, students, and administrators as the ICT stakeholders in higher education. Teachers (Gorder, 2008; Okojie, Olinzock, & Okojie-Boulder, 2006; Summerville & Reid-Griffin, 2008), students (Chen, 2004; Davies, 2011; Dexter & Riedel, 2003) and administrators (Green & Gilbert, 1995; Hooper & Rieber, 1995; International Society for Technology in Education [ISTE], 2011; Schiller, 2003) have important duties in ICT integration, initiation, and implementation , and need to overcome the difficulties to encourage the use of ICT education as a part of school culture.In spite of the many technological opportunities for ICT in education, the instructional use of ICT in the classroom is a less common practice than imagined (Surry & Land, 2000; Turkish Council of Higher Education-Yuksekogretim Kurulu [YOK], 2007). …