Looking at Interactive Whiteboards through the Eyes of Pre-service Teachers

Abstract

There are a limited number of studies about the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in higher education, specifically in teacher education. This study investigated pre-service teachers’ perceptions of IWBs. The pre-service teachers involved in the study were studying in nine different teacher training programs. To achieve this goal, a quantitative survey method was employed. Participants of the study consisted of 367 pre-service teachers, 110 male and 257 female, who were studying in diverse teacher training programs. Data were collected through the “Interactive Whiteboard Student Perception Scale for University Students”. The instrument consists of 18 items and three factors. Data regarding the participants’ demographics and perceived level of technology competence were also collected. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and ANOVA statistical analysis. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was also conducted to prove the construct validity of the instrument with a large sample. The result of CFA indicated appropriate fit indices for the instrument with three factors. The perceptions of pre-service teachers about the use of IWB were found as positive and high. Pre-service ICT and Physical Education (PE) teachers had the highest mean scores regarding the use of IWB in their courses. Post Hoc analysis indicated a significant difference relying on the department. The results also indicated that there is a significant mean difference between second and third grade pre-service teachers in favor of third grade pre-service teachers. A significant correlation was found between pre-service teachers’ perceptions about the use of IWBs and their perceived technology competence.