Preparing Student Teachers to Teach with Technology: Case Studies in Finland and Israel

Abstract

This quantitative study examines the training of student teachers for ICT-based teaching in two teacher education institution, in Israel and Finland. The data was collected in 2015-2017 using a questionnaire administered to 41 Finnish and 44 Israeli student teachers. The results show that most student teachers had practice in ICT-based teaching. However, about a third of student teachers in both institutions practiced only two times or less using ICT. Those who practiced mostly used a teacher-centred approach as did their college and school mentor teachers who integrated ICT in their lessons. The variable describing competency in ICT-based teaching correlated with student teachers' attitudes, the number of ICT-based lessons they taught, modelling by the school mentor teacher, and the various schools’ infrastructures and support. The results show that students in Israeli institutions are better prepared to teach with ICT which can be explained by the impact of the latest national reforms. We conclude that students' perception of their TPACK is the function of a variety of factors: on a personal level (attitudes towards the contribution of ICT to teaching and learning); on an institutional level (curriculum, modelling by faculty, institutional strategies); on a field practice school level (modelling by school mentors, infrastructure, pedagogical, technological, and administrative support); and on a national level (reforms and their implementation models). All these factors must be considered to promote the pedagogically innovative integration of ICT in teacher training and the overall education system. The best strategy to achieve this goal is to support collaboration between TEIs and schools on the national level. Wide-scale implementation of ICT in teaching demands significant investments in infrastructure and training. Hence much of its success depends on the national vision and priorities given to this purpose.