Teachers and Technology

Abstract

In addition to possessing content knowledge required to teach students, today’s teachers must be well equipped with appropriate technology skills and tools to guide and support student learning. The identification of this need has led teacher education programs to mandate all preservice teachers to enroll in technology courses as part of their teacher preparatory curriculum. Similarly, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has established the National Education Technology Standards for teachers (NETS- T) to help promote teacher technology competencies. The purpose of the study was to evaluate preservice teachers’ self-assessed technology competency to determine whether preservice teachers perceived that their technology class enabled them to meet ISTE’s required standards. Specifically, this paper explores the extent to which an educational technology course at a participating midwest college helped to improve preservice teachers’ technology skills as well as to prepare them attain ISTE NETS- T.