Technology Integration for the Professional Development of English Teachers

Abstract

This paper deals with the intersection of the didactics of English as a ForeignLanguage (efl) and of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (tpack)to guide teachers in the use of some specific tools and how to integrate theminto their lessons. To meet this requirement, the researchers conducted a study to answer the question: How may the implementation of a teacher development program on tpack impact the English teaching and learning of a group of in-service teachers? The researchers collected data through observations, interviews, and before-while-after questionnaires in the implementation of two technology modules. The participants received a 48-hour course in technology during the first and second semester, as well as four follow-up sessions on the tpack these teachers use in practice, associated with the knowledge intersections, namely tck, tck, and tpk. The professional development was organized into four stages and workshops: a) modeling a technology-enhanced activity type; b) integrating a pedagogical model in a lesson; c) developing technical skills through different virtual resources for lesson planning; d) applying tpack to design tasks for teachers’ lesson plans. The results highlighted a positive impact on professional learning for teacher’s development of tpack. They also revealed that teachers learned to consider the possibility of using technology, access issues in their choices, and use of technology for lesson planning.