Nelson, M. J. (2020). The effects of classroom and field experiences with technology on preservice teachers’ beliefs and teaching practices[Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University]. OhioLINK.  http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1585946911420285

Abstract:

“Recently, the United States Department of Education and the main accreditation body of teacher education in the US have called for new teachers to beprepared to effectively use technology upon graduation. To accomplish this, the literature emphasizes targeting their beliefs about technology’s value and their abilities to use it. Until now, studies focused on changing these beliefs have largely explored classroom interventions rather than the effect of an entire teacher education program. Furthermore, the traits of the teacher educators and the actions of mentor teachers in the field are often overlooked, with the focus emphasizing specific approaches to technology integration training. To address this gap, this study used online surveys to sample preservice teachers across ten different institutions regarding their field experiences, university coursework, personal beliefs, and application of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge(TPACK)in their student teaching placements. Analyses with structural equation modeling indicated that preservice teachers’ intrinsic interest and beliefs in the utility of technology in education predicted their application of TPACK. Additionally, their self-efficacy to improve student learning with technology predicted all value beliefs as well as preservice teachers’ TPACK application. Regarding the impact of a teacher education program, preservice teachers who rated the Teacher Educator Technology Competencies (TETCs) as prevalent in their coursework had higher self-efficacy and greater levels of TPACK application. Surprisingly, the prevalence of TPACK in field experiences did not impact any of the studied beliefs, though it directly predicted their personal TPACK application.”