The process of learning to integrate technology: A grounded theory of Nebraska preservice teachers' experiences

Abstract

Teacher education programs have been grappling with how best to prepare preservice teachers to integrate technology since the early 1990s. Past research has focused on preservice teachers’ attitudes towards technology in the classroom, intention to integrate, and the impact of specific instructional strategies. Much research has also been dedicated to the development and measurement of preservice teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). Little research has explored the process of learning to integrate technology within the context of the entire teacher education program, including the instructional technology course, methods courses, and field experiences. The goal of this constructivist grounded theory study was to illuminate this process from the perspective of the preservice teacher. Data were collected through interviews with 12 preservice teachers attending five higher education institutions in the state of Nebraska. A theoretical framework representing the process of learning to integrate technology was developed based on the participants’ perspectives. The theoretical framework provides insight into the preservice teacher’s experience, identifies areas that teacher education programs can target in order to potentially improve their learning process, and contributes new ideas for future research.^