Preparing Elementary Preservice Teachers to Integrate Technology Examining the Effects of New Science Course Sequence with Technology Infusion

Abstract

Elementary teacher preparation programs often separate content and technology courses. This study examined the impact of changing the required science content courses for elementary preservice teachers in a small liberal arts setting. Following the new science course, students participated in a field experience as part of an elementary science pedagogy course that required using technology when delivering content lessons. We compared the students’ perceived technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and confidence teaching with the technology between the two groups. Data was collected using the TPACK survey at the end of their teacher preparation program. The analysis showed a significant difference in students’ perceived TPACK between a discipline-specific science course and a multidisciplinary course, except in one dimension, pedagogical knowledge (PK). Overall, candidate confidence in combining content and technology in teaching a classroom lesson was higher with the multidisciplinary course. However, students could not effectively describe specific episodes that indicate high-level inquiry-based teaching but did describe overall knowledge of technological pedagogical knowledge.