Integrating ICT into teacher educ@tion: the challenge of striking the right balance

2. Buying computers is one thing, but integrating new technology into the life of our schools is quite another [...]. When we consider how long it took educational institutions to finally adopt Gutenberg ’s printing press (at least three centuries after it was invented), we shudder to think of what might happen, especially if we delude ourselves that we have solved the problem by amassing the hardware. Guédon, 1999

3. Integrating ICT into teacher educ@tion: the challenge of striking the right balance

4. Thierry Karsenti, Université de MontréalMonique Brodeur, Université du Québec à MontréalColette Deaudelin, Université de SherbrookeFrançois Larose, Université de SherbrookeMaurice Tardif, Université de Montréal

5. Agenda • Introduction (background, problem) • Objectives • Methodology • Motivation, ICT and future teachers • Education needs • Preservice education professionals VII. Conclusion

6. I. BACKGROUND-PROBLEM

7. ICT has proven itself.Unfortunately, as Larose, David, Lafrance Cantin (1999) have shown, ICT is least used in faculties of education.

8. The potential benefits of technology can only be achieved if university instructors are aware of their importance and specific contribution to teacher education.

9. Instructors must not relegate ICT to the role of optional, superfluous activites, “to be done when we have time.”

10. Instead, they must adopt an attitude of “cultural, sociological, pedagogical and didactic awareness to understand the future make-up of schools, their clients and programs.”

11. Objective 1 • Better understand the motivation of future teachers for pedagogical integration of ICT into a school environment.

12. Objective 2 • Better understand the needs of current and future teachers in terms of the knowledge and skills required for efficient pedagogical integration of ICT into a school environment.

13. Objective 3 • Better understand the role of preservic or in-service teacher education professionals and instructors in Canada in the process of integrating ICT into teaching.

14. III. METHODOLOGY

15. This report strives to present a (meta)analysis of research already conducted in the field (objectives 1, 2 and 3). It is also based on research currently in progress.

16. IV. MOTIVATION OF FUTURE TEACHERS AND PEDAGOGICAL INTEGRATION OF ICT IN A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

17. The preliminary findings of a survey of some 10,000 future teachers reveals that commitment to and perseverance in pedagogical integration of ICT during practicums appears largely dependent on five key factors:

18. Pedagogical integration of ICT by associate teachers; • Degree or level of a future teacher ’s computer literacy; • Pedagogical integration of ICT by instructors when educating future teachers in universities; • A future teacher ’s expectations of success in integrating ICT; • The value placed on ICT by future teachers.

19. The five characteristics likely to foster motivation among future teachers to pedagogically integrate ICT into their professional practice show promise as avenues for promoting extensive penetration of ICT into the school environment.

20. Although these analyses are only preliminary, the large number of respondents (about 10,000) implies that these may be major determinants in the motivation of future teachers to integrate ICT.

21. V. NEEDS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE TEACHERS FOR EFFECTIVE PEDAGOGICAL INTEGRATION OF ICT INTO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

22. Train for what learning outcomes in students?

23. …a medium for consulting documentary sources, but also for producing • and communicating.

24. Many studies point out that new teachers have some “knowledge” of ICT but little practical knowledge and little or no technopedagogical skill to integrate ICT into their professional practice.

25. Today, future teachers continue to receive inadequate training in pedagogical integration of ICT. They also have few role models among their university instructors.

26. This finding is not limited, however, to future teachers in Canada, but is found as well among other teachers in North America and Europe.

27. The international nature of the problem of integrating ICT for future teachers therefore appears to further reinforce the relevance of studying this issue.

28. Experienced teachers play an important role in educating future teachers, since they should suggest approaches for using ICT in actual classroom situations and should support future teachers’ experiments with learning activities that make use of ICT.

29. Yet experienced teachers continue to make less use of ICT and feel qualified to work in a fairly limited range of applications.

30. Professional development of current teachers in ICT: a few approaches

31. Acquisition of knowledge and development of skills linked to ICT, as well as greater pedagogical integration of ICT, require:

32. Suitable training; • Access to ICT; • Ongoing support and advice to encourage progress beyond preservice education.

33. VI. PRESERVICE OR IN-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS IN CANADA AND THEIR ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATING ICT INTO TEACHING

34. Technology is usually portrayed as a specialty rather than an instrument of general application in didactics and pedagogy.

35. Familiarization with various forms of pedagogical use of ICT is presented as an elective course that rounds out the general education profile of future teachers.

36. Although the infrastructure is present in the vast majority of Canadian schools, many studies reveal that integration of ICT does not always happen at the practical level.

37. Schools have not always succeeded in adapting to the challenges raised by changing ICT

38. and they still cannot ensure that all students acquire minimum “computer literacy,”

39. nor do they show enough concern for developing students ’ ability to take a critical view of omnipresent media.

40. Networking technology is under-utilized, which limits its integration to the search for information on known sites when preparing courses...

41. This relationship to school computers appears to berepeated among new teachers as well as students.

42. In the area of teacher education practices: Research results have been very mixed.

43. Little impact on the profile of ICT use in practical training or entry into the profession.

44. However, the concomitant use of ICT in courses taken at university and the use of this medium as part of “practical education” constitute conditions for genuinely optimizing learning acquired.

45. VII. CONCLUSION

46. Special attention must be paid to pedagogical integration of ICT into the education of future teachers, because this integration currently does not appear to be widespread.

47. As the scientific literature points out, future teachers continue to receive inadequate training for pedagogical integration of ICT.

48. Furthermore, ICT is too often marginalized in preservic teacher education, and this could have a negative impact on the students these future teachers will teach...

49. Although integration of ICT must proceed and simultaneously adapt to all the inherent challenges of this integration…

50. There also is a clear need to strike a balance between successful integration of ICT into teacher education and respect for the basic mission of education and research taken on by universities and especially faculties of education.