Abstract:

This paper reports preliminary findings of qualitative multiple-case research associated with the understandings and uses of digital technology of student teachers' involved in school-based teaching practices. Besides, it presents the issues they faced in integrating technology into their lessons. In order to explain the effects that technology has had on education, it is vital to address the particular contexts of practice. From this, it is possible to develop appropriate pedagogies that can fit the learning environment and expand the pedagogical value of teaching and learning experiences. The research suggests that the effects of technology in education can only be understood within the cultural context where these social practices occur. The effective use of technology in the classroom requires an understanding of the limitations and the potentials of resources, and it demands teachers to be able to evaluate and rethink their practice critically according to the context.

The data collected involved seven case studies from a southern Chilean city which was analysed thematically. They included lesson planning documents, video of the lessons, semi-structured interviews with student teachers, audio recordings of the supervisory meetings. Additionally, written fieldnotes from classroom observations were taken as a complementary source of data collection.

Although the literature concerning educational technology from both the academic and political domains reveal the presence of favourable conditions for teachers to change their traditional practice for more student-centred ways of teaching, it seems that teaching remains unchanged. As a common trend among the participants, this research evidences an understanding of technology as a technical tool rather than a pedagogical resource that can constitute a means for increasing learning. This situation was illustrated by a greater priority that practitioners put for teacher-centred practices. Albeit some cases revealed pedagogies that fostered higher degrees of students' participation, likewise the practitioner drove the activities. The most common pedagogical strategy applied was to generate dialogical interactions directed towards the entire class, which were also teacher-guided. In all cases, the technology uses involved an interest in following up on students learning, either by monitoring or reviewing content already taught. Further, practitioners coped with similar emergent issues in their particular learning contexts such as technical or logistical problems, classroom management and technology features, among others.

These findings challenge initial teacher training programmes leaders and teacher educators to rethink how offering more opportunities for student teachers to understand the potential synergies between pedagogy and technology, experiment and reflect on the implications of a given technology use in their practices. The value of this research resides on its role as a bridge between schools, policymakers, and universities regarding the role and scope of technology on students' learning.

Keywords:

Pedagogy and technology, teaching practices with ICT, pre-service teachers, teacher education.