Abstract:

Technology integration in teaching practice involves many challenging layers which include knowledge of digital tools, content, and pedagogies (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) and the skills and confidence to implement technology enhanced activities in teaching (Abbitt, 2011; Albion et al., 2015; Kent & Giles, 2017). Research shows that the lower the self-efficacy beliefs to teach with technology among PTs (preservice teachers), the less likely they are to use technology in their future teaching (Muniz, 2021). While various approaches such as a technology course or mini workshops have been proposed to facilitate PTs’ preparation for technology use, researchers are still attempting to identify what pedagogical strategies and approaches work best (Kay, 2006; Tondeur et al., 2016). This paper reports on a study that examined the pedagogical strategies that contributed to PTs’ preparedness to effectively integrate technology into the teaching of mathematics. Using a mixed methods study design, data were collected from 59 preservice teachers being certified to teach in middle and high school. PTs were in the last semester of their Teacher Education program at a Canadian university. The Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence (SQD) Model developed by Tondeur et al. (2012) guided the study design as this model incorporates the pedagogical strategies that support PTs learning about technology integration. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey adapted from the Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence (SQD) Scale developed by Tondeur et al. (2016). All survey items were valid and Cronbach’s alpha for the SQD was .947 indicating high reliability. Qualitative data included responses from three open-ended survey questions and individual interviews with six participants, respectively. Descriptive analysis obtained from the SQD scale indicated that participants experienced all six teaching strategies (role model, reflection, collaboration, authentic experiences, instructional design, and feedback) at an average level regarding how to use technology in math teaching. PTs identified the role modelling strategy as the most frequently used strategy during their teacher education program; however, they reported receiving limited feedback from their instructors about their technology-related activities. The latter finding supports other findings in the literature that have identified the feedback strategy as the lowest commonly used strategy in classrooms. Thematic analysis of qualitative data also revealed that PTs identified experiential learning, including practicum experiences, the role modeling strategy, and collaboration with peers as effective pedagogical strategies to prepare them to integrate technology into their teaching of mathematics. PTs also reported challenges or limitations in learning how to teach mathematics with technology such as lack of a math-specific technology course, need for more meaningful technology-related math activities in courses, lack of new technology hardware in schools, and limited time. The findings of this study indicate that teacher educators need to use an appropriate combination of SQD-strategies to develop PTs’ skills and competencies to teach with technology. An important recommendation is that mathematics methods instructors in Teacher Education programs should give more attention to incorporating a continuous feedback strategy to promote PTs' learning about how to teach mathematics with technology.

Keywords:

Technology integration, math education, pedagogical strategies, mixed methods, preservice teachers.