The Whole Approach: An investigation of a School-Based Practicum Model of Teacher Professional Development in ICT

The question of what makes for effective teacher professional development in ICT is an enduring one. In a recent study in Queensland (Australia) we visited 19 rural and regional schools and interviewed teachers, administrators and ICT coordinators to find that a school-based practicum was effective in impacting the practice and beliefs of individual teachers. This paper, through reference to our field study findings and briefly describing four of its case studies, concludes that the practicum’s success is related to its being an example of situated professional development. The findings of the study have implications for professional development programs aimed at increasing the use and integration of ICT in classrooms