Challenges in Preparing Preservice Teachers to Teach using Technology

This paper presents data from the initial offering of a technology course for preservice teachers. This course focuses on trends and issues related to technology integration. Preservice teachers learned new trends and created projects that can be used in teaching their content area. They discussed issues related to technology integration, blog about their learning experiences and review literature on the effect of technology on students’ learning. Challenges of teaching this course include (1) meeting subject specific needs of different content areas; (2) focus on technology, issues, and research vs. technology; (3) preservice teachers’ disposition towards new technology; (4) preservice teachers’ ability to handle technology problems; and (5) lack of field experience. Continuing research will be conducted to examine preservice teachers’ technology use during their field and student teaching experiences and the role of this technology course in preparing them to teach using technology