Investigating Learning Technology By Design Approach in Pre-Service Language Teacher Education: Collaborative and Reflective Experiences

Abstract

The study aims to present how technology integration can be fulfilled into Language Teacher Education (LTE) contexts by tracking the development of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) of the pre-service English Language teachers through Learning Technology By Design approach. A total of 100 senior student teachers (STs) of English at a large state university in Turkey participated in the study. The STs were required to train their peers about one digital tool and prepare digital materials to be used in language classrooms. The data were collected through three instruments quantitatively and qualitatively: the TPACK-EFL survey, peer reflective discussion forms and focus-group interviews. The findings revealed that the TPACK-EFL knowledge of the STs has improved significantly in all domains after the research intervention, and the STs reported considerably positive perceptions about the digital tools such as increasing motivation and positive atmosphere, more attractive and content-rich materials and more practical and found the experience of peer teaching very effective. The study suggests implications for a variety of digital tools to be used in language classrooms and an effective technology training in LTE contexts.

Preservice Teachers’ Design of Technology–Based Reading Texts to Improve Their TPACK

“…Preservice teachers' certain level of knowledge and beliefs about their capability to integrate technology in their future classrooms are important factors (Paratore et al, 2016). Preservice teachers designed technology-based language activities for students (Aşık et al, 2018) and started to believe that such activities increase students' motivation, created a positive learning environment, and were catchy. Moreover, such designing activity increased preservice teachers' TPACK.…”

“…As a result, they seemed to be demonstrating TPACK in their lesson plans. In a study by Aşık et al (2018), preservice teachers' peer teaching about a digital tool and designing digital activities for second language learning were found to be significantly increasing their TPACK. Moreover, preservice teachers' beliefs were positive about the digital tools in terms of increasing motivation, creating a positive learning environment, being catchy, and handy.…”

“…Designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating technology in educational environments are recommended for teachers so that they can incorporate technology to improve students' content learning (International Society for Technology in Education [ISTE], 2008;Niess, 2011). Teachers' knowledge and beliefs about their capabilities of technology integration and their technology design activities for learning are the indicators of their TPACK improvement (Aşık et al, 2018;Paratore et al, 2016). With this information in mind, the purpose of this study was to contribute to preservice teachers' TPACK and help them get a better understanding of technology use for educational purposes.…”

An Evaluation of the 9th Grade English Program in Terms of Developing Ict Litera

“…As Czubaj (2002) claims, for successful implementation of technology, planning should precede purchasing and training should precede implementation. In this respect, explicit integration of ICT tools and activities should be incorporated into tertiary level education since previous research indicate that explicit integration of ICT tools and activities into the learning process help develop learners' pedagogical and technological content knowledge (Aşık, et al, 2018;Ersanlı,2016).…”

“…In 2018, a research was conducted with student teachers. The aim of the research was to track the development of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of preservice English teachers through reflective and collaborative practices (Aşık, et al, 2018). Data were collected from 100 senior students through TPACK-EFL survey, peer reflective discussion form and focus group interviews.…”