Special Education Teachers’ Experience, Confidence, Beliefs, and Knowledge About Integrating Technology

Abstract

This study investigated the perspectives of elementary special education teachers regarding integrating technology into lessons. Eight special education teachers at a private university laboratory school, who varied in their levels of teaching experience and confidence with using technology, participated in the study. We interviewed each teacher three times, with two of the interviews following our observations of technology-integrated lessons. Qualitative analysis of interview transcripts provided insight into the interrelationships among teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge, teaching experience, confidence with using technology, beliefs about the role of technology in education, and perceptions of the benefits and challenges associated with using it. Teachers’ perceptions of the value of technology in special education classrooms included providing differentiation, offering varied representations of content, enhancing motivation and engagement, facilitating formative assessment, and fostering life skills. Challenges of integrating technology included technology malfunctions and lack of teacher and student technological knowledge.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Motivation, Practices and Challenges in Using Mobile Learning to Enhance Teaching Activities in Tanzania

“…Personal factors for using the mobile learning include finding answers to challenging questions, the need to improve class management and lesson presentation skills as well as understanding simple ways of making learners grasp the concepts being taught. These personal factors reflect the need to develop confidence and expertise during classroom teaching which is similar to findings reported by Anderson and Putman (2020). The social networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube were accessed and which gave pre-services teachers an opportunity to interact with other teachers to learn new skills and observe how other teachers managed teaching and learning activities.…”

Is There a Predisposition towards the Use of New Technologies within the Traffic Field of Emerging Countries? The Case of the Dominican Republic

“…Currently, it can be said that all Dominicans have access to the Internet from their cellphones, with young people especially standing out [61]. This circumstance is especially relevant for a possible implementation of ITS systems in the country, since apart from enhancing key issues of transport (e.g., efficiency, safety and sustainability), it also increases individuals' familiarity with similar devices, including all those related to information and communication technologies, or ICTs [62,63] However, the mere increase in the degree of exposition to technologies could not be interpreted, in any case, as a reliable warranty of its acceptance [63,64], suggesting that greater efforts are needed to transmit confidence in electronic devices, as well as to emphasize their relevance in improving mobility and reducing road accidents. Road safety education and communication campaigns will be key tools for this purpose [65].…”

The Role of Religious Education and Utilization Digital Technology for Improving the Quality in Sustainability Madrasa

“…Teachers' perceptions about the value of technology in education classrooms include providing differentiation, offering a variety of content Siskandar / JURNAL TARBIYAH 27 (1) (2020) 90-102 98 representations, increasing student motivation, and involvement, facilitating formative assessment, and developing life skills. The challenges of integrating technology include technological failure and lack of technological knowledge of teachers and students (Anderson & Rebecca, 2020). This problem must be sought as a solution.…”