New Teachers and Technology Preparation: Immersion or Infusion?

Vol. 5 No. 2

Year: 2009

Issue: Sep-Nov

Title: New Teachers and Technology Preparation: Immersion or Infusion? 

Author Name: Paul Egeland 

Synopsis: 

In the 21st Century, it is imperative for new teachers to be well prepared for utilizing technology to enhance instruction and increase student learning. While this is true for all teacher education programs it may be more challenging for those steeped in the liberal arts. With an emphasis on thinking liberally and understanding a breadth of knowledge from across the disciplines, adding separate educational technology courses to the already robust program certification requirements is difficult. Some teacher preparation programs have succumbed to this pressure and require all teacher certification candidates to enroll in and pass a course designed for the use of educational technology. This immersion approach ensures all teacher candidates are introduced to the use of technology in education. In a small, liberal arts institution, the author and his colleagues have chosen a different path. Although it requires tremendous coordination and communication, we infuse our curricular content and methods courses with technology so that it is in context and concert with the actual content and pedagogy. This article will examine the current research and explore the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach in preparing undergraduates for teacher certification. The specifics of the context will provide further reasons why this infusion approach appears to be the most effective for preparing teacher candidates to successfully use educational technology.