Improving Student Teachers' Perceptions on Technology Integration Using a Blended Learning Programme

Sreekala Edannur*, Maria Josephine Arokia Marie**
* Assistant Professor, School of Education, Pondicherry University, India.
** Assistant Professor, Department of Education, IGNTU, Amarkantak (MP), India..
Periodicity:September - November'2017
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.13.2.13829

Abstract

This study examined student teachers' perceptions about Technology Integration (Blended Learning in this study) before and after their exposure to a Blended Learning Experimental Programme designed for the study for eight weeks. EDMODO (an open access Learning Management System) was used as the teaching learning platform for the implementation of Blended Learning Programme. Data were collected from 29 student teachers from a college of teacher education located in Puducherry state of India. The scale for assessing their perception was constructed and validated. The overall results indicated that student teachers changed their perceptions of Blended Learning in terms of their general perception, interactivity in classroom, knowledge creation, content knowledge, technology benefits, and overall satisfaction, positively, after undergoing the experiment. The factor perceptions of technology benefit turned out to be the predictor of the overall satisfaction of respondents on Technology Integration. From these results, the authors recommend that stakeholders of education work closely with teachers to address their perceptions about using technology in classrooms and then helping them to change it positively so as to improve quality of teaching and learning process. Student teachers need to be trained to integrate technology in teaching. Improving their perception is the first step towards it. The teacher education administration may provide personal support and resources required for such a change. This study also offers recommendations for involving teacher educators in educational software designing for strengthening the pedagogical components in such programmes keeping the teacher perceptions and expectations in mind, not focusing solely on the technology benefits as the results of the study shows.

Keywords

Technology Integration, Blended Learning, Student Teachers' Perception, Interactivity, Knowledge Creation

How to Cite this Article?

Edannur, S., and Marie, S.M J.A. (2017). Improving Student Teachers' Perceptions on Technology Integration Using a Blended Learning Programme. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 13(2), 31-42. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.13.2.13829

References

[1]. Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In J. Kuhl & J. Beckmann (Eds.), Action- Control: From Cognition to Behavior (pp. 11-39). Heidelberg: Springer.
[2]. Akkoyunlu, B. & Soylu, M. Y. (2008). A Study of Student's Perceptions in a Blended Learning Environment based on Different Learning Styles. Educational Technology & Society, 11(1), 183-193.
[3]. Ertmer, P. A., Gopalakrishnan, S., & Ross, E. M. (2001). Technology-using teachers: Comparing perceptions of exemplary technology use to best practice. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 33(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/jrte/33/5/ ertmer.cfm.
[4]. Ertmer, P. A., Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A., & York, C. S. (2006). Exemplar y technology-using teachers: perceptions of factors influencing success. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 23(2), 55-61.
[5]. Ertmer, P. A., Paul, A., Molly, L., Eva, R., & Denise, W. (1999). Examining teachers' beliefs about the role of technology in the elementary classroom. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32(1), 54-72.
[6]. Fullan, M. (1991). The New Meaning of Educational Change. Cassell, London.
[7]. Government of India. (1986). Ministry of Human Resource Development. National Policy on Education.
[8]. Hardy, J. V. (1998). Teacher attitudes toward and knowledge of computer technology. Computers in the Schools, 14 (3-4), 119-136.
[9]. Humbert, J. & Vignare, K. (2005). RIT introduces blended learning successfully, In J. C. Moore (Ed.), Elements of Quality Online Education: Engaging Communities, Wisdom from the Sloan Consortium, Volume 2 in the WisdomSeries. Needham, MA: Sloan-C.
[10]. Lam, Y. (2000). Technophilia vs. technophobia: A preliminary look at why second-language teachers do or do not use technology in their classrooms. Canadian Modern Language Review, 56(3), 390-420.
[11]. Leung, K. R., Watters, J. J., & Ginns, I. S. (2005). Enhancing teachers' incorporation of ICT in classroom th teaching. Paper presented at the 9 Annual Global Chinese Conference on Computers in Education, Brigham Young University Hawaii, USA.
[12]. Levin, T. & Wadmany, R. (2006). Teachers' beliefs and practices in technology-based classrooms: A developmental view. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 39(2), 157-181.
[13]. Norton, S., McRobbie, C. J., & Cooper, T. J. (2000). Exploring secondary mathematics teachers' reasons for not using computers in their teaching: Five case studies. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33(1), 87-109.
[14]. Pajares, M. F. (1992). Teacher's beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research, 62(3), 307–332.
[15]. Qasem, A. A. & Viswanathappa, G. (2016). Teacher perceptions towards ICT integration: Professional development through blended learning. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 15, 561- 575.
[16]. Richardson, V. (1996). The role of attitudes and beliefs in learning to teach. In J. Sikula (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Teacher Education (pp. 102-119). New York: Macmillan.
[17]. Simonsen, L. M. & Dick, T. P. (1997). Teachers' perceptions of the impact of graphing calculators in the mathematics classroom. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 16(2-3), 239-268.
[18]. Sreekala, E., Marie, S. M. J. A., & Arulthirumurugan, S. (2015). Transforming Pedagogy through Social Learning Platform. A Blended Learning Approach. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research, 8(5), 360-366.
[19]. Sugar, W., Crawley, F., & Fine, B. (2004). Examining teachers' decisions to adopt new technology. Journal of Educational Technology and Society, 7(4), 201-213.
[20]. Tillema, H. H. (1995). Changing the professional knowledge and beliefs of teachers: A training study. Learning and Instruction, 5(9), 291-318.
[21]. Windschitl, M. & Sahl, K. (2002). Tracing teachers' use of technology in a laptop computer school: The interplay of teacher beliefs, social dynamics, and institutional culture. American Educational Research Journal, 39(1), 165-205.
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Online 15 15

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.