Today's teachers are expected to use modern digital technology (DT) to optimise pedagogical effects. Singaporean policy makers have introduced directives to explicitly require teachers to apply DT in teaching. Inherent in such directives is an assumption that by requiring teachers to apply DT, they will perceive its value and use it in their teaching. This paper tests this assumption. Students in initial teacher education programs in Singapore responded to a survey on four variables about their use of DT: (1) compliance with requirements, (2) sense of competence, (3) perceived value and (4) frequency of DT application. Compliance was found to be negatively correlated with competence and uncorrelated with frequency, indicating that teachers who were more competent in DT were less likely to be compliant and those who were compliant may not actually apply DT in teaching. In contrast, both competence and value were positively correlated with frequency of application. Compliance differs for students in different programs and is higher for females. The results indicate that mandating use of DT may not be useful. A more productive approach may be to enhance the competence of teachers in DT so that they value its effectiveness and are confident to apply it in classroom activities.

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Digital technology (DT) has a significant role to play in modern education. This study examined motivational goals of student teachers in initial teacher education in Singapore and the influences of goals on their use of DT personally and in the classroom. The participants (N=312) responded to a survey about their motivational goals (learning vs. performance) and DT application (personal vs. classroom application). Results showed that personal use of DT, especially for younger teachers, was clearly more than classroom application. Females were found to have higher performance goal. Structural equation modelling found that learning goals were positively related to both personal use and classroom application, but performance goals were not positively related to either outcome. As performance goals were found to be unrelated to classroom application of DT, teacher education should focus more on the development of learning goals so as to encourage teachers, especially females, to use DT for teaching.In educational settings, digital technology (DT) has attracted tremendous attention.

Teachers today are expected to be able to apply a wide range of digital technologies in the  classroom.  Initial  teacher  education  programs  should  prepare  teachers  to  apply them with confidence. Pre-service teachers in Singapore responded to a survey on use of  technologies  in  their  personal  lives  and  in  their  teaching,  and  how  confident  they were  in  using  them.  Among  17  applications,  the  most  frequently  used  were  those related  to  computer  technology such  as  checking  an  online  dictionary,  web  browsing and searching,  emailing,  and using computer  software.  Participants’  use of computer software  was  frequent;  however  it  was  more  so  in  their  personal  lives  than  in  their teaching.  The  least  used  items  included  audio  recording,  video  recording  and  global positioning  system  (GPS).  Usage  was  found  to  be  positively  correlated  with confidence, and while participants often had confidence in using the applications, their confidence was relatively low for items such as video and audio recording which the yused  the  least.  While  teachers’  use  of  computers  is  important,  their  ability  and confidence  to  use  other  modern  technologies  for  effective  teaching  should  not  be neglected.

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