Technology Infusion in Teacher Preparation

Abstract

A technology-infused preparation program establishes technology integration as a program-deep and program-wide initiative to support incoming teachers to teach with technology from day one as certified teachers. PK-12 preparation programs adopt a technology-infused approach because they want to address technology integration from beginning to end of the preparation experience in a concerted effort to support candidates. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK; Koehler and Mishra, 2009; Mishra and Koehler, 2006), a theory about the knowledge domains educators need to be proficient in teaching with technology, is foundational to an infused design. Foulger (2020) and Borthwick et al. (2020) advocate that technology-infused preparation programs comprehensively incorporate four pillars in their design: (a) technology integration curriculum, (b) modeled experiences, (c) practice with reflection, and (d) technology self-efficacy. Preparation programs that characterize their design based on the interrelatedness of the pillars (Williamson, 2023) will provide teacher candidates with the experiences necessary to graduate as certified teachers who are technologically capable. Graduates with strength in technology self-efficacy will intend to use technology in their future practice (Buss, 2020).