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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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• Few institutions require laptop computers in their
technology or technology-enhanced courses (11.4%).
• Sources of technology funding vary. More than 75% of the
institutions report receiving funds from either or both the
federal government and nonprofit organizations, and more
than two thirds of them have received state funding.
• Workshops are given in 97.1% of the institutions as a
vehicle for improving faculty skills and knowledge.
Faculty Technology Proficiencies
• Less than three fourths of the institutions report faculty
who are proficient on the nine component scales used in the
analyses (basic computer operations skills; troubleshooting
skills; word processing and desktop publishing skills;
telecommunications skills; graphing, databases, and
spreadsheet skills; multimedia skills; curriculum issues and
subject-specific knowledge; social, legal, and ethical
issues; and design and management of learning environment
and resources).
• The percentage of institutions indicating faculty are
proficient, considered item by item, ranges from 15.9%
(“offer distance learning courses”) to 88.4% (“enter and
edit text”). There is a significant percentage of faculty
who are not proficient on individual items.
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Preservice
Course Content
• Less than two thirds of the institutions report that
material included in the nine components listed above as
well as “student development and learning” is covered in the
courses taken by preservice students.
• For those
components that are particularly relevant to the K–12
education community (curriculum issues and subject-specific
knowledge; social, legal, and ethical issues; and design and
management of learning environment and resources), the
percentage of faculty with minimal or no proficiency is
lower on all with the exception of word processing and
desktop publishing. Specifically, 34.14% of the institutions
report faculty with no or minimal proficiencies on the six
basic computer operations components, and the percentage for
the three components particularly relevant to the education
community was 22.09%.
• Assistive
technology issues remain a problem: A low percentage of
faculty is proficient, and a low percentage of courses offer
assistive technology units. While 75.36% of the institutions
reported faculty with no or minimal proficiency in assistive
technology issues, 52.8% indicated that this material was
not included in courses taken by preservice students.
The 69 responding institutions are making significant
efforts to ensure that technology issues are being addressed
in their preservice education programs. Institutions vary
considerably in the extent to which this issue is being
addressed and the level of support being given to help
faculty become technology proficient. Material is either
being covered in a few courses taught by faculty who are
proficient, or it is being spread across more courses in
which faculty are less proficient. In either case,
technology is not being seamlessly integrated throughout the
preservice program.
Emerging Issues and Trends
Technology can be used more effectively to span the
needs of preservice students, preservice faculty, and
inservice teachers. “Blended courses” incorporate the best
of traditional classes and online classes because they
maintain personal interaction along with flexibility, reach
widely dispersed inservice and preservice students, and
reduce geographical and professional isolation. Such courses
are currently being developed at York College and Waynesburg
College.
Assistive technology is currently being addressed in the
K–12 realm to facilitate the educational process and improve
achievement of special needs students. At Indiana University
of Pennsylvania, for example, it is being used as part of
the education of the preservice and the inservice educators.
Technology plans must go beyond infrastructure issues to
identify needs and develop strategies to remedy them within
the confines of integrating technology into the curriculum.
For example, the study found strong linkages between the
technology administrators and those involved in instruction
at Lincoln University and Temple University. The continual
growth of this type of relationship at colleges and
universities will help institutions to create effective and
efficient technology plans.
References
Institutional Preparation of Professional Educators, 22 PA.
Code Ch. 354 (2000, May 11). Retrieved December 2002, from
http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol30/30-41/1719.html
Stull,
J., Benedict, M., Lewis, A., & Daley, J. (2002).
Evaluating teacher preparation programs in
Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
Philadelphia, PA: Temple University, Center for Research in
Human Development and Education.
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