Choy, Doris

This paper reports the preliminary qualitative findings of the first-year phase from a two-year study, in which we aimed to investigate: 1) the preservice teachers' knowledge, attitudes and use of Information Technology (ICT) for classroom teaching and learning, and 2) their learning from reflection upon their use of ICT throughout their two-year initial preparation program. The major first-year findings showed that all the 14 participants demonstrated a gain in ICT knowledge and skills and register positive changes in their beliefs in and attitudes toward using ICT for classroom teaching and learning. Their use of ICT, however, varied greatly from using ICT as a presentation tool to support their instruction to engaging their students in using ICT to work on the authentic tasks. The participants’ reflection reinforced their perceptions of using ICT for classroom teaching and learning. The recommendations for engaging preservice teachers in reflection are discussed.

This paper reports the qualitative findings of a two-year study aimed at investigating the process and impact of video technology-aided and researcher-guided reflection on seven preservice teachers’ learning to teach with information technology (IT). Video technology and guided reflection could afford the participants to develop their embodied understanding about technology-enhanced pedagogy and positively impact their future actions. However, dialogic understanding from guided reflection was found most crucial for preservice teachers to unsettle previously held assumptions, reconstruct new understandings, and consequently could prepare them to be thoughtful for future actions. Implications for teacher education are discussed.