Pre-service Teachers’ Use of a Technology Integration Planning Cycle: A Case Study

Abstract

This study explored pre-service teachers’ use of Hutchison and Woodward’s (2014) Technology Integration Planning Cycle for instructional lesson planning in literacy. Ten pre-service teachers enrolled in a course entitled Literacy Assessment and Instruction II participated. As part of the course, each pre-service teacher developed and delivered weekly one-on-one instruction for a child in first through fifth grade. The Planning Cycle was used in an effort to increase pre-service teachers’ consideration for the use of digital technology tools. The study was conducted as a case study (Yin, 2009). First, all of the data were read and descriptive notes were written (Patton, 1990) using an inductive approach (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Patterns and themes were identified and the coding scheme refined accordingly. Data sources included: pre-service teacher lesson plans, video recordings of pre-service teacher lessons, audio recordings of a mid-term conference with the instructor, and a final reflection paper. Four themes were identified: (1) conscious planning; (2) poorly defined instructional goals; (3) determining an instructional approach; and (4) decisions about digital technology. A nature of technology framework was used to make further meaning of the results and generate implications for pre-service teacher education.