Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Dissertation

Keywords

Student teachers--Training of; Computer-assisted instruction--Study and teaching;

Abstract

This study investigated hypothesized change in the concerns of student teachers toward instructional computer use during an eight week student teaching experience. In Phase 1, information concerning seven variables which have the potential to influence teacher computer utilization was collected from student teachers and their cooperating teachers. In addition, seven dimensions of concern toward employment of instructional computer use were examined by administering the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) before and after the student teaching experience.

Multiple regression analysis indicated that change in only one of the seven stages of concern (concerns toward collaboration) could be predicted by any of the independent variables. Post hoc partitioning of data resulted in construction of a 2 x 2 matrix. SoCQ profiles, constructed for each cell, revealed that change patterns differed greatly depending on the relative level of the two independent variables: (a) student teacher computer competence and (b) instructional computer use by the cooperating teacher.

Phases 2 and 3 of the study employed focus group discussions with student teachers and cooperating teachers. Phase Two data yielded a picture of student teachers with modest technical computer knowledge and high concerns for the role of the computer in the classroom. Students teachers looked to their cooperating teachers and university evaluation criteria for direction in establishing a priority of competing concerns. Neither source appeared to place a high priority on competence with instructional computer use. However, the opposite was true for student teachers when they underwent job interviews with school district administrators. Cooperating teachers, aware of the gap between their own university preparation and the computer capabilities they find themselves increasingly expected to utilize, looked to their student teachers to arrive with more up-to-date computer backgrounds.

Based on the post hoc partitioning of data, it was concluded that changes in the concerns of student teachers toward instructional computer use do differ as a function of (a) the prior computer competency of student teachers and (b) the amount of instructional computer use employed by cooperating teachers. Focus group discussions revealed that expectations for computer use play a critical role in student teaching experiences and that computer use may present a role reversal within some student teaching triads, as student teachers share personal computer competence.

Year of Submission

1995

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Sharon Smaldino, Advisor

Date Original

7-1995

Object Description

1 PDF file (v, 201 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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