Teacher Pedagogical Beliefs:

The Final Frontier in Our

Quest for Technology

Integration?

Overview of an article by Peggy A. Ertmer, Educational

Technology, Research & Development 53.4 (2005): 1042-1629.

3 conditions for successful tech

integration (Becker, 2000)

1. Teachers must have access

2. Be adequately prepared

3. Have some freedom in the curriculum

4. Hold personal beliefs in line with constructivist

pedagogy

Access has increased Student-computer ration in US 4:1 w/ 98% of these

connected to the internet.

81% of teachers have moderate to high access to

instructional computers.

No significant difference in computer availability

according to school type of poverty level.

Technology Skills More

Valued Teachers more interested in technology integration

than basic skills, indicating that they already have the

latter.

Block scheduling facilitates technology use in

classrooms.

Parents view technology as a key part of the curriculum

and learning process.

3 conditions met; 1 remainsCriteria satisfied:

1. Access

2. Preparation

3. Freedom (block scheduling)

Remaining:

1. Teacher beliefs

How to affect teacher beliefs? Difficult because they are second order belief changes:

First order: changes that adjust practice in incremental

fashion without changing existing structures or beliefs.

Second order: change that confronts a teacher’s

fundamental beliefs and thus requires new way of both

seeing an doing things.

Teachers’ use of technology Tends toward “low-level” tasks such as word

processing or internet research, as shown in numerous

research studies.

Thus teacher-centered rather than student-centered

(constructivist) uses prevail.

Time to acquire

understanding Some argue that low-level use precede high-level

use, but in longitudinal studies, this has not been

proven by research.

Factors undermining change to constructivist teaching

through tech integration:

School schedule (short periods)

Self-contained classrooms

Departments

Teachers’ training in the disciplines

Historiographer, Larry Cuban:

“It’s not a problem of resources, but a struggle over core

values.” (1977)

Goal Facilitate the uses of technology that lead to increased

student learning (i.e., constructivism)

Ertmer makes a case that teachers’ pedagogical beliefs

change can be facilitated by technology integration

Constructivist tech classroom

= Students engaged in authentic, project-based work

Online tutorials, skill practice, learning isolated facts

Teacher-centered tech

classroom =

Nature of beliefs Beliefs come from episodic memory, with information

being drawn from personal experiences or cultural sources of knowledge (Nespor, 1987)

Early negative experiences with technology could be a lifelong deterrent

New experiences filtered through belief system

Difficult to change

Frequently part of a person’s identity

Can’t be disputed with facts

Traditional Teachers Adopt

Tech When… Tech supports the kinds of traditional activities with

which they are comfortable.

The further a new practice is from existing practice, the

less likely it will be implemented successfully.

Once tool is learned/valued, it can be expanded upon

to higher level uses.

How beliefs are changed Teachers’ own schooling supports beliefs about

pedagogy

Teachers must become dissatisfied with their existing

beliefs

Must make existing beliefs explicit so as to challenge

their adequacy

Teachers must be given an opportunity to

examine, elaborate, an integrate new info into their

belief systems.

Integral to beliefs about pedagogy must be

linked to institutional vision

Beliefs about learners

About what characterizes meaningful learning

Beliefs about teachers’ role within that vision

3 strategies of promise Personal experiences

Vicarious experiences

Social-cultural influences

Experience and Belief

Change Ertmer’shyposthesis: Belief change follows, rather

than precedes personal experience

Personal experience Build a teacher’s confidence and competence through

personal experience

Make small changes before making big ones

Use tech to achieve old goals (then gradually work in

new ones)

Include reflection with “learn

by doing” Question ones own practice and practice of others

Make assumptions explicit

Use classrooms as sites for inquiry

Vicarious Experiences Student teaching

Learning through the experiences of others

(films, readings, tutorials, co-workers)

Socio-Cultural Influences Professional Learning Communities (online and FTF)

Administration (district, building) that allow teachers to

experience tech integration as promoting

Self-efficacy

See this as related to their being effective teachers

The likelihood of integrating this into their teaching