23 Apr2024

Aspiring to the Characteristics of Technology Infused Preparation Programs

How Does Your Preparation Program Compare?

AACTE has long emphasized the need for a more robust integration of technology in teacher preparation programs. This vision involves a shift beyond mere coursework on educational technology to a comprehensive, program-wide infusion of technology, helping candidates graduate from programs as technologically proficient teachers. How does your preparation program compare to the literature on technology infusion?

The Vision of Technology Infusion

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Technology Infusion represents a holistic strategy to empower preservice teachers with high-level proficiency with the digital tools necessary for PK-12 students to engage in modern-day learning experiences. This approach ensures that candidates benefit from continuous, developmentally appropriate exposure to technology’s potential to be seamlessly addressed throughout their training – including methods courses and clinical experiences. By sharing the responsibility of teaching the technology integration curriculum, faculty members and PK-12 mentors can support the necessary teaching, modeling, and support for candidates’ growth in teaching with technology across faculty members and PK12 mentor teachers, theoretical foundations for technology integration, effective teaching practices, and policy that is essential for candidates to develop self-efficacy for teaching with technology as they graduate.

Assessing Our Progress: The Four Pillars of Infusion

To effectively embed technology integration curriculum into a preparation program, programs have considered restructuring coursework around four critical pillars:

Technology Integration Curriculum: Foundational knowledge and skills.
Modeled Experiences: Learning through others’ demonstrations.
Practice with Reflection: Applying technology in teaching with guided self-assessment.
Technology Self-Efficacy: Building confidence in using technological tools.

Participate in National Research while You Benchmark Your Program

Because we believe sharing your experiences and stories will be vital for inspiring improvements across the education sector, we have launched a national study to gauge the prevalence of technology infusion across AACTE preparation programs.

We urge every AACTE member program to participate by assigning a designated representative from each of their preparation programs to complete this survey online.

Survey participants should be prepared to share:

The extent to which each of the characteristics (noted below) are represented in their preparation program.
Experiences about how their program has made strides in technology infusion.

Why Participate?

Preparation programs that participate in this national research will benefit in these ways:

Benchmarking: See how your program compares with peers nationwide.
Feedback: Receive individualized insights to further refine your approach.
Collaboration: Share and discover strategies that have led to successful technology integration.

Have Questions?

For more information or assistance, please contact Jo Williamson at jwill157@kennesaw.edu.

Learn more about technology infusion and the four pillars.

The research on the Characteristics and Indicators has been published in the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education.

Characteristics and Indicators of Preparation Programs