Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Using Digital Technologies in Literacy Instruction

Abstract

In order to best prepare our preservice teachers to incorporate digital technologies into future literacy instruction, we must first explore how they perceive implementation of digital technologies in literacy instruction. Limited research exists which examines the employment of digital technologies in literacy instruction, and even less considers preservice teachers’ perceptions of using digital technologies in literacy instruction. Therefore, this study seeks to explore their perceptions of utilizing digital technologies in literacy instruction. Ten preservice teachers entering into a licensure program at two East Coast universities were used as participants. Data was collected in the form of semi-structured interviews. A constructivist perspective guided the study and a grounded theory approach was used during the data collection and analysis of the study. The findings from this study imply that current preservice teachers are frequent technology users who hold generally positive perceptions regarding the use of digital technologies for literacy instruction. Unfortunately, they lack educational experiences using digital technologies in either K-12 or 12-16 to draw upon in imagining future literacy instruction. This implies that teacher education programs must be designed to provide preservice teachers with sufficient experiences with and observations of digital technology use in literacy instruction. By exploring this line of inquiry, I hoped to help bridge the gap in our understanding of the influence of preservice teachers’ perceptions relating to their eventual use of digital technologies in literacy instruction. We will apply this understanding in determining the nature of professional development they will need in the future.