Final Course Report
Brief Summary of the Project:
The INTIME project (Integrating New Technologies into the Methods of Education, www.INTIME.uni.edu) was created in order to provide the necessary resources for methods faculty to revise their courses, model technology integration, and require pre-service teachers to integrate technology and components of quality education in their lessons and units. A consortium of five participating Renaissance Group universities has been working together in this project to create new learning resources and implement new standards for technology integration in pre-service teacher preparation. The basis of the INTIME project is focused around the Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education (TFQE), model which was established by the INTIME coordinators.
This project is intended to produce change in teacher education programs in three ways. First, it has generated new learning resources on the web to support new teaching and learning processes in education methods courses. New learning resources include video scenarios of PreK-12 teachers effectively integrating technology, along with components of quality education, in a variety of grade levels and content areas. These videos are accessible online nation-wide. Second, methods faculty in the five Renaissance Group universities who were selected by their content areas are revising their courses to model technology integration using the video scenarios and other online services provided by INTIME. Finally, methods faculty will share strategies for integrating technology and course revisions with other faculty involved.
Theoretical Framework of INTIME:
These Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education (TFQE), model contains seven dimensions that provide a way for educators to view the integration of technology related tools into a robust educational environment. The model identifies key points at which technology should be implemented and evaluated to determine its impact. It simultaneously allows for the integration of new research findings into the appropriate segments of the model while maintaining the structure to evaluate the impact of technology tools on these new findings as part of an ongoing evaluation process. In so doing, it allows a variety of users (preservice teachers, teachers, administrators, and others) to see the complex process that is education and how technology is affecting that process.
The model was used as a framework for the project, also as an assessment doe teacher observation. The project has collected many video vignettes of exceptional teachers that are used to show the importance of the different dimensions of the models, as well as a way for students to observe various forms of technology use in the classroom. The videos are an effective way to not only observe the model, but to also observe the different teaching styles.
Using all of the various components of the INTIME website provides for an easily assessable technological resource for the university methods faculty to use. The framework also allows for flexibility to be used while applying this program to their own individual courses. While some faculty focus more on the video vignettes, others have the ability to focus more on the model. There isn’t one “cookie cutter” model that all faculty follow when setting up the program for their course.
Evidence of Improved Student Learning
Student learning in the PE 370 Teaching Methods of Physical Education was demonstrated by the use of technology in the classes they taught and the way they prepared for those classes. Integration of video, digital cameras, palm pilots were increased during the semester.
I don’t believe that learning the INTIME Model was important from them to retain, but of which to be aware. I think the appropriate use of technology for teachers is the goal.
Technology as Facilitator of Quality Education (TFQE), model
Students in PE 370 were made aware of the model, but once again, it was more important for them to understand how and when to use appropriate technology in physical education. We had discussions about the use of technology at the end of the semester. Some attempts were successful (assessments with digital cameras) and others were not successful (palm pilots).
Professional Reflections
I think that it is crucial for our future teachers to have the ability to use all forms of technology available to them while teaching. I also think that it is important for them to use that technology in an appropriate and effective manner. What this means is that I don’t like the idea of using technology in a lesson just for the sake of using technology.
Conclusions & Recommendations
Technology in education faculty should have been the focus of this project and not methods personnel.