Electronic Dialoguing in a Preservice Reading Methods Course: A Yearlong Study

Denise Johnson


Abstract

The purpose of the study described in this article was to examine the effects of incorporating telecommunications (specifically, electronic dialoguing) into a reading methods course on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward and efficacy in using technology. The course included a consistent focus on electronic dialoguing as a means of facilitating preservice teachers’ collaboration with inservice teachers and children; this focus also provided experience in using technology. Over the duration of the year, an investigation was undertaken to determine whether electronic dialoguing would make a difference in preservice teachers’ attitudes and confidence about using this technology in the classroom. Results of the study are provided and discussed, and implications are presented.

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Introduction | Purpose | Methods | Results | Discussion | Limitations | Implications | References


The nation should give “urgent attention” to the task of training teachers to use technology...it is a prevalent factor in today’s society, and teachers and professors need to use it and teach with it (Blumenstyk, 1998, p. 1).

In the United States, a national survey revealed that “although many educators and policy analysts consider educational technology a vehicle for transforming education, relatively few teachers reported feeling very well prepared to integrate educational technology into classroom instruction (20 percent)” (National Center for Education Statistics, 1999, online document). A report from the Web-Based Education Commission to the President and the Congress of the United States (2000, online document) stated that “almost two-thirds of all teachers feel they are not at all prepared or only somewhat prepared to use technology in their teaching” and “almost two-thirds of teachers (65 percent) had never used a computer before being introduced to one in the classroom” (p. 39). Given these statistics, it is not surprising that numerous reports and articles, such as the one from The Chronicle of Higher Education quoted above, have called for teacher education programs to meet the increasing demand to prepare teacher candidates to use technology in the classroom. (Learn more about the attention focused on technology in the classroom in the United States.)

In the past, standards for accreditation of teacher education programs in the United States did not adequately address how those programs prepared teachers to use technology. Recently, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) attempted to address this deficiency by adopting the National Standards for Technology in Teacher Preparation developed by the International Society for Technology in Education. Through its Task Force on Technology and Teacher Education, NCATE (1997) issued a challenge to make technology “central to the teacher preparation process.” Yet, in that report, the NCATE authors also note, “Not using technology much in their own research and teaching, teacher education faculty have insufficient understanding of the demands on classroom teachers to incorporate technology into their teaching.” The result is that graduates of teacher education programs often do not receive the training and guidance they need to become technology-using teachers.

On the other hand, the traditional idea that teacher education courses should focus on teaching skills and information about teaching -- with the assumption that beginning teachers can integrate and effectively implement what they are taught -- receives very little support from research (Duffy, 1994; Wideen, Mayer-Smith, & Moon, 1998). In fact, Becker (1999) notes that the number of years of teaching experience has a relationship to teachers’ use and valuing of the Internet: “Even though they are younger and possibly more computer savvy in general, the teachers with less than four years of teaching experience are slightly less likely than other teachers to use the Internet with students” (p. 16). Therefore, a question remains as to whether beginning teachers will use computer technology even if their teacher education programs have emphasized it. (Learn more about technology in teacher education programs.)

Teacher educators today must focus on ways that computer technology can be used effectively to improve teaching competence. This means that those of us involved with the preparation of teachers will have to provide our students with additional opportunities to apply computer technology. As noted in NCATE (1997), “Rather than wait to see what tomorrow’s classrooms will be like, teacher education institutions must experiment with the effective application of computer technology for teaching and learning in their own campus practice” (p. 1). (Learn more about the effects of attitude and confidence on technology use.)

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Purpose of the Project

In the study described here, telecommunications (in the form of electronic dialoguing) were incorporated into a yearlong reading methods course in order to determine the effect on preservice teachers’ attitudes toward and efficacy in using computer technology over time. The specific research question was “Will the confidence and self-efficacy of preservice teachers involved in hands-on use of electronic dialoguing for the purposes of professional collaboration and instructional effectiveness over the course be significantly greater than that of preservice teachers enrolled in the same courses who are not involved in hands-on experiences with electronic dialoguing?”

Electronic dialoguing is similar to dialogue journals -- “writing that consists of students’ comments about their reading and their teachers’ replies” (Moore, 1991, p. 282) -- but communication occurs via electronic mail rather than through a paper journal. The project attempted to focus consistently on this technology as a vehicle for professional collaboration among educators and as a tool to provide children with authentic reading and writing activities; electronic dialoguing was also presented as a way to provide preservice teachers with experience using computer technology over the course of the year.

The purpose of selecting electronic dialoguing as the technology for the study was that it provides opportunities for informal contact with other teachers. According to Becker (1999), “frequent informal interactions among teachers may help teachers to learn enough about the Internet and to apply it in their teaching in a variety of ways” (p. 36). Additionally, the National Center for Education Statistics (1999) reported that increased time spent on collaborative activities with colleagues was associated with teachers’ perception of significant improvements in their teaching. Electronic discussion groups, mailing lists, and listservs can also provide teachers with an effective avenue for peer collaboration. Leu and Leu (1999) state,

Electronic communication allows teachers to access the expertise and experience of colleagues around the globe. It exposes us to a variety of people and a wide range of views from all over the world. Using e-mail is not just another way to get information; it is an opportunity to increase our understanding and share our ideas. (p. 69)

The already-mentioned results of Becker’s (1999) survey that indicate younger teachers are actually less likely to use e-mail and the Internet professionally than are their more experienced colleagues make a compelling argument for introducing electronic dialoguing in teacher education. By doing so, I sought to determine whether its use would make a difference in preservice teachers’ attitude and confidence toward using this technology in the classroom.

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Methods

Participants. The study participants were undergraduate students studying elementary education who were enrolled in a two-part reading methods course at a four-year university in central Arkansas, USA. All signed a consent form. Two classes were randomly selected and assigned as experimental and control groups. The groups remained intact through both parts of the course. Approximately 25 preservice teachers were enrolled in each class. The majority of participants were female (83% in the experimental group and 73% in the control group). Sixteen percent of the experimental group and 26 percent of the control group had attained an associate's (two-year) degree and 4 percent of the experimental group and 15 percent of the control group a bachelor’s degree; however, all were currently working on a bachelor’s degree in education. The students ranged in age from 20 to 41 years, with a mean age across both groups of 25 (Table 1). Students indicated a range of experience in the use of technology in previous classes as well as a range in the frequency of their current use of technology (Tables 2 and 3).      
Table 1
Descriptive Information on Participants in the Experimental and Control Groups

    Sex Highest Degree Held
  Average Age Female Male Associate Bachelor’s
Experimental group 22 years 83.3% 16.9% 16.7% 4.2%
Control group 26 years 73.7% 26.3% 26.3% 15.8%

Table 2
Students Learning Computer Technology in Previous Classes

  Word processing E-mail CD-ROMs
Experimental group 87.5% 83.3% 45.8%
Control group 100.0% 78.9% 47.4%

 
Table 3
Frequency of Students’ Technology Use

  Word processing E-mail CD-ROM databases
Experimental group
   Never
   Once a year
   Once a month
   Once a week
   Daily
0%
12.5%
12.5%
70.8%
4.2%
4.2%
16.7%
37.5%
25.0%
16.7%
25.0%
45.8%
25.0%
4.2%
14.%
Control group
   Never
   Once a year
   Once a month
   Once a week
   Daily
0%
5.3%
5.3%
57.9%
31.6%
31.6%
15.8%
0%
15.8%
36.8%
21.1%
42.1%
31.6%
0%
5.3%

The instructors of both the control and experimental groups each have approximately ten years of experience teaching in an elementary public school setting and five years in a university setting, at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Neither have had formal training in computers or technology, but both are advocates of integrating technology in the reading curriculum and both incorporate instructional uses of technology into their courses. The instructor of the experimental group had also conducted research on the use of technology with preservice teachers for several years prior to this study.

Instrumentation. The 19-item Attitudes Toward Computer Technologies (ACT) instrument authored by Delcourt and Kinzie (1993) was used to collect data on the preservice teachers’ attitudes toward technology. The ACT asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement with such statements as

The instrument includes two subscales, comfort/anxiety and usefulness (Cronbach alpha .90 and .83 respectively). An internal consistency reliability (alpha) estimate of .89 was obtained for the entire 19-item ACT.

The 25-item Self-Efficacy for Computer Technologies (SCT) instrument (Delcourt & Kinzie, 1993), which consists of three subscales (word processing, electronic mail, and CD-ROM databases), was used to collect data on preservice teachers’ efficacy in technology use (Cronbach alpha of .97, .98, and .98 respectively). As with the ACT, the SCT asks respondents to indicate their level of agreement with statements such as

The ACT and SCT also contain a section to gather background information, including age, sex, degrees held, previous courses taken in computer technology, and frequency of use of word processing, e-mail (including listservs and bulletin boards), and research databases on CD-ROM. Permission was granted by Delcourt and Kinzie to use the instruments.

A semi-structured, open-ended follow-up questionnaire consisting of five questions was administered to the experimental group at the end of the second methods course to assess these preservice teachers’ perception of the effectiveness of the computer technology integration over the year.

Procedures: Experimental group. Foundations of Reading is the methods course in which the first half of this project was conducted. One major goal of the course is for preservice teachers to gain a thorough understanding of different reading philosophies, along with the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches teachers use to teach reading as a result of their philosophy. It is one thing to read in a textbook about the theory behind different reading philosophies, and a very different thing actually to observe the approach a teacher uses to teach reading as a result of her or his personal philosophy. Therefore, a specific goal of this project was to provide an avenue for the preservice teachers to gain greater understanding of different philosophies of reading instruction through collaboration with practicing teachers across the country via electronic dialoguing.

At the beginning of the fall semester, each preservice teacher was administered the ACT/SCT assessment and then randomly assigned a mentor “e-pal” All of the e-pals were practicing elementary teachers in various regions of the United States who had responded to a solicitation for participation posted to a listserv. All had taught for at least three years in a self-contained elementary classroom.

Each preservice teacher was provided with an e-mail account through the university and participated in a training session on how to use e-mail. Most had recently taken a required educational technology course, but many stated that they did not remember how to use e-mail. Following a brief demonstration and subsequent practice session, all preservice teachers sent their first e-mail messages to their e-pals. After this initial group session, all further correspondence was done by the preservice teachers on their own time, outside of class. Computer technicians were available to provide ongoing support if the preservice teachers encountered difficulty using the computers or software.

The preservice teachers were required to begin their collaborations by asking their mentor e-pals about the approach they used to teach reading. From then on, topics for correspondence were determined by the preservice teachers and their mentor e-pals, in collaboration. The informality of the exchanges allowed the preservice teachers the freedom to ask questions they believed relevant. Topics of correspondence ranged from assessment to discipline. There was no requirement regarding how many times a student had to communicate with the mentor e-pal. An average of ten e-mails were received per student over the course of the semester, with a high of 15 and a low of 2. During the semester, there were several times when the university e-mail system or the mentor teachers’ e-mail at their schools was temporarily unvailable and messages could not be sent. Additionally, there were times when the mentor teachers were unavailable to send messages. (Read examples of the preservice teachers’ and mentor teachers’ comments about the project.)

Most mentor e-pals took their roles very seriously and spent hours responding to the preservice teachers’ questions. During class, many opportunities were provided for the preservice teachers to discuss the messages they received, which provided an excellent opportunity for all course participants to gain insight about differing teaching philosophies. The preservice teachers also discussed the motivation and enthusiasm inspired by communicating through electronic dialoguing.

Principles and Practices of Elementary Reading is the methods class in which the second half of this project was conducted, and the last reading course in the preservice teachers’ final semester before they begin student teaching. The composition of the class remained intact from the first semester Foundations of Reading course. The purpose of the spring course is to develop preservice teachers’ understanding of effective instructional strategies for assisting children in achieving literacy.

At the beginning of the spring semester, each preservice teacher was again administered the ACT/SCT assessment and then randomly assigned an e-pal -- this time a 7- or 8-year-old student from a self-contained second-grade class at a local public school. Following a brief refresher and subsequent practice session with the e-mail system, all preservice teachers sent their first message to their e-pal. As with the first project, all further correspondence was done on students’ own time, outside of class.

The second-grade teacher and the instructor of the reading methods class worked together to coordinate activities in which the undergraduate and elementary students would participate. The teachers brainstormed ideas via e-mail and developed many activities that would be both motivating and instructional. This was the first time the second-grade teacher had participated in an e-mail project of any kind. Consequently, both teachers served as models for the preservice teachers by collaborating and sharing ideas through electronic dialoguing.

The activities involved the e-pals in responding to two traditional tales: The Ugly Duckling and Jack and the Beanstalk. The preservice teachers were asked to promote their e-pals’ comprehension and understanding of story structure by focusing conversation on setting, characters, problem, solution, plot, and theme. In this way, the children’s attention was drawn to the key elements of story and how these components come together to make personal meaning. Another activity involved the e-pals in e-mailing descriptions of themselves to each other and drawing pictures based on the descriptions.

As in the fall, during the course of the spring semester, there were several times when technical problems meant that messages could not be sent. Additionally, there were times when the second graders were unavailable to send messages due to absences, assemblies, or school holidays. Therefore, there were several preservice teachers who did not receive many messages from their e-pal. Whenever the messages slowed for a period of time, the preservice teachers would openly express concern, and would clearly be anticipating the next message. An average of eight e-mails were received per student over the course of the semester, with a high of 12 and a low of 5. (Read comments from the preservice teachers about this activity.)

During class time, the preservice teachers and instructor would discuss the thinking processes of the second graders and why they responded in certain ways. They also discussed and assessed the developmental level of certain writing samples and what instructional strategies could be employed for improvement or extension, and they evaluated the effectiveness of the electronic correspondence.

As a culminating activity, the preservice teachers met their second-grade e-pals at the local elementary school. They brought the second graders a book they could read together during the visit and a picture of themselves. The second graders showed the preservice teachers their classroom and gave them a picture and story they had written for them.

At the end of the second semester, the preservice teachers were once again administered the ACT/SAT and also the follow-up questionnaire.

Procedures: Control group. Preservice teachers in the control group enrolled in the Foundation of Reading course during the fall semester participated in class discussions about different reading philosophies, based on information in the course textbook and students’ observations of their cooperating teachers in field placements. The following spring, the preservice teachers in the control group remained intact for the Principles and Practices of Reading course. Over the course of the semester, they read several children’s books and discussed genre, story elements, and ways to involve children in literature response.

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Results

Changes in attitude toward and efficacy in using computer technology. A MANOVA 2 x 3 mixed factorial design with repeated measures was used to test the hypothesis that incorporating technology into reading methods courses over the course of a year (independent variable) would increase students’ comfort level and efficacy with technology (dependent variables). Summary scores on the ACT and the SCT scales from the beginning of the fall semester, the end of the fall semester, and the end of the spring semester were compared.

No significant differences between experimental and control groups were noted with regard to students’ attitudes towards technology -- F(1, 41) = 3.466, p =.07, as measured by the ACT. In addition, there were no overall significant differences observed in reference to students’ perception of their efficacy in using computers as measured by the SCT -- F(1, 41) = .074, p = .788 (see Table 4).

Table 4
MANOVA Summary Table for ACT and SCT Scores

    Attitudes Toward Computer Technologies (ACT) Self-Efficacy for Computer Technologies (SCT)
Source df MS F MS F
Between group
Group 1 27.71 3.47 16.64 .07
Error 41 7.99 226.04 
Within group
Time 1 11.45 2.37 2265.4 19.29*
Group by time 1 2.15 .44 10.76 .092
Error 41  4.84  117.47
Total
p = .000

In this study, the technology emphasized was electronic dialoguing within classes. Since the SCT scale is divided into three subscales and refers to two additional technologies (word processing and CD-ROMs), the individual subscales were examined with the expectation that significant differences would be observed within the e-mail subscale. However, group differences in students' perception of their efficacy in reference to the use of e-mail was not significant -- F(1,41) = 1.45, p = .235.

Students’ perceptions of integrating electronic dialoguing in preservice methods courses. At the end of the spring semester, the preservice teachers in the experimental group were administered a five-item questionnaire to ascertain their perception of the effectiveness of the integration of computer technology into the two reading methods courses. Use of the questionnaire allowed for a depth of understanding not possible through the ACT and SCT by providing a vehicle for probing and clarifying participants’ responses (Gay & Airasian, 2000). An individual content analysis of each open-ended question was conducted to determine the categories that emerged from the questionnaire responses (Gay & Airasian). A research log that documented the data analysis procedures was kept. Two research assistants, following the same procedures, cross-checked final categories for each question. It was verified that the same categories emerged from all questions. (Read the questionnaire and sample preservice teacher responses.)

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Discussion

Results of this project show that the confidence and attitude of preservice teachers involved in hands-on use of communications technology for the purposes of professional collaboration and instructional effectiveness over the course of a year were not significantly more positive than they were for preservice teachers enrolled in the same courses who did not have such experiences. One explanation for this may be the fact that many of the preservice teachers had high confidence and positive attitudes about the use of computer technology when they enrolled in the reading methods courses, prior to their participation in this project. This could be a reflection of their own school experiences with computer technology use. The average age of the preservice teachers in the project was 25 years, and most were school students in the 1980s and 1990s. According to Quality Education Data (1996), growth in the use of computers and other educational technologies in U.S. public schools was substantial and accelerating during this period. Additionally, many preservice teachers in both groups had experience using computers outside of the university in the workplace or at home.

Another factor that should be taken into consideration is the preservice teachers’ awareness of the importance of technological literacy for children. Preservice teachers have been exposed to the same rhetoric as other educators in the news media, textbooks, and professional literature. The preservice teachers’ positive responses could have been a self-fulfilling prophecy: they sought to meet the expectations of the research.

Responses to the follow-up questionnaire administered to the experimental group may provide some insight. The responses to the first two questions reflected the preservice teachers’ general awareness of the importance of technology in education. But when the questions moved to the impact of the project on their knowledge of technology, instructional applications, and preparedness for future teaching assignments, many commented that it had been negligible. It seems that there was a discrepancy between the preservice teachers’ awareness of the positive effect of technology on education and the translation of that awareness to their own experience. Many of the preservice teachers equated the value of the project to of the number of responses they received from their student e-pal or teacher mentor rather than to the underlying concept of how the experience could benefit them in their future teaching. This is a valid response: it is natural to equate the value of an experience with what one gains from it. That is why class time was spent in both projects discussing the mentor teachers’ and e-pal students’ responses to the preservice teachers’ questions and comments. It is apparent from the results of the questionnaire that these in-class conversations were not enough to counter the lack of satisfaction certain preservice teachers felt with their electronic communications. As noted by Tao (1997), further investigation is needed into the intervention a teacher can have in facilitating ongoing conversations through e-mail.

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Limitations

Results of this study indicate that it is not easy to change students’ perceptions about the use of technology as an effective teaching practice. Those involved with the preparation of literacy teachers need to learn more about how to integrate technology effectively into coursework in order to make the greatest impact on preservice teachers’ valuing and use of technology in the classroom. Insight can be gained from the limitations of this study.

One reason for the dissatisfaction some preservice teachers felt with the project involved the limited amount of correspondence they received from their teacher or student e-pal. Riel and Levin (1990) looked at several successful and unsuccessful efforts to develop electronic networks at the elementary level. They comment,

Sharing personal information one-to-one with strangers on an electronic network was time-consuming, costly and found to be of limited educational value. There seems to be no way to assure that teachers and students in other locations will respond in a time frame that maintained student interest. In fact, there was no way to assure that all students would receive responses. (p. 162)

Riel and Levin (1990) believe that a group communication structure is a better approach. Though one-on-one communication between the e-pals and the preservice teachers did provide meaningful interactions and learning experiences for most, in order to ensure a successful experience for all, it might have been a better approach to have had the preservice teachers in the Foundations of Reading course (first semester) join an educational listserv such as RTEACHER and those in the Principles and Practices of Elementary Reading course (second semester) discuss literature with the children via a listserv or bulletin board. This approach would have provided a common experience for all of the preservice teachers and limited the effect of hardware and network malfunctions.

Another limitation of the study was that only five to ten minutes of class time could be given to discussion of the project during each class period. Discussion is critical for facilitating the translation of students’ experiences with electronic dialoguing into their perception of effective teaching practices. Limited discussion prevented opportunities for all to contribute and restricted the depth and elaboration of conversations. Additionally, the in-class discussions of the e-pal projects in this study focused mostly on specific comments of the e-pals and the insight gained from such communication as well as on problems the preservice teachers were experiencing with e-mail (e.g., lack of communication from e-pals, network problems). More explicit discussion about the use of electronic dialoguing as an effective means of accomplishing the goals of the reading curriculum in an authentic manner may have allowed students to make the connection between the technology and effective teaching practices.

In addition to in-class discussions about e-pal communications, an online discussion forum could have been made available for preservice teachers to continue their conversations outside of class. This might have provided an avenue through which students could have made important connections.

Another possibility for providing extended time for discussion about the projects would be to group the preservice teachers into teams that would meet periodically to discuss their e-pal communications and report back to the whole class. Students would then have more time to discuss the project outside the presence of the course instructor, possibly allowing for more open and forthright conversations about concerns with the projects. Students could also keep a journal to record their ongoing thoughts about the project and the communications they received from their e-pals. The journal entries could be shared with classmates during class or with teams outside of class, or turned into the instructor.

Alternative hands-on experiences to electronic dialoguing, such as the creation of electronic pattern books (Maring, Boxie, & Wiseman, 2000) or WebQuests by the preservice teachers that could be used by children as a teaching tool, might also have been effective. As noted earlier, Becker (1999) found that inexperienced teachers are slightly less likely to use the Internet with students than are their more experienced colleagues. It is possible that some the preservice teachers in this study did not feel there was value in using electronic dialoguing with children in the same way they there would be with an electronic book or WebQuest. Much research is needed in this area.

Another limitation of the study is that it occurred within the structural fragmentation of a traditional teacher preparation program (Gore & Zeichner, 1991). Over the course of the year, the only computer technology integration the preservice teachers experienced was in the reading methods courses. They did not use computer technology in any of their other methods courses. According to Wideen, Mayer-Smith, and Moon (1998), “These traditional programs which advocate progressive teaching practices seem to us to be a classic case of ‘Do as I say, not as I do’” (p. 160).

As a matter of fact, the context in which students are being prepared to become teachers goes far beyond the college of education to the public schools in which they participate in field experiences and the communities in which they live and work (Labbo & Reinking, 1999, online document). Many times the programs in which preservice teachers learn to teach are fundamentally different from the classrooms in which they do their fieldwork and student teaching and from the perception of teaching held by many members of the community. The preservice teachers in this study had few if any experiences observing in classrooms where computer technology was integrated into the curriculum. Therefore, they had no context in which to base or translate the value of what they were learning about computer technology. According to Sugrue and Hanson (1997), “Motivated behavior is driven by individuals’ perception and interpretations of external events and not the events themselves” (p. 36). The preservice teachers in this study had very positive attitudes and high confidence about the use of computer technology, but attitude and self-confidence is only half of the battle. Attitudes and beliefs do not necessarily translate into classroom practice.


Implications of this Study

There is no denying the critical role teacher education programs will continue to play in the preparation of preservice teachers to use computer technology in the classroom. In the United States, NCATE accrediting standards will continue to raise the bar for use of technology by teacher candidates and teacher education faculty. Yet, according to the CEO Forum (1999, online document), “Despite the fact that the information technology skills of faculty members at teacher colleges are today comparable to their students’ skills, most faculty members do not model the use of information technology skills in their teaching” (p. 9). According to Sugrue and Hanson (1997), “The most successful techniques for changing values involve introducing a respected role model who values the currently undervalued event or task” (p. 37). Teacher educators must continue to experiment with effective approaches to providing meaningful experiences with computer technology for preservice teachers. Though some preservice teachers in the present study did not believe the projects in which they participated would affect their teaching competence, a majority had positive experiences that may very well contribute to future teaching effectiveness.

While the efforts of a few teacher educators to integrate technology are admirable, they cannot change the overall effects of the total teacher preparation program. The structured fragmentation of traditional programs tends to interfere with or even nullify the positive effects experienced by a few (Gore & Zeichner, 1991). To change the understanding of how technology should be integrated into teacher preparation programs “will require faculty and students to rethink some of the fundamental ideas about what it means to teach and learn. Faculty need to realize that technology, especially multimedia, provides a medium for promoting effective use of teaching strategies, styles, and reflective practice in the classroom and in the field” (Hoadley, Engleking, & Bright, 1995, p. 4).

What the preservice teacher learns in the college classroom often takes a back seat to what she or he perceives as reality. Although computer technology may be integrated into the course curriculum, the vital connection between the college classroom and the elementary school classroom may not be made. Most student teachers enrolled in education programs in the United States neither routinely use technology during field experiences nor work under master teachers and supervisors who can advise them on the use of technology (Milken Exchange and the International Society for Technology in Education, 1999). Teacher educators must be explicit about how computer technology will benefit their students and the children they will teach in the future.

American colleges, schools, and departments of education are beginning to address the challenge of preparing preservice teachers to use computer technology in the classroom more than they have in the past, but they have a long way to go and they cannot do it alone (CEO Forum, 1999). According to a report by the Web-Based Education Commission to the President and the Congress of the United States (2000), “not enough is being done to assure that today’s educators have the skills and knowledge needed for effective web-based teaching. And if teacher education programs do not address this issue at once, we will soon have lost the opportunity to enhance the performance of a whole generation of new teachers, and the students they teach” (p. 2).

There are no quick fixes or easy solutions to this problem. Teacher preparation programs must make every effort to prepare faculty to integrate computer technology into all methods courses in appropriate and effective ways. Yet, the process of changing teachers’ actual behavior takes considerable time and effort beyond their initial preservice preparation (Brady, 1991; Hadley & Sheingold, 1993; Honey & Henriquez, 1993; Sheingold & Hadley, 1990). As a matter of fact, as stated earlier, research suggests that teachers with less than four years of teaching experience are slightly less likely than other teachers to use the Internet with students, even if these relatively inexperienced teachers possess a high level of computer expertise (Becker, 1999).

As computer technology becomes more prevalent in the classroom and teachers are provided with continued professional development on how to use and integrate it effectively into the curriculum, more role models for preservice teachers will emerge (Johnson, 1999, online document). As this occurs, preservice teachers will have increased opportunities to make essential connections between the college classroom and the elementary school classroom. If universities and school districts work together, tomorrow’s teachers will be prepared to teach children to live and work in the digital age.

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References

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About the Author

portrait of Denise Johnson Denise Johnson is an assistant professor of reading education at the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. She received her Ed.D. in reading from the University of Memphis, Tennessee. She has worked as an elementary classroom teacher, a middle school reading specialist, and a Reading Recovery teacher. She now teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in literacy education and conducts research on the integration of technology into preservice and inservice education courses and within elementary classrooms. Her articles on literacy and technology have been published in a variety of journals and she is active in several professional organizations. She enjoys traveling with her family and reading to her son, Derek. Contact her by e-mail at cdjohn@wm.edu.

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Citation: Johnson, D. (2002, July/August). Electronic dialoguing in a preservice reading methods course: A yearlong study. Reading Online, 6(1). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=johnson/index.html



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Posted July 2002
© 2002 International Reading Association, Inc.   ISSN 1096-1232