Preservice teacher education in Information Technology: a critical perspective

This paper attempts to rationalize what is currently wrong with Information Technology (IT) programs in preservice education by examining the associated pedagogy, the content of programs and the evaluation of those programs. The paper argues not for an increase in the amount of time given to educating student teachers in IT nor for simply making changes solely to content or pedagogy. Rather the suggestion is that we need to reconceptualize the nature of the experience student teachers gain while on teaching practice. And to use this period of teaching practice as a vehicle to help build student teachers’ understanding of IT use as part of their growth from novice towards expert teaching status. One strategy is presented to this end.