From a Caterpillar to a Butterfly: The Growth of a Teacher in Developing Technology-Enhanced Mathem
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This article describes the critical experiences of a middle school mathematics teacher as she progressed from a novice to a knowledgeable creator of technology-enhanced learning activities for her classroom. During an eight week intervention, cognitive apprenticeship strategies (Collins, 1991) were utilized in a partnership with the teacher until she felt empowered to independently create these activities without further coaching or support. Qualitative research methods were used to determine the primary factors that lead to such empowerment, as well as the instructional and learning values that the teacher promoted in the activities. This research effort demonstrated that autonomy, confidence, and awareness were prevalent characteristics shown with successful design, development, and implementation of technology-enhanced learning activities. In addition, the teacher's creation of activities was influenced by the teacher's learning values associated with challenging inquiry and continual improvement. Implications from this research effort examine the conditions and support needed to diffuse learned strategies among a community of teachers for broader development and implementation of technology-enhanced learning activities. ********** Inadequate training, insufficient human and physical resources, and resistance to change are critical factors that have created disillusionment about the prospects of technology use among many teachers (Cafolla & Knee. 1995). While technology training is sometimes available, many teachers do not have confidence that the skills and experiences they acquire will be easily transferable to classroom instruction (Marcinkiewicz, 1991). These sentiments indicate that initial professional development is insufficient for learners' needs. Some educators claim that teachers need up to five years of technology experience to reach a point where they can integrate technology effectively within their instruction (Sheingold & Hadley, 1990). In addition, others contend that educators must be given follow up assistance for professional development including peer coaching and department level planning (Sterns, 1991). RATIONALE Byrom's (1997) review of literature about technology integration in educational programs revealed that teachers require ongoing pedagogical and technological support. Byrom indicated that schools with successful technology integration programs provide continual training onsite and just in time. The financial demands of such training can potentially be unrealistic unless pragmatic constraints are considered to support this type of integration effort. Collins' (1991) cognitive apprenticeship model provides such an opportunity, encouraging peer teachers to act as modelers and coaches of technology applications aimed at improving instruction. Since instructional strategies in developing technology-enhanced material are often complex in natural school settings, a cognitive apprenticeship model appears to be a more applicable means of technology integration than traditional apprenticeship that promotes mastery of skills (Cash, Behrmann, Stadt, & McDaniels, 1996). Furthermore, a cognitive apprenticeship model promotes the use of a variety of technologies because the learner develops as a more holistic thinker that utilizes general strategies in the learning and reflection process (Collins, 1991). Several studies of university courses with preservice and inservice teachers have used the cognitive apprenticeship model as a means to support and enhance technology training (Cash et al., 1996; Chyung, Repman, Lan, & Winiecki, 1997; Snyder, Farrell, & Baker, 2000). However, a limited number has examined the effectiveness of the model in the situated context of a K-12 school (Browne & Ritchie, 1991), the location where technology applications are put into practice. The cognitive apprenticeship model is grounded in principles of situated learning and legitimate peripheral participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991), where learning experiences take stronger meaning through activities, contexts, and cultures in apprentice-like situations in naturalistic settings. …