Date

11-13-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Matthew Ozolnieks

Keywords

teacher preparation programs, pre-service educators, technology instruction, technology integration, technological skills

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the technological experiences of pre-service educators enrolled in teacher preparation programs in the Southern United States. The theory guiding this study was Mishra and Koehler’s Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), as it informs the three main categories and four subcategories of knowledge required to use technology effectively in educational settings. The central research question asked what the experiences are of pre-service educators with educational technology instruction and integration while enrolled in teacher preparation programs. To address this research question, individual interviews, focus group sessions, and journal prompts were used for data collection and analysis. The sites included teacher preparation programs in the Southern United States. Data collection included individual interviews, focus group sessions, and journal prompts, which were all analyzed using the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method, as modified by Moustakas. Transcriptions, paired with journal entries, were used to identify keywords, terms, and themes within participant responses. The findings in this study revealed four main themes that reflect the varied experiences of the participants. While some participants felt confident and supported by their programs, others described inconsistencies in instruction, a lack of authentic practice, and a need for more hands-on learning to develop technological literacy.

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