Preparing future teachers to use computers: a course at the College of Charleston

Abstract

If microcomputers are to reach their potential for improving education, responsibility for teaching preservice teachers to effectively use them rests with teacher preparation programs in colleges and universities (Battista, 1982; Bozeman, 1985; Bullough and Beatty, 1987; Callison, 1985; Moore, 1986; Nathan, 1985; Richardson and Gilchrist, 1984). In an effort to address this need, the Education Department at the College of Charleston has developed a one semester, three hour course for undergraduate students majoring in education. This is a required course for any student wishing to become either an elementary, early childhood, special education, or secondary teacher. It was developed with input from teachers and computer consultants in the school districts which are near the College of Charleston and in which students are placed for practicum experiences, and on recommendations of writers and researchers in educational computing (Gibhardt-Seele, 1985; Gutphin, 1987; Harper and Stewart, 1986; Hoffman, 1983; Kinzer, Sherwood and Bransford, 1986; National Science Board Commission on Precollege Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 1983; Radin, Lee & Marrapodi, 1985; Taylor, 1980). The catalogue description of the course states that it is an introductory course designed to instruct preservice teachers in the integration of microcomputers into instruction. The course involves both awareness and functional levels of educational computing. The Computers for Teachers course is one of four core courses and it is recommended that students in the teacher education programs take it early in their program of study. The only prerequisite for the course is the Introduction to Education course. The goal of the educational computing course is for future teachers to be able to use microcomputers as tools for learning and teaching and to develop confidence in their abilities to use microcomputers with their own students. Because the course is introductory, concepts and skills in computing are enhanced and further developed in the more advanced content and procedures courses such as Teaching of Reading, Teaching of Mathematics, and Procedures in Science and Social Studies (Polis, 1985; Lehman, 1986). The course evolves and changes each semester that it is taught because of the improvements and changes in equipment and software. Content changes are based on new developments in technology and acquisition of new hardware and software. For example, students in the course during the current semester will be taught to use the Apple GS and a modem where this was not possible previously. An example of how the course is changing to represent changes and improvements in software is thatinstruction in Logo initially used Terrapin Logo, then Apple Logo, and currently LogoWriter. It is anticipated that the course will continue to