Technology Integration and Skills: Comparing the Perspectives of School Leaders and College of Education Faculty

Over the past decade, many colleges and universities have worked to develop stronger models to emphasize technology integration in the classroom. To remain effective it is periodically necessary to ask Faculty and School Leaders what they perceive are technologically important skills of current and future classroom teachers. It is apparent that preservice teacher candidates will ultimately enter a professional teaching environment that is far different from previous generations, seeded with potential to supplement instruction with effective technology applications. Whether these new technologies are implemented in a sustainable integration effort will depend on the skills of teacher candidates entering the profession in conjunction with continued support after employment. This study was completed to address the surface level and latent attitudes, beliefs, and barriers to successful technology integration in the classroom. Faculty and School Leaders were compared for similarities and differences, and the relationships were explored both quantitatively and qualitatively for whole group and individual perspectives. Aspects of these comparisons have direct implications for technology integration in the classroom, as well for guiding continued training for preservice and inservice teachers.