Research Article

Exploring a Community of Practice to Improve Quality of a Technology Integration Course in a Teacher Education Institution

Olgun Sadik 1 2 *
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1 Indiana University, USA2 Inonu University, Turkey* Corresponding Author
Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(1), January 2021, ep285, https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/8710
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ABSTRACT

This research was designed and conducted considering the theoretical and practical suggestions of design-based research (DBR) methodology and aimed to identify and address problems in a one-semester technology integration course at a Midwest university in the US. Community of practice (CoP) was used as the theoretical framework in this research to design and implement interventions, and improve the quality of the course. The researcher observed a community of teacher educators and aimed to make suggestions for building successful strategies for communities of practice in similar contexts. The study results showcased the connection between pedagogy, content and technology as an important theme for preparing future teachers in technology integration courses but also in all the teacher education courses. Furthermore, aligned with the previous literature, pre-service teachers’ beliefs and confidence were identified as important conditions for effective technology integration. CoP was found as a challenging but helpful model when all the members share ideas in a supportive and balanced environment. An experienced member of the community acting as a moderator and facilitating the discussions was helpful to address the communication issues in a community of teacher educators.
Keywords: community of practice, design-based research, teacher education, technology integration

CITATION (APA)

Sadik, O. (2021). Exploring a Community of Practice to Improve Quality of a Technology Integration Course in a Teacher Education Institution. Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(1), ep285. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/8710

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