E-Learning culture : operationalization of a systemic model to support ICT-Integration in pre-service teacher trainers’ practice
In today's knowledge society, ICT has become essential for teachers and learners (BECTA, 2009) not only because of the need for children to acquire and develop skills that will help them grow as collaborative, problem-solving, creative learners (UNESCO, 2011; Dede, 2014), but also because of the potential value of such technologies as tools for learning (Gill and Dalgarno, 2008). However, when  looking at  the  current educational  ICT  uses reported by  research conducted with teachers and students, (Karsenti and Lira, 2010; Villeneuve et al., 2012) and the low impact observed on learning - despite the substantial investment in equipment and material -we can only question the possible reasons for such a situation. One of the causes identified in the literature is teacher training, especially in its content and the training strategies adopted by teacher educators (Angeli, 2009; Enochson, and Rizza, 2009). We developed a training intervention to operationalize the IntersTICES model (Peraya and Viens 2005) and help teacher trainers integrate ICT in their teaching practice. This operationalization involving teachers working in the teacher training program at Université de Montreal, put into perspective the importance of teacher trainers’ e-learning culture, personal support and follow-up interventions for activities including pedagogical use of ICT. The research focused on analyzing the impact of the training intervention on participants’ e-learning culture, as well as on their intention to adopt and use ICT in their courses. Findings suggest that the operationalization of the IntersTICES model via an interactive training intervention, can provide teacher trainers with an opportunity for reflection and awareness about their personal representations regarding every aspect of their e-learning culture. Furthermore, it helped teacher trainers becoming aware of the impact their e-learning culture has on their practice throughout and at any stage of the development and implementation of their chosen activity integrating ICT.
training intervention systemic tool participants’ e-learning culture ICT integration ICT pedagogical added value