Preservice teachers’ dispositions for technology integration: common profiles in different contexts across Europe

Abstract

ABSTRACT Technology integration in education has a great potential for learning, provided it is based on solid teacher knowledge and pedagogical reasoning. Teacher Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is deeply connected with non-rational factors such as beliefs and attitudes – dispositions –, together informing behaviours for technology integration. This article reports on research into preservice teachers’ TPACK and dispositions for technology integration when entering initial teacher education (ITE) courses that will likely impact their professionalisation. This is part of a wider multiple case study engaging 288 participants across three European ITE institutions. Participants’ TPACK and dispositions were investigated through a questionnaire. Findings suggest four patterns of preservice teachers’ dispositional configuration (disengaged, idealist, executive and self-sufficient) shared by the different contexts, albeit at different rates. Further research is ongoing to understand how ITE may engage the different profiles and which factors specifically may affect dispositional configurations in preservice teachers’ education.