| Computers have had an evolutionary presence in schools for the last twenty-five years. Unfortunately, the revolution in teaching and learning envisioned by technology proponents has not occurred in the vast majority of classrooms.; Research on the use of technology in schools suggests a complementary link between student-centered constructivist pedagogy and the effective integration of technology. An analysis of scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that students perform well in classrooms that used technology and constructivist teaching practices (Wenglinsky, 2005).; The purpose of this study was to obtain a greater understanding of how computer technology supports and facilitates constructivist teacher pedagogy in middle school classrooms. The exploratory case study utilized a researcher-developed on-line survey tool to obtain teacher perceptions of pedagogical practices and technology use. Focus group interview sessions were used to explore teacher perceptions about the assistive relationship between technology and constructivist pedagogy.; Teachers at the technology rich research site expressed a working knowledge of constructivist practices and indicated the regular use of specific instructional support and Internet-based technology tools. Technology tools used most frequently by teachers included word processing software, spreadsheet software, electronic mail, and web searching. Teachers who participated in the focus group interviews also described how technology assisted them with constructivist pedagogy. Web searching and presentation software were cited most often as being assistive with constructivist practices. Technology use at the research site is evolving and teachers are actively exploring the use of technology to support constructivist practices.; Constructivist practices and technology are ideally suited to one another and, as such, constructivist pedagogy should be used as a context to frame teachers' efforts to integrate the use of technology with the day to day demands of teaching and learning. "The effectiveness of educational technology is enmeshed in the kind of pedagogy employed" (Wenglinsky, 2005). Recommendations suggest that professional development training in technology should include, as an integral component, a pedagogical context for integrating technology. In the absence of a pedagogical context for using technology in the classroom, teachers' adoption of technology will be almost solely dependent on the evolution of their technical skills. |
