Final Performance Report 1996-2000
Teacher Development Project:
Focus on Technology

The main thrust of the Teacher Development: Focus on Technology Project was to develop a unique cooperative training model for preservice and inservice teachers on the effective use of technology in the second language classroom. This project was led by Jenise Rowekamp, the Director of the Language Center at the University of Minnesota and the course was co-taught by Marlene Johnshoy of the Language Center in collaboration with Diane Tedick and other faculty in the Second Languages and Cultures Education program at the University of Minnesota. The model resulted in a required 3-credit semester course for preservice second language teachers at the University of Minnesota and a summer institute available to inservice teachers nationwide through the CARLA summer institute program. A final report of the project's work toward each proposed objective follows.

Refine and Evaluate Teacher-Technology Course Model and Syllabus
The Teacher Technology course was offered in the third year of the grant with minor modifications made as needed. The course model was planned to fit into the schedule of students enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Second Languages/ESL licensure program by spreading the six-credit course over a full year within a quarter-based system. The cohort was divided into two sections which alternate weeks for class, giving each cohort four meetings per quarter. During the first and second weeks of the quarter, each cohort received instruction about and demonstration of a particular type of technology, and examples of how it may be integrated meaningfully into a language teaching curriculum. During weeks three and four the cohorts had hands-on activities to complete that allowed them to gain experience with the particular technology. This time frame allowed the participants time to try out what they were learning with the students and teachers in their placements or classes, if available. Week five introduced a new topic and weeks six through eight the students were in full-time teaching placements, trying out the lessons utilizing technology in their classrooms. The last two weeks of each quarter were for participant presentation and sharing of projects and ideas for the integration of the technology in language teaching and learning.

The syllabus included six topics for specific technologies: I) Overview of Technology in the Second Language Classroom; 2) Using Audio/Video for Enhancing Interaction and Incorporating Authentic Language into the Second Language Classroom; 3) Finding and Using Internet Resources (e-mail and the WWW); 4) Using Interactive Internet Applications to Promote Interaction; 5) Evaluating Software for the Second Language Classroom; 6) Adapting/Creating Software for the Second Language Classroom. The syllabus and all assignments were put on the course website and four listservs were set up for small group discussion of the required readings outside of class time. During the third year of the grant, twenty-eight preservice teachers and six cooperating inservice teachers were recruited for the course and one of inservice teachers and one of the students dropped out of the course because they left the program.

Conduct Research on the Use of Technology
Research on the effectiveness of this type of training continued with data collected for the third year and preliminary analysis of the first and second years' data made. In the third year, pre- and post-tests were administered via the World Wide Web which facilitated the direct entry of data into the database for comparison with the pre-test. Data will continue to be collected from the cohorts of participants to determine the long-range effects of this model of training.

A preliminary analysis of the data collected over the first two years of this project examined whether the course affected: 1) participants' self-reported personal use of technology; 2) participants number of ideas for using technology in teaching second languages; and 3) participants' comfort level with implementing the ideas for using technology. The 96-97 data showed participants having a substantial increase in overall personal use of technology, a substantial increase in ideas for using technology and a slight decrease in comfort level. The 97-98 data showed a decrease in personal use of technology, a substantial increase in ideas and a decrease in comfort level for implementing those ideas. Thus the only effect examined that is consistent and most likely significant is the increase in ideas for using technology.

In addition to the formal data collected, many comments from the participants indicated that the expanded class time frame (over 3 quarters) lessened the connection between the instructors and the course participants would prefer a more intensive course, especially the preservice participants. The preservice students also felt strongly that this course should be required and credit should be received. They also expressed a definite interest in activities that were hands-on and conducted in class so as to take advantage of instructor assistance. Participants indicated excitement at learning these technologies and saw uses for them in the classroom. Many participants reported an increase in technology resources in the schools, enabling them to implement some of the ideas presented in this course in their classrooms. Under the semester system, adopted at the University of Minnesota during the 1999-2000 school year, this course was be adapted to a required three-credit semester course with class sessions meeting weekly.

Dissemination of Technology Course Model and Research Results
A session describing and discussing the course model and preliminary results of the course effectiveness data entitled "Teaching the Use of Technology in the Second Language Classroom" was presented at three national conference: the 1998 ACTFL Conference, the 1999 IALL conference and a session entitled "What to teach language teacher about technology" was presented at the Research and Practice in Language Teacher Education conference in May, 1999 and will again be the focus of a pre-conference workshop at the Second International Conference on Language Teacher Education in May 2001. The course web pages that outline the course format and activities are still available on the web, which was accessed by over 800 people during the extension year (1999-2000). Project staff also helped to develop and implement teacher-training workshops in professional organizations, universities and colleges nationwide and CARLA continues to offer a popular summer institute on using technology in the second language classroom.

Return to the Final Performance Report 1996-2000