Preparing Net Gen pre-service teachers for digital native classrooms

Abstract

This paper explored Net Gen Bilingual pre-service teachers’ perspectives future digital native classrooms based on the National Education Technology Plan (2010) postulates. Participants were Seven Net Gen bilingual future teachers enrolled at a semester – long laboratory of practices project for Literacy Development for English Language Learners. Data were collected using Ginsburg’s (1989) narrative strategy, which consisted of analyzing information from participants’ life stories produced during two audiotaped focus group conversations. Findings showed that pre-service teachers had positive perceptions and beliefs toward the laboratory of practices built upon the experimental cyberlearning workstation frame designed by the authors. The hands-on experiences helped them enhance their digital native-like citizenship in order to meet future students’ individual abilities and learning styles, and stimulate teaching with digital technologies. Some recommendations and limitations are also addressed.

Keywords

• Educational technology, cyberlearning workstations, technology integration, cyberlearning, pre-service teachers