Physical Education Faculty Use and Self-efficacy Towards Educational Technology

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

3-16-2017

Description

Currently, increased attention has been placed on the development of physical educators who have the skills and confidence to implement educational technology to enhance student learning (InTASC 2011; CAEP, 2015). Though research of in-service and pre-service teacher perceptions towards educational technology has been examined (Juniu, Scrabis-Fletcher, Zullo, E., & Russo, 2015; Tondeur, Sang, Voogt, Fisser, & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2012), little focus has been placed on perceptions of physical education teacher education (PETE) university faculty. Due to the influence that faculty have on pre-service teachers through modeling and other experiences that can affect self-efficacy and future behavior, it is important to learn more about their beliefs (Bandura, 1997). The purpose of this study was to examine PETE faculty self-efficacy perceptions, as well as overall experience, using, demonstrating, and advocating for educational technology within their PETE programming. A random sample of PETE program faculty in the United States were solicited to participate in an online survey measuring their use and self-efficacy towards educational technology. A modified version of the Educator Technology Self-Efficacy Survey (ETS-ES) (Gentry, Baker, Thomas, Whitfield, & Garcia, 2014), was used to measure said self-efficacy perceptions. The online survey consisted of descriptive items, such as personal and PETE program demographics, as well as self-efficacy items measuring confidence in using specific forms of technology and confidence applying and promoting technology in a classroom setting. A total of 76 PETE faculty members (60% female, 40% male; M age = 47.5, SD = 11.4; M years PETE experience = 14.3, SD = 10.6) from 35 states completed the survey. Overall self-efficacy scores (M = 3.7, SD = .96; 1-5 scale, strongly disagree-strongly agree) showed that PETE faculty felt generally confident in their abilities to use technology in their teaching, with specific high scores associated with confidence in (a) staying relevant in the digital age, (b) overall technology knowledge, and (c) relating technology to educational content. In addition, with regard to specific technology tools, faculty revealed the highest confidence in using and demonstrating mobile devices, pedometers, LCD projectors, and mobile laptop stations and the lowest confidence in using accelerometers, smartboards, and classroom management software. Results of this study suggest that PETE faculty are generally confident in their uses of technology within the PETE environment, which may positively influence the technology skills and confidence of pre-service physical education teachers (Bandura, 1997).

Location

Boston, MA

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS