"Here, I'm Not Afraid To Admit What I Don't Know" : Case Stories from a Collaborative Community of Learners Preparing Teachers To Use Technology / Valerie L. Talsma, Linda Levin-Messineo and Barbara Seels.

A needs assessment that addressed teacher candidates, education faculty, and mentor teachers led to a funded initiative in the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers in Technology (PT3) program. This PT3 Project established a Collaborative Community of Learners as the social context for K-12 mentor and student teachers and university faculty to plan, develop, and integrate technology-based projects to enhance classroom instruction. The Community included project support staff who facilitated the creation of learning environments to support technology in meaningful ways. Support staff provided support, teaching, and resources as teachers acquired skills and developed understandings in the context of collaborative learning. This paper reviews the PT3 Project learning context, activities, support provided, and sources of data. Case studies were chosen as one form by which to represent the first year PT3 experiences and those of the teachers whom were supported. This paper discusses studies of first-year obstacles and successes which preserve the distinct flavor of each teacher's experiences expressed in their own voice. Across these studies, five common themes emerged: Affect, Community, Obstacles, Lessons Learned, and Thinking about Technology. Also elaborated are themes that did not emerge and implications for future research and professional development. (Contains 67 references.) (Author/MES)

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