The Effects of Case-Based Learning on Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs about the Pedagogical Uses of ICT

Abstract

The study examined the extent to which case-based learning could have an effect on pre-service teachers' beliefs about the pedagogical uses of ICT in the classroom. One hundred second year early childhood pre-service teachers enrolled in an ICT course participated in the study. Research data were collected with a questionnaire, reflection papers, course evaluations and focus interviews. The findings showed that initially the majority of pre-service teachers had negative beliefs and certain misconceptions regarding the pedagogical uses of ICT and that case-based learning effected their beliefs and conceptions. Future research studies should examine the extent to which a case-based learning approach for the teaching of ICT in pre-service teacher training can actually have an effect on appropriately integrating ICT into real classroom practices.