Developing leadership potential for technology integration: Perspectives of three beginning teachers

Abstract

This paper reports one major finding from a large two-year, mixed-methods study that investigated the process of beginning teachers' learning to teach with information and communication technology (ICT). Among the ten participants involved in the qualitative portion of the study, three stood out from the rest in their effort to use ICT in student-centred teaching approaches and translating their constructivist orientation learned from the university into classroom practice. They began to develop leadership potential to influence their university peers and their cooperating teachers during their ten-week period of student teaching (Gao, Choy, Wong & Wu, 2009). During their first year of teaching, they continued to develop their leadership potential for technology integration by teaching with their 'technology savvy' strengths, leading their colleagues in school-wide technology initiatives, and supporting other beginning teachers. This study suggests that beginning teachers can learn to teach with ICT and lead in technology integration at the beginning stage of teacher development.