Professional Identities of Preservice Teachers: Planning, Implementing, and Developing Lessons Using Technology
Abstract: This research intended to investigate the development of preservice teacher's professional identities as they negotiated and navigated technological resources in a Title 1 school. Professional identity was used to analyze the complex set of technological skills and understanding of pre-service teachers as they developed metacognitive behaviors during their final internship. Multiple data sources were used to triangulate findings and included (a) individual reflective journals, (b) lesson plans, (c) a reflective vignette completed after the completion of their internship, (d) a Case Story of their integration of technology during their placement was completed, (e) pre and post surveys. Luehmann’s (2007) perspective of professional identity was used to analyze the data and tell the Case Story of each participant’s development of a professional identity as they developed learning opportunities for students in Title 1 schools during their final internship. Findings indicated that the affordances of technology present both opportunities and challenges as pre-service teachers navigate and explore their professional identity while developing learning opportunities for student learning using technology.