Using cloud-computing applications to support collaborative scientific inquiry: Examining pre-service teachers’ perceived barriers towards integration
Technology plays a crucial role in facilitating collaboration within the scientific community. Cloud-computing applications can be used to model such collaboration and support inquiry within the secondary science classroom. Little is known about pre-service teachers’ beliefs related to the envisioned use of this technology in their teaching. These beliefs may influence future integration. This study finds several first-order barriers, such as perceptions that these tools would take too much time to use. Second-order barriers include perceptions that this technology would not promote face-to-face collaboration skills, would create social loafing situations, and beliefs that the technology does not help students understand the nature of science. Suggestions for mitigating these barriers within pre-service education technology courses are discussed.
Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology
