Classroom technology acceptance for teachers in 3D : a case study in PreVieW

Abstract

The acceptance and adoption of technology in the classroom has been identified as a major challenge that many teacher education programs are striving to overcome. This article presents a case study about a 3D immersive VW that has been used as a medium for learning during a teacher education programme. One-hundred-eleven pre-service teachers were enrolled in a 13-week long study unit focusing on the use of different technologies for teaching and learning. A multi-strategy approach was used for data collection and analysis employing quantitative, qualitative and a social network analysis. The findings show that the experience has positively affected the pre-service teachers' perceptions towards different learning technologies. Social network analysis shows that the experience supported learner centric practices. Based on the findings this paper proposes a macro-structure framework that describes a Connectivism-driven agenda for the integration of 3D immersive experiences integrated in teacher education programs.