Integration of Technology in Teaching and Learning: Report of a Pilot Study

The study aimed to promote a sustainable model of technology integration and support in pre-service teacher education courses. The Technology and Teacher Education Task Force was formed in November 2015 and completed its work in May 2016. The Task Force was headed by Mr. Montaser Al-Halabi, technology specialist for the Faculty of Education, and included two full-time instructors, Dr. Atta Darwish and Dr. Ali Naser. The Task Force accomplished four main objectives: providing technical training for the use of audio visual systems, conducting workshops to build knowledge and skills in Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK), developing and piloting a design-based model for redesigning lecture courses, and providing continuous professional development and technical support for five instructors. The Task Force used a mixed-methods approach to collect data, including an online survey of 355 students in six courses, focus group interviews with participating students and instructors, and a comparison of students' semester grades for three courses that utilized Moodle in spring 2016. The study found that students and instructors generally found it easy to learn and use the basic teaching and learning tools in Moodle, including multiple-attempt quizzes, video assignments, and feedback questionnaires. The use of Moodle created a blended learning environment that changed the classroom from being dominated by traditional lecturing and note taking to one characterized by learner-centered and interactive methods for learning experiences and formative assessments. Moodle supported an increase in students' communication and collaboration in a "community of learning" not only with their instructors but also among themselves. The study also found that Moodle encouraged students to engage more frequently in reviewing and thinking about what they were learning and to take more personal responsibility for actively monitoring their own progress and correcting misconceptions in their understanding. The use of Moodle in their courses impressed upon the students, as well as the instructors, the added value of using technology in teaching and learning. Moodle exposed the students to tools and methods that all teachers in the 21st century should practice in classrooms to help students gain knowledge and skills to succeed in the global knowledge economy. The study also found that Moodle compelled the instructors to question their assumptions about course design and to plan lessons that blend conventional lecturing with digital and Internet-based interactive activities to create a more dynamic and learner-centered experience for all. The study's findings suggest that the use of Moodle in teaching and learning can have a positive impact on student achievement. The comparison of student achievement results for three courses that utilized Moodle in spring 2016 with those of the previous semester showed that Moodle helped good students do better and struggling students to improve. The study's results also suggest that Moodle can support an increase in students' communication and collaboration, as well as their engagement in learning and their personal responsibility for monitoring their own progress. The study's findings have implications for the integration of technology in teaching and learning at Al-Azhar University-Gaza. The results suggest that Moodle can be a useful tool for promoting a sustainable model of technology integration and support in pre-service teacher education courses. The study's findings also suggest that the use of Moodle can have a positive impact on student achievement and can support an increase in students' communication and collaboration, engagement in learning, and personal responsibility for monitoring their own progress.