The purpose of this research study was to investigate if and how an inquiry-based approach to digital technology integration could be utilized in a pre-service teacher education program. All students enrolled in an educational technology course during the winter 2013 and 2014 semesters completed an inquiry-based learning project related to the integration of digital technologies in their future teaching practice. Through blog postings, an online survey, and a face-to-face focus group, the study participants indicated that this approach to technology integration is useful when teachers provide a big picture orientation, use clear guidelines, scaffold the process, ensure that students make informed question for inquiry selection, facilitate weekly technology instruction related to the project, and incorporate digital storytelling to convey the results.
This session will begin with an overview to the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework and Practical Inquiry (PI) Model (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000) that were used to guide the inquiry-based learning process for the students’ projects about digital technologies. A brief summary of the findings from this action research study will be provided. Recommendations and strategies for utilizing the CoI framework and PI model to guide an inquiry-based approach to learning through the use of digital technologies will be discussed.