Technology valued? Observation and review activities to enhance future teachers' utility value toward technology integration

This study examined the influence of observation of technology demonstrations and review of relevant text resources on the utility values of mobile and social networking tools that preservice teachers recognize in their reflections. Eighty-two preservice teachers from a mid-Atlantic university participated in the study. The findings revealed that the kinds of utility values identified varied depending on the sequence of observation and review activities, participants' expectancy for successful teaching (low and high), and their grade level focus (elementary and secondary). Discussion offered insights into how the activity sequence, expectancy for successful teaching with technology, and grade level might influence future teachers' likelihood to value technologies.