A student perspective on technology comprehension in teacher education

In the paper we examine how teacher students experience the development of a new interdisciplinary subject, technology comprehension. The subject has a dual focus, as it covers both programming and computational thinking, as well as critical technology analysis and the ability to create with technologies through design processes.
In the paper we raise the following research questions: How does the development of a new interdisciplinary subject in teacher education, "Technology Comprehension", look from a teacher student perspective?
Our theoretical framing draws on curriculum theory and the understanding of pedagogical content knowledge as a dynamic knowledge process generated in practice through the capabilities of the teacher (Nilsson, 2008). In our study we integrate this framing to characterize the building of students’ pedagogical content knowledge in the subject. We draw on Gundem & Hopmanns (1998) understanding of core expertise and the difference between content as determined based on external or internal criteria to examine the student’s perception of what they understand as relevant themes or issues in the subject.
The research design is based on an interview study with the first students enrolled in the subject. The students have been interviewed over three semesters to follow the development in their experiences and understanding of the subject. Methodologically, the paper offers a less common perspective within studies of subject development, where the focus is on the students’ perspective.
Our findings show that the students are particularly concerned with four aspects. Firstly, they are occupied with the relationship between theory and practice. The students mainly understand the subject as practical or “hands on”, where acting to gain knowledge is the centrale knowledge form. Secondly, the students experience that the subject opens new didactical and pedagogical approaches, with its focus on open design processes. Thirdly, programming is perceived as a core expertise that they need to acquire to teach the subject. However, the students have different skills and ambitions regarding programming. Fourthly, the students are particularly interested in the area concerning digital empowerment, but they find that they lack didactic and pedagogical
tools.
The question of how to successfully develop teachers' professional digital competencies is a common concern across the Nordic countries. Teacher education programs in the Nordic countries organize technology education in various ways, providing clear opportunities for mutual inspiration and learning across borders (Lisborg et al., 2021). This paper offers valuable insights into what students perceive as meaningful yet also challenging when technology education becomes part of teacher education.