As a future educator I understand the importance of field experience in my preparation to become a teacher. We all know about the challenges faced by students when it comes time to go on their first outing to a real school. Imagine feeling prepared for your first field experience only to get there and realize you have no clue how to use the technology available to you. How do you think you would react? Would you try using the equipment anyway? Most of us would probably not use any of the equipment in favor of things we are more comfortable with. This is why preservice technology integration is an important component in the preparation of future teachers.

In an article from the Journal of Computing in Teacher Education they examined student performance data and found that preservice teachers’ instructional decision-making knowledge increased about technology integration when they had gone through learning exercises designed to supplement preservice teachers’ field experiences. These types of lessons can add value by helping students prepare for varying contexts, and extend what they will notice and learn while in the field.

My question is how much time should be spent on virtual field experience and not actual field experience. Also, with the increases use of technology do you think it should be mandatory for older teachers to take lessons dealing with the integration of technology in the classroom?