Inservice Teachers' Perceptions of a Professional Development Plan Based on SAMR Model: A Case Study.

Technology integration is an important skill that teachers need to acquire to deepen students’ learning and support achievement of instructional objectives. Selecting the best technology tool can be challenging however, teachers face more difficulties to effectively integrate technology into their classrooms. Providing one-time workshops is ineffective as it is based on the idea that the only challenge facing teachers is the lack of knowledge of effective teaching practices. This paper presents a case study of a professional training program that was planned and implemented as an initiative to meet the national reform and improvement goals and enhance teachers’ performance and practices. The Smart Teachers 2030 initiative was planned to encourage teachers’ integration of innovative instructional strategies using technology by educating and supporting them to substitute traditional educational strategies with a variety of Web 2.0 tools and applications. INTRODUCTION Teachers’ professional development programs are critical to sharpen their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and selfefficacy for transformative practice. These programs are one of the most important investments of time and money national leaders can make in education. Technology integration is an important skill that teachers need to acquire to deepen students’ learning and support achievement of instructional objectives. Selecting the best technology tool can be challenging however, teachers face more difficulties to effectively integrate technology into their classrooms. Providing one-time workshops is ineffective as it is based on the idea that the only challenge facing teachers is the lack of knowledge of effective teaching practices (Richard & Neil, 2011). Research shows that teachers’ greatest challenge comes when they attempt to implement newly learned methods into their classrooms (Fullan,2001). Fullan, (2001, p. 71) referred to this problem as the “implementation dip. ” This is particularly true in teachers’ professional development programs in Saudi Arabia because they are normally planned to provide teachers with knowledge without implementation skills or strategies (Buteal, 2009; Meemar, 2007). Such programs provide teachers with new information on specific skills but fail to provide application approaches. Moreover, current training programs are not planned to provide teachers with continuous and just-in-time support as they implement technology into their classrooms. Thus, reform is needed for effective professional development in typical Saudi classrooms. With the ubiquity of technology in today’s interconnected world, it is imperative for teachers to exploit technology to optimize student learning. Teachers must be knowledgeable of the interrelated aspects of teaching, technology, and learning to support positive pedagogical outcomes (Koehler, Mishra , Kereluik, Shin, & Graham, 2014). The problem is that current teachers’ development plans to support teachers’ integration of technology into their instruction have not resulted in the effective transformation of instructional practices to adopt technology as part of the teaching and learning processes (Laferriére, Lamon, & Chan, 2006). Professional development plans should be planned and applied to enhance instruction and ensure all students are afforded the opportunity to learn effectively using technology as it is considered as key in high quality education (Ertmer & OttenbreitLeftwich, 2010). This study discusses a case study of an iteration during professional development plan that aims to move teachers toward meaningful technology integration using SAMR model through ample, structured, and focused time for professional learning to develop teachers’ attitudes, self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills for transformative practice using technology. LITERATURE REVIEW Professional development frameworks. Herold (2015) discusses that while technological tools and applications are widely spread in today’s classrooms, there is a growing evidence that teachers have not transformed their teaching methods. The technology use is planned for students to perform traditional tasks as completing homework and drill and practice (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010). Several frameworks for moving teachers toward more learner-centered levels of technology integration in the classroom are evident in the literature. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), the Substitution Augmentation TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology – July 2019, volume 18 issue 3