This study investigates teacher cognition and technology use within a context of teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages. Specifically, teacher cognition is examined in relation to early learning experiences, teacher education, classroom practice, and work environment. Following a case study approach, three in-service teachers have been selected to represent different perspectives on using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in language instruction. Findings suggest that teachers’ cognitions about teaching and learning, and about themselves as Arabic language professionals, shape technology use, determine reactions to perceived challenges, and illuminate differences between practitioners working within the same environment with regard to the integration of ICT into their practice. The research suggests that despite the absence of digital learning opportunities in early schooling and teacher education, these experiences still influence the choice of instructional strategies employed by teachers to support technology use. The study accentuates the role of context as a mediating force, supporting teacher cognition and ICT use, but also creating dissonance between them. Teacher cognition determines the weight that practitioners assign to different contextual factors. While lack of time is identified as the most significant barrier to adoption, peer collaboration is recognized as the most effective enabler for technology integration. Other key factors emerging in this study include institutional philosophy and policy, learning opportunities, and technical support. Conceptual, methodological, and professional contributions are addressed, and potential for further research is identified.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:36:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseLAF.pdf: 844624 bytes, checksum: 29f0b815d76b468d6ddf84f014bee182 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-12-16 / The aim of this investigation is to analyze the professional learning of the Physical Education teachers in the first year of their careers in which they experienced an induction program with one mentor (author of this study). This investigation occurred because beginning the teacher s career implicates in a variety of experiences positive or not that can influence in the constitution of belief, knowledge and beginner teacher s pedagogical action. The impacts of this initial process in the profession can lead the teacher to construct different professional ways. The most radical one is giving up the teacher s career. Nevertheless, we can also clarify the immediate disillusion with the profession without quitting it, what can result in a professional practice unconcerned with the students learning. With the purpose of helping the professional beginning in a less negative way, offering support and formative direction about learning and development of the profession and helping in the socialization with the scholar culture, the induction program with mentors are suggested. These programs are held in continuous formation and are important because they can help beginner teachers by facilitating the construction of a support net and a link between initial formation and professional development alongside the career. The theoric-metodological reference was based in the themes: professional learning teacher, professional development, teacher thinking, induction program based in mentors, reflexive teacher and teachers narrative. To orientate this study a research-intervention was developed according to a collaborativeconstructive pattern of continuous formation and of interaction researcher-teacher. The resource used to collect of dates was the diary of class and the semi-structured individual and collective interviews. The results showed that the teachers experienced a variety of emotions, personal and professional challenges. They had difficulties to understand the students, the principal and the other teachers, the physical structure of school and the material of the classroom. However, as the time passed by, the young teachers understood the students, the principal and the other teachers better. In this learning process of understanding and being understood the teachers built several action strategies. They established routines, they made deals with the students, and they negotiate with the principal and the other teachers. The induction program with mentor contributed with the necessities which are part of the beginning of teaching career and detailed elements that are a challenge to the process of continuous formation in general. / A presente investigação analisou a aprendizagem profissional de dois professores de Educação Física, no primeiro ano de atuação, que participaram de um programa de iniciação à docência, conduzido por uma mentora (autora deste estudo). Justifica-se a opção por esse tema de pesquisa uma vez que o início da carreira docente é um período que envolve uma série de experiências positivas ou não que podem influenciar na constituição de crenças, conhecimentos e na ação pedagógica do jovem profissional. Dentre os diversos desdobramentos de experiências mal-sucedidas no início da docência, a desistência da carreira consiste na opção mais marcante e radical. Evidencia-se também o desencanto com a profissão sem seu abandono, resultando freqüentemente numa prática profissional descompromissada com a aprendizagem dos alunos. Com o objetivo de auxiliar o ingresso profissional de um modo menos traumático, oferecer apoio e orientação formativa no sentido da aprendizagem e do desenvolvimento da profissão e, auxiliar na socialização com a cultura escolar, os programas de iniciação à docência baseado em mentores têm sido desenvolvidos. Tais programas, concebidos como atividades de formação continuada, são importantes na medida em que proporcionam uma assessoria aos docentes iniciantes e possibilitam a construção de uma rede de apoio e um elo entre a formação inicial e o desenvolvimento profissional ao longo da carreira. A literatura adotada como referencial teóricometodológico se orientou pelos temas: aprendizagem profissional da docência, desenvolvimento profissional, pensamento do professor, programas de iniciação à docência, professor reflexivo e narrativas de professores. Para a condução da investigação desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa intervenção segundo um modelo colaborativo-construtivo de formação continuada e de interação pesquisadorprofessor que fez uso de diários de aula e entrevistas semi-estruturadas individuais e coletivas na coleta de dados. Como resultado os professores iniciantes indicaram ter vivenciado uma série de emoções e desafios pessoais e profissionais e enfrentaram dificuldades para compreender os alunos, a direção e os outros docentes, o espaço físico e os materiais para aula. Mas, ao longo do desenvolvimento do programa de mentoria, os professores iniciantes passaram a entender melhor os alunos, a direção e os outros professores. Nesse processo de aprendizagem os professores iniciantes construíram inúmeras estratégias de ação, estabeleceram rotinas, fizeram acordos com os alunos, negociaram com a direção e os outros professores. Neste sentido, o programa de iniciação à docência baseado em mentores contribuiu com a promoção de aprendizagens relacionadas às necessidades características do início da docência e ainda apontou inúmeros aspectos que se configuram como desafiadores para os processos de formação continuada em geral.