The COVID-19 Pandemic forced educators to move course delivery to online learning with little or no training or preparation. Teachers' virtual instruction preparedness, pre-service teachers, and school districts are still lacking, despite technology goals instituted by the Board of Education. One of the immediate concerns of the online course delivery was school districts' capabilities for virtual instruction regarding infrastructure and resources. Funding, lack of equipment, and resources to maintain hardware and training prove to be common obstacles schools and staff face. Another concern was SBAE teachers’ readiness to use the online learning tools available to school districts. Teacher pedagogy, knowledge, skills, and confidence prevent teachers and pre-service teachers from exploring and utilizing technology in their classrooms. Additionally, moving all students to online learning environments presented a challenge for those teachers who knew little about educational technology tools or other online resources. This study aims to assess if SBAEs in Illinois are adequately prepared to use technology as the sole source of instruction for virtual learning and whether Illinois schools are capable of virtual instruction. To meet both the educational needs of the current generation of learners and are meeting educational standards set by the Illinois State Board of Education requirements, even in a virtual learning environment. As well as determine what gaps may be present in SBAE teacher education programs concerning the preparation of student teachers to utilize classroom technology to teach virtually. Some skill gaps identified include utilizing the flipped classroom approach, incorporating mobile applications into lessons, and utilizing virtual instruction for student collaboration and assessment. Most teachers indicated they felt somewhat prepared for virtual instruction and moderately prepared to incorporate technology into their lessons through teacher education programs, school districts, and professional organizations. Recommendations included future in-service training for SBAE teachers regarding using educational technologies and virtual learning platforms. Also, training for SBAE teachers on synchronous online learning platforms and the use of 1:1 technology is warranted. Pre-service programs are recommended to include coursework on educational technologies and virtual instruction. Faculty in preparation programs for SBAE teachers are encouraged to adapt curricula to support these skills and promote pre-service teachers practicing the utilization of virtual instruction in authentic classroom settings.

Teacher education programs have been known to omit critical aspects of technology preparation among undergraduates. Teaching practices are constantly evolving to accommodate the latest innovations in society; therefore, change is required in how we prepare educators to integrate technology into the classroom. As technology continues to change, teachers' practices need to reflect on how teachers are prepared to integrate technology into teaching and learning. Researchers have often found various ways to help prepare teachers to incorporate technology, including field experiences and various program design models. There has been a lack of research within School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) of preservice teachers integrating technology into the classroom. A qualitative phenomenology was conducted among nine preservice SBAE teachers regarding their experiences integrating technology during their time in their teacher education program. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology (UTAUT) served as the theoretical framework to aid in conceptualizing the experiences of preservice SBAE teachers. The thematic findings from this study address the lack of preparation from their teacher education programs, support and expectations, challenges integrating technology into the classroom, succession of technology integration, and technology strategies for teaching and learning. / Doctor of Philosophy / The use of technology in education is more prevalent in today's classrooms than ever before, and teachers are required to revitalize their methods for ensuring student success. Developing an understanding of how technology can appropriately assist both students and teachers in classrooms is vital to ensuring success. Postsecondary teacher education programs are not adequately preparing teachers to effectively integrate technology into their classrooms and curriculum. As graduates leave these programs and enter the classrooms, it is critical that they understand the implications of the various types of technology on student learning. This qualitative research study focuses on understanding how School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teacher education programs prepare preservice teachers to integrate technology into the classroom. Nine preservice SBAE teachers from the Southeastern region of the United States participated in this study through semi-structured interviews and document collections of course syllabi and lesson plans they created. The preservice teachers showcase a lack of understanding of how to adequately integrate technology in the classroom and highlight the challenges they experience during their student teaching practicum. Additionally, SBAE teacher education programs are not preparing teachers to integrate technology which is a proven challenge among the participants. SBAE teacher education programs should reconsider how they scaffold this to their preservice teachers.