“I can’t fall behind!” Aspirations, Technology and Becoming a Teacher in South Africa

• Main Authors: Moira Bladergroen, Andy Bytheway, Lorenzo Cantoni, Wallace Chigona, Marta Pucciarelli, Amalia Georgiana Sabiescu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists 2014-10-01
• Series: South African Computer Journal
• Subjects: aspirations, pre-service teachers, technology attitudes, technology in education
• Online Access: http://sacj.cs.uct.ac.za/index.php/sacj/article/view/235
• ISSN: 1015-7999; 2313-7835

This article contributes a theoretical perspective on aspirations and technology in ICT4D research. The paper examines the aspirations for professional development of undergraduate pre-service teachers in South Africa, and the extent to which these are marked by or influence the formation of technology attitudes. It is found that the relations between professional aspirations and attitudes towards technology are fairly complex, and of mutual determination: technology is seen as a capacity enabler, instrumental in helping pre-service teachers fulfil their professional aspirations, which in turn motivate them to understand and integrate technology in their future teaching. The implications of this argument for wider ICT4D scholarship are discussed.