Perceptions of Geography Teachers to Integrating Technology to Teaching and their Practices

Abstract

In present study the objective has been to manifest perceptions and practices of geography teachers towards integrating technology to teaching geography. In 5 different types of schools within Nevşehir (Turkey) city center, a total of 22 geography teachers volunteering to participate in the research were included in this study in which data were collected via semi-structured interview form during 2015-2016 academic year. Descriptive analysis method was employed to analyze obtained data. Integrating Technology to Teaching approach developed by Maddux & Johnson (2006) was adopted in the analysis of technology practices of interviewed teachers. In the conclusion part of the research it was identified that participant geography teachers possessed insufficient level of knowledge on integrating technology; a vast majority of teachers (16) performed Type I practices that referred to using technology; a small portion of teachers (6) performed practices that could fall into Type II dimension and five out of these six teachers practiced model and replica designs to visualize the topic; one teacher in his/her practice transferred the material (photograph) prepared as a teaching material to computer program for future use as data.