Understanding Teachers' Cultural Models about Technology

Abstract

This poster draws on educational psychology, cognitive anthropology, and sociolinguistics to build a theory of teacher learning. By using a microethnographic approach to discourse analysis, I show how secondary English teachers use language and contextualization cues within a learning community to reflect their cultural models, or everyday beliefs, about technology. The analysis suggests that the implementation of educational reforms, including those associated with technology, may be dependent upon teachers' skills, values, and cultural models.