Co-regulated learning in initial teacher education: strategies adopted by students during the development of ICT integration projects in Basic Education

Abstract

Initial teacher education provide learning opportunities that allow future teachers to develop digital skills and self- and co-regulation learning (SCRL). However, there is need for research on how to prepare students teachers to use Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) on SCRL. This qualitative exploratory study took place in ICT and Education Basic course (“TIC e EB”, Portuguese-language acronym) from Higher Education Institution, that adopted project-based learning (PBL) over five phases. In teamwork, the students developed an educational integration project of ICT with a curriculum content of Basic/Preschool Education. The research goals were: 1) Identify which ICT were integrated in the projects and understand their educational purposes; 2) Identify and understand which CRL strategies were adopted during the PBL phases; 3) Identify the difficulties experienced and how they overcame them, 4) Verify the students’ perception of TIC e EB course. Teams actively explored and integrated a diversity of ICT (n = 34) in their projects: tools to provide content and pedagogical activities; platforms that allow development of interactive and gamified activities and others. Students mentioned different CRL strategies and difficulties. Strategies to overcome difficulties were the exploration of new tools/applications, seeking information and help from the teacher. The teams mentioned that the “TIC e EB” was an asset in their academic path and professional future, challenger, and trigger to “think outside the box”.