What is Synchronous Chat

In two university graduate education courses, experienced K-12 teachers were asked to discuss amongst themselves—without the university instructor present at the time—several issues and readings about technology in K-12 schools. Content analysis of their online chats reveal useful information about teacher perceptions, values, and philosophies of teachers. Themes in their chats reveal underlying opportunities to help influence the next generation of school leaders. Information obtained via qualitative coding of these honest and detailed online discussions was able to help university instructors 1) to understand global and local barriers to technology from teachers' points of view and 2) to target instruction of educational leaders at the graduate level towards reform efforts. This type of engagement and analysis may help universities “take the pulse” of teacher perceptions in their area in order to improve K-12 teaching and monitor teachers', supervisors', and principals' growth toward dispositional goals for certification.