Breaking Through Barriers: How First-Year Teachers Navigate Technology Integration

Starting a teaching career is challenging enough, but what happens when new teachers enter classrooms determined to use innovative, student-centered technology-enabled learning approaches, only to face systemic obstacles at every turn?

My recent study followed four first-year teachers through their first semester in the classroom, documenting how they navigated the gap between their preparation and the realities of their school environments. Despite facing unreliable Wi-Fi, restrictive district policies, and sometimes unsupportive colleagues, these teachers demonstrated remarkable persistence in using technology-enabled learning – the kind of student-centered approach where technology becomes a tool for collaboration, critical thinking, and authentic problem-solving rather than passive consumption.

What made the difference? Strong positive attitudes toward technology-enabled learning and high self-efficacy helped these teachers maintain their commitment, even when circumstances worked against them. They sought support from each other, adapted to infrastructure challenges, and found creative solutions to overcome barriers. One teacher set up power strips around his rural classroom so students could charge devices during class. Another persisted through repeated Wi-Fi outages because she believed deeply in technology’s power to engage her students. The findings reveal that while “praxis shock” is real, carefully designed teacher preparation programs can equip new teachers with the resilience and conviction to transform classroom practices if they’re supported rather than discouraged by the school cultures they enter. Read the full study to discover what factors truly influence whether first-year teachers can put their innovative training into practice, and what this means for supporting the next generation of educators.