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Will the trilogy of Matrix come true? We have not even completed the first decade of the 21st century and advancements in computer-based technology are so great that we rely on it more than any other species on this planet. Every sword has two faces, one good another bad. One good application of computer-based technology is within educational settings. Using computer-based technology in educational settings helps students in their learning (Sahin, 2003; Stinson, 2003; Whetstone, & Carr-Chellman, 2001). There are studies that indicate learners have positive attitudes towards using technologies in their classroom (Kurubacak,& Baptiste, 2002; Lee, 1996; Norby, 2002; Okinaka, 1 992) . In addition , teachers also improve their instruction by using a variety of technology resources such as the Internet, multimedia CD-ROMs, audio and graphics (Jao, 2001). There is evidence that suggests teaching with technology provides more benefits for both teachers and students than teaching without any technology.

There has been a scarcity of researchers exploring the ways in which preservice teachers can be taught to effectively integrate computer-based technology within their instruction. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2000), teacher preparation for technology integration is minimal, and in 1999 most teachers reported feeling less than well prepared to use computers and the Internet for instruction. Thus, an appeal to amplify attention to this topic in teacher preparation programs has been issued by numerous organizations including the International ReadingAssociation (2002), the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (2004), and the U.S. Department of Education (1996).

"To realize any vision of smarter schooling by using technology. . . college education must prepare teachers to use the technology. Adequate teacher preparation is probably the most important determinant of success" (Hancock, & Betts, 1994, p. 29). To effectively integrate computer-based technology in their teaching practice , it is pertinent that prospective teachers develop appropriate teaching styles which incorporate computers to impact student learning. Teaching with computers requires a shift from the traditional teaching practice. "Technology affects the way teachers teach, students learn, and administrators operate. Roles and teaching and learning strategies are changing because technology fosters the use of more student-centered learning strategies" (Norum, Grabinger, & Duffield, 1999, p. 189).

Teacher's attitudes toward the use of technology can significantly affect their students ' opportunities to learn about technology (Norby, 2002; Okinaka, 1992). In order to help K- 12 students, training preservice teachers is the most direct and cost-effective way (Fasion , 1 996) . Universities and colleges are the places to train preservice teachers to comprehensively integrate instructional technology into their future classroom instruction . It is necessary for preservice teachers to be trained using instructional technology so that they can use the technology skills and be confident in using technology in their classroom as classroom teachers. There is a great concern about the prospective teachers ' perception of the role of the computer in the learning process.

The literature shows that there is a need for better training to preservice teachers to integrate computer-based technology while they teach. Can this lack in training be fulfilled by proper modeling from faculty of preservice teachers? This study will explore the relationship between preservice teachers ' perceptions of faculty modeling in the use of computer-based technology, and preservice teachers' perceptions of their intent toward using computer-based technology when they become teachers.

This research is based on social learning theory. The social learning theory originated by Albert Bandura (1977) emphasizes that learners learn by what they observe from modeling, attitudes, and emotional reactions of their teachers. Therefore, this research argues that preservice teachers are going to use computer-based technology in way s similar to the ways their college/university instructors ' modeled computer-based technology when they become teachers in the future. Many researchers mentioned that technology must be modeled by college/university faculty to produce new inservice teachers to use technology properly (Cassady & Pavlechko, 2000; Duhaney, 2001 , Krueger, Hansen, & Smaldino, 2000; Laffey & Musser, 1998; Luke, Moore, & Sawyer, 1998; Persichitte, Caffarella, & Tharp, 1999; Schrum & Dehoney, 1998; Stetson & Bagwell, 1999; Wetzel, Zambo, & Buss, 1996; Yidirim, 2000).

There is research literature that identified that many professors use computers in their classroom to teach (Carlson & Gooden, 1 999; Frey & Birnbaum, 2002; Nelson, 2004; Simmons & Macchia , 2003) . The computer-based technologies that professors use include word processing, database, spreadsheet, desktop publishing, presentation software, World Wide Web, and email. All the computer-based technologies mentioned above should be used in K- 12 schools by teachers (Nelson, 2004). In order for teachers to use computer-based technology effectively in their classroom, preservice teachers should be trained in ho w to use computer-based technology while they are in college/university courses. These courses provide a model of what computer-based technology their college/university instructors used within their teaching. It is these models that preservice teachers use when they become teachers in the future.

Social Learning Theory

The social learning theory of Bandura ( 1 977) emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling , the attitudes , and emotional reactions of others in learning. Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive , behavioral , and environmental influences . Bandrua's view of the social learning theory is that "human behavior is the result of a continuous interactive process involving cognition, behavior, and environmental factors" (Rezabek, 1987, p. 3).Rezabekalso stated that "Social learning theory suggests that people can learn by observing the behaviors of models" (p. 53).

Social learning theory has numerous implications for classroom use. Rutledge (2000) presents the following educational implications of social learning theory:

1. Students often learn a great deal simply by observing other people.

2. Modeling provides an alternative for shaping new teaching behaviors. Instead of using shaping, which is operant conditioning; modeling can provide a faster, more efficient means for teaching new behaviors. To promote effective modeling a teacher must make sure that the four essential conditions exist; attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation.

3. Teachers should expose students to a variety of other models. This technique is especially important to break down traditional stereotypes (p. 5).

According to Rutledge (2000) the roles of teachers as well as parents are important to model appropriate behaviors to their students and children. This shows that the concept of social learning theory underlies the variable-faculty modeling in integrating computer-based technology.

Instructional Technology Modeling

One of the applications of Social Learning theory is instructional technology modeling. Higher education faculty must model technology use to prepare new teachers to use technology as a part of their future curriculum (Cassady & Pavlechko , 2000; Duhaney, 2001; Krueger, Hansen, & Smaldino, 2000; Laffey & Musser, 1998; Luke, Moore, & Sawyer, 1 998 ; Persichitte , Caffarella, & Tharp , 1 999 ; Schrum & Dehoney, 1998; Stetson & Bagwell, 1999; Wetzel, Zambo, & Buss, 1996; Yidirim,2000).AccordingtoSmith,Frey,and Tollefson (2003), preservice teachers stated that the modeling conducted by the collaborative faculty made significant difference in their attitude towards and understanding of what collaboration was and what it took to besuccessful.Moreimportantly.respondents expressed an understanding of how this team building would lead to meeting the needs of a variety of students in a specific classroom.

Instructional modeling in higher education institutions is an important tool in training preservice teachers . The instructional modeling done by faculty provides the foundation from which preservice teachers use these same or similar teaching models when they become teachers (Lever-Duffy, McDonald, & Mizell, 2005). In order for preservice teachers to be comfortable in using computer-based technology as future inservice teachers, university and college instructors should model computer-based technology in their teaching.

Current research identifies that "good technology mentoring is only achieved through role modeling, ongoing evaluation, constructive criticism, and coaching" (Carlson & Gooden, 1999, p. 12). In another case, teachers modeled the use of PowerPoint and the Internet through a Preparing Teachers to Use Tomorrow's Technology (PT3) grant (Simmons & Macchia, 2003). The preservice teachers who saw professors modeling PowerPoint and the Internet are now making the effort to utilize various instructional technologies to support class projects within their classrooms (Simmons & Macchia, 2003).

In one case, K- 12 teachers with less experience in using technology in their own teaching began to use technology after observing more experienced teachers use technology (Mills & Tincher, 2002). In another study, modeling technology as a professional development model in technology integration showed that there were changes in preservice teacher beliefs and practices (Ross , Ertmer, & Johnson , 200 1 ) . Therefore , modeling the use of many types of hardware and software is the primary method for modeling technology use for preservice teachers.

Intent to use computer-based technology

Today, students have grown up with and become accustomed to the visual stimulation of television, computers, and video games, and they expect technology to be used effectively as part of their learning experience by their teachers in school (Frey & Birnbaum, 2002). Thus, teachers who have a positive intent to use technology and the technology skills are more likely to integrate technology into their own teaching practices.

There is research that suggests that the more experience preservice teachers have with computers, the less anxiety and the more positive level of intent they will have towards using instructional technology (Downes, 1993; Koohang, 1989; Savenye, 1992). It is important for preservice teachers to experience technology integration in college before they become inservice teachers so they have less anxiety and a positive level of intent to use technology in their classroom in the future. Preservice teachers "envision the computer primarily for word processing and as a means to do administrative tasks" (Mower-Popiel, Pollard, & Pollard, 1994, p. 138). Preservice teachers who feel comfortable in using computers have positive intent toward integrating computers in K- 1 2 schools (Troutman, 1991).

One of the major goals of this study is to find what role preservice teachers ' perceptions of faculty modeling in the use of computerbased technology plays in preservice teachers' intent to use computer-based technology when they become teachers.

Statement of the Problem

In this study the researcher is interested in identifying a relationship between preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling of computer-based technology use and preservice teachers' intent toward computer-based technology use in the classroom.

Research Question

Given this research problem, the guiding question of the study is: Do preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling in the use of computer-based technology have any relationship with the preservice teachers' perceptions of their intent toward using computer-based technology?

Based on the literature review, it is hypothesized that subjects' scores on intent to use computer-based technology survey can be predicted by their scores on preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling.

Methodology

This research aims to identify the relation between preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling of using computer-based technology and preservice teachers' intent to use computer-based technology when they become teachers. In order to collect data from the participants quantitative procedures were used. This section includes a description of the sample, pilot study, data collection procedures, instrumentation, and data analysis methods.

Sample Description

The participants in this study were preservice teachers who were enrolled in "Teaching with Microcomputers" class at a major university in Rocky Mountains.

The course has five sections which have a total of 100 students. The course is a required instructional technology courses for education majoring students. Since the participants are taking the course on campus, the researcher requested the instructors for their permission and then researcher administered the survey for the research in each classroom for all five sections. Overall 92 students participated in the study, out of which 62 were females and 30 were males, and 43 students had elementary education and 49 students had secondary education as their major. The age of participants was between 18 years and 62 years.

Procedure

Data were collected in "Teaching with Microcomputers" course which was taught by three different instructors. AU three instructors of the course allowed the researcher to be in their classrooms for collecting data from the students enrolled in the course. The researcher distributed the questionnaires to each section during the same week of the semester. The participation of subjects was voluntary in nature.

Instruments

For the study, two survey instruments were utilized to collect the data from the participants. They are described as follows:

a) Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling Survey (PTPFMS). The first instrument to be used was the Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling Survey (PTPFMS). This PTPFMS was used to measure preservice teachers' perceptions of their university instructors' modeling of using computer-based technology in their classroom. This instrument was created by the researcher. In the pilot study the overall reliability of PTPFM was found to be 0.92. The PTPFMS instrument used a Likert scale from (1) Never to (5) Always and consisted of 24 questions divided into two main sections: Use of computer based technology and Role of instructor. The two sections are each divided into two focuses with six questions being student-centered and six teacher-centered. PTPFMS includes three demographic question items pertaining to the participants' gender, age and major. Major includes two categories; elementary education and secondary education.

b) Intent to Use Computer-based Technology Survey (ITUCTS) : The second instrument was the Intent to Use Computer-based Technology Survey (ITUCTS). ITUCTS was adopted from the writings of Bichelmeyer, Reinhart, and Monson (1998) and Wang (2001).

The ITUCTS instrument is divided into two sections, each section has 12 questions. The first section addresses the preservice teachers' perceptions of their future role in a classroom equipped with computer-based technology (Role). Role of the teacher in the classroom was defined as the manner or style in which the teacher engages during classroom instruction, having a spectrum from, the teacher as an authority figure (TeacherCentered Role) to the teacher as a learning facilitator (Student-Centered Role) . The second section addresses the preservice teachers' perceptions of how they will use computerbased technology specifically when placed in a computer-based technology enhanced classroom (Use). Use of computer-based technologies in the classroom is defined as either the use of computer-based technology by the students for learning activities (Student-Centered Use) or use of computer-based technology by the teacher in ways that enable the teacher to more easily manage his or her classroom and instruction (Teacher-Centered Use). Both the sections used a Likert scale from (1) Never to (5) Frequently with 12 questions in each section.

The reliability of the section measuring teacher-centered role is .94, the section measuring student-centered role is .93, the section measuring teacher-centered computer use is .86, and the section measuring studentcentered computer use is .93 (Wang, 2001). The overall reliability of this questionnaire in this study was found to be .83 and the reliabilities on the sub-scales were found to be similar to the study of Wang (2001).

Data Analysis

Data from PTPFMS and ITUCTS were organized in SPSS 1 1 .5 statistical software to analyze . This study used regression analysis to determine the relationship between PTPFMS and four dimensions of ITUCTS . independent variables were four dimensions of preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling of using computer-based technology, gender, age and major. Dependent variables were four dimensions of preservice teachers ' intent to use computer-based technology survey. The analysis was also conducted on overall scores of preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling of using computer-based technology and preservice teachers' intent to use computer-based technology survey.

In the pilot study, none of the interactions were significant at 0.05 level. Therefore, in order to have more significant interactions, 0.10 level was used while analyzing the results in the main study. But 0 .05 level was also used for results significant at that level.

Results

The table below shows the means of 92 participants on all the four dimensions of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling and four dimensions of Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Table 1).

Further regression analysis is conducted to evaluate the relationship between four dimensions of Preservice Teachers ' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling with their corresponding dimension on Intent to Use Computer-based Technology.

Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology

Analysis of data showed that overall scores on Preservice Teachers' Perception of Faculty Modeling of Computer-based Technology Survey significantly predicted subject's overall score on Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Table 2).

Analysis of the best fitting line when data were entered graphically showed that as subjects' score on Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling Survey increased, their score on Intent to Use Computer-based Technology Survey also increased (Figure 1).

Table 1Means of participants on all the four dimensions of PTPFM and ITUCTTable 2Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology

Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Use)

Analysis of data showed that overall scores on use of Preservice Teachers ' Perception of Faculty Modeling of Computer-based Technology Survey significantly predicted subject's overall score on use of intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Table 3).

Analysis of the best fitting line when data were entered graphically showed that as subjects' score on overall use of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling Survey increased, their score on overall use of Intent to Use Computer-based Technology Survey also increased (Figure 2).

Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Teachercentered Use) and Intent to Use Computerbased Technology (Teacher-centered Use)

Analysis of data showed that overall scores on teacher-centered use of Preservice Teachers' Perception of Faculty Modeling of Computer-based Technology Survey significantly predicted subject's overall score on teacher- centered use of Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Table 4).

Analysis of the best fitting line when data were entered graphically showed that as subjects ' score on overall teacher-centered use of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling Survey increased, their score on overall teacher-centered use of Intent to Use Computer-based Technology Survey also increased (Figure 3).

Relation between Preservice Teachers ' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Studentcentered Use) and Intent to Use Computerbased Technology (Student-centered Use)

Analysis of data showed that overall scores on student-centered use of Preservice Teachers' Perception of Faculty Modeling of Computer-based Technology Survey significantly predicted subject's overall score on student-centered use of Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Table 5).

Analysis of the best fitting line when data were entered graphically showed that as subjects ' score on overall student-centered use of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling Survey increased, score on overall student-centered use of Intent to Use Computer-based Technology Survey also increased (Figure 4).

Relation between Preservice Teachers ' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Role) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Role)

Analysis of data showed that Preservice Teachers' Perception of Faculty Modeling on role of computer-based technology for delivering course information does not significantly predicted subject's score on Intent to Use of Computer-based Technology based on its role for delivering course information, results were similar for both teacher-centered role and student-centered role.

Table 3Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Use)

Discussion

Students today have experienced much technological advancement and are accustomed to the visual stimulation of television, computers, and video games. Hence, they expect technology to be used effectively as part of their learning experience . Many studies have shown that using computer-based technology in educational settings helps students in their learning (Sahin, 2003 ; Stinson, 2003; Whetstone , & Carr-Chellman , 200 1 ). So it is pertinent for preservice teachers to effectively learn integration of computer-based technology in real life teaching scenario . So how can they experience such learning process in their training?This study analyzes the relationship of preservice teachers' perception of faculty modeling of computer-based technology with their intent to use computer-based technology when they become teachers.

Table 4Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Teacher-centered Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Teacher-centered Use)Table 5Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Student-centered Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Student-centered Use)

Conclusion

Inspired by various researchers that shows teaching with technology provide more benefits for both teachers and students than teaching without any technology (Sahin, 2003; Stinson, 2003; Whetstone, & Carr-Chellman, 2001) and that teachers can improve their instruction by using a variety of technology resources such as the Internet, multimedia CD-ROMs, audio and graphics (Jao, 2001); this research explores the relationship of preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling in computer-based technology use with their intent of using computer-based technology in educational settings.

Universities and colleges are the places to train preservice teachers to comprehensively integrate instructional technology into their future classroom instruction. This research, based on Bandura's (1977) social learning theory,hypothesized that preservice teachers ' perceptions of faculty modeling in computerbased technology use will affect preservice teachers' intent of using computer-based technology in educational settings when they become teachers in the future.

The results showed that preservice teachers' perception of faculty modeling of computer-based technology significantly affected their intent to use computer-based technology; results were similar for the use dimension and its sub dimensions , but on the dimension of role and its sub dimensions the interaction was insignificant.

Limitations

This study has some limitations as follows:

First, the sample in this study is limited to one specific course and specific university. Hence, these results can not be generalized as the sample is not representative. Second, there is limited research on the relationship between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling, gender, age, major and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology. However, there is research in the literature that examines each of these five variables individually. So it is difficult to evaluate the results of this research in light of this earlier research.

The participants of this study are enrolled in other courses simultaneously, so modeling by faculty of those courses may influence their scores on Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology surveys also their previous experience with the use of computer-based technology may also influence their scores on those surveys. In future researchers may improve and add to the results of this research by taking a more representative sample and conducting the research in a more controlled setting.

Implications

Over the course of the last decade technology has been gaining more importance in teacher education programs but most programs still have a way to go before they can accurately prepare their graduates to use technology to its fullest potential in their teaching and administrative activities (Moore , Knuth, Borse, & Mitchell, 1999). This research shows the importance of preservice teachers' perceptions of faculty modeling of computer-based technology in influencing their intent to use computer-based technology. This study is significant since college-level instructors must be competent users of computer-based technologies in order to influence the full development of preservice teachers who use them as role models. So the assessment of competencies of preservice teachers' instructors should be authentic and indicate whether the competencies instructor's posses are adequate to support the vision of learning in actual classroom settings. Figures

FiguresFigure 1 . Relation between Preservice Teachers ' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling and Intent to Use Computer-based TechnologyFigure 2. Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Use)

Figure 3 . Relation between Preservice Teachers ' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Teachercentered Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Teacher-centered Use)Figure 4. Relation between Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Faculty Modeling (Studentcentered Use) and Intent to Use Computer-based Technology (Student-centered Use)