Old dogs ... new tricks'? A study of experienced teachers, technological innovation and pedagogical change

In summary, this case study offers a range of insights into the professional practice of a group of experienced teachers. It demonstrates that experienced teachers can successfully incorporate modern information and communication technologies into their teaching repertoires. It also shows the ability of experienced teachers to learn from their students, and to adopt a range of innovative teaching strategies to bring about enhanced educational outcomes for students.In making this argument, the practice of experienced teachers engaged in educational innovation is shown to involve their ongoing focus on the needs of their students, and their use of an extensive range of pedagogical and technological strategies to engage in effective teaching. In this way the study dispels many of the myths about older, experienced teachers that work to constitute the field of school education. The teachers who form the study cannot be categorised as ždead woodŸ, as žout of touchŸ or as žshellbacksŸ (Dinham 1996, p. 96), nor were they žtired cynics who have found a comfortable niche in which to retire�Ÿ (Sawyer 2003, p. 6). Rather, their experience had resulted in their accrual of deep pedagogical knowledge, high expectations for students, and a commitment to students as learners and individuals (Pegg 2004). These 'old dogs' relished, and thrived on, learning 'new tricks'.