Emphasizing Technology Over Instruction: Adapting a 20-Year-Old Survey to Examine the Climate of K–12 Instructional Technology Leadership in Public School Districts

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-274
Author(s):  
Thomas Edelberg
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
Instructional Technology ◽  
School District ◽  
School Districts ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Educational Experiences ◽  
Technology Leadership ◽  
K 12

Current research on computer technology integration in K–12 school classrooms indicates that student learning outcomes remain flat despite heavy investment. Examining school leadership conceptions about technology integration might reveal a way to reverse this trend. This study adapts a survey instrument from Brush and Bannon and applies it to Indiana school district superintendents. Key findings indicate respondents perceive developing technology goals and plans for a school district, providing instructional support, and integrating technology into a core curriculum are very important for instructional technology leadership, but educational experiences and credentials are less important. However, respondents from school districts with smaller student enrollments and who report having little or no knowledge of instructional technology tend to view educational experiences and credentials more highly than respondents from larger schools and who report being very knowledgeable. Implications are that superintendents tend to emphasize the technology-use aspect of instructional technology leadership over instructional proficiencies.

scholarly journals Barriers to Technology use in Large and Small School Districts

10.28945/3596 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 577-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory M Francom
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Technology Tools ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Access To Technology ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Barriers To Technology Use ◽  
Barriers To Technology

Barriers to effective technology integration come in several different categories, including access to technology tools and resources, technology training and support, administrative support, time to plan and prepare for technology integration, and beliefs about the importance and usefulness of technology tools and resources. This study used survey research to compare reported barriers to technology use in smaller school districts and communities to those in larger school districts and communities. This study also sought to determine other district and classroom factors that could influence barriers to technology integration. The population for this study was current public K-12 teachers in a rural North Midwestern state. Findings indicated that teachers in smaller districts and communities reported more access to technology tools and resources and higher administrative support for the use of technology than did teachers in larger districts and communities. By contrast, teachers in larger districts and communities reported higher time to plan and prepare for technology integration.

Teaching students out of harm’s way

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-302
Author(s):  
Esther Charlotte Moon
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Digital Citizenship ◽  
Digital Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Instructional Content ◽  
Device Integration ◽  
The Usa ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how changes in K-12 educational delivery methods in the USA impacts students as 1:1 device programs become a required tool for learning. This change produces gaps in knowledge and understanding of the digital environment and exposes minors to risk. Mandatory technology integration by school districts places the ethical responsibility on school districts to prepare students to use the digital environment to mitigate risk. Design/methodology/approach The author’s literature review focused on the impact of personal device integration in education on students. The author surveyed teachers in the district on what they perceived as risk to students accessing the digital environment and what they believe creates value in digital citizenship instructional content. The author also gathered information while serving on the school district technology steering committee and digital citizenship working group. Findings Mandatory 1:1 device programs used for learning provide unlimited access to the digital environment. This technology integration creates digital knowledge gaps in understanding among students and exposes them to risk or dangers such as loss of privacy, psychological harms and engaging in or being a victim of illegal online activities. School districts are responsible for providing a remedy to close this gap and mitigate risk by developing learning content resources for teachers. Social implications As 1:1 device programs continue to grow in school districts in the USA, it is essential for students to learn to apply protocols and understand norms of the digital world. Providing a digital citizenship curriculum in a format such as a Google Site will offer educators access to instructional content that teaches students to apply protocols, understand norms of the internet and social media and foster critical thinking to analyze power structures, biases and recognize manipulation online. Student must learn how to apply rules that challenge assumptions behind the digital content they see, and they must be able to identify and resolve digital practices and behaviors that are problematic, so they are prepared to participate in a digital society. Originality/value This perspective may be relevant to school districts contemplating personal device integration, providing insight into how 1:1 device use impacts students and develops an ethical position for creating digital citizenship resources for teachers.

scholarly journals Realising the Vision of Technology Integration: A Case Study of K-12 Private Schools in the United Arab Emirates

2020 ◽  
pp. 251-294
Author(s):  
Kheder Mahmoud ◽  
◽  
Catherine Arden ◽  
Jennifer Donovan ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Private Schools ◽  
Education System ◽  
Private School ◽  
National Government ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
K 12

Heralded by the release of government policies such as Vision 2021, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has joined the worldwide impetus for the integration of Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) into its K-12 education system as a central plank of reforms to its economy and education system. This presents challenges for schools in both public and private sectors in the UAE as they strive to adhere to national government and local education authority guidelines and standards for educational innovation. Whilst the UAE Government has invested heavily to support technology integration in public schools, private schools must fund their own technology integration initiatives. In a context of strong growth in the private K-12 sector and reported high teacher turnover rates, private school leadership faces particular challenges related to decision-making about investment in suitable technologies and support systems, including teachers‖ professional development. This chapter reports some preliminary findings from a qualitative case study investigating the teacher, school and system-wide factors impacting on technology integration in selected private schools located in four Emirates. The study combines policy analysis with semi-structured interviews of a purposive sample of private school K-12 educators to yield a detailed understanding of the challenges faced by private sector UAE schools in implementing technology integration in response to national government policy directives. The findings will inform the development of an implementation framework providing guidance regarding critical success factors for effective technology integration in private schools with particular implications for school leadership and teachers‖ professional learning.

Online Learning at the K-12 Level

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Sorensen
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Classrooms ◽  
The Subject ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Positive Results ◽  
Specific Technology

Technology integration has had a profound effect on K-12 education with research yielding positive results in student learning. Most research to date has been conducted in face-to-face settings. With the growth of online K-12 learning, an opportunity exists to examine technology use in the “new” K-12 classroom. The aim of this research was to investigate the potential relationships between specific technology and subject area and grade level and why online K-12 teachers use technology in their online classrooms. Results suggest that in an online K-12 learning environment, relationships may exist between what technology is used and the subject area and/or grade level it is used in.

Investigating K-12 Pre-Service Teacher TPACK in Instructional Technology Learning

2022 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Fitsum F. Abebe ◽  
Martonia Gaskill ◽  
Tommy Hansen ◽  
Xianquan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Instructional Technology ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Pre Service Teacher

This study investigated the change in pre-service teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) self-efficacy beliefs in a technology integration course in a teacher education program. It assessed knowledge components that predicted TPACK self-efficacy beliefs. Pre and post-surveys were administered using Schmidt et al. (2009) instrument at the beginning and end of the course. The study revealed statistically significant change in all dimensions of TPACK self-efficacy beliefs. Cohen’s effect size revealed medium effect size on TPACK self-efficacy beliefs during the pre-service teacher education technology integration course. PCK and TPK were the significant predictors of TPACK in both pre and post-survey report. Content Knowledge (CK) was a significant predictor of TPACK in the post-survey. The result implies that instructional technology courses should pay attention to the factors affecting TPACK during curriculum design and course delivery. In the current research context CK, PCK and TPK predicted TPACK. TK and PK can be mediated by TPK and PCK respectively.

Integrating Technology in Teacher Education Programs

2013 ◽  
pp. 28-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Oigara
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Educational Technology ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Integration Of Technology ◽  
K 12

This chapter discusses technology integration in teacher education programs. Although opportunities for technology training have become more available to prospective teachers, it is evident that successful technology integration needs a paradigm shift in pedagogical approaches and reform in teacher education programs to better support teachers’ integration of technology into instruction. This chapter offers valuable theoretical grounding to help guide researchers and leaders in the field of Educational Technology. Data indicate that basic technology skills alone cannot lead to higher levels of technology use in the classroom. Suggestions are provided on best ways to integrate educational technology into pre-service teacher education programs and in-service teacher professional development programs to enhance effectively teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms.

Ways to Mentor Methods’ Faculty Integration of Technologies in their Courses

2012 ◽  
pp. 519-534
Author(s):  
Thomas Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
Integrated Technology ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Successful Technology

This chapter reveals the significant and authentic challenges that methods faculty face as they step into a zone of uncertainty when integrating computer technology into lessons, classroom teaching, and student learning. While faculty may perceive that current instructional strategies are successful as measured by classroom scores, a look into the student perceptions of classroom practices, students’ preferences for learning efficiently using technology demonstrates how they are undernourished and dissatisfied with current instructional strategies. The lack of modeling of technology use in higher education is a problem as new teachers leave the academic venue and venture into the classrooms of today. Energetic K-12 students prefer to use familiar technology tools to probe for dynamic knowledge and stimulate personal learning. Pedagogy, at all levels, must “open-up” and encourage students to seek enriched information and answers to questions for which “clarification and improvement” is the best answer. In this chapter, several themes are explored including challenges faced by faculty, significance of non-integrated technology, pathways to implementation, overcoming wait-long-enough attitudes, effective mentoring-coaching models for success, and conditions to begin a successful technology integration process.

scholarly journals School Systems and the PTA: Partnering in the Time of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Henry Smith
Keyword(s):  
School District ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Nongovernmental Organization ◽  
After School ◽  
School Systems ◽  
School Based ◽  
Education School ◽  
K 12

School systems and parents have fought over control of K-12 education for more than 150 years. However,  COVID- 19  shined a spotlight on the need for school systems and parents to  build cross-sectoral partnerships in order to deliver that education. One vehicle for this cross-sectoral parnership is the Parent Teacher Associations  (PTA) found in every school district.   Partnering is not a novel idea in education. School districts partner with colleges and universities, after school providers and school based health systems. It is time for educators and their communities to reexamin and stregthen their cross-sectoral partnership with the nongovernmental organization that is already there, the local PTA.    

scholarly journals Do teachers and students get the ed-tech products they need: The challenges of ed-tech procurement in a rapidly growing market

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Jennifer Morrison ◽  
Steven M. Ross ◽  
Roisin P. Corcoran
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
School District ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Rapid Rate ◽  
Procurement Process ◽  
Instructional Needs ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Many ◽  
K 12

Ed-tech courseware products to support teaching and learning are being developed and made available for acquisition by school districts at a rapid rate.  In this growing market, developers and providers face challenges with making their products visible to customers, while school district stakeholders must grapple with “discovering” which products of the many available best address their instructional needs.  The present study presents the experiences with and perceptions about the procurement process from 47 superintendents representing diverse school districts in the U. S.  Results indicate that, while improvements are desired in many aspects of the procurement process, the superintendents, overall, believe that, once desired products are identified, they are generally able to acquire them.  Difficulties lie in tighter budgets, discovering products that are potentially the best choices, and evaluating the effectiveness of the products selected as options.  These findings are presented and interpreted in relation to five major “Action Points” in the procurement process, and also with regard to implications for evaluating how educational technology impacts K-12 instruction. Keywords: Ed-tech, school districts, K-12.

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