Tracey Anderson

West Georgia University

Assignment 1: Introduction & Research Question

Background
The U.S Department of Education (2010) reports that 97 percent of all teachers have
access to at least one computer in the classroom. The Georgia Department of Education
(2014) explains that its K12 network provides internet access to all 194 of Georgias
public school districts. The superintendent of the Dekalb County School District, one of
the largest school districts in Georgia, announced 100% wireless access for all Dekalb
County School Districts schools and classrooms on December 1, 2013. In his press
release (2013), Superintendent Thurmond stated that with this wireless access
technology-based learning becomes part of the everyday classroom experience.
Such numbers and claims suggest that todays students participate in a
technologically rich educational experience. After exploring teachers use of technology
in the tech-rich area of Silicone Valley, Cuban (2001) determined that we teachers have
high access to technologies with limited use. A lack of understanding of what
technology integration means or looks like may explain why teachers are still using
computers more for lesson preparation and communications than for instruction (Cuban,
2010; Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, and York, 2006). Dockstader (1999) defines
technology integration as using computers effectively and efficiently in the general
content areas (p. 73) as well as having the curriculum drive technology usage, not
having technology drive the curriculum (p. 73). Shrum (1999) describes the problems
with a one size fits all approach to promoting technology integration that seems to
assume teachers understand effective use of technology. Teachers may participate in
purported professional learning with little understanding of how the training relates to
their disciplines or applies to unique classroom environments.

An examination of the Dekalb County School Districts 2015-2018 Technology Plan

Survey reveals another way in which education organizations may conflate technology
presence with understanding. The survey assumes that teachers already understand
existing technologies and capabilities. How would you like to use technology in your
classroom? To teach? To learn? To communicate and share? is one of the seven
questions. Another question asks teachers to describe your ideal technology-related
professional learning experience. A fifth question asks teachers How can technology
be used to enhance and support the teaching and learning experience.
Problem and Rationale
If teachers do not understand what technologies exist and how such technologies
support instruction, how can they become the agents of change (p. 255) Ertmer and
Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2010) describe? If the people determining technology needs and
training do not understand the specific needs of their teachers and students, how can
teachers learn to integrate technology successfully into the classroom?
Purpose
The purpose of this research study is to investigate the factors that influence the
integration of technology in the classroom. As Perrotta (2013) explains, school-level
circumstances and cultures may play an important role in shaping teachers experiences
and expectations of technology use (p. 323), so this study will focus on a group of
teachers from Lakeside High School in Dekalb County Schools.

Questions
This study will address the following questions:

1. How do teachers years of experience teaching influence the use of technology in the
classroom?
2. How do teachers disciplines and existing pedagogical approaches influence the type
and frequency of technology in the classroom?
3. How do teachers understanding of technology integration influence their use of
technology in the classroom?
4. How does leadership influence the use of technology in the classroom?
5. Which types of professional learning influence the use of technology in the classroom?
6. Which types of incentives encourage teachers to integrate technology into the
classroom?
Literature Review
Liu (2011) found inconsistencies between teachers beliefs about student-centered
learning and teachers activities using technology integration, so teachers must
understand how their technology activities do or do not reflect their individual teaching
philosophies. Greenhaus (2014) examined teachers perceptions of technology use, with
special focus on instructional decision-making, to reveal how such findings should
inform administrators professional learning decisions.
Perrotta (2013) determined that individual school conditions should inform technology
training and integration. Afshari, Bakar, Luan, and Siraj (2012) examined the roles school
principals play in integrating technology. They found that transformational leaders with
computer competency could positively influence technology use at their schools. Perrotta
(2013) also described a correlation between teachers views of supportive school
administrators and technology benefits

Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, and York (2006) determined that although newer and
often younger-teachers may identify or display more confidence in using computers and
may use them more often in preparing for instruction, they may lack the necessary
appreciation for technology as a valuable instructional tool.
Sugar (2005) examined the impacts of technology coaches at individual schools. In
this study of the technology coach model, teachers even benefited from virtual
collaborative professional development opportunities. An individual school could
facilitate its own face-to-face or collaborative professional learning groups.
References
Afshari, M., Bakar, K. A., Luan, W. S., & Siraj, S. (2012). Factors Affecting the
Transformational Leadership Role of Principals in Implementing ICT in
Schools.Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 11(4), 164-176.
Buabeng-Andoh, C. (2012). Factors influencing teachers' adoption and integration of
information and communication technology into teaching: A review of the
literature. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and
Communication Technology, 8(1), 136-155.
Cuban, Larry. (2001). Oversold and underused: Computers in the classroom. Cambridge:
Harvard University Press.
Davis, Monika. Dekalb County School District. Teacher feedback for 2015-2018 district
technology plan. (2015, January 23).
Dekalb County School District. (2013). Dekalb County School District goes completely
wireless. [Press release].
Dekalb County School District. Information technology. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/management-information-systems.
Dekalb County School District. Teaching and learning: English language arts and
reading, 9-12. (2015).
Dockstader, J. (1999). Teachers of the 21st century know the what, why, and how of
technology integration. THE Journal (Technological Horizons in Education), 26(6),
73.
Ertmer, P. A., Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A., & York, C. S. (2006). Exemplary technologyusing teachers: Perceptions of factors influencing success. Journal of Computing in
Teacher Education, 23(2), 55-61.
Ertmer, P. A., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T. (2010). Teacher technology change: How
knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal of research on
Technology in Education, 42(3), 255-284.
Georgia Department of Education. (2014). Statewide k12 network. Retrieved from
http://www.gadoe.org/Technology-Services/Infrastructure/Pages/Statewide-K12.
Greenhaus, K. L. (2014). Teachers' Perceived Influences on Technology Integration
Decisions: A Grounded Theory on Instructional Decisions after Professional
Development (Doctoral dissertation, THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY).
Gunn, Thelma M. and Hollingsworth, Maurice. The implementation and assessment of a
shared 21st century learning vision: a district-based approach. Journal of Research on
Technology in Education (International Society for Technology in Education), 45 (3),
201-228.
Liu, S. H. (2011). Factors related to pedagogical beliefs of teachers and technology
integration. Computers & Education, 56(4), 1012-1022.

Perrotta, C. (2013). Do schoollevel factors influence the educational benefits of digital

technology? A critical analysis of teachers' perceptions. British Journal of
Educational Technology, 44(2), 314-327.
Schrum, L. (1999). Technology professional development for teachers. Educational
Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 83-90.
Sugar, W. (2005). Instructional technologist as a coach: Impact of a situated professional
development program on teachers technology use. Journal of Technology and
Teacher Education, 13(4), 547-571.
U.S Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics (2010). Teachers
use of educational technology in U.S. public schools: 2009. Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010040.