Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Educational leadership|Teacher education|Educational technology'

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a better understanding of how induction programs might effectively support STEM K?8 teacher preparation. American schools are not producing competent STEM graduates prepared to meet employment demands. Over the next decade, STEM employment opportunities are expected to increase twice as fast as all other occupations combined. To meet the economic needs, the STEM pipeline must be expanded to educate and produce additional STEM graduates. The meeting of this objective begins with having the teachers working in American classrooms fully prepared and trained in STEM content, curriculum, and pedagogy. Research shows that the interest in STEM subjects starts in elementary school and, therefore, the preparation of elementary teachers to be proficient in teaching STEM to their students is vital. However, most induction programs do not focus on preparing their teachers in STEM. This study researched the Alternative Induction Pathway (AIP) program, which had STEM preparation as one of its core outcomes in the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD). It investigated the program?s effectiveness in preparing K?8 teachers with STEM content knowledge, curriculum, pedagogical instruction preparation, and the program elements that contributed the most to their experience in the program and overall STEM preparation as a result. This study was carried out over the course of approximately 6 months. Data included focused interviews with participants as well as analysis of existing documents in order to triangulate perspectives from multiple sources. The AIP program had varied levels of effectiveness in STEM content, curriculum, and pedagogy preparation. Relationships between the induction mentor, the administration, and the participating teacher, when strong and positive, were powerful contributions to the success of the acquisition and integration of the STEM content, curriculum, and pedagogy. The most effective components of the AIP program were the monthly support groups, the curricular resources, and the professional development nights facilitating the teaching and learning process for the participating teacher in STEM integration. The results of this training included examples of well-planned and executed STEM lessons with creative risk-taking, and enhanced confidence for teachers and administrators alike. At the same time, the AIP program had struggles in achieving the desired outcomes of STEM integration, due to lack of preliminary training for program administrators in STEM integration, varied needs between the MS and SS credential teachers, and state standard requirements that spoke to science and mathematics, but not engineering or technology. The main recommendation for policy from the results of this study is that STEM should be woven into preservice and continue through induction and professional development to become one of the main tenets of curriculum development and standards of effective teaching. This policy would affect colleges of education and district induction programs, requiring that STEM courses be added or embedded into the credential pathways. However, this approach would ensure that STEM integration is supported academically as an important and valued aspect of the teacher?s entrance to their career, and that pre-service teachers are ready to take advantage of induction offerings on STEM integration in the induction phase and throughout their careers in continuing professional development. The study also provides practice and research recommendations in regard to possible roles and supports for mentor teachers, including their relationships with resident teachers, as well as suggestions for and to maximize the benefits for effective teaching and learning during the induction process.

Practitioner Inquiry provided the framework for teachers (participants) and the teacher as researcher to work collaboratively engaging in a continuous process of planning lessons, reflecting on practice, systematically collecting data, and problem solving as they integrated technology within literacy curriculum. Three teachers (Trio Group) met weekly to discover how teachers learn about literacy technology integration, how they apply this in their classroom instruction, and how they share their ideas about literacy/technology integration with other teachers. These teachers shared their learning with a larger group of teachers (Technology Team) who then hosted a professional development session for the entire faculty to teach them how to integrate technology within instructional practice. Data was gathered from faculty surveys, lesson plans, the Trio Group’s blog posts, videotaped collaboration, audio recordings of all meetings, researcher’s field journal, and the final reflections of faculty. Data was analyzed using “in vivo coding” (Saldana, 2009), looking at each data source independently, and then creating larger categories that led to a descriptive view of the data in themes. Key findings that positively impacted teachers’ ability to learn how to integrate technology were: acknowledging teachers’ perceptions, providing time for collaboration with colleagues, application of practice, scaffolding the learning, and job embedded reflection. Implications include considering a broader view of literacy, technology, and instructional knowledge to include digital literacy and the TPACK framework (Kohler & Mishra, 2009). Implications also include re-envisioning the roles of educators as well as traditional professional development. Collaborative Inquiry Circles were suggested as an alternative to the traditional methods of professional development that could lead to meaningful and sustainable learning opportunities for teachers.

In an ever-changing labyrinth of standards, accountability, and standardized testing, educators seek ways to improve instruction. Teachers need learning experiences that help them navigate an environment in which a growing list of student performance standards and standardized tests determine their success in teacher evaluations (Crawford, 2015; Terehoff, 2002). In this same pursuit, many administrators are challenged in their efforts to provide meaningful professional development to support teachers (Terehoff, 2002). The goal of this study is to gain insight into which TPD delivery types and which levels of student presence create the most meaningful and applicable learning for educators and to provide insight and guidance to administrators and TPD planners who are seeking ways to provide quality TPD.

The study data was gathered through qualitative methods, including participant observation, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The data was exlored through the SPLT model. The major findings of the study suggest that higher model levels—which included student physical presence—led to an increased application of teacher-learning in the classroom and an increased confidence in attempting to apply newly learned techniques and tools. Teachers also suggested that these in-classroom session were more valuable when a pre- or post-discussion accompanied the session. The results demonstrated that learning at all model levels had value for different intended learning purposes. They also suggested that the TPD learning could be more effective when lower model level sessions are followed up with higher-level SPLT model sessions that occur in the classroom during instructional time with students physically present.

The purpose of this quantitative retrospective causal-comparative study was to determine to what extent the form of professional development (face-to-face or online) or the level of instruction (elementary or high school) has on classroom teaching practices as measured by student learning outcomes. The first research question sought to determine to what extent the form of professional development affects classroom teaching practices as measured by student learning outcomes. The second research questions sought to determine to what extent the level of instruction affects classroom teaching practices as measured by student learning outcomes. The sample was 432 Ohio teachers who participated in the Ohio Performance Assessment Pilot Project. There were 105 teachers who engaged in face-to-face professional development and 327 teachers who engaged in online professional development. There were 216 elementary teachers and 216 high school teachers. An independent samples t-test with a probability level of p = 0.05 was used to determine the differences in student learning outcomes by form of professional development and level of instruction. This study found there is no statistically significant difference between teachers who engaged in face-to-face professional development (M = 0.519) or online (M = .467) or teachers who taught elementary (M = 0.524) or high school ( M = 0.493). These findings suggest when the content of professional development is comparable, the form of professional development and the level of instruction have minimal effect on student learning outcomes.

This study focused on the motivation of K-12 teachers to participate in district online professional development and to sustain the knowledge or skills learned. This study identified how teachers in a suburban school district, located in the Hudson Valley region of New York state, evaluated the online professional development they received and the extent to which their learning continued beyond the initial training. Through a phenomenological study, data indicated several factors motivated teachers to participate in online professional development; the primary motivator was the relevance of the topic. The online survey and interviews indicated teachers were interested and willing to participate in online professional development when they could choose the topic and the setting in which the learning takes place. An additional motivator was the benefit of collaboration and support provided by the facilitator, both during and after the training. Teachers shared their ability to make connections and to reflect on their own experiences increased when they had the opportunity to work collaboratively with the facilitator to develop and implement a lesson using the new knowledge or skill. Teachers who identified taking relevant district online professional development with collaborative facilitators also reported specific examples of how they implemented skills in their classrooms. Teachers described how the district online professional development helped to improve their students’ learning.

This qualitative case study illustrated perceptions of seven fine arts teachers who were veteran participants in an ePortfolio evaluation method (with three or more years participation). The research questions centered on professional growth, reflection, and the impact ePortfolio had on the craft of teaching. A blended conceptual framework of Schön’s (1983, 1987) theory of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, and Mezirow’s (1991) transformative learning theory was applied to analyze the data. The researcher explored types of reflection fine arts teachers perceive through ePortfolio evaluation, and how the process of ePortfolio evaluation doubled as a professional development for some teachers. Through three phases of the study which included a written eInterview, a video interview, and a face-to-face portfolio review, teacher perceptions of benefits and challenges emerged. Benefits included evidence of reflective practice, retention of highly effective teachers, a focus on student growth and state standards, and among five participants, a reported shift in practice from product-focused to process-focused teaching in their fine arts’ classrooms. Emerging as challenges in ePortfolio practice included time, training, technology, and lack of adequate feedback in the perceptions of the seven participants in this study.

Teacher preparation colleges and universities have been studied to determine best practices and respond to educational reform. Education as a whole has been criticized for the rate at which reform occurs. Technology in education has its roots in the early 1990s, but best practices to provide professional development to current teaching staff and in the teacher preparation programs continue to evolve.

This study shows the outcomes of a unique school-university partnership preparing pre-service teachers to purposefully integrate technology in their future classrooms. Six Duquesne University interns were followed through their university technology integration course and during their semester internship at a Pittsburgh area school district with technology rich classrooms. This investigation is distinctive as the interns were embedded field experiences focusing on technology prior to their student teaching experiences. In documenting the interns’ stories, their narratives further inform the effect of such opportunities and advance school-university partnerships for the purpose of better preparing teachers for today’s technology-rich classrooms and reduce or eliminate the Second Level Digital Divide.

Examining teacher participation in collaborative microblogging activities may offer insight into creating alternative options for effective professional development. In this sequential explanatory mixed methods study, educators’ opinions of their use of a microblogging tool, Twitter, will be examined to determine what factors affect their participation in professional development activities using the microblogging tool, Twitter. The overall guiding question for this study will be, Why do educators participate in voluntary professional development opportunities, specifically in Twitter-supported professional learning networks?

This study will contribute to the existing body of research in the areas of professional development, professional learning networks, educator’s motivation to learn, informal learning, online learning, and social media. Social media, specifically the microblogging tool Twitter, will be examined for its potential to act as an alternative mode of dissemination for educator professional development, as well as its potential for creating informal professional learning networks. Data sources for this study will include: surveys and interview questions. This information may be useful for future creation of more effective professional development opportunities. Findings from this study may be useful for researchers, educators, administrators, and developers of professional development opportunities.

This study explores teacher perceptions of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs in the classroom, with a focus on teacher use, student equity of access, and student ability to use their devices as learning tools. While one-to-one laptop programs (students assigned identical school-owned laptop or tablet) has an extensive body of literature behind it, BYOD has relatively little peer-reviewed research.

A framework was developed to guide this research that related teacher technology use, equity of student access, and student ability to learn to use the devices they brought. Two instruments were created to collect data: (a) an anonymous online survey to collect information from 108 teachers already incorporating BYOD into their classes, (b) a semi-structured interview with eleven teachers who volunteered after completing the first instrument.

Findings suggested that teachers with constructivist compatible beliefs were likely to have more positive perceptions of BYOD, as were those who worked in schools with a more positive atmosphere. Very few teachers (12%) thought that BYOD programs were inherently inequitable, although 25% thought the programs in their own school was inequitable. Teachers were concerned that all students have access to an effective device when the student did not bring one and they primarily looked to school-owned technology to be available. Teachers also reported that students could learn to use their individual devices by working with other students and through working on assignments, while teachers had specific techniques they used to support this learning. Teachers overall did not view themselves as being responsible for providing technology support to students, and instead expected students to resolve their own technology problems. Many teachers (42%) liked that students had different types of devices.

A key advantage of BYOD is the knowledge the students bring when they bring their own device. These results provide tentative support for Bring Your Own Device programs as a viable, cost- effective way for students to use their own technology for learning.

The purpose of this ethnographic research study was to investigate the effect of a Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) policy on student engagement in a high school setting through classroom observations, cross-sectional surveys, and a focus group of technology teacher leaders. The qualitative and quantitative data gleaned from this study indicated no significant difference in student engagement levels when student-owned technology was used for instructional purposes, but student engagement increased with teacher support and efficacy with technology, student-directed learning, and utilization of Web 2.0 applications. The findings of this study will inform future decision making by school districts considering BYOT policies, assist teachers with technology-based instructional design, and contribute to the literature on student engagement with instructional technology.

Educational technology can be a powerful tool and the advantages of using it in instruction are abundant. However, it is important that instructors use technology effectively. Recent rapid changes in technology have coincided with rapid growth in online learning. Since the 1990s, learning management systems (LMS) have been adopted in higher education as a means for providing instructors with educational technology tools to manage and facilitate their higher education classes. LMS tools play a significant role in the facilitation of online learning. The changes in educational technology and the growth in online learning have led educators in higher education to examine best practices for integrating technology in online learning. Retention is a major focus of higher education administrators. Thus, student satisfaction in online courses is a concern in order to decrease attrition and improve student persistence in online education. This study examines the relationships between student perception of the usefulness of LMS tools and student online course satisfaction in higher education.

The purpose of this study was to assess the nature of participation in a hybrid Community of Practice; exploring how teacher efficacy influenced participation; and how participation impacted both technology teacher leadership and technology integration practice. The researcher addressed the following research questions: What is the nature and frequency of the activities and interactions evidenced by participation in a hybrid CoP? What types of knowledge capital were found in a hybrid CoP? Does teacher efficacy influence participation in the online component of a hybrid CoP? How does participation in a hybrid CoP impact teachers’ technology integration and the development of their technology leadership ability? Participants included 31 teachers enrolled in an Innovative Teacher Leaders (ITL) program. The researcher implemented a mixed methods comparative case study, collecting data via participant observations, monthly self-reports, and semi-structured interviews. A survey instrument was administered to collect data on Teacher Efficacy and Teacher Leadership. Frequency data were collected based on interaction logs and face-to-face training observations of the CoP. Findings of this study pointed to the need for time to practice, implementation support, and peer coaching/discourse as necessary factors for successful professional development. Participation in this hybrid CoP was found to have a positive impact on teacher technology integration and technology leadership ability.

The pervasive nature of technology in society is not reflected in schools. Research indicates that teachers are reluctant to integrate technology to the levels that are expected by organizations such as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the author of the national standards used to assess technology in schools. Included in the ISTE standards are standards for educational administrators that place the responsibility for leading the change towards integration firmly in the hands of the principals as the educational leaders of the schools.

While there is no clear definition of leadership, the common thread is the ability to create change in the beliefs and actions of followers. According to the Situational Leadership ® theory, an effective leader is one who uses the appropriate leadership strategy to create and manage change in the given situation. The LEAD other instrument is used to assess the effectiveness of leaders as perceived by their followers. The purpose of this study was to explore the existence of a relationship between effective leadership as measured by the LEAD other instrument and teachers’ levels of technology integration as measured by the Mankato Technology Survey. While not indicating causality, a positive correlation would indicate that principal leadership effectiveness needs to be further explored in the process of understanding why technology integration is not occurring at expected levels. The results of the study did not provide sufficient support to reject the null hypothesis, thus suggesting that no relationship exists between principal leadership effectiveness and the level of teacher technology integration. The lack of a significant relationship suggests that additional research is required to determine if in fact the responsibility for technology integration and comfort has been inappropriately placed on the principal, and to examine what other factors require further consideration.

This correlational-predictive study investigated the relationship between teacher perceptions of technology use and observed classroom technology integration level using the Technology Uses and Perceptions Survey (TUPS) and the Technology Integration Matrix- Observation (TIM-O) instruments, developed by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology (FCIT) at USF. Anonymized data were obtained from FCIT that included 51 teachers from a Florida school district who completed the TUPS and were observed using the TIM-O. Linear regression was used to determine the overall relationship between perceptions and technology integration, as well as the overall predictive value of teacher perceptions on technology integration level. Both were found to be statistically significant; a low-moderate relationship existed between the TUPS and the TIM-O, and the TUPS was found to be a predictor of the TIM-O level. In addition, multiple regression was used to determine the relationship between each of the seven areas of the TUPS and the TIM-O level, as well as the predictive ability of each of the TUPS domains on the TIM-O level. Although none of the domains had a statistically significant relationship or predictive value, several subgroups had significant findings in the domains of confidence and comfort, and skills and usefulness. This study supports previous research in teacher perceptions and beliefs and furthers the research by including predictive relationships. Administrators, professional developers, and support staff can use these findings to target teacher professional learning opportunities in technology integration.

The student affairs profession is at a crossroads (Torres & Walbert, 2010) given digital technology’s growth and the academy’s administrative expansion (Bowen, 2013). Student affairs administrators must simultaneously respond to digital technology’s implications in students’ lives (Kirschner & Karpinski, 2010) and to new state and federal compliance mandates connected to their expanding campus roles (Dungy & Gordon, 2010). Student affairs leaders acknowledge that these competing priorities demand more nimble responses (Manning, Kinzie, & Schuh, 2013; McClennan & Stringer, 2009). Significant research (Barr, McClennan, & Sandeen, 2014; Elkins, 2015; Dungy & Gordon, 2010; Junco, 2014; Kuk, 2012; Torres & Walbert, 2010) highlights that student affairs administrator‘s digital technology use can augment traditional in-person co-curricular student experiences; yet, minimal research exists on how student affairs administrators utilize digital technology.

This qualitative, historical, interpretive study analyzed student affairs administrators’ digital technology use from 2005 to 2015. Three research questions and three sub-questions framed the research design, which utilized three data sources. The researcher conducted (N=16) interviews with student affairs professionals and educators. Elite interviews (N=5) were conducted with some of the earlier student affairs digital technology adopters, while (N=11) key informant interviews were conducted with administrators who started their professional careers in 2005. (N=206) documents, including conference presentations and publications, were collected through the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) and College Student Educators International (ACPA)’s websites. Data were analyzed in-case and across cases to highlight overall themes and a progressive timeline of how student affairs professionals used digital technology throughout their work. Using the futurology lens, the researcher envisioned how student affairs should use technology over the next ten years.

Analysis revealed that since 2005, student affairs administrators utilized digital technology to build capacity in their campus work, augment existing engagement efforts with students, faculty, and staff, and inspire change within and outside of their institution. Additionally, a historic timeline described how NASPA and ACPA provided limited, yet progressive, digital technology professional development education.

Student affairs administrators, professional organizations, and academy leaders leading digital technology implementation efforts might utilize the researcher’s recommendations as a starting point to catalyze the academy’s ongoing evolution.

This study was conducted in order to understand the types of music technologies band educators in the state of Arkansas were using, their attitudes towards technology, and the implications training, during undergraduate and through professional development, had on the frequency of use. Arkansas Music Educators (n = 64) completed an online questionnaire containing demographic information, selection of music technologies, agreeability/disagreeability to statements about music technology, frequency of use, descriptions of technologies, and description of how they felt music technology should be used for the purpose of learning. Regarding training in undergraduate professional development for music technology use, there appeared to be no difference between the increase of music technology usage and the increase of more training. Results suggest that participants have an overall “good” attitude towards technology with the stipulation that it should be considered a tool, students and teachers receive appropriate training, and it should be used efficiently.

Every year billions of dollars are spent on development aid and training around the world. However, only 10% of this training results in the transfer of knowledge, skills, or behaviors learned in the training to the work place. Ideally, learning transfer produces effective and continued application by learners of the knowledge and skills they gained through their learning activities. Some studies suggest that technology usage can serve as an effective post-learning intervention to enhance the transfer of learning.

Currently, there is a limited body of research examining the factors that hinder and promote learning transfer in professional development, particularly the professional development of school leaders in developing countries. This qualitative exploratory study sought to address the gap in the literature by examining 6 schools, 3 in Burkina Faso and 3 in Ghana, West Africa. This investigation explored: (a) if and how learning transfer took place after the leadership training; (b) what promoted and hindered learning transfer in both countries; and (c) if the use of a text message intervention after the training enhanced learning transfer. The sample consisted of 13 West African school leaders (6 in Burkina Faso and 7 in Ghana) who attended a 3-day leadership training workshop. Data collection included in-depth interviews, document analysis, post-training site visits, and text messages to ascertain whether this mobile technology intervention enhanced learning transfer.

The findings demonstrate that learning transfer occurred in both countries in all six schools. Data indicate that most of the transfer of learning happened in areas not requiring mindset and behavioral changes. Data suggest that the facilities in which the trainings took place, the facilitators’ dispositions and knowledge as well as the adequacy of the materials and the follow-up of the mobile text messaging intervention assisted the participants in transferring knowledge to their schools following the training. Participants also indicated some inhibitors to the transfer of learning such as financial, cultural, and human behavior constraints. This study helps increase our understanding of what promotes and inhibits learning transfer in educational settings in developing countries and provides suggestions for trainers and teachers who facilitate trainings.

This qualitative case study was designed to utilize theoretical frameworks based in the field of human performance technology as a means for understanding high school four-year graduation rate improvement. The literature recognizes theories based in the field of human performance technology as effective in improving performance in organizations across different industries. The literature also recognizes that some methods of human performance technology have been used in school improvement processes, but these methods are not yet widely adopted in kindergarten through Grade 12 education. The main research question that this study was designed to answer was, How does a high school principal specifically hired to improve the rate of which students graduate in four years, also called a turnaround principal, influence and manage such improvement? Three subquestions for this study included (a) how does an effective turnaround principal influence the sustainment of improved results? (b) how does an effective turnaround principal manage change during the improvement process? and (c) how do support staff, including vice-principals, school district officials, school counselors, and teachers, view the role of a turnaround principal in improving four-year graduation rates? This study also indirectly functions as a means for documenting a case study in which human performance technology methods were utilized to better understand school improvement. A two-step qualitative methodology was utilized in this case study. First, a qualitative survey was sent out to a school staff with the goal of identifying cases of success within the school. Using an impact model as a screening tool, survey participants were then selected to participate in one-on-one in-person interviews. The survey and interview data were transcribed and analyzed utilizing ATLAS.ti software. The case study sample for the surveys and interviews were inclusive of teachers, support staff, building principals, vice-principals, and district-level leaders in a school located in a rural community in the United States. The results of the study showed that a strong use of data and feedback, relationship building, and interrogation of systems of support within the school were effective processes utilized in the case study. The study results also indicated that the principal is a critical component to managing change throughout school improvement processes and that the staff perceived the principal as a critical part of the school improvement process. The study further indicated that sustaining improved results and future improvement are also careful considerations for principals leading school improvement.

Effectively integrating technology into the educational system is paramount to the continued success of the U.S. educational system. Not meeting the needs of students can be detrimental to the continued growth and competitiveness of the United States. Educational systems must reflect the rapid changes in society and the way students communicate, socialize, and think. K-12 educational leaders have an increasing interest in understanding how to equip students with 21st-century skills designed to enhance their ability and willingness to become productive and knowledgeable citizens. This qualitative descriptive case study examined the perceptions of a purposive sample of middle school educators to determine what skills and competencies influenced their use and promotion of technology in education. The following three research questions guided this study: How do rural Virginia middle school educators describe the use of technology in middle school education? What challenges do rural Virginia middle school educators face when attempting to integrate technology in education? How do rural Virginia middle school educators prepare for and view effective integration of technology in education? The theory of constructivism provided the conceptual framework for examining how the participants in this study used and promoted technology in their educational settings. Data were collected by conducting in-depth interviews of 10 rural Virginia middle school educators. The anecdotal responses of the participants provided insight into their perceptions and practices. Four major themes emerged in this study: motivations for using technology, obstacles, training, and technology perceptions.

Teachers need training to integrate technology into classroom curriculum, activities, and pedagogy. The adoption of the Common Core State Standards and statewide computer based assessments, coupled with technology’s rapid rate of innovation and change, has only increased the need to help support teachers’ development of these necessary skills. The purpose of this project was to create an online-based e-learning professional development training module for teachers to develop their technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) and skills. The design of the training module incorporated e-learning design principles, adult learning principles, and current research on developing teachers’ TPACK. To provide feedback on the design, teachers from two middle schools in Southern California were invited to use the training module, and were surveyed regarding their experiences. Results of the survey indicate participants gained knowledge and skills for using their school computer lab, integrating technology into their classroom instruction, and overall, were pleased with the e-learning training module.

As online education becomes more available for high school students, the enrollment continues to grow. Unfortunately, the attrition rate is also increasing and educators are challenged to find a better vetting process to determine if students will be successful in his or her first online high school course. Growth mindset and grit have been predictors of success in high attrition situations and in some cases demographics such as age and gender have also been predictors of success. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among grit, mindset, age, and gender to determine if these variables were indicators of success in a student’s first online high school course. A survey was distributed to high school students taking their first online course. Demographic questions were asked, followed by the short version of the grit scale (Grit-S) and a mindset assessment. These items were used to measure the relationships of age, gender, grit, and mindset when compared to the student’s end of course grade. This study was a quantitative approach to gather data and add to the literature for online education. The results of this study did not find a significant difference in student grade when organized by grit, mindset, or gender categories. However, a significant relationship between age and course grade was found to be significant at the p < .05 level. Supplemental analysis showed a significantly larger drop rate in an asynchronous model than a synchronous model. The results of this study will potentially impact one school in changing their course design from asynchronous to synchronous.

Information technology is not new to academia. Numerous educators and research scholars studying the usefulness of digital technologies in the classroom seek to determine whether the underlying pedagogies effectively bridge the gap between quality of instruction, student engagement, and eventual acceptance of the technology tool in use. With the increase and sophistication in the delivery of online courses in colleges across the country, we now see the recent emergence of an online course structure called Massive Open Online Courses, MOOCs (Sandeen, 2014). MOOCs have intensified the interest and desire for students and universities to become engaged in educational opportunities by thinking of new and advanced systems for content delivery. The purpose of this study was (1) to explore student perceptions of the MOOC Virtual Learning Environment Scale or MVLE, characteristics including general systems, pedagogy, social presence, individual characteristics and satisfaction, (2) to examine the interrelationships between theorized MOOC virtual learning environment technology constructs, (3) to develop a conceptual model of the MVLE to create and validate a MOOC Virtual Learning scale, and (4) to understand administrator’s perceptions of the characteristics of MOOCs and their futuristic views of MOOCs. The major findings for this study are: (1) the MVLE model is an appropriate scale to measure MOOC design, implementation and evaluation, (2) the creation of a more “learner focused” approach to MOOCs that includes a definition of the MOOC learner is important to understanding MOOC course designs and their impact within a virtual learning environment, and (3) the characteristics of higher education leaders as it relates to MOOC development must be transformational with a shared vision among university stakeholders, staff, faculty, and the community that must be sustained through ongoing support both academically and financially.

The purpose of the research was to explore the experiences of a group of 3 ELA teachers as they participated in online professional development using a social learning network. Utilizing case study methodology, the researcher examined how an online social learning network could be used to impact instructional practices amongst ELA teachers participating in hybrid professional development during implementation of a writing curriculum. Employing social constructivism as the dominant framework for analysis, the researcher explored the extent to which professional development delivered online combined with face-to-face supports impacted teacher instructional practices in the classroom.

The researcher examined teachers’ actual online behaviors by using data captured by the online social network and compared this to teachers’ self reports of impact and use, concluding that online professional development, delivered through a social learning network was effective in impacting teachers’ classroom instruction.

Findings indicate that in order to be effective, professional learning should emphasize the learning of content and pedagogy and how technology can enhance instructional practices. Features of the online social learning network utilized more frequently were those that enhanced teachers’ goals around writing instruction. The online social learning network was also found to include several aspects of Community of Practice, resulting in the sustained use and integration of the online social learning network for instructional purposes. Factors such as convenience, flexibility and ubiquitous access to resources and peers were cited as benefits to participating in hybrid professional development models.

School districts have spent millions on technology tools and trainings. Yet, half of teachers still feel unprepared to utilize technology in the classroom. The primary barrier to technology has shifted to teacher belief—composed of teaching philosophy, technology skills, and experience with technology. Technology-based professional development must integrate a theoretical framework which directly addresses the role of technology in order to fully support teacher technology integration. Moreover, technology-based professional development requires new models to counteract the focus on skills acquisition. The researcher used the TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) framework— conceptualizing instruction as a blending of technology, pedagogy, and content- to support participants in evaluating their own practice. Additionally, the researcher investigated supplemental supports for professional development, modeling and mentoring, on technology integration. The researcher used the Technology Integration Assessment Rubric (TIAR), based on the TPACK framework, to measure changes in technology integration. Comparison of pretest and posttest TIAR scores found TPACK-based professional development raised TIAR scores by 0.37 (SE = 0.051, p < 0.001). Analysis of the mean posttest TIAR scores for the supplemental supports showed mentoring (M = 2.47), modeling (M = 2.29), and modeling and mentoring (M = 2.27) scored higher than the control group (M = 2.17), but were not statistically significant. Based on the results, the researcher asserts the need for theory-based support for technology integration and school districts to incorporate TPACK into the core principles guiding instructional technology departments. Further research is needed regarding the evolution of diverse models for professional development.

Despite the continued research into Career and Technical Education (CTE) program expansion in public schools and the relationships surrounding student success, educational leaders are in growing need of empirical evidence to justify the continued funding of such programs and to support reform movements associated with educational policies. The main hypotheses included testing for statistical significance in the predictive relationships between final high school cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and both, “Instructional” and “Non-Instructional” factors related to Science-based CTE courses completed while enrolled in high school. The study population was comprised of high school graduates in the years of 2013 -2017 from a single participating school district in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The quantitative research method included a predictive correlational design using Likert-type survey instrument, administered through SurveyMonkey, to collect numeric data from 97 participating subjects. The results of the study showed that a moderately negative predictive relationship exists between graduates’ perception of instructional factors related to Science-based CTE courses and their final cumulative high school GPA. A predictability of 4.1% between the criterion and the predictor variable, identified as the “Instructional Factor”, while no statistically significant relationship was found to exist between the criterion and the predictor variable, identified as the “Non-Instructional Factor”. Implications from the findings of the study suggested that educational leaders should pay more attention to promoting a positive perception among students towards CTE course instruction, rather than non-instructional factors related to their educational experience.

One-to-One Technology Device Integration in Grades 3-5 and the Beliefs & Actions of Teachers and District-Level Leaders One-to-One technology initiatives began in the 1990’s and have expanded over time. It is not about distributing devices but rather how those devices transform teaching and learning. Educators need to harness the power of technology devices to engage students in learning, enhance teaching, and provide opportunities for personalized learning. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has developed student standards that provide a framework for teachers to guide them in developing content-rich lessons that are supported and enhanced by the use of technology devices.

The purpose of this study was to examine how teachers in grades three through five operationalize the seven ISTE student standards in schools with one-to-one technology devices. The types of projects designed and implemented with students, as well as the actions taken by leaders to provide systems of instructional technology support, professional development opportunities and systems for learning for teachers was explored. Data was collected through interviews with third through fifth grade teachers and leaders in two districts that have implemented one-to-one student technology devices in their schools.

A qualitative design was used and data was collected from interviews with twelve leaders, six teachers and a technology integration specialist from two school districts in the Capital Region of New York State that had implemented one-to-one initiatives in their districts. The data was analyzed to develop findings to answer three research questions. The findings of this study indicate that educational leaders who have implemented one-to one student technology in their district recognize that it is not about the device but more about the learning. Teachers reported that one-to-one student technology devices do not replace quality instruction but rather see the devices as a tool to increase motivation and engagement. A formal assessment to gather data to determine the effectiveness of implementing one-to-one student technology devices is needed.

Conclusions from this study indicate that one-to-one student technology provide the opportunity for teachers to engage students in learning, differentiate and personalize learning, and allow students to be creators of their own learning. This study indicates that when implementing a one-to-one initiative, leaders who provide time for professional development through the creation of social networks of learning and technical support for student technology devices foster the successful implementation of a one-to-one initiative. Recommendations include supporting professional development on the ISTE standards, designing schedules that provide common time for teachers to learn about technology integration, requiring the inclusion of professional development for technology integration in district professional development plans and teacher and leader certification programs, and future studies.

Student achievement has acted as the metric for school accountability and transparency. Administrators are becoming more innovative as they examine methods that will increase student achievement. However, research has shown little achievement gains in student achievement with regard to technology applications in schools. The theoretical framework of the digital divide guided this study. The original divide separated those who had technology and those who did not. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in achievement scores between students who participated in a one-to-one technology program and students who participated in a traditional high school. The data generated for this study was from the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). This study examined 428 scores in mathematics and 429 scores each in reading and writing. To determine whether the one-to-one students outperformed the traditional students in mathematics, reading, and writing, the researcher conducted a t test. The t test indicated that no statistically significant difference existed between the achievement scores of the one-to-one students and those of the traditional student.

This study investigated the relationship between Common Core Algebra (CCA) courses that do not use TI-Nspire technology to CCA courses that use TI-Nspire technology. To address the problem of the study and attempt to answer the research question by evaluating the hypothesis, this study used quazi-experimental research design. Two quantitative data instruments were used to investigate the variables: A pretest was used to determine if all participants in the study were not at an advantage due to prior mathematical knowledge. A posttest was used to determine if there was a difference of the mean scores of the control and treatment groups. The population of the study was ninth grade students in a public high school who were enrolled in CCA. The major findings noted that the means of the pretest scores were statistically equivalent while the means of the posttest score were statistically different. The findings suggest the use of TI-Nspire technology in CCA classrooms is, in fact, a benefit to students. It further recommends the study be replicated with a larger student population and sample size within an expanded geographical area.

Colleges and universities are now part of an ecosystem that includes educational technology companies. As more faculty adopt Web 2.0 technologies, institutions of higher education must seek sustainable methods to support faculty and this may involve collaborations with ecosystem partners. The purpose of this action research study was to improve the support resources provided by the VoiceThread organization, a Web 2.0 tool provider, to its higher education users. This study was guided by three questions: a) is there a significant difference in faculty perceptions about the pedagogical benefits of VoiceThread between faculty who examine VoiceThread in an eBook and faculty who examine VoiceThread through a webinar; b) how can an eBook be designed to support the diverse needs of 21^st century faculty; and c) what are the support needs of faculty who teach with VoiceThread? A purposeful sample of 53 full-time and part-time faculty from 2-year and 4-year institutions was randomly assigned to a control or treatment group. Quantitative data was collected through a pretest and posttest survey. Qualitative reflection and interview data was also collected. The study found that the eBook did not have a more significant impact on faculty perceptions than the webinars. Findings also show that eBooks used to support faculty should incorporate a blend of technology and pedagogy, include real-world teaching examples, discuss instructional design strategies and student perspectives, be accessible from anywhere at any time, include hyperlinks to videos and other resources, and incorporate illustrations and icons. Flexible, online faculty support services support faculty more effectively than on-campus workshops. The findings show that supporting faculty involves more than access to resources, however. Faculty who teach with VoiceThread feel isolated from their peers and see the eBook as a vehicle that may facilitate conversations about teaching with VoiceThread with peers, influence increased adoption on campus, and improve the likelihood of acquiring a site license. This study encouraged the VoiceThread organization to re-examine the value of the eBook to its higher education users and, as a result, will now provide the eBook as a free resource to all faculty, as opposed to institutions with a site license. Additional research should consider how free, open eBooks co-created through faculty and Web 2.0 company partnerships support part-time and full-time faculty across multiple institutions.

Internet-based technologies have been the downfall of incumbents across numerous industries. This has not been the case in higher education, though unaccredited organizations that offer free- and low-cost online courses have the potential to disrupt low- and mid-tier colleges and universities that lack strong branding or regional advantages. This qualitative content analysis examined 410 articles from the academic trade press to describe the qualities of three companies that offer free and inexpensive online courses, StraighterLine, Udacity, and Coursera, to better understand their potential to disrupt for-profit colleges and universities. The four descriptive themes that emerged were: (a) credentialing issues, (b) the unbundling of higher education, (c) the development of online learning, and (d) single-course providers. Although distinct, the themes are interrelated and the growth of single-course providers, the unbundling of higher education, and the continued development of online learning will be affected by how credentialing issues are addressed by the regional accreditors. Employers are increasingly accepting micro-credentials from unaccredited, single-course providers that have significantly lower costs and a focused mission. The slow process of accrediting alternative providers, which some have argued is to protect incumbents, may actually speed up disruption.

In the fire service industry, training has primarily been offered in the face-to-face format due to lack of leadership support and inability to keep fire fighters in service during required training. The purpose of this quantitative, ex post facto study was to compare the effectiveness of the blended and face-to-face delivery methods for fire fighter training by examining student performance on written certification exams within two fire fighter training programs. The specific problem addressed was the uncertainty of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service leadership concerning which of its fire fighter training programs was more effective, the blended or face-to-face program. Archival data from a series of five test scores for 1,100 fire fighter recruits completing training through blended and face-to-face delivery were collected. Comparative analysis using a one-way MANOVA for hypotheses 1, 2, and 5 indicated a significant difference favoring the face-to-face modality (p < .001), and a significant difference favoring the blended modality for hypotheses 3 and 4 ( p < .001). Findings are considered mixed. Examination of MANOVA group means indicated an average difference of 2.72 points between scores in the two delivery methods. Recommendations for future research include (a) replication of the study to include collection and analysis of demographic data, (b) a survey of students to assess satisfaction and knowledge transfer following completion of training, and (c) a survey of employers to assess perceptions of knowledge acquisition and transfer for new hires completing the training programs.

As technology continues to change, educators are tasked with the challenge of creating better methods to teach their students and help them learn. In the 21st century classroom, there is often a technology gap between instructors and their techno-savvy student counterparts. The purpose of this study was to utilize Prensky’s assumptions of digital immigrants and digital natives to compare the perceptions between faculty and students regarding the use of iPads in vocational college classrooms. A survey was distributed to students and faculty at seven vocational colleges located in the western United States who have integrated iPads into their course curriculum. Both open-ended and close-ended questions were used to measure the perceptions between faculty and students on how effectively iPads are being used for instructional purposes. This study used a mixed-methods approach to gather data and add to the growing body of literature in this area of education. According to the results of the Mann Whitney U test, there was a statistically significant difference between faculty and student perceptions regarding iPad effectiveness and engagement. Compared to faculty, students believed iPads were more effective and better for engagement purposes in the classroom. Moreover, these conclusions were corroborated with findings from four open-ended questions used in the survey. Results from this study were useful for creating M-learning faculty training topics in vocational colleges that either use or plan to integrate M-learning devices within their institutions.

This qualitative explanatory case study documented instructional methods used and environmental conditions experienced by standard classroom teachers attempting to integrate instructional technology to support a differentiated curriculum for gifted learners. This research method was chosen as it allows for a teacher’s understanding of educating gifted learners in the classroom as well as the effectiveness of curriculum differentiation for the gifted learner through the use of instructional technology. With minimal guidance how to successfully challenge a gifted learner in the regular classroom along with preconceived assumptions about the concept of giftedness, teachers can be overwhelmed when faced with typical gifted learners. Through the perspectives of standard classroom teachers who are attempting to use instructional technology to support the differentiated learning needs of their gifted learners, the study has the potential to support teachers who strive to ensure their gifted learners study something new every day. The study focused on two fourth- through sixth-grade schools using a qualitative explanatory case study through patterns in teacher interviews, teacher observations, and analysis of student technology work. Data sources included in-depth interviews with sixteen tenured teachers at two public fourth- through sixth-grade schools, an analysis of 183 student work samples, and nine classroom observations. Data were analyzed and coded to identify instructional technology practices standard classroom teachers use for curriculum differentiation with gifted learners. Recommendations based on the findings included school system’s technology departments support teacher’s efforts to appropriately challenge gifted learners through enlisting the help of the developers of sites such as MobyMax or Kahoot, classroom teachers making use of gifted education specialists expertise as well as the specialist monitoring the gifted learners in order to better support the classroom teachers, and effective professional development using teachers who successfully use instructional technology as a differentiation technique for gifted learners as well as ones who establish a cohesive classroom community. Recommendations for future research included similar studies conducted in other districts not only on the same grades but also middle and high school level gifted learners. Additional studies could focus on systems that have limited amount of technology as compared to those who have a one-to-one technology program.

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe and understand how teachers describe the changes in their practices as a result of ten years participation in a one-to-one environment. This research study focuses on one successful middle school’s adoption of laptops to support teaching and learning. A qualitative study using interviews of key participants was undertaken with teachers and administrators. The Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was used in conjunction with Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation framework to understand from the participants’ perspective changes to their practice. The results indicate teachers underwent changes in their use of technology to support teaching and learning, showing increasing overlap between the domains of technological and pedagogical knowledge. The changes resulted in an increase in the transparency of the teaching and learning process for other teachers, students, administrators, and parent. These changes were supported by four school-wide factors; the adoption of a common software suite, robust social networks, modeling by leadership and the professional development model used. The findings were discussed in relation to participants’ position on the adoption spectrum of Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to look at how teachers use micro-blogging, in this case Twitter (www.twitter.com), for their own personalized professional learning and how effective Twitter is as a professional development (PD) tool. In order to measure the effectiveness of the tool, the researcher first gleaned nine essential characteristics of effective PD from the literature. This list was validated by experts in the PD community. The significance of this study was to reveal how participants actually used Twitter for PD, what their perspectives on the tool were, and how effective their experiences were with Twitter as a PD tool. Results of this study can be used to improve current practice, and provide a low cost, accessible, and available mechanism to foster an on-going, learner-centered, approach to PD, thus allowing teachers to become more involved in their own professional growth. For the 4 participants in this study, Twitter use for PD and its effectiveness varied greatly. The effectiveness of the tool depended on the participant’s fluency with the technology and attitude towards social media. For the most fluent participant, Twitter met most of the requirements for effectiveness; however, Twitter use did not automatically provide a mechanism for reflection or self-assessment; nor did Twitter use provide an evaluation of the experience, both requirements of effective PD. With added evaluation and self-assessment processes, and with a fluent practitioner, Twitter does have the potential to be a very effective PD tool with its low cost, accessibility, and availability.