Date of Award

12-12-2016

Rights

© 2016 Brandie Shatto

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Michelle Collay

Second Advisor

Suzan Nelson

Third Advisor

Jill Neuhard

Abstract

While schools have embraced the mantra of 21st century skills since the early 1990s and access to technology has become nearly ubiquitous, technology use in K-12 classrooms is still largely absent. This has created a situation where teachers are unsure of how to teach with technology and students are unsure how to learn with technology. This transformative mixed methods study sought to give students a voice to articulate their learning needs in relation to technology integration in schools. The study drew on rural high school students’ perceptions of technology use in K-12 classrooms by documenting students’ use of technology at school and at home, their use of 1:1 devices as a learning tool, and their perceptions of their own academic learning needs when using technology in the classroom. Data was collected through distribution of a survey and through student focus groups. Results indicate that students are not only capable of articulating their needs but have valuable observations about teaching and learning with technology. The student participants in this study noted difficulty with using technology absent of instruction or training, frustration using of technology resources that reinforced incorrect practice of skills, infrastructure and filtering obstacles that prevented independent learning, among other issues impacting their learning. Their observations were translated into recommendations for schools seeking to implement technology in the classroom including providing teachers with a framework for evaluating technology use, developing training programs for students, and addressing barriers such as connectivity and filtering issues that frustrate students and minimize their enthusiasm for technology use in the classroom.

Comments

Ed.D. Dissertation

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