Education Commons^™

Digital Bridges: How Art Educators Build Professional Learning Networks On Twitter, Jennifer Heyser

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the experiences of K-12 art teachers in the United States who participate in the #K12ArtChat, as a form of professional learning. Grounded in social constructivist learning, connectivism, and informal learning, this study addressed how and why art educators use Twitter Chats for professional growth and the potential impact of participation on their teaching practices. Five themes emerged from this study: Twitter's role as a professional development art education platform, the fostering of personal relationships and support, active community participation and advocacy, continuous professional development, and any perceived pedagogical shifts. With a significant emphasis on combatting …

Navigating The Digital Realm: Perceptions And Challenges Of High School Educators In Fostering Digital Citizenship, Kristopher P. Daniels

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

Prior research indicates that researchers and teachers feel that digital citizenship should be an essential part of a student’s education; however, there is a lack of knowledge about teachers’ perceptions of the efficacy and challenges of digital citizenship initiatives. It is unclear which digital citizenship instructional strategies support effective curriculum implementation, enhance students’ safety and learning, and reduce educational disparities. Addressing this gap in understanding is crucial to the ongoing development of digital citizenship education and ensuring that students are adequately prepared to navigate the digital world responsibly. In this dissertation, I examined the perspectives of six Georgia high school …

Leading Online Professional Development For Instructional Technology Coaches With Effective Design Elements, Janet Cowart

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

Online professional development became a necessity during the pandemic for educators, including Instructional Technology Coaches, to continue to gain knowledge to improve instruction. In this study, Instructional Technology Coaches participated in an online professional development series of synchronous and asynchronous sessions called Pathways. Two theoretical frameworks were used to support the research: Adult Learning Theory with an emphasis on the Theory of Computer-based Instruction for Adults, and TPACK. The seven characteristics of effective professional development created by Darling-Hammond et al. (2017) provided a foundation on which design elements to include in Pathways. There were 10 design elements that were implemented …

Upper Elementary Teacher, Instructional Technology Coach, And Administrator Experiences With Technology Integration During Covid-19 Related School Closures: A Phenomenography, Amber Gravitt

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenographic research was to qualitatively examine the experiences of teachers, instructional technology coaches, and administrators of technology integration during the emergency remote teaching (ERT) phase of the COVID-19 related school closures. Twelve participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview approach to gather information about their experiences of ERT using Moorhouse and Wong’s Phases to Innovation in Response to Crisis framework. An adapted phenomenographic data analysis approach was used to analyze the unique experiences of each participant group. Initially, teachers only used the technologies they were comfortable with and had used prior to school closures, but as …

Cue The Paralinguistics: A Qualitative Case Study Of Teacher Social Presence, Molly R. Bowden

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand teachers’ rationale and practices as they establish a social presence in a 100% online learning environment in a high school setting, with a specific emphasis on paralinguistic cues and symbols, such as emoji, emoticons, and Bitmoji. This case study focused on the meaning and understanding of teacher social presence in the virtual setting, utilizing a variety of data collection methods. In-depth interviews were conducted, followed by digital document collection and a focus group interview; transcripts of both interviews and the focus group were analyzed in order to establish the specific …

Ap Statistics Students’ Conceptions Of Engagement And Technology In A Flipped Classroom: A Phenomenographical Study, Kimberly Gile

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to study student engagement and disengagement within an AP Statistics course using flipped classroom strategies. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding, Dewey’s Active Learning Theory, the Microsystem of Student Engagement in a Flipped Classroom, and the Framework for Engagement with Mathematics were the theoretical foundation for this study. A phenomenographical methodology was followed to answer the question: How do AP Statistics students experience engagement in the flipped classroom? as well as the sub questions: Which learning experiences help to engage students and why? And which learning experiences contribute to student disengagement and why? …

Becoming An Effective Digital Educator: A Case Study Of Technology Preparation In A Novel Preservice Teacher Internship Program, Stephanie Milner

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to explore one teacher preparation program's internship model as implemented in one school district and discover the extent to which training for teaching with technology was integrated into the process. It also aimed to understand how former intern teachers felt the entire preparation program equipped them for technology-rich instruction during their first year of full-time teaching. Internship program documents and lesson plans were analyzed, and early career teachers, mentor teachers, school administrators, and internship program coordinators were interviewed individually. Classroom observations were conducted for the lesson plans analyzed. Findings spotlighted the district’s technology-friendly …

The Perceptions Of High School Art Teachers On Their Experiences With Digital Art, Chris Akins

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

This phenomenographic study was conducted to investigate the perceptions of high school visual arts teachers on their experiences with digital art. It was conducted in the context of a growing creative industry in Georgia including professions that rely on technology to utilize and create digital art. The perceptions of seven high school visual arts teachers with varying experiences from two districts in Georgia were gathered using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data collected from these interviews were interpreted to generate an outcome space that represented the voices of this group of participants. The outcome space of this study was arranged in …

The Evolving Roles Of School Librarians In Diverse Instructional Settings, Kay Wright

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

In 2020 and 2021, K-12 instructional settings diversified worldwide due to COVID-19 pandemic-response. During the 2021-2022 school year, a new instructional setting of K-12 remote-synchronous learning launched in a progressive, southeastern U.S. public school district. Substantial school district realignment occurred to serve this new setting; bypassed, however, was a dedicated school librarian position. Despite positive national impact data and the school library profession’s demonstrated ability since the mid-twentieth century to evolve, newly created positions have been funded nationally in schools to evolve with the times, often at the expense of school library positions. Role tensions may emerge between school librarians …

The Parent Role In Teen Digital Citizenship, Christi Harp

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

This research presents a case study on the parent role in adolescent digital citizenship in the Southeastern United States. This study involved ten parents of middle school students who are exemplars of involvement in their children’s digital lives. Research shows that teens are using technology at a rapid rate and there is a need for positive digital citizenship among youth. Research studies have been conducted on adolescents, teachers, media specialists, and administrators regarding digital citizenship. There is a need for research to be conducted involving parents and what role they play in the development of their child’s digital citizenship skills. …

Student Engagement In The Honors Biology Flipped Learning Environment, Hillary M. Wilson

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate four constructs of engagement (affective, behavioral, cognitive, and social) within an Honors Biology flipped learning environment. Social constructivism, the Bioecological Model of Influences on Student Engagement, and Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE) served as the theoretical foundation for the study. A mixed methods convergent parallel design was used to answer the following research questions: What are student perceptions of engagement in a flipped learning environment based on the dimensions of engagement (e.g., affective, behavioral, cognitive, and social)? How do high school Honors biology students affectively, behaviorally, cognitively, and socially engage during the …

Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences With Technology Integration In A One-To-One School District During Face-To-Face And Remote Instruction: A Phenomenography, Safna Kalariparambil

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenographic study was to acquire a better understanding of the lived experiences of 12 secondary mathematics teachers who integrated one-to-one technology into their classrooms as part of a district-wide one-to-one technology initiative. Transcripts from semi-structured interviews were analyzed to elicit and describe different ways in which secondary mathematics teachers experienced the phenomenon. Data analysis showed teachers experienced technology integration in classrooms based on their attitude towards using technology. Those who expressed positive attitudes used technology to support modeling mathematics, differentiate learning, problem-solving, expedite grading, and provide instant feedback to students. Those who did not have positive …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of One-To-One Laptop Initiative For Increased Learner Communication And Collaboration Skills, Harry Saint Cyr

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

This mixed-methods case study examined the impact of one-to-one technology on learners’ communication and collaboration skills, two of the critical 21st-century skills necessary for learners to succeed in the global world. The purpose of this case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of a one-to-one laptop computer implementation and its impacts on learners’ communication and collaboration skills. Mixed-methods research methodologies were adopted to collect the data that answered the research questions. Explanatory sequential design was used to design, collect, analyze, and report the study’s findings. Quantitative data as Likert scale survey was sent to all the eligible forty-one …

Teacher Experiences With Multiple One-To-One Technology Integration Models: A Phenomenography, Tiffany Post

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the beliefs and perceptions of teachers who have experience with both the BYOT and school-issued 1:1 technology integration models. The eight informants in this study all had middle and/or high school experience teaching with both models. The data came from semi-structured interviews with each informant and five documents related to 1:1 technology integration from four districts. Analysis results showed a preference for the 1:1 school-issued model due to concerns with technical support, equity, student behavior, technology monitoring, and pedagogical change. COVID reinforced teacher preference. Neither model was conclusively preferred in …

Teacher Perceptions Of Personalized Teaching & Learning In An Instructional Technology Graduate Course: A Phenomenographical Case Study, Stephanee Stephens

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

With the growing focus and popularity of personalized learning in K-12 education, the need to support educators in their ability to implement personalized learning pedagogy grows. The paradigm shift towards personalized learning includes necessary iteration to the types of professional development offered to practicing teachers. This study explored the perceptions of teachers experiencing the meta-learning phenomenon of both teaching and learning about Personalized Learning (PL) in a six-week, online graduate-level course. Inquiry was focused on uncovering how in-service K-12 teachers' experience, understanding of PL, and ability to design PL evolve during a six-week graduate-level education course on personalized learning, ITEC …

Flexibility Matters: A Qualitative Look At Four Middle Grade Teachers’ Implementation Of Personalized Learning, Christa Evans Heath

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

Personalized learning (PL) has emerged as a trend in K-12 teaching and learning (Netcoh, 2017). This instructional strategy provides a customized learning experience, allowing students to work on their own path and at their own pace while learning and instruction is developed to students’ ability levels, interests, and learning modalities. While some scholars and many educational organizations have published definitions of PL, these definitions are often vague and sometimes conflicting. Furthermore, there is limited in-depth research presently available regarding the implementation of personalized learning in K-12 classrooms. Due to the lack of clear definitions and descriptions of PL, educators struggle …

Hashtags And Pins In Education: Digital Native Educators In Digital Habitats., Kelly Pilgrim Cassidy

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

As technology becomes more ubiquitous in society, education cannot ignore the impact it is having on education. This research seeks to understand how Digital Native educators are using Digital Habitats in their professional practice. By gaining a deeper understanding of how educators use Digital Habitats, including their tools, like hashtags and pins, we can begin to develop ways to incorporate these skills into our teacher preparation programs. The knowledge gained from this study can help administrators, technology leaders and coaches to better understand their Digital Native teachers and how they are using these technology tools in their professional practice. This …

K-12 Community Of Inquiry: A Case Study Of K-12 Online Social Studies Teacher Practice In A Virtual School, Kyle Sanders

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

Teaching practices, rationales, and roles of experienced online social studies teachers at one fully online high school in the southeastern United States were examined using the descriptive case study method. Three male teachers and one female social studies teacher, all with three or more years of experience in the online classroom, were studied using interviews, observations, and document analysis. The resultant data was then coded according to open and theoretical coding methods. Results demonstrated the teaching practices, rationales, and roles of experienced online social studies teachers. Results led to an adaptation of the Community of Inquiry framework to the K-12 …

The Evolution Of Pre-Service Teachers Tpack After Completing An Undergraduate Technology Integration Course, Sherri Booker

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The steady momentum of emerging technology tools continues to impact the educational environment, generating dramatic changes over the past five years (Spalding, 2016). According to the 2016 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), educational institutions that prepare educators often fail to give teachers the technology skills required to do their job well. Many teacher preparation programs claimed technology was integrated throughout the courses within the program; however, the comfort level with technology for pre-service teachers entering the teaching field remained low (Moore-Hayes, 2011; Giles & Kent, 2016; NETP, 2016; Niess & Gillow-Wiles, 2016). As members of the educational learning community, teacher …

A Comparison Of Online And Face-To-Face Achievement In Physical Science, Lisa F. Mozer

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study provided a descriptive analysis of learning outcomes in both online and face-to-face grades 9-12 physical science courses. Archived data from a single school system were used for a comparative analysis of learning outcomes in high school physical science between students enrolled in online classes and students enrolled in face-to-face classes. The study compared two years of summative assessment scores of two student groups and, overall, found equality between the two learning environments. Online learning outcomes and face-to-face learning outcomes were similar for both school years, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. The overall comparison between learning environments was further examined …

Administrators Using Technology To Increase Family Engagement, Ashley P. Beasley

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate and evaluate what happens when Title 1 administrators implement emerging technologies to facilitate school-home communications. This study explored the affordances and constraints to using technology tools to promote family engagement, determined which characteristics of the tools allowed parents to feel the most informed, measured how many parents attended school events, and evaluated parents’ perceptions of invitations to involvement when administration used technology tools to communicate. Epstein’s Parental Involvement Framework (2002), Epstein’s Overlapping Spheres of Influence (1995), and the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler Model (1997) served as the theoretical framework. This mixed methods study …

Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, And Turnover Intention Of Online Teachers In The K-12 Setting, Ingle M. Larkin

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teacher job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions K-12 online education. Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954), Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Satisfaction (1959, 1968), Meyer and Allen’s measure of Organizational Commitment (1997), and Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior (1975), this mixed-methods study was conducted in public, private, charter, for-profit, and not-for-profit K-12 online schools in a single Southeastern state. The researcher used a sequential explanatory design by collecting and analyzing quantitative data and then qualitative data in two consecutive phases. Using …

Perceptions Of Blended Learning: A Case Study On Student Experiences In An Advanced Placement Macroeconomics Course, Daniel A. Gagnon

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use a case study design to examine the impact of a blended learning instructional model on students in an Advanced Placement (AP) Macroeconomics course. Using an instrumental case study design, the researcher investigated blended learning and students’ perceptions of their own interactions with the materials as well as perceptions of overall performance in the course. The study also used grade point averages (GPA), LMS Usage Reports, and AP exam scores to triangulate with the interview data. The key factors influencing the students’ views were discussed, an enhanced model of blended learning was proposed, …