Education Commons^™

Barriers To Technology Integration Perceived By Kindergarten Through Second-Grade Teachers, Jessica Levine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A problem exists in southeastern United States where technology integration is limited in classrooms. Although researchers have found benefits for integrating technology, it was unknown why teachers were not integrating technology into instruction. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of teachers of kindergarten through second-grade students about the barriers for integrating technology into instruction and the support needed to effectively integrate technology. There have been studies about the barriers to technology integration experienced by teachers; however, it was uncertain what these barriers were for kindergarten through second-grade teachers. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory was the conceptual …

Second- And Third-Grade Educators’ Perspectives On Technology Integration And Implementation In Early Childhood Literacy Classrooms, Renee Kenny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that educators integrate technology based on their perspectives. Despite the increased expectation for educators to integrate technology into the daily academic environment, there has not been a significant improvement in outcomes in the critical area of literacy. In this basic qualitative study, the research questions were designed to explore second- and third-grade educators’ perspectives on the challenges they face when integrating technology and how technology implementation influences literacy outcomes. A total of eight purposefully selected participants, educators who had taught second or third grade within the last 3 years with 2 to 3 years of experience teaching …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Self-Efficacy On Stem Implementation, Caroline Buechel

Curriculum and Instruction Undergraduate Honors Theses

In order to equip students with the 21^st Century skills necessary for today’s society, STEM education must be properly implemented in school curricula (Lamb, Akmal, & Petrie, 2015). To do so, it is important for teachers to possess both proficient knowledge of the subject matter and confidence towards the implementation of STEM. A person’s beliefs about their ability is known as their self-efficacy (Bandura 1997). Related to education, Bandura notes that this self-efficacy affects a teacher’s views on their ability to handle tasks, obligations, and challenges related to a challenge (1997). Additionally, numerous studies indicate that this self-efficacy in …

From Barriers To Success: How Elementary School Principals Strategically Lead Schools To Become 21st Century Learning Exemplar Schools, Heather Gold

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the barriers and support systems elementary principals describe, through the lens of Activity Theory, they experienced while leading their schools to achieve 21st century learning exemplar status.

Methodology: This phenomenological study examined the perceptions of 15 elementary and K-8 principals and their respective assistant principals regarding the barriers and support systems they experienced while leading their schools to achieve 21st century learning exemplar status. Participants were selected based on the criteria that they had been identified as exemplary by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21); were public, non-private, …

Teacher Perspectives On Integrating Technology In Early Childhood Classrooms, Crystal Renee Crozier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The integration of technology in early childhood classrooms can be advantageous when used in meaningful ways. Early childhood teachers are utilizing technology in instruction; however, they are not always doing so effectively. There is a gap in practice regarding the factors that affect the choices of technology activities that early childhood teachers use. A study on what influences the decisions early childhood educators make when choosing the types of technology to integrate in the classroom was necessary to fill the gap in literature and enhance the technology practices of early childhood teachers. Using Bandura’s social cognition theory, the purpose of …

Using Ipads To Increase Students’ Letters And Letter Sounds Knowledge, Jessica Isgett, Leslie Mann

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This action research was carried out to determine if the use of an application named Phonics Island would help student knowledge of letters/letter sounds increase. The research was completed in a full day Primary Montessori classroom of 4k and 5k students. Data was gathered using teacher observation and teacher made checklists. Data on students’ feelings toward learning letters/letter sounds was also assessed to see if students’ thoughts about letters changed after incorporating technology. Students were given an iPad for approximately fifteen minutes per day. The letters were grouped in categories, and the researchers chose which group the student needed to …

A Case Study Of Teachers Implementing The Framework For 21st-Century Learning, Tabatha Sue Stover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Framework for 21st-Century Learning (The Framework) is focused on the mastery of core subjects and been found to be essential to student success. Teachers in a suburban school district in Ohio were struggling to address the challenges associated with the implementation of The Framework. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how teachers implemented the program in their classrooms. Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development guided the exploration of how elementary teachers were implementing critical elements of The Framework to scaffold literacy instruction. A qualitative case study design was used to allow the researcher to examine the …

The Good Behavior Game: Effects On And Maintenance Of Behavior In Middle-School Classrooms Using Class Dojo, Komila Dadakhodjaeva

Dissertations

Classroom management is one of the key components for successful instruction and affects both instructors and learners. Although most frequent discipline strategies in schools involve punitive actions, research suggests that using positive statements to teach and reinforce desirable behaviors is more appropriate and effective. A form of a group-oriented contingency that focuses on desirable behaviors is a positive variation of the Good Behavior Game (GBG). The GBG has been used widely in its original form, focusing on undesirable behaviors, and more research is needed on its positive version. Another strategy that can be used within classrooms is Class Dojo, a …

Examining The Integration Of Technology In The Early Childhood Classroom, Kerri Lynn Willmann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading achievement scores in the United States are low and educators need more strategies to support young students in literacy. It is important to identify the technologies and implementation strategies that educators find beneficial for literacy instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate perspectives on instructional technology and literacy strategies intended to promote student-centered learning opportunities. The conceptual framework was Bloom's mastery learning, Bransford's anchored instruction, and Piaget's constructivist theory. Each theorist encouraged exploration and hands-on interactive learning opportunities. The research questions addressed how teachers perceive the implementation of technology tools to enhance literary performance and engagement …

Assessing Latino Caregiver’S Knowledge And Understanding Of Medication Management For Children And The Use Of Health Technology To Gather Information, Kamal Jennifer Johal

Child Development Theses

For people with low literacy who come from other cultures, accessing, understanding and using the United States healthcare system is challenging. Existing literature states that low parental health literacy among the Latino population is related to poor health outcomes for their children. This project explores Latino caregiver’s health practices and the possible uses of technology, specifically Smartphone applications (apps), to provide information about their child’s health care. The project included two focus group sessions (one in English, one in Spanish) with a total of 17 caregivers who attend a Head Start Program. The focus groups addressed two aims: (1) to …