Education Commons^™

Primary Teachers' Perspectives On Ipad Integration: Barriers, Challenges, And Successes, Richard Cory Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the rapid expansion of mobile technologies in K-12 schools, recent research has shown that many teachers are ill prepared to take advantage of these new tools. This study was designed to address the problem of lack of effective iPad integration in primary classrooms at an international school in South Korea. The purpose of this case study was to examine primary teachers' perceptions of the implementation of an iPad initiative begun in 2012. Framed by Koehler and Mishra's technological pedagogical content knowledge model (TPACK), the study was guided by research questions that involved teachers' perceptions of the barriers, challenges, and …

Community College Basic Skills Math Instructors" Experiences With Universal Design For Learning, Sunny Greene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multiple approaches have been used in U.S. community colleges to address the learning needs of postsecondary students who are underprepared in basic skills math. The purpose of this exploratory interview study was to gain a deeper understanding of community college basic skills math learning through instructors' lived experiences using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach and its technology tool, a computerized pen. The conceptual framework for this study used Knowles's adult learning and Kolb's experiential learning theories with UDL principles. The central research questions investigated the professional development and teaching experiences of community college basic skills math instructors in …

Case Study Of Access To Higher Education Through Technology In The Resource-Poor Country Of Haiti, Jean Jacques Medastin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (2012-2013), access to higher education is limited in most of the developing countries due to inadequate budgets and lack of schools and teaching staff. The use of educational technology could help bridge the gap, but research has only explored the use of available technologies to enhance learning where higher education is already accessible. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the use of one-to-many videoconferencing as an education access tool for high school seniors seeking higher education in the most devastated areas of Haiti. The theoretical framework for …

The Relationship Between The Apex Program For Instruction And High School Student Academic Success, David Gordon Krosner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An alternative high school campus in the State of Georgia introduced a new program to support academic growth and engagement among at-risk students. This program, the APEX program, merges technology with content to provide students with self-paced learning facilitated by teachers with the objective of improving test scores, course completion, and graduation. The purpose of this goals-based evaluation was to examine the relationship between APEX program usage and the academic success measures of EOCT scores, course credit accrual, and graduation; it was grounded in the behavior objectives approach. The study followed a cohort of students who were enrolled in Grade …

1:1 Laptop Experience And High-Stakes Testing: Effects On Eighth-Grade Student Achievement, Mary Lea Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on 1:1 laptop implementations is missing key information about student achievement on high-stakes assessment. This post hoc, quasi-experimental, quantitative study explores how 1:1 laptop access affects student achievement on the mandated eighth-grade online science assessment in five Mississippi school districts throughout the state. Fifth-grade science assessment results are used as a baseline for student achievement. Three research questions examined mean scale scores on the science assessment, change in scores from fifth to eighth-grade, and the effect on scale scores as the duration of the 1:1 laptop implementation increased. Two of the three experimental districts shoa significant difference in the …

Video Activity Schedules To Increase Independence For Students With Multiple Disabilities, Madison H. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a video activity schedule (VidAS) via iPod to increase independence within novel tasks across three school settings (i.e., office, cafeteria, library) to students with multiple disabilities. Participants, ages 12 and 14, included two individuals with various disabilities who received special education services in a self-contained classroom. Results indicated both participants were able to independently complete novel tasks in three different school settings with the use of the visual activity schedule with embedded video prompts. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Teacher Perception Of Technology As A Conduit To Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills, Wanda Pearl Patrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seventh-grade and eighth-grade special education students struggle to learn higher-order thinking skills in pre-algebra and algebra that can be addressed by using technology. However, little is known about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers' attitudes toward use of and their actual use of calculators and technology to access students' development of higher-order thinking skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of rural middle school Grade 7 and 8 STEM teachers in one Western state. This study used Gardner's multiple intelligences and Armstrong's neurodiversity theories as a framework. Participants were 10 Grade 7 and …

The Effect Of A Fluent Signing Narrator On Children's Behavior During Technology-Enhanced Shared Reading With Children With Hearing Loss And Their Parents, Gabriela Itzel Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Shared reading plays an essential role in the language and literacy development of children who are at risk of future problems in those areas. Children with hearing loss (CHL) are a group who usually experience limited and poor quality activities that foster literacy development such as shared reading (SR). Researchers examining high quality interactions have rated child behaviors, primarily attention and initiation, during shared reading and play based activities finding positive correlations between these behaviors and the overall development in typically developing children as well as in children with other impairments such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down syndrome (Kim …

International Students Use Of Technology For Improving Writing Skills In College, Margaret Godwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many college-level students choose to study in another country and in a second language, often in English. In this context, a high standard of written English is important to attain good grades in college and earn degrees with distinction, which may lead to successful careers. One international college provided computer tools to students to improve their writing; however, students were reluctant to use the tools provided. This qualitative study explored these college students' perceptions of their lack of motivation to use computer tools and the barriers that prevent them from improving their English writing. The research questions investigated the technology …

Investigating It Leadership Models In Schools, Patrick Michael Mcgrath

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The influence of technology in the school setting has grown dramatically in recent decades. It is critical that school leaders manage the influx of technology effectively and leverage it appropriately to benefit the operational and instructional aspects of the school.

The Posthuman Curriculum And The Teacher, John P. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this document is to explore education through a posthumanist lens. More specifically, elements of posthumanism will be used to better understand today’s teachers, to provide several overarching educational goals and curricular imperatives, and to inform pedagogical practice. Several posthumanist themes in particular will serve to unify this rather broad consideration of education at varying levels. One such theme is that of blurring boundaries, calling into question distinctions that have been the source of declines in the health of our bodies, our species, and the life systems of which we are constitutive parts. Distinctions too often lead to …

The Digital Divide Through The Lens Of Critical Race Theory: The Digitally Denied, Stacy Gee Hollins

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine African American community college students’ availability to technological resources and how that availability affects their success. In this study, technological resources include access to the internet, software, hardware, technology training, technology support, and community resources. This study included six community college professors and six African American community college students enrolled in a Midwest community college. A major tenet of Critical Race Theory, storytelling, was used to give voice to students who lack sufficient access to technological resources referred to as the digitally denied. Data from this study can create an …

Comparison Of Beginning Teachers' And Experienced Teachers' Readiness To Integratetechnology As Measured By Tpack Scores, Heather S. Fontanilla

Dissertations

Despite a growing awareness of the importance of technology in education, increased investment and attention to preparing teachers to integrate technology into the classroom, research shows that technology continues to fail to live up to its potential for transforming education. As schools move from standards based testing to implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), an expectation exists that teachers will be using technology to transform their teaching practices. There is also an expectation that schools are providing students with 21st century skills, including the use of technology. In exploring the reasons teachers are not using technology effectively, much …

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 …

Effects Of A Software Program Vs. Constant Time Delay In The Acquisition Of Sight Words For A Student With Significant Disabilities, Turkie Ali Algharbie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The development of sight words is essential for individuals with significant disability. There is a plethora of research highlighting the acquisition of sight words for this population but to date, most focus on teacher led interventions (Browder, Algrim-Delzell, Spooner, Mims, & Baker, 2009). This study investigated the use of computer technology vs. one-on-one instruction targeting sight words acquisition for a student with a significant disability. Results showed the participant indicated improved performance using the computer based intervention versus the constant time delay instructor led intervention.

Using Audiobooks To Promote Comprehension Of Cause-Effect Relationships In Social Studies Texts, Eric John Vernon

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

There are many challenges for secondary ELs in their mainstream classes. Social studies texts in particular can be very difficult for students to comprehend. The cause-effect relationships play a key role in students understanding the connection of historical events. This study looks at the use of audiobooks as a scaffolding tool to improve students’ comprehension of the cause-effect relationships in social studies texts. Specifically the concurrent reading of the text along with listening to the audiobook. It was conducted in a high school intermediate ESL class, students read sections of a text without the use of the audiobook, then with …

Investigating The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack) And Technology Leadership Capacities Of K-12 Public School Principals, Randall Depew

Dissertations

It is understood that principals play a key role the integration of computer technology their schools, however there have been limited studies exploring the level of technology knowledge and technology leadership skills possessed by school principals and how these measures relate to each other. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is a popular framework for understanding the teacher knowledge required for effective technology integration. This framework has been used to study a number of different populations including pre-service and in-service teachers in a variety of grade levels, subject areas, and pedagogical contexts. This is the first time this framework has been …

An Analysis Of Technology Integration Within A Play-Based Learning Environment At The Preschool Level, Dana M. Anderkin

Master of Education Research Theses

The purpose of this study was to research this question, “Is technology use appropriate for preschool instruction within a play-based pedagogy and philosophy of education?” The definition of the play-based preschool learning environment is provided, the technology debate outlined, along with a qualitative research study, illustrating the opinions and beliefs regarding technology use of teachers within a play- based learning environment. This study relates research findings to the literature review and suggests that technology use within a play-based learning environment is possible when technology is used appropriately and with balance, to enhance and extend the curriculum. A balanced approach to …

The Use Of One-To-One Ipad Technology And Its Impact On Students Receiving Special Education Services Work Completion And Grades, Angela Jean Brumbaugh

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how does the use of one-to-one iPad technology impact students who receive special education services grades and work completion? It examines and compares the work completion rates and grades of students receiving special education services in the general education setting, both before and after the implementation of the one-to-one iPad initiative. This mixed methods study examines fifteen secondary students’ grades in English, mathematics and social studies the trimester before the iPads introduction and follows the students for the full school year after the introduction to compare their grades and work completion rates. …

Literacy And Social Skill Development: A Technology-Focused Curriculum Design, Karissa Sue Wentzel

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The curriculum design created in this project was centered around the concept that the integration of technology into a 6th grade classroom can facilitate the advancement of both literacy and social skill development. It documents one teacher’s use of various technological applications and reading related activities to cultivate academic conversations and see growth amongst five pre-selected and targeted social skills. The author documents the details of the unit and provides researched literature to support the foundation for the curriculum design. The key influence for the study was the author’s personal experience at a one-to-one iPad school. The author concludes the …

Graduate Students’ Perceptions Of Sense Of Community And Contributing Factors, Amy Lynn Watters

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that a strong sense of community has many benefits for the learner, including increased engagement, persistence, satisfaction, and perceived learning. The growth of online learning requires that effective strategies be identified to establish a strong sense of community in a virtual environment. This mixed method study investigated the following primary and secondary question: What are graduate students’ perceptions regarding sense of community in the online graduate programs at a small, private college? What contributes to graduate students’ sense of community in the online graduate programs at a small, private college? A quantitative survey using Likert-type questions was sent …

How Can Personalized Learning Devices Be Used To Best Support English Learners In The Middle School Classroom?, Laura Jolin Franke

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed was, how can personalized learning devices be used to best support English Language Learners in the middle school classroom? The motivation was interest in 1:1 computing and its potential for ELLs. The project involved surveying, interviewing, and observing ELLs and their teachers, in a public middle school, regarding their experiences during the initial three years of implementation of a 1:1 computing environment in which iPads were distributed to each student. The project found little quantitative data on ESL students specifically, but could confirm much of the research on computing and education. Overall quality of teachers, support …

Using Technology And Phenology To Increase Students’ Observation Skills, Sondra Tokarczyk

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this study was, will the use of technology and phenology increase students’ observation skills? The catalysts for this capstone were research using observation as an everyday skill fundamental to all scientific disciplines, and the importance of teaching children how to observe and document their observations. The capstone describes the process of integrating phenology, knowledge of the five senses, and iPad technology to teach students the importance of observation and its relevance to their everyday lives. The author concludes that: 1) although the collected data did not show a significant increase in observations, students’ observations became …

Principals' Perceptions Of Technology Implementation In High Schools And Their Effects On Leadership, Mary Valerie Perkins-Jacobs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School administrators who are able to implement technology in their schools must see themselves as technology leaders; they are enthusiastic when it comes to using technology in professional development. This research study investigated how high school principals’ attitudes and perceptions of effectively organizing, utilizing, and implementing technology in order to support the mission and vision of the school by using the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) and Performance Indicators for Administrators (ISTE/NETS-A). For school administrators to provide effective leadership in their schools in the 21st century, they must possess knowledge and understanding of the issues and the capabilities …

User Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Virtual University, Charles J. Rabeno

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The use of online learning as a medium to deliver education has seen exponential growth over the past decade. Online learning environments have become a major part of education pedagogies; and as technology improves, evidence indicates that this trend will continue. Organizations and institutions have embraced this movement and are leveraging the benefits of using today’s computer and communications technology as a tool to impart learning to students. The federal government is no exception and has used the online model as a material component in its training and education strategy.

The purpose of this study was to explore the online …

Developing The 21st Century Skills Of Creativity, Collaboration And Information Fluency In A Kindergarten Classroom, Corrine Marie Schmidt

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how can kindergarten students develop the 21st Century Skills of creativity, collaboration and information fluency through technology integration? It documents one teacher’s creation of a literacy based curriculum unit that gives kindergarten students opportunities to grow their 21st Century Skills, using the iPad as the learning tool. Key influences for this capstone include the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s new standards for technology integration in early education classrooms, as well as the International Literacy Association’s new standards for literacy education. Richardson’s research on the change in learning and teacher’s …

The Impact Of Computer Assisted Language Learning On Language Proficiency, Shelley Lyn Sorenson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This research study seeks to explore the effectiveness of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) for young English Learners (ELs) who are beginning to acquire English. The study looks at the role of CALL in a standards based educational environment in which students must make regular progress towards state English language proficiency and academic achievement goals. Key influences included peers, current and former students and my quest to find practical teaching tools. The positive effects of using CALL with students as demonstrated by White, Keengwe and Hussein proved to be important sources for this research. This qualitative study utilized existing standardized …

Differentiation In The Classroom Using Chromebooks And Google Applications, Allison Carney

Honors Projects

The purpose of this research was to differentiate using Chromebook and Google technology to improve engagement and grades in the classroom. Chromebooks have been implemented into classrooms all over the country, but the use of Google applications in order to differentiate instruction and assessment is not as prominent in schools. I created four assignments on the Chromebooks that differentiated instruction and assessment based on interest and ability levels. I used a total of six applications and differentiated for forty-four students in a sixth grade math and science classroom. I found that differentiating using Chromebooks and Google applications boosted student engagement, …

The Use Of Technology In Secondary Mathematics Classrooms: The Case Of One School District, Cononiah Latrece Watson

Master's Theses

Integration of technology into secondary education mathematics classes has been shown to increase student motivation and performance. In order for technology to be a component of students’ education, teachers must have training on various technologies available for their subjects of study. This research study surveys thirty-one 6-12^th grade teachers in the Lamar County School District in southern Mississippi regarding availability of technologies, use of technologies, and professional development needs concerning technology use.

Communicating Effectively With Parents In The Montessori Environment, Lindsey A. Seril

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to examine the most effective ways of communicating with parents in the Montessori environment, and to see if incorporating technology and communication skills into the classroom would improve parent-teacher communication and relationships. This study was conducted with the parents of children ages two and a half to six years old in a private Montessori classroom. Classroom management and communication technology in the form of Montessori Compass was introduced into the classroom in order to see the impact on parent-teacher communication. Techniques for improved communication with parents were also used during parent-teacher interactions to …