Teachers’ Propensity to Use Technology for Instruction

James A. Telese and Janice ButlerUniversity of Texas, Brownsville

Theoretical LiteratureEmerging technologies offer the

possibility of enhancing teaching and learning beyond the scope of the traditional classroom environment in a variety of subjects using a variety of approaches (e.g., Shattuck et al., 2011; Warschauer & Matuchniak, 2010).

T.L.The National Educational Technology

Plan 2010 stressed increased use of technology in learning through the leveraging of “learning sciences and modern technology to create engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences for all learners that mirror students’ daily lives and the reality of their futures,” (U. S. Department of Education, p. 4).

T.L.Despite massive investments in technology

infrastructure, hardware/software and the acknowledgment that integrating technology in the curricula is important, classroom instruction remains largely the same (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).

Other research findings suggests that many educators simply do not have the same level of comfort using technology as do professionals in other sectors or even young children born into the digital environment

T.L.Often computers remain in the

corner gathering dust or in labs used infrequently, and primarily for low level curricular tasks such as drill-and-skill, word-processing, and computer-based tutorials (Maddux & Johnson, 2006 ).

It is critical that educators actively engage students in using technology to support 21st century learning.

Why Integrate Technology?The effective integration of technology in school

ensures that all learners are provided with equitable opportunities to use technology to improve learning outcomes whether they have technology access at home or not (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007).

Much research has been conducted on the positive relationship between computer use, academic success (Becker, 2000, 2001; Foltos, 2002; Krentler, & Willis-Flurry, 2005; Means & Olson, 1997; Muir-Herzig, 2004; Wenglinsky, 2005) and motivation to learn (Dwyer, Ringstaff, & Sandholtz, 1990; Gee, 2007; Prensky, 2010; Shaffer, & Gee, 2008; Tapscott, 2008).

Students who used computer-based instruction, on average, scored higher on achievement tests than students without computers, students learn more in less time and students like their classes more when computer-based instruction was used (Kulik, 1994).

Technology is most beneficial when it is integrated into the learning environment.

Characteristics of I.T. ClassroomThe effective integration of technology

can support new ways of learning in the classroom.

The students use computers effectively and efficiently in the general content areas to enhance learning.

Integration provides students with real-world opportunities to use computers flexibly, purposefully and creatively to solve real-world problems.

Technology integration is accomplished by “organizing the goals of curriculum and technology into a coordinated, harmonious whole” (Dockstader, 1999, para 3.) which will provide students with new ways to learn.

The number of teachers who are equipped to integrate technology in ways which support 21st century learning is inadequate (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007).

 

Teacher Beliefs and AttitudesTeacher beliefs influence

instructional practices (e.g., Nespor, 1997).

Current research substantiates a strong link between teachers’ beliefs and technology integration in that beliefs and attitudes play a critical role in the decisions teachers make about integrating technology in the classroom (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010).

Wozney, Venkatesh, & Abrami (2006), concluded that teacher attitudes toward the successful use of technology “explained a substantial amount of the difference observed in the degree to which computers were being integrated” (p. 195).

Other studies suggest that teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about using technology in the classroom are possibly the most significant indicator of technology integration in the teaching environment.

Teacher beliefs about the importance of using technology in teaching was the strongest predictor of technology used for instructional purposes (Russell, Bebell, O’Dwyer & O’Connor, 2003).

While it would seem that high confidence in using technology would be a good predictor of technology integration, research does not support this prediction (e.g., Okojei & Olinzock, 2006).

Bebell, Russell, and O’Dwyer (2004) found that the overall frequency with which teachers use technology does not vary between new and veteran teachers.

Teachers who have been in the profession for more than eleven years report approximately the same technology usage as novice teachers.

Upon looking at specific characteristics, newer teachers report they use technology less frequently for delivery and for student use in class than do their more experienced colleagues, but more frequently to prepare for class.

Statement of the ProblemRussell, et al., (2003) suggested that an

integral step to increasing teachers’ effective use of technology may be changing their specific beliefs about the importance of technology in the classroom. Thus, it would be beneficial to have an instrument that measures teachers’ attitudes about integrating technology.

Previous studies have surveyed teachers’ uses of different technology, but not specifically addressing integrating it with instruction (Shattuck, et al., 2011).

Hogarty, Lang and Kromrey (2003) looked at teacher attitudes and beliefs about computers, rather than technology integration.

Two other well-validated instruments (Shattuck et al., 2011), the Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Computers (TAC) and Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Information Technology (TAT), include a heavy focus on computers, using statements such as, “It is fun to figure out how computers work,” or “I like to talk to others about computers,” which do not align with today’s ubiquitous use of technology daily.

These instruments look at attitudes toward the use of email in the classroom rather than current technologies such as Twitter, wikis, and other Web 2.0 tools.

Thus, a new instrument is needed to investigate the attitudes of teachers toward the integration of technology into the classroom environment.

PurposesThe purpose of this study was to

determine the attitudes of teachers toward integrating technology with instruction in a school district that had implemented a technology initiative.

MethodologySample and Setting-995 K-12

teachers were administered the survey.

83% return rate.Grant funded program provided

training to 70 teachers district wide to be leaders in technology integration.

Earning a Master Teacher in Technology Certification.

InstrumentTeachers’ Attitudes Toward Using

Technology in Teaching with 23 items.Measured attitudes toward technology

integration Select a level of agreement by choosing

strongly disagree, disagree, undecided, agree, or strongly agree.

In this district, technology integration is defined as the use of technology primarily by students for learning content.

Demographics68% females and 32% were males. Ethnicity of the respondents was 86%

Hispanic and 10% White and 4 percent other.

The distribution of teachers in years of experience categories: 0-3 years was 21% 10-15 years was 15%.

The lowest percentage was in the 21 to 25 years of experience with 6%.

District professional development 57% received 0-5 hours, 27% received 12 hours, 16% received over 12 hours of

professional development. An Exploratory Factor Analysis

was conducted.

The percentage of respondents varied by grade levels.

PK K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 120.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

Grade Level(s) teaching this year.

Results Principal component extraction method and a

Varimax rotation. Data were screened by examining descriptive

statistics on each item, inter-item correlations and possible univariate and multivariate assumption violations.

All variables were found to be interval like, variable pairs appeared to be bivariate normally distributed, and all cases were independent of one another.

The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.95 indicating that the present data were suitable for principal components analysis.

Barlett’s test of sphericity was significant, p < 0.001, indicating sufficient correlation between the variables to proceed with the analysis.

Structure coefficients were used to identify three attitudes toward technology integration factors identified as

(1) Positive Propensity, (2) Negative Propensity (3) Professional Concerns about

integrating technology into the classroom instruction.

Positive Propensity included statements such as “It is very important for students to actively engage in the use of technology to learn.”

Negative Propensity items included statements such as, “Using technology in teaching takes too much time.”

Professional Concerns included statements such as, “Learning my content is more important for students to learn than learning how to use technology.”

The highest value for Positive Propensity was 65, with a mean of 45.8155.

For Negative Propensity the highest value was 35 with a mean of 11.1823.

For Professional Concerns, the highest value was 10 with a mean of 5.3269.

Because the first administration of the survey was in a district with a strong technology plan in place and recently funded with a large grant, the results may indicate a higher Positive Propensity toward using technology in teaching than districts that do not have a strong plan in place.

Teacher Beliefs and Attitudes There was on overall positive propensity for integrating

technology with instruction. Teachers strongly agreed that using technology is important. They had a fairly high level of confidence in using technology. They believe that it is very important for students to actively

engaged in the use of technology to learn concepts. They are confident in answering student questions and plan on

integrating technology in their classroom. They are willing to spend time learning how to use technology

for exploring content. They also have a tendency to help children to use technology.

The teachers indicated that learning how to use technology is just as important as learning reading, writing, and mathematics.

They had a moderate concern about how their evaluation will be affected when an administrator rates their teaching using technology.

Teachers disagreed that using technology takes too much effort.

Impact of Prof. Development Is there a difference in attitudes as a result of the number

of professional development hours teachers reported receiving?

An ANOVA was conducted using Positive Propensity as the dependent variable and three categories of in district professional development hours as independent variables:

0 – 6 hours, 6 – 12 hours, and over 12 hours, with means 45.19 and a SD of 6.89, 45.88 and a SD of 6.42, 47.88 and a SD of 6.78.

The mean for the those 138 teachers who reported over 12 hours was statistically significant when compared to the other two groups. The partial eta-squared was 0.020.

This results hints at the number of hours of in-district professional development should be at least 12 hours to positively impact tendency to integrate technology with instruction.

Importance of StudyBecause teacher attitudes and beliefs play a

significant role in decisions to use technology for instruction, a method of evaluating teacher attitudes as related to current technology use is important.

While technology staff development often focuses on the mechanics of using a variety of technology tools, additional attention to the value of using the tool for instruction may encourage teachers to use technology more frequently for instruction.

Identifying Positive and Negative Propensity to use technology and the Professional Concerns of teachers who are considering the use of technology may be beneficial as districts plan and prepare staff development and technology training.

This survey results provide evidence that when a school district is committed to offering professional development in the integration of technology positive attitudes toward its use can result.

The findings strike the chord that effective professional development can have a positive impact on teachers’ attitudes about using technology.

The current study also brings into light how to best structure professional development for integrating technology. It appears that a focused, long-term, supportive professional development leads to positive implementation of technology in instruction, at all grade levels.

Thank you.