Reading Post 3

English, Susan J. (2002). Time for Technology: Successfully Integrating Technology in Elementary School Classrooms. http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/28/0f/9a.pdf

Summary: The hypothesis of this study was that in order to fully capitalize on school’s technology investments, administrators must find creative ways to provide teachers with preparation and development time dedicated toward integrating this technology into their classroom. Surveys were sent out to 38 elementary schools to 142 second through fourth grade classroom teachers regarding their use of educational technology. Out of the 142, 95 surveys were completed and returned representing 35 of the 38 schools. The results of this study show that teachers need more time to investigate implement and fully integrated technology into their classroom curriculums. A strong correlation was found between the amount of time teachers spent utilizing technology and their use of it in the classroom.

Greene, Bernie; Smerdon, Becky; Cronen, Stephanie; Lanahan, Lawerence. (2000). Teachers’ Tools for the 21^st Century: A Report on Teachers Use of Technology. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/2000102.pdf

Summary: The primary focus of this report is teachers’ use of computers or the Internet for instructional purposes. The participants were public school teachers grade 4 and 8, along with students in grade 12. The method of data collection was through surveys. Findings presented in this report indicate that about half of the teachers with computers available in their schools used them for classroom instruction. Teachers were more likely to use technology when the technology was available to them, available in their classrooms as opposed to computer labs. Teachers who reported feeling better prepared were more likely to use the technology than their less prepared colleagues.

Popejoy, Kate. (2003). Technology Integration in an Elementary Science Classroom: It’s Impact on Teaching and Learning. http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/27/de/75.pdf

Summary: The purpose of this study was to explore three questions: 1.What practices develop in the elementary science classroom to nurture development of technology as an imaginative extension of the learning environment? 2. How does an elementary teacher’s practice change as technology is integrated into his/her science curriculum? 3. What are powerful uses of technology that may emerge in the elementary science classroom? Research setting was conducted in Bayside Elementary in a 4^th/5^th grade multiage environment with 24 students. The method used was a researcher participation case study. The conclusion of the study confirmed that technology integration in an elementary school setting enriched classroom instruction and learning.

Vannatta, Rachel; Fordham, Nancy. (2004). Teacher Dispositions as Predicators of Classroom Technology. US: Journal of Research on Technology in Education. http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/2c/af/f7.pdf

Summary: The purpose of this study sought to examine a broad array of teacher characteristics to better understand how these personal attributes work together to predict technology use in the classroom. The following research question guided the study: Which combination of factors best predict classroom technology use among K–12 teachers: teacher self-efficacy, teacher philosophy, openness to change, amount of professional development, amount of technology training, years of teaching, hours worked beyond the contractual work week, and willingness to complete graduate courses without salary incentive? The participants were from six Ohio schools, two elementary and four high schools, with a total of 177 teachers participating. To measure the targeted teacher characteristics as well as classroom technology use, the Teacher Attribute Survey (TAS) was developed by the researchers to assess teacher self-efficacy, teacher philosophy, openness to change, amount of professional development, amount of technology training, years of teaching, hours worked beyond the contractual work week, and amount of teacher and student use of technology in the classroom. Results from this study indicate that the factor combination of amount of technology training, time spent beyond contractual work week, and openness to change best predicted classroom technology use.