use, support, and effect of instructional technology michael russell, damian bebell, & laura...

Use, Support, and Effect of Instructional Technology

Michael Russell, Damian Bebell, & Laura O’Dwyer

Technology: Then and Now

Computers in K-3 Classrooms

Typewriters in K-3 Classrooms

USEIT Study

• What are students and teachers doing with technology?

• How does these uses vary?

• What factors contribute to this variation?

• What effects do these uses have on teaching and learning?

USEIT Study

• 3 Year Study

• 22 Massachusetts Districts

• Surveys– 112 District Leaders, 120 Principals,

4,000 teachers, 13,300 studentsLinked to each other

• Site Visits and 200+ Interviews

• Case Studies

Sample

4 Small Urban

5 Rural

13 Suburban

Vision

Resources

Curriculum &Instructional Model

Policies and Standards

Leadership

Physical Infra.Support/Personnel

Prof. Development.

CommunityD

istr

ict L

evel

Teacher Beliefs Teacher Preparedness

Home Resource

EducationResources

StudentsCla

ss

School Leadership Principal. Beliefs

Principal. PreparednessSchool CultureSch

ool

Use

How We Defined Technology

• Computer-based

• Hardware

• Software

• Peripherals– PDA, AlphaSmarts, LCD Projectors, Digital

Cameras, Scanners, Probes

• Internet, Networks, and e-Mail

• Not Graphing Calculators

Students and Technology

Grades:5

8

11

Math

English/Language Arts

Social Studies

Science

Self contained classrooms

Students Have Computers at Home

Number of computers students report at their home (all grade levels)

Students Have Internet at Home

What kind of internet connection do you have at home?

Students Can Access Computers at Home

How difficult is it to access your home computer?

Students Use Computers at Home

How much time do you spend using a computer at home?

Students Use the Internet at HomeFor Fun and School

For Fun

For School

Students Write with Computers

How often do you use your home computer to write papers for school?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Never

Couple oftimes a year

Once everycouple of

weeks

At least everyweek

Students Use Computers in School, But less than at Home

Grade 5

Students Use Computers Most Often in Science

Grade 8

Students Use Computers Most Often in English

Grade 11

5th Graders Use Computers in School More than 8th and 11th Graders

Teachers Use Computers During Instruction Less than Students

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Teachers UseWhen Teaching

Student Use inClass

Every

Week

Once Every

Couple Weeks

Couple

Times/YearNever

Every

Week

Once Every

Couple Weeks

Couple

Times/YearNever

Summary of Student Survey Results

•More use at home than in school

•Big brother/big sister effect on home use

•Use home computers for email, internet, games and chatting

•Use home computers for school work

Additionally…Additionally…•Students are generally confident with their technology skills

•Believe they produce good work and learn better when

Teachers and Technology

Teacher’s VALUE Older Technologies

Values Shift with Experience

Access Is Major Obstacle

Teachers Have Students Use Computers in Variety of Ways

Teachers Use Computers for a Variety of Purposes

1. Delivering Instruction

2. Teacher-directed Student Use

3. Teacher-directed Student Technology Product

4. Preparing for Instruction

5. Communicating via E-mail

6. Recording Grades

7. Accommodating Lessons

Seven Measures of Teacher Technology Use

Relative teacher technology use

Communicating via Email

Preparation for Instruction

Directed Student Use

Recording Grades

Delivering Instruction

Accommodating Lessons

Teacher-directed Student Technology Products

Correlation of Technology Uses

Accommodation Use

Email Use

Instructional Use

Preparation Use

Student Use

Student Product

Grading

1.001.00

1.00

0.44

1.00

1.00

0.46 1.00

1.00

Accom- Email Instruc- Prepa- Student Student Gradingmodation Use tional ration Use Product Use Use Use


Accommodation Use

Email Use

Instructional Use

Preparation Use

Student Use

Student Product

Grading

1.00

0.36

1.00

0.36

1.00

0.44

0.34

1.00

0.33

1.00

0.46 1.00

1.00



Accommodation Use

Email Use

Instructional Use

Preparation Use

Student Use

Student Product

Grading

1.00

0.25

0.22

0.29

0.23

0.09

1.00

0.23

0.21

0.17

0.16

1.00

0.25

0.22

1.00

0.29

0.24

1.00

0.04

1.00

0.24 1.00


•29 Independent variables scales developed through exploratory analysis and the literature•These include measures of:

–School/District Vision–Teacher Pedagogy–Teacher Philosophy–Leadership–School culture–Technology support–Technology access and distribution–Professional Development

+ demographic variables

Factors Influencing Teacher Technology Use

Teacher-Directed Student Use of Technology

Delivering Instruction

Preparing for Instruction

Recording Grades

Accommodating Lessons

Communicating via Email

Specific models for specific uses of technology

•Some predictors were important across nearly all technology uses

•Access•Teacher’s beliefs•Teacher’s confidence

•Some predictors were important only for specific use•Grade level (Recording grades)•# of years the teacher’s have been teaching (Accommodating lessons and Student use)•School culture (Accommodating lessons)

Teachers’ Technology Use from a Multilevel Perspective

Vision

Resources

Curriculum &Instructional Model

Policies and Standards

Leadership

Physical Infra.Support/Personnel

Prof. Development.

CommunityD

istr

ict L

evel

Teacher Beliefs Teacher Preparedness

Home Resource

EducationResources

StudentsCla

ss

School Leadership Principal. Beliefs

Principal. PreparednessSchool CultureSch

ool

Use

Teachers’ Use of Technology

District Characteristics

School Characteristics

Principal Characteristics

Teacher Use of Technology

• Teacher Use of Technology for Delivery

• Teacher-directed Student Use of Technology During Class Time

• Teachers Direct Students to Create Products Using Technology

• Teachers Use Technology for Preparation

Teacher Use of Technology for Delivery

Teacher-directed Student Use of Technology During Class Time

Teachers Direct Students toCreate Products Using

Technology

Teachers Direct Students to Create Products Using Technology

Teachers Use Technology for Preparation

Conclusions

• There is no single model that predicts all four types of teacher use of technology

• This is particularly true at the school level – different school/district policies effect different uses

New versus Tenured Teachers

• New Teachers: – grew up with computers– are more comfortable with computers– will use computers more for instruction

• Sample divided into three groups:– 1-5 years– 6-15 years– more than 15 years

Confidence Using Technology and Beliefs About the Impacts of Technology on Students

aa

Confidence

Positive ImpactsNegative Impacts

weaker beliefs

6–15 years15+ years1–5 years

stronger beliefs

0.00.10.20.30.4-0.1-0.2-0.3

Pedagogical Beliefs About Teacher-Directed and Student-Centered Instructional Practices

aa

Teacher-directedStudent-centered

weaker beliefs

6–15 years15+ years1–5 years

stronger beliefs

0.00.10.20.3-0.1-0.2-0.3

Relative teacher technology use

Site Visit Analyses

13 Factors Related to Success

·Leadership·Vision·Goals·Technology Plan·Funding·Resources·Community·Professional Development·Teacher Support·External Programs·Collaboration·Obstacles (Fewer)·Technology Standards

Resources and Support

Districts with high levels of technology support are more likely to have:

• more resources, and more funding • a technology plan• integration specialists• better PD • higher levels of technology support

Leadership and Vision

Districts with strong district-wide technology leadership are more likely:

• higher levels of community involvement

• district leaders who emphasize technology and who have clear technology visions

• and educational goals that are supported by technology.

Correlation coefficients between components of tech use and mean student use from student surveys

Mean student use in 5th grade



Support .382 .458 .373

Leadership .233 .090 .437

Initial Patterns and Observations

• Educational Technology is Complex– Many Types, Beliefs, and Uses– Presentation, Preparation, Record Keeping,

Communication, Tailoring, Student Use– Home versus School– Variation within and across schools– What explains variation --- School and District

Leadership and Programs

Key Factors Affecting Elementary Classroom Use

• Home Use, Skills, and Beliefs about tech

• Teacher’s Pedagogical beliefs and practices

• Mean Student Technology Skill Level

• Teacher’s Beliefs about Technology

• Principals beliefs about technology

• Principals Emphasis on technology and Pressure to use Technology

What Leaders Do

• Showcase to community and school board

• Vision and expectations

• Pockets of innovation

• Professional Development - teams and extended time

Resources

• www.intasc.org

• inTASC Library

• JTLA (jtla.org)

use, support, and effect of instructional technology michael russell, damian bebell, & laura...

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