11/07/2023
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Karalyn McGovern entitled: "Technology and Teacher Work: Understanding Teachers' Technology Use in the Classroom."

Date: Nov. 17, 2023
Time: 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Via Zoom

Dissertation Chair:

  • James Nehring, Ph.D., Professor of Education, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Jill Hendrickson Lohmeier, Ph.D., Professor of Education, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Jack Schneider, Ph.D., Dwight W. Allen Distinguished Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Abstract:
This study seeks to better understand how and why teachers use technology in their work. Teachers were surveyed to explore to what extent they integrate technology and why they integrate to the extent that they do. Faculty at three upper-level public schools in the Northeast were surveyed. Three teachers also volunteered for interviews, and one volunteered for a classroom observation. Survey results were analyzed for descriptive findings, and open-ended questions were coded thematically using emerging themes. Interview and observation data were also analyzed for themes. Two regression analyses were conducted to identify possible predictors for increased technology integration and for positive technology attitude scores. This study adapts the SAMR classification method to create a survey and coding scheme for assessing teacher technology use. Consistent with prior work, this study finds that teachers are far more likely to use technology in ways that enhance than transform learning. These data suggest that technology integration is not statistically different at different schools, and that many teachers, even technology advocates, have misconceptions about transformative technology uses. This study also identifies many competing tensions in teachers’ rationales about technology use. Some teachers will likely continue to resist technology implementation and embrace more traditional pedagogies. In fact, this study finds that the only statistically significant predictor of an increased technology integration score is a teacher’s positive attitude about technology. In turn, a predictor of more positive technology beliefs is a teacher’s more positive perception of the technology culture at the school. For district and school leaders who want to increase technology implementation, they might focus efforts on improving the technology culture.