Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Kimberley Fatata-Hall
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
collaborative planning, curriculum, digital newsletters, elementary teachers, instructional practices, journal articles, lesson plans, media specialist, professional development, professional goals, software utilization, student instruction, students, teacher training, technology, technology integration
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to increase elementary teachers ability to utilize technology to enhance the curriculum and instructional practices for students. Technology was available in the work setting but teachers were not trained to use and integrate technology.
Teachers actively participated in the following activities: reading and discussing professional journal articles, reading and using information provided in digital newsletters, technology training sessions, collaborative planning sessions, and made a conscious effort to include technology as a component of instruction for students.
An analysis of the data revealed that five of six outcomes were met. The following outcomes of the applied dissertation were met: (a) Teachers feel prepared to use technology to enhance student classroom instruction, (b) teachers plan collaboratively with the media specialist to learn how to use technology and integrate technology into the curriculum, (c) teachers include technology in their lesson plans at least three times each week, (d) teachers read at least one professional journal article each month to learn how to use technology and integrate technology into the curriculum, and (e) a decrease in the number of teachers indicating the need to learn how to use technology to enhance instructional practices as a professional goal. The outcome not met was: Teachers use at least 50% of the software available on the school server to enhance the curriculum and instructional practices for students.