Impact of Technology Professional Development on Classroom Instruction

Transcription

1 Impact of Technology Professional Development on Classroom Instruction Laura D. West Freedom Park Elementary School GA, United States Abstract: This action research project was conducted to determine if providing professional development to elementary school teachers on how to use technology and how to integrate technology into the curriculum would increase the use of technology in classroom instruction. Participants of the study included 21 kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers who had completed a state required technology integration course, but who were not incorporating technology into their lessons. Professional development to include workshops, on-line tutorials, and individual assistance for classroom teachers on technology integration in the curriculum was provided during a 3-week period. Data from the study indicated that teachers confidence level, skill level, and technology integration competencies increased after participating in the professional development intervention. Introduction Background, Context, and Problem As technology becomes integrated more and more into our everyday lives, it is necessary for teachers to be technology fluent in order to prepare students for the future. In today s changing world, Students must learn how to learn, learn how to think, and have a solid understanding of how technology works and what it can do (CEO Forum, 1999, p. 6). One way to address those challenges is integrate technology into classroom instruction. Technology offers educators great potential for their instructional program. How often teachers employ technology in their instructional lessons is dependent upon not only the lesson but also the teacher. According to Mouza (2003), the actual use of computers in the classroom by teachers and students remains meager. A substantial number of teachers report little or no use of computers for instruction despite the presence of more than 5.8 million computers in American schools (U.S. Congress, 1995). Technology use did not vary much from 1992 through The results of a survey conducted by the Center for Applied Special Technology (1999) showed that teachers reported 9% of students used computers more than once a day, 17% of students used computers daily, and 9% of students used the computer once per week. One purpose for having technology in the schools is to integrate it with the curriculum. Teachers are expected to use the equipment, instruct with the equipment, and integrate the equipment into their lessons. In order for this to occur, it is necessary for teachers to be educated in the use of technology. However, a number of studies and reports reveal that both new and veteran teachers feel inadequately prepared to use computers in their classroom (Abdal-Haqq, 1995; Beckett, 2003). Doering, Hughes, and Huffman, (2003) revealed that only 11.3% of the nation s teachers feel they have advanced skills integrating technology into their daily teaching. In order for teachers to infuse teaching with technology, they need professional development opportunities to learn to use and implement technology in their classrooms (Williams & Kingham, 1999). The goal of any professional development program is to inform and change teacher behavior as a result of new information (Barnett, 2003). More staff

2 development opportunities are necessary to effectively integrate technology into the school curriculum. As a media specialist in an elementary school, I promote the integration of technology as a way to enhance classroom instruction. Our school has a sufficient amount of technology available; however, few teachers utilize anything more than the computer. I developed this action research study to investigate the impact of technology professional development on classroom instruction. By providing teachers with technology integration skills for curriculum development and implementation, teachers may alter their instructional methods and incorporate technology into their lessons. Purpose The purpose of this action research study was to determine the impact of technology professional development on teacher use of technology in the classroom. First, I wanted to determine how technology professional development influenced classroom instruction. Next, I was interested in how teachers viewed professional development workshops, online tutorials, and individual instruction for learning about technology integration. Lastly, I sought to determine the impact of ongoing, technology-based professional development training on teachers confidence level for integrating technology into the curriculum. The information obtained from this study will be used to facilitate future technology professional development for classroom teachers. Methods School Setting and Participants Participants in this study included 21 certified elementary school teachers from a public school located in Georgia. The years of teaching experience of those educators varied: 0-5 years, 26%; 6-10 years, 19%; years, 7%; years, 9%; and more than 20 years, 39%. The educational levels of those teachers included Bachelor degrees (45%), Master degrees (45%) and Educational Specialist degrees (10%). All of the teachers had completed the state required InTech course prior to this study. Approximately 600 students attended the school, which served pre-k through fifth-grade students. The school population was considered transient. All of the students were children of military personnel. Intervention In an effort to increase technology integration, teachers participated in professional development workshops which provided instruction on how to use and how to integrate a TVator into the curriculum and how to use and how to integrate a digital camera into the curriculum. The presentations at the workshops were designed to help teachers gain confidence in their technology skills and also to model technology integration skills. The whole group workshops were offered at the end of the school day over a period of 3 weeks. Individual instruction was made available to those teachers who needed additional assistance. On-line tutorials were

3 created and made available on the school s web site. Those tutorials provided teachers with immediate information for learning anywhere and at anytime. Data Collection Strategies Several data collection tools were used in the research project. A Teacher Technology Integration Survey was administered prior to and following the intervention. The survey was designed to assess teachers technology abilities, skills, and confidence level. The same survey was administered at the end of the intervention for reassessment purposes. Teachers maintained a log and a journal throughout the course of the intervention. The log revealed which technology was used, how it was used, and how often it was integrated into the curriculum. The journal reflected teachers thoughts and concerns during the technology integrated lessons they conducted. At the end of the intervention, teacher questionnaires and interviews were administered. Those questionnaires and interviews were designed to identify teachers experiences and thoughts about the professional development that was offered. Eight interviews were conducted with randomly selected teachers. The interviews focused on teachers thoughts about the intervention as well as their intent to use the technology for classroom instruction. Procedures Teachers participated in two professional development workshops that were presented over a 3-week period. During the first professional development workshop, teachers completed the Teacher Technology Integration survey. Also, the teachers were instructed in the use of the log and journal. Each workshop, which lasted approximately 2 hours, focused on the use of particular technology resources and the utilization of those resources for classroom instruction. The first workshop focused on how to use the Tvator, and how to integrate the Tvator into the curriculum. The Tvator enhances computer presentations by taking what is on one computer and displaying it on a television allowing students to view from anywhere in the classroom. Teachers were provided a visual presentation on the use of the equipment and they were given a handout having step-by-step instructions on how to connect the equipment and how to use it. An opportunity was provided for teachers to manipulate and use the Tvator. At the end of the workshop, teachers discussed different ways they could integrate the technology into the school curriculum. The handout also provided examples of how the technology could be used. The second workshop concentrated on how to use and how to integrate the digital camera into the curriculum. Teachers were shown a PowerPoint providing step-by-step instructions on how to use the equipment. A handout was also provided with directions on how to use the digital camera. Time was allotted during the workshop for each teacher to have hands-on experience using the technology. Toward the end of the session, teachers suggested ways they could incorporate the technology into the curriculum. During the workshop, teachers were provided with information on the on-line tutorials that were available to them. Those tutorials were made available from the school s website so the teachers would have anywhere, anytime access to that information.

4 Following the workshops, a posttest Teacher Technology Survey was completed by the teachers to determine if their ability levels improved as well as the amount of time spent integrating technology. Participants completed a questionnaire to help determine the successfulness of the staff development training. An interview was also conducted at the conclusion of the intervention to determine the teachers perception on the instructional strategies. Ethical and Legal Research Practices Ethical and legal guidelines defined by the graduate program at Valdosta State University were followed. The principal approved the action research project. Each teacher participant signed a consent form which briefly explained the project. Approval was also obtained from the VSU Thesis Committee members. Results Pretests and Posttests - Teacher Technology Integration Survey A survey instrument, developed by the researcher, focused on the integration of technology in the curriculum and the overall confidence level of the teachers. The survey addressed all three of the research questions. Participants completed the survey (n=21) prior to the intervention and following the intervention. The mean and standard deviation for each of the Likert-scale questions on the pre- and post- survey were computed and are displayed (Table 1). Responses of not at all, minimally, confidently, and expertly were converted to a fourpoint scale, with the score of one given to not at all and four assigned to expertly. Table 1 Pre- and Post- Teacher Technology Integration Survey Pre-Survey Post Survey Mean Difference Survey Question Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD 1. Identify technology resources available in schools. 2. Plan for the use of electronic resources within a lesson. 3. Create electronic presentations Identify, select, and use hardware and software technology resources. 5. Plan and teach student-centered lessons which students apply technology tools and resources. 6. Identify the benefits of technology to maximize student learning and facilitate higher order thinking skills

5 7. Am able to integrate a variety of technologies into student lessons. 8. Am confident in my ability to integrate technology into the curriculum. 9. Am provided adequate training and support with technology concerns. 10. Would benefit from technology integration training sessions. 11. Use technology tools and information resources to increase productivity, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning. 12. Exhibit positive attitudes toward technology uses. 13. Am capable of assisting students in identifying the appropriate technology tool for activities. 14. Create multimedia presentations using a variety of technology tools. 15. Use technology tools to complete professional tasks Teacher responses for item 12, Exhibit positive attitudes toward technology uses, resulted in a mean of 2.14 (SD=.35) on the pre-survey and a mean of 3.85 (SD=.35) on the postsurvey revealing a mean difference of (SD=.46). When teachers responded to item 9, Am provided adequate training and support with technology concerns, a mean of 1.95 (SD=.58) on the pre-survey and a mean of 3.76 (SD=.43) on the post-survey were determined. A mean difference of was found from the responses on the pre-survey and post-survey. For item 7, Am able to integrate a variety of technologies into student lessons, a mean of 2.28 (SD=.46) was determined for the pre-survey, and a mean of 3.23 (SD=.43) was calculated for the post-survey. A mean difference of +.95 (SD=.21) indicated that teachers were more able to integrate technology into the instruction after the implementation of the intervention. For item 15, Use technology tools to complete professional tasks, a mean of 2.57 (SD=.67) on the pre-survey and a mean of 2.80 (SD=.51) on the post-survey were calculated. The mean difference of +.23 was indicative of improved teacher ability to use technology to complete professional tasks. Technology Logs Teachers maintained a technology log throughout the intervention. The log contained the date the technology was used, the type of technology used, and how the technology was used. Logs were collected and the data were analyzed. Digital cameras were checked out, a mean of 2.14 (SD=1.06) times, and the Tvator was checked out, a mean of 1.14 (SD=.79) times.

6 Verbal comments regarding the equipment provided insight into why the digital camera was used more than the Tvator and also why the technology may not have been used more. Seventy-one percent of the participants stated not enough time to plan for integration. Another comment, The Tvator requires more time to use than the digital camera, was made by 48% of the teachers. Those were the two most commonly cited comments. An analysis of the teachers logs revealed a variety of ways the equipment was integrated into the curriculum. The digital camera was used to record information (28%), to document class events (23%), to promote writing (21%), to facilitate art projects (19%), and to encourage other creative uses (9%). The Tvator was used for whole group presentations taking CRCT practice tests (41%), in researching the Internet (23%), for reading on-line books (18%), for playing educational games (14%), and for conducting other activities (4%). Teacher Experience Questionnaire Following the intervention, teachers (n=21) completed a teacher experience questionnaire. The questionnaire contained seven questions. The first three questions required yes or no responses. Those questions were designed to determine teachers views of professional development. The first question was Did you find the whole group presentation to be informative and helpful? All participants stated the whole group presentations were helpful. Seven teachers added the comment that they believed the presentation method, a PowerPoint presentation, used in the whole group lessons was most effective. For the second question, Did you utilize the on-line tutorials? 53% of the participants used the tutorial for the Tvator. Twenty-four percent of the teachers used the on-line tutorials for the digital camera Responses for question three, Did you utilize the handouts prior to your instruction? showed that 95% of the teachers referred to the Tvator handout and 57% of the teachers utilized the digital camera handout. Participants (19%), who used the Tvator handout, requested suggestions for ways to integrate the Tvator into classroom lessons. On question four, teachers were asked to identify which presentation method was the most useful. The choices included whole-group presentation, handouts, and the on-line tutorials. Thirteen participants selected more than one method, so those data were disregarded. Eight participants selected only one method. The results of the eight responses were: 88% selected whole-group; 0% selected handouts; and 12% selected on-line tutorials. Teachers reacted positively toward the professional development. Question five asked for teachers to provide their thoughts about the technology training. Their comments included the following: helpful (43%), good idea (29%), hands-on is always useful (14%), and the workshop reminded us of what is available (14%). Teacher Technology Journal Teachers (n=21) completed technology journals upon the completion of each use of the equipment taught in the intervention. The journals were submitted and evaluated. The journals addressed the following categories: subject area in which the technologies were used; if the lesson was a success; and any problems that were encountered. Teachers used both the digital

7 camera and the Tvator in the following subject areas: science, social studies, language arts, and mathematics. However, teachers used the digital camera most often in language arts (84%) and used the Tvator most often with social studies (36%) (Table 2). Table 2. Percentages of Subject Areas for Integrating Technologies Subject Areas Equipment Science Social Studies Language Arts Math Tvator 27% 36% 24% 14% Digital Camera 12% 5% 84% 0 Only three teachers identified any technical difficulties requiring individual assistance for using the Tvator. No teachers described problems using the digital camera. The journal entries provided some insight of confidence and ability levels. In answering the question Has your confidence level on integrating technology into the curriculum changed since the intervention? 21 teacher responses were yes with five teachers indicating they would like to learn about other types of technologies that would enhance the curriculum. One teacher stated, I believe my professional knowledge in integrating technology increased and improved. Teacher Technology Interview Following the intervention, an interview was conducted to randomly selected teachers (n=8). Interviewed teachers considered the professional development workshops as useful and informative. Teachers agreed that they would continue to integrate technology into their lessons stating, Now I have more knowledge of ways to integrate the equipment. Seven of the interviewed teachers indicated that they would not require more staff development on the technology that was presented. One teacher commented she would not need help as long as the on-line tutorials remain available. In the interviews, teachers were asked which learning strategy they preferred: on-line tutorials, face-to-face instruction, or individual instruction. Surprisingly, only one teacher chose the on-line tutorials. Four teachers preferred face-to-face instruction, and three teachers preferred individual instruction. Two participants stated that the choice sometimes depended on the technology being taught. During all of the interviews, teachers indicated that they were provided adequate training and support throughout the intervention. Discussion For the purposes of the study, I wanted to determine if technology professional development for elementary school teachers would impact their use of technology for implementing the curriculum and on the teachers confidence level in using technology.

8 Teachers were provided assistance with technology integration through professional development workshops, face-to-face instruction, and online tutorials. To determine the impact of the professional development on teachers use of technology in the classroom and teachers confidence level in using technology, three areas were examined: (a) the influence of professional development on the curriculum; (b) teacher s views on different types of professional development; (c) and teacher technology and confidence levels. Influence of Professional Development on the Curriculum As we see technology become more important in education, schools need to take the initiative and provide professional development that will provide teachers with instruction on ways to integrate technological resources into their lessons. Based on the survey data following the professional development workshop for this study, teachers were more able to use varied technological resources and to incorporate those resources into classroom instruction. Teacher s Views on Professional Development Teachers, like all professionals, need and deserve ongoing exposure to technology so it becomes a seamless component of instruction that leads to real results for students (CEO Forum, 1999, p. 8). Professional development for teachers, that includes workshops, on-line tutorials, and individual assistance on technology integration, is one way to provide ongoing exposure to technology. The results of this intervention showed that for this group of teachers, participants preferred the whole group/face-to-face instructional model over individual instruction or online tutorials. Individual instruction was preferred over the online tutorial. The training sessions assisted teachers with the development of technology skills and confidence to integrate a variety of technologies into classroom lessons. The need to provide more staff development training on integrating technology into classroom lessons was expressed by the teachers. Those comments, indicated teachers are open to learning new technology through professional development workshops. Teachers, Technology, and Confidence Levels As indicated from the survey data, teachers who participated in the professional development showed increased confidence levels with technology. Teacher journals also revealed teachers confidence levels improved as a result of the intervention. A positive attitude toward using technological resources as well as the teachers ability to integrate technology into their curriculum was evident. Those data suggested that participation in professional development did improve teacher knowledge and confidence in integrating technology into the curriculum. The teachers improved knowledge and self-confidence in using technology may lead to increased use of technology in the curriculum for future school years.

9 Limitations of This Study and Suggestions for Future Research A limitation of this study was the lack of available equipment for the number of participating teachers. Three cameras and three Tvators were not adequate for the twenty-one participating teachers. Teachers were anxious to integrate the technology and began creating lessons which required the specific pieces of equipment. Teachers had to be placed on a waiting list to pick up the equipment possibly causing the technology to be used less frequently. Amount of time for the study and the time of year in which the study was conducted were two other limitations that could have affected the outcome of the study. Teaching is timeintensive. Integrating technology into the curriculum requires planning, scheduling, and preparation. Only 3 weeks were devoted to the intervention. Also, during February and March, teachers focused on preparing students for the ITBS test and Georgia s CRCT test which were administered in the spring. Because the teacher preparations for student testing required much time and focus, the teachers may not have been as receptive to the learning opportunities of the study, as they would have been at the beginning of the year. As I began this intervention, I believed that if teachers were given instruction and offered on-going support, they would integrate technology into their curriculum on a regular basis. Most teachers have a desire to offer students diverse methods of instruction to help students learn. I used various forms of data sources, both written and oral, to collect information. The results of those data confirmed my thoughts. Follow-up data should be collected during the school year on the number of teachers who use the information learned in the workshops and continue to incorporate it into their lessons. On-going technical support from the media specialist should continue to be made available to the teachers. Offering workshops on other available equipment would also be helpful. Those workshops should be carefully scheduled so there are no time conflicts for teacher participation in the workshops. Conclusions The results of this action research study suggested that technologically designed professional development workshops have a positive impact on the curriculum, thereby supporting the research by Herna (n.d.). According to Herna s study, after teachers had participated in a technology training course, they had gained enough confidence in their own technology skills that they felt comfortable in using technology to teach others. During this intervention, while learning how to use specific pieces of equipment, teachers gained confidence in the use of technology. Teachers agreed that the workshops were useful in helping them to integrate technology into their lessons and stated that they would continue to do so following the intervention. The workshop was effective because teachers were provided with a whole-group lesson, an on-line tutorial, handouts, and on-going support. Each of those methods provided teachers with additional instruction and support to effectively integrate the specific technologies. The quantitative findings from the survey were encouraging, addressing and supporting each of the research questions. Interesting and useful data was also obtained from the qualitative open-ended questionnaires, the technology logs, and the interviews. This research study has been shared with faculty members at the school in which the study was conducted.

10 Reference Abdal-Haqq, I. (1995). Infusing technology into preservice teacher education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. ED ) Barnett, H. (2003). Technology professional development: Successful strategies for teacher change. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University. (ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. ED ) Beckett, C., Marquez-Chisholm, I., & Wetzel K. (2003). Preparing technologycompetent teachers. T.H.E. Journal On-line. Retrieved September 17, 2004, from Center for Applied Special Technology (1999). Survey: Student technology use. Retrieved October 7, 2004 from CEO Forum. (1999). Professional development: A link to better learning. Retrieved September 17, 2004 from Doering, A., Hughes, J., & Huffman, D. (2003). Preservice teachers: Are we thinking with technology? Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(3), 342. Fuller, H.L. (2000). First teach their teachers: Technology support and computer and computer use in academic subjects. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32(4), Mouza, C. (2003). Learning to teach with new technology: Implications for professional development. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(2), Norton, P., & Spraque, D. (1997). Teacher education and the integration of technology. Retrieved from U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. (1995). Teachers and technology: Making the connection (OTA-EHR-616). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Williams, H., & Kingham, M. (1999). Infusion of technology into the curriculum. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 30(3),