3543 research outputs found
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Using Teachers’ Experience with Technology to Understand Their Learning and Teaching Styles
No full textTeachers are expected to integrate technology into classrooms to prepare students to acquire 21st century skills and prepare them for future workforce. The U.S. government has spent significant resources on technology to support student learning and improve academic outcomes. Teachers will need support to be able to implement technology with fidelity in their pedagogy. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain an understanding of how teachers integrate technology in their pedagogy. One research question guided this research case study: How do teachers’ experiences with technology provide an understanding regarding their learning and teaching styles? The participants were made up of nine teachers from a middle school in North Carolina. Participants taught mathematics, English language, science, or social studies. Data was collected via from face-to-face interviews, observations, and member checking. To analyze the data, the inductive analysis model was used. The findings indicated that experienced teachers with high technology competency embraced it because of their willingness to improve their instructional practice. Teachers with the least experience with technology did not readily embrace it and integrated it inconsistently in their instructional practice. They relied on their prior learning and teaching style for the transmission of knowledge for their instructional practice. These teachers expressed the desire for ongoing professional development in their content areas to build their confidence and experience with technology. However, all the teachers agreed that technology is a useful resource that increased student engagement in the classroom
A Phenomenological Study into How Early Childhood Educators Experience Gamification as an Employee Motivational Tool
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore how early childhood educators (ECE) experience gamification as a motivational tool. The study was grounded in self-efficacy theory and used the transcendental phenomenological methodology to uncover the lived experiences of the participants. The researcher used questionnaires, journals, and interviews to gather data from respondents. The interview utilized open-ended questions to provide respondents the opportunity to give a detailed account of their shared experiences while operating the gamified technology used in their program. Data was collected from 8 ECE teachers working at a private preschool in a mid-Atlantic state. Participant accounts described a lack of consistency during the onboarding phase when each application was introduced to the teaching staff. The most successful gamified application allowed for regular communication between teaching staff and parents. Participants noted the training application was an asset, as it aligned with participants’ educational and professional goals. The curriculum development application was found to be an unreliable lesson planning tool due to inaccuracies in data tracking. Participants felt the monthly rewards systems did not accurately reflect the work completed by teachers. The ECE teachers preferred a clear indicator of how the technology can be used to improve the lives of their students and positively impact the trajectory of their career. Greater consideration should be taken to ensure the applications provide incentives that are appropriate for the users. More research should be conducted to uncover the methods school leaders employ to determine applications used with in schools