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Transformational technology in K-12 schools: an elementary case study

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Transformational technology in K-12 schools: an elementary case study

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Content Running head: TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS

Transformational Technology in K-12 Schools:
An Elementary Case Study

Robert Kimble

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2016

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS ii

Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to my wonderful and beautiful wife, Julissa. During the
entire doctoral program, you have sacrificed infinitely and have championed me through life's
ups and downs. Every time I asked if this undertaking was worth it, you told me it was and
helped me regain focus. You motivate me to become the best person possible. I appreciate your
perception, encouragement, and companionship. I am so proud of your accomplishments,
fortitude, and dedication. Only we know the sacrifices made to get to this point. We did this
together. Thank you for being my best friend, loving wife, and remarkable person. Without your
total support, I could not have accomplished this milestone.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS iii
Acknowledgements
There are many people who helped make this journey a reality. I would like to
acknowledge my wonderful dissertation chair Dr. Stuart Gothold, for his guidance and direction.
His straight forward approach made a very stressful process extremely calm and manageable.
The other two members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Allemann and Dr. Hocevar, were
extremely effective in providing insight and clarity for the study and for that I am eternally
grateful. I would also like to thank all the professors in the program. I have learned a great deal
from each one of them during the preceding two and a half years and I will continue to use the
knowledge shared with me in the future. Without their efforts in my preparation, I would not
have had the understanding or proficiency to complete this program.
I am deeply indebted to my thematic dissertation group, because of their guidance and
backing throughout the development of the dissertation all the way through to its completion.
Their support has been nothing short of spectacular. My fellow classmates have also inspired me
to be the best educator possible. Their varied views have open my eyes to new ways to solve the
ever changing challenges in our profession. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. I
am now and forever a part of the University of Southern California family.
I would specially want to thank my family for their constant support as I worked many
hours on the coursework and dissertation process. They gave their encouragement when my
motivation began to waver and made sure I pushed through to the end. My family was
understanding as they helped me stay on track through the completion of the entire program.
Every time I had to attend night class or a meeting on the weekend, my family was accepting and
accommodating. I would like to thank my kids, Emerson and Lauren, who have watched their
dad since the beginning. I hope I can be an inspiration for them to work hard and shoot for their
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS iv
dreams. I can only wish they have the opportunity to study and obtain a career that is as
rewarding and fulfilling as mine has been. To my mom and dad, we did it. I know that you
always wanted the best for me and for that I am truly grateful. Growing up, I would have never
envisioned that my path would lead me down a life-long pursuit of knowledge.
Thank you all and Fight On!

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS v
Table of Contents
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................v
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................x
Chapter One: Overview of the Study ..............................................................................................1
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1
Background of the Problem ................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................................5
Purpose of the Study ...........................................................................................................5
Research Questions .............................................................................................................5
Importance of the Problem ..................................................................................................5
Limitations ..........................................................................................................................6
Delimitations .......................................................................................................................6
Assumptions ........................................................................................................................7
Definition of Terms .............................................................................................................7
Organization of the Dissertation .......................................................................................10
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature .........................................................................................12
Introduction of Technology Integration in Schools ..........................................................12
Teacher Beliefs in Connection with Technology Integration ...........................................13
Benefits of Technology Integration ..................................................................................15
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS vi
Access and Barriers to Technology Integration ................................................................17
Support/Professional Development for Technology Integration .......................................18
21
st
Century Skills .............................................................................................................21
Pedagogy ...........................................................................................................................25
Technology Framework ....................................................................................................28
Summary ...........................................................................................................................30
Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................32
Introduction .......................................................................................................................32
Research Questions ...........................................................................................................32
Research Design ................................................................................................................33
Research Population and Sample ......................................................................................33
Access/Entry .....................................................................................................................36
Instrumentation .................................................................................................................36
Data Collection .................................................................................................................38
Validity and Reliability .....................................................................................................40
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................41
Summary ...........................................................................................................................42
Chapter Four: The Findings ...........................................................................................................43
Introduction .......................................................................................................................43
Process ...............................................................................................................................44
Summary of Document Review .........................................................................................45
Summary of the Observations ............................................................................................46
Summary of the Interviews ................................................................................................50
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS vii
Summary of the Survey .....................................................................................................56
Discussion ..........................................................................................................................61
Findings .............................................................................................................................65
Chapter Five: Conclusion, Implications, and Future Research ......................................................67
Introduction ........................................................................................................................67
Purpose of the Study ..........................................................................................................67
Research Questions ............................................................................................................67
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................68
Implications ........................................................................................................................72
References .....................................................................................................................................74
Appendix A: Letter .......................................................................................................................82
Appendix B: Survey Protocol .......................................................................................................85
Appendix C: Interview Protocol ...................................................................................................87
Appendix D: Observation Protocol ...............................................................................................89
Appendix E: Document Collection Protocol ................................................................................92

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS viii
List of Tables
Table 1. P21 Framework ...............................................................................................................22
Table 2. Ethnicity Information .......................................................................................................35
Table 3. Subgroup Information ......................................................................................................35
Table 4. Survey Responses ............................................................................................................57
Table 5. Survey Question ...............................................................................................................58

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS ix
List of Figures
Figure 1. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework .......................................28
Figure 2. The SAMR Model .........................................................................................................29

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS x
Abstract
This study used a qualitative case study design to explore technology integration.
According to Merriam (2009), a qualitative research study strives to focus on meaning,
understanding, process, and is grounded in collecting data in the field where the phenomenon
emerges. A problem exists in which K-12 teachers need the essential skills and knowledge to
effectively integrate educational technology into the classroom curriculum. The purpose of this
study is to truly investigate the dynamics of instructional practices in a K-12 schools that is
actively integrating and implementing technology into the curriculum and instruction.
Perceptions, observations, and data collection of teaching practices and procedures of teachers
and administrative staff were explored with the intentions of identifying comprehensive
approaches to technology integration. The study can help inform and identify different types of
educational technology pedagogies that are actively being integrating into the classroom.
The research population for this case study was from a single elementary school located
in the Los Angeles County that met the school selection criteria. The site is a public school
serving 455 students in grades Transitional Kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is part
of a Transitional Kindergarten through eighth grade district consisting of nine elementary and
two middle schools that serves over 6600 students. The school has a vision, mission statement,
and the principal’s message that proclaims rigorous academic standards and high expectations
form the foundation for quality instruction that continues to increase student achievement
through the use of technology.
The data collection instruments that were used during the case study included interviews,
written surveys, document reviews, and observations. The data was collected during six days of
onsite visitation of the selected school during the fall of 2015. A survey was administered to the
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS xi
teaching staff of 20 individuals with a return rate of 80%. The document review included
information from the school website, School Accountability Report Card (SARC), School Plan
for Student Achievement (SPSA), and classroom level documents. Five interviews were
conducted for the study. The participants included the principal and four teachers from both the
lower and upper grade classrooms.
Using the theoretical framework of the SAMR and TPACK models to measure the level
of technology integration, the research concluded that there were four strong findings. The four
findings of the study were; teacher belief in the power of technology to transform student
learning and achievement, access to high quality internally driven professional development,
opportunities for collaboration and reflection, and a strong leadership that is supportive of risk-
taking. These factors were directly linked to the success of the entire organization.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 1
Chapter One
Overview of the Study
Introduction
Background of the Problem
A problem exists in which K-12 teachers need the essential skills and specific knowledge
to effectively integrate educational technology into the classroom curriculum. The National
Education Technology Plan (NETP, 2010), released by the U.S. Department of Education, called
for the transformation of how technology is integrated in our educational system. The U.S.
Department of Education gathered data through the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), and indicated that 66% of all public school teachers received less than eight hours of
professional development per year in the integration of educational technology. Moreover,
NCES (2010) stated that computer use in the classroom has risen. The ratio of students to
computers has evolved from four to one in 2004 to two to one in 2010.
The resources required for the effective and systemic integration of educational
technology are numerous and multifaceted (Belland, 2009; Chen, 2012). Educators need to have
the physical resources such as computers, tablets, smart boards, and technology support. A clear
pedagogical vision for the implementation of educational technology was defined as the
principles that guide the use of technology for teaching and learning and then student success in
the classroom (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2013; Inan & Lowther, 2010; Okojie, Olinzock &
Okojie-Boulder, 2006). Additionally, researchers, (Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Glazewski, Newby &
Ertmer, 2010; Hutchison & Reinking, 2011; Inan & Lowther, 2010) identified teacher belief and
perception to be directly related to instruction and educational technology integration. These
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 2
factors related to educational technology integration require further investigation to assist
teachers and help researchers understand how it is implemented in the classroom.
Researchers have explored the integration of technology and each has a slightly different
definition of what the term actually meant. Technology integration has various definitions
ranging from using technology to make learning more efficient or effective, to helping students
solve more complex problems (Ertmer, 2005). A more comprehensive definition given by
Belland (2009) additionally stated that the adoption of technology should be sustainable for the
purpose of assisting students to construct their own knowledge.
Prior to 2005, the majority of research looking at the integration of technology focused
on the external issues, i.e., physical resources such as purchasing computers, offering Internet
accessibility, and technical support to keep everything operational (Ertmer, 2005; Belland,
2009). Teaching and learning was mentioned only as a footnote to getting the infrastructure up
to a level where technology was found in 95% of all classrooms (United States Department of
Education, 2010). Teachers reported that they used the computer primarily to communicate with
parents, administrative tasks, or lesson delivery such as PowerPoint presentations (NCES, 2010).
During a survey by the NCES (2010), teachers were asked about the integration of educational
technology in the classroom and more than 85% of the respondents stated that they wanted the
ability to use technology daily. Prior research in the area of educational technology integration
has uncovered common factors for effective integration, and since 2007, the bulk of the research
has shifted towards a focus on these three common factors: barriers, pedagogy, and teacher
beliefs.
Barriers to the integration of technology have been categorized as either being external or
internal (Ertmer, 2005; Keengwe, Onchwari & Wachira, 2008). External barriers are resources
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 3
related that include lack of equipment, lack of equipment reliability, or technical support.
External barriers are items that have the ability to be quantified easily. Internal barriers include
the culture of the school and teacher beliefs around the use of technology in the classroom
(Keengwe et al., 2008). Internal barriers are school and teacher level factors that are more
difficult to quantify. Teachers must have the ability to overcome barriers if true technology
integration is going to occur (Belland, 2009).
According to Ertmer and Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2013), even with an increase to computer
access and teacher professional development, the use of technology in the classroom is often not
being utilized for instruction in the most powerful and effective ways. A clear vision as to the
real purpose and usefulness of technology is needed to make the shift in the integration of
technology. Furthermore, Lawless and Pellegrino (2007) discovered a key outcome of strategic
professional development framed around teacher knowledge is technological-infused
pedagogical approaches. These outcomes are closely tied to teachers’ self-efficacy concerning
the use of technology. Subsequently, Lawless and Pellegrino (2007) cited that school leadership
could also make gains in the integration of technology by focusing on helping teachers
incorporate technology into their pedagogical practices.
When investigating the integration of technology, teacher belief has played a large role
on how effective and impactful lesson design was on student-centered learning. Unfortunately,
researchers have stated teacher belief is the most difficult to change without systematic and
sustained professional development (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010; Hutchison &
Reinking, 2011; Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Glazewski, Newby, & Ertmer, 2010). This finding is
correlated to the problem of teachers having less than eight hours of professional development
per academic year (NCES, 2010). Teacher belief and self-efficacy as is related to the integration
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 4
of technology has been found to be connected to teacher education programs for pre-service
teachers and professional development for post service teachers (Funkhouser & Mouza, 2013).
Researchers Kim, Kim, Lee, Spector, and DeMeester (2013) suggested that the process of
changing teacher beliefs for innovation and implementation of technology to occur could be
established with sustained effective professional development.
With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the integration of
technology is ripe to excel student-centered learning to new levels, but only with the concerted
effort of all stakeholders. The Framework for 21
st
Century Learning (2011) is a holistic view of
education and technology integration and is an expected student outcome that must be addressed.
U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan (2009) stated that the CCSS are positioned to make students
competitive in the global economy. The integration of technology into the educational setting
and ultimately to increase student achievement for all students has to be a high priority and done
so with a sense of urgency. As the economy shifts to a more technological age, students, who
are the workforce of the future, must be prepared with the skills necessary to compete on a global
level.
Technology integration must be a foundational piece of the pedagogical puzzle and
considered as important as basic skills, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic (Collins &
Halverson, 2010; Hew & Brush, 2007). Without the integration of technology into the
curriculum, we are putting our students and teachers at a disadvantage, which is a disservice to
their future successes and opportunities. In addition, it is vital for the economic development that
integration and innovation of technology be enacted in a timely manner to ensure that our
students do not fall further behind in the global market place.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 5
Statement of the Problem
Technology is a tool to increase student collaboration, communication, critical thinking,
and creativity. Though the presence of K-12 classroom technology has increased, its integration
and implementation of curriculum and instruction is inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of a K-12 school that is actively
integrating and implementing technology in curriculum and instruction. The study can help
inform and identify different types of educational technology pedagogies that are actively being
integrated into the classroom. Future researchers and educators can use this study to help
prepare students for the 21
st
century global society. The key to this study is not to look at
technology or pedagogy in isolation, but to discover how the two complement one another.
Research Questions
The study was guided by the following research questions:
1. How do educators at “Tech School” integrate technology to support student learning?
2. To what factors do educators at “Tech School” attribute their knowledge of instructional
technology skills and pedagogy to use technology as an instructional tool?
3. In what ways are educators at “Tech School” provided support for technology integration
and implementation?
4. What are educators’ beliefs about technology integration and implementation at “Tech
School”?
Importance of the Study
This study can be significant to the K-12 educational community in numerous ways:
(a) educators can use information to increase technology use in the classroom, (b) educators can
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 6
use this information to implement innovative teaching strategies and integrate 21st century skills
into the curriculum, (c) educational leaders and teachers can use the information to assess the
importance of technology use and how is it improving student achievement, and (d) educational
leaders can use the information to create innovative professional development to encourage
teachers to use and develop lessons incorporating technology.
Limitations
The generalizability of this study will be limited due to the differences among schools
and the complexities involved in performing case study research. These complexities involve the
overall school community, staff technology proficiency, administrative impact, ethnic diversity,
the size of the student population, access to technology, and technology professional
development. This study was interpreted through the lens of the researcher, which included my
personal and professional biases. Additionally, the intrusive nature of observations and
interviews acted as a limitation. In the type of research at hand for this project, the discovery of
certain themes or phenomenon will potentially call for the researcher to explore deeper meaning
and gather additional data. This opportunity will be quite limited due to the issue of timelines,
but could encourage continued research in the area of technology integration, professional
development, and improved teacher technology pedagogy.
Delimitations
This study is one of a group of ten thematic case studies. The group executed the design,
and developed the data collection instruments. Each researcher then used the instruments to
conduct and write their individual study at their respective school sites. Qualitative case study
data was collected through the use of surveys, document review, observations, interviews, and
clear protocols. Creswell’s six steps of data analysis provided the researcher with the systematic
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 7
steps needed to make sense of the data collected. Each of the steps will help refine the gathered
information, and move the research closer towards the findings of the study.
Assumptions
The underlying assumption in this study is that the participant school site is actively
integrating technology in the classroom. Research also supports the assumption that the teachers
at the school site have an above average level of technological competence. Lastly, it is assumed
that all participants were honest during interviews and observations.
Definition of Terms
21
st
Century Skills- The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (P 21) has put forth a widely
adopted framework for the definition of 21
st
century skills. The holistic view of the P21
framework places a discrete focus on student outcomes with support from innovative systems to
help students master the required abilities expected of them in the 21
st
century (Taylor & Fratto,
2012).
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)-This refers to a policy that allows students to bring their
own iPad, tablet, or laptop to the classroom to be used during the school day. This policy allows
schools to expand the integration of technology into the curriculum when it is financially
restrictive due to budgetary concerns.
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)- The Common Core is informed by the highest,
most effective standards from states across the United States and countries around the world.
The standards define the knowledge and skills students should gain throughout their K-12
education to graduate high school prepared to succeed in entry-level careers, introductory
academic college courses, and workforce training programs.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 8
Digital Immigrant- A digital immigrant is an individual who was born before the widespread
adoption of digital technology. The term digital immigrant may also apply to individuals who
were born after the spread of digital technology and who were not exposed to it at an early age
(Prensky, 2001).
Digital Native- A digital native is an individual who was born after the widespread adoption of
digital technology (Prensky, 2001).
Educational Technology- The effective use of technological tools in learning. As a concept, it
concerns an array of tools, such as media, machines and networking hardware, as well as
considering theoretical perspectives for their effective application (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-
Leftwich, 2013).
Educreations- A software application used on an iPad or tablet that allows the users to have a
virtual whiteboard. The virtual whiteboard can be recorded so that the writings or drawings and a
verbal record is kept.
NCES- National Center for Education Statistics is where U.S. Department of Education shares
data in all areas of educational importance (NCES, 2010).
NETP- The National Education Technology Plan is a report released every four to six years by
the U.S. Department of Education about the vision and direction for technology implementation
in U.S. schools (NETP, 2010).
Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (P21)- The P21 consortium is an organization formed by
the U.S. Department of Education and eight companies with the interest in infusing 21
st
century
skills into education (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011).
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 9
RAZ Kids- RAZ Kids is a comprehensive leveled digital reading library for students. The
students access the leveled texts through an interactive online learning portal that allows them to
listen, read at their own pace, and record themselves reading.
School Accountability Report Card (SARC)- The SARC is a required document of all public
schools in the State of California by the California Department of Education (CDE). The SARC
is intended to provide the public with important information about each public school and to
articulate the school’s progress in achieving set goals.
Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)-The Single Plan for Student Achievement is a
plan of action required by California Education Code and the federal Elementary and Secondary
Education Act to improve student academic performance by coordinating all educational services
and resources.
Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition (SAMR)- The SAMR Model is a
framework that can be utilized to evaluate technology implementation effectiveness (Romrell,
Kidder, & Wood, 2014). The SAMR model consists of four classifications of technology use
during learning activities: substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition.
Teacher Belief- The term teacher beliefs has been used inconsistently or has been focused on
different belief systems such as teacher expectations of student outcomes, self –efficacy of their
own ability, the belief of specific teaching strategies or content area beliefs to name only a few
(Glassett & Schrum, 2009). For the purposes of this study, the term teacher beliefs will be
focused on technology integration.
Technology Implementation- The process of planning the use of an innovation or technology in
the educational learning environment (Ertmer, 2005).
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 10
Technology Integration- The process of putting an innovation or technology into practice in an
educational learning environment (Ertmer, 2005).
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)- A widely used framework, which
explains the types of knowledge needed by educators for the effective integration of technology
(Voogt, Fisser, Pareja-Roblin, Tondeur, & Van Braak, 2013). The TPACK framework contains
the following components: content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and
technology knowledge (TK).
Transformational Technology- Refers to the technology transforming the learning process for
the student, and often contains some form of higher-order thinking skills. A very simple example
of transformational technology is a student using Google Docs to compose a paper. However,
where Google Docs allows the engagement to become transformational is in its ability to allow
for collaborative writing and editing. This engagement is transformational in that it takes various
elements of the writing process and combines them into one experience, allowing the process to
become collaborative, rather than just an individual experience (Conley, 2014).
Organization of the Dissertation
Chapter one has provided a brief summary of the relevance of the study within the
current context of the educational environment along with a well-described purpose of the study
and the research questions to be answered. Chapter two reviewed the current literature and
research on integrating technology in schools, technology and teacher beliefs, benefits of
technology paired with teaching and learning, access and barriers, professional development and
support, 21
st
century skills, and pedagogical framework. Chapter three provided a clear overview
of the methodology of the study that described the purpose of the study, research design,
sampling and population, data collection, instrumentation, and the process used in the data
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 11
analysis. Chapter four presented the overall findings from the study and analyzed the data as
related to each of the research questions. Chapter five interpreted and summarized the findings
as well as gave ideas for implications and future research.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 12
Chapter Two
Review of the Literature
This chapter presents a review of the literature on the major themes of the study. In this
chapter, the information is organized around the following topics of significance: (a) introduction
of technology in schools, (b) technology and teacher beliefs, (c) benefits of technology paired
with teaching and learning, (d) access and barriers, (e) professional development and support, (f)
21
st
century skills, and (g) pedagogical framework.
Introduction of Technology Integration in Schools
What does technology integration actually mean and what does it look like? Ertmer
(1998) shared an early definition of technology integration focused on having a facility that was
equipped with newer technology. These included computers, laptops, Internet access,
Smartboards, scientific calculators, and the latest software (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2013).
There was very little mention of how that technology would help improve student learning or
change how teachers approached curriculum planning. Ertmer (1998) took it a step further and
determined that technology integration should be more than counting computers in a classroom,
but would be better defined by observing how the technology was used to facilitate teaching and
learning. Belland (2009) defined technology integration as the consistent and ongoing change of
K-12 schools through the adoption of technology that have resulted in students constructing new
knowledge. These definitions facilitated the course of research, which shifted the focus from the
physical technology to teaching and learning in the classroom. Research focuses on how
technology integration supports the creation of new knowledge for teachers and students have
been limited in scope and complexity. An integral component researchers Ertmer and Ottenbreit-
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 13
Leftwich (2013) identified in studies about educators was the connection of teachers’ belief to
the successful integration of technology in the curriculum.
Teacher Beliefs in Connection with Technology Integration
Teachers’ beliefs are regarded as one of the most valuable constructs of the teaching
profession (Ertmer, 2005; Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2013). The study of teacher beliefs has
evolved to understand how beliefs are related to practice (Ertmer, 1998). All teachers have
beliefs about their work, their students, their areas of expertise, and their role with the
organization. According to Kim et al. (2013), teacher beliefs can have a strong relationship to
behaviors and are ultimately exhibited in practice. As an example, teachers who believe that
technology use leads to deeper and greater understanding of the content are more likely to
incorporate additional technology into their lessons than those teachers who see little to no
benefit from the use of technology. Teacher beliefs drive the direction of technology integration
with regard to the instructional development process (Kim et al., 2013).
Before examining teachers’ beliefs, a clear definition must be established to narrow the
scope. The term teacher belief has been used inconsistently or has been focused on different
belief systems such as teacher expectations of student outcomes, self-efficacy of their own
ability, the belief of specific teaching strategies or content area beliefs to name only a few
(Glassett & Schrum, 2009). For the purposes of this literature review, the term teacher beliefs
will be focused on technology implementation and integration.
Ottenbreit-Leftwich et al. (2010) along with Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich et al. (2012)
conducted two similar multiple case studies that began to probe the question related to changing
teacher beliefs to improve teaching practice as it related to the integration of technology.
Teachers’ own beliefs and attitudes about the relevance of technology to students’ learning were
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 14
perceived as having the biggest impact on their success. These two studies briefly discussed how
to change teachers’ beliefs about technology integration and how it has to be closely tied to their
personal desire to improve as a professional, which should ultimately increase student outcomes.
In a study conducted by Kim el al. (2013), the researchers investigated two major areas
under teacher beliefs framework, teacher beliefs about nature of knowledge and learning, and
teacher beliefs about effective ways of teaching. The study included 22 teachers that participated
in the project over a four-year period. The 22 teachers taught in grades K-8 in poorly performing
rural schools in the Southeastern United States. The technologies included laptops, smart boards,
digital cameras, digital recorders, and individual student responders. Teachers also received
intensive weeklong summer professional development as well as on going workshops throughout
the school year. Findings suggested that teacher beliefs strongly correlated to the facilitation of
technology integration. An area that requires further exploration is how to make positive changes
to teachers’ beliefs to enact technology integration that would promote the learning of 21
st

century skills. If the teacher is going to be seen as a facilitator or coach in the new 21
st
century
model, then a systematic ongoing professional development plan is needed to support the
change.
An inclusive study of teacher beliefs would not be complete without seeing the role that
teacher education plays in cultivating preservice teachers' views about education. Funkhouser
and Mouza (2013) investigated entering preservice teachers’ initial beliefs and ideas around the
role that technology has in the teaching and learning of students. The study looked at 48
elementary education majors taking a required introductory educational technology course. The
findings of the study suggested that preservice teachers enter the program with very teacher
centered beliefs about the integration of technology and the role it should play in the classroom
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 15
(Funkhouser & Mouza, 2013). After taking the course, the views shifted from the traditional
teacher centered model to a combination of student centered/teacher centered belief system. The
researchers attributed the changes in teachers’ beliefs about technology integration because of
two factors, meaningful practical hands-on experiences that allowed the preservice teachers to
witness the value of technology for the students and an above average level of computer skills.
Further investigation of the long-term effects that the course had on the teachers’ integration of
technology needs to be studied. When preservice teachers become in-service educators who have
experienced the value of technology integration, the benefits are recognized.
Benefits of Technology Integration
Since the inception of technology in education, the question has been asked about how
technology integration benefits students in a positive way with tangible outcomes. Tamim,
Bernard, Borokhovski, Abrami, & Schmid, (2011) conducted a second order meta-analysis study
that synthesized 40 years of research in the area of the impact of technology on learning. The
study included 25 meta-analyses involving 1,055 primary studies, which included over 100,000
participants. The study set out to address the question whether computer technology use affects
student achievement in informal face-to-face classrooms as compared to classrooms that do not
use technology. According to Tamim et al., (2011), using the second order meta-analysis process
yielded the view that technology is a nice complement to instructional design, pedagogical
approaches, and teacher practices. The researchers also argued that the benefits of technology
outweigh not having technology at all, but that educational technology is not a one size fits all
intervention strategy. Educational technology is a series of broad modalities, tools, and strategies
for learning (Tamim et al., 2011). Ultimately, technology integration effectiveness is hugely
dependent on teacher pedagogy, goals and instruction, teacher effectiveness, and fidelity of
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 16
implementation. It yielded broad generalities over major topics of the benefits of technology
integration, but was lacking in the nuances of how technology use was beneficial to both teachers
and students. It would be useful for future researchers to conduct a case study analysis of how
technology integration would positively benefit the educational program for students. By
conducting a case study analysis that deals with technology implementation, it would assist with
identifying specific benefits for both students and teachers and how those benefits were attained.
In a quasi-experimental research study conducted by Shieh (2012), the impact of how
technology use on both student performance and teachers’ pedagogy was examined. The study
utilized pre-/post tests, interviews, class observations, and the researcher’s journals to reveal that
there was a benefit that the participants gained from the integration of technology into the
innovative instructional practices. The implementation of technology has the potential to
fundamentally change the pedagogical practices of the classroom from a passive learning
environment to a technology enhanced constructivist environment (Inan & Lowther, 2010;
Shieh, 2012).
Labbo and Place (2010) argued that teachers’ use of technology in schools is essential for
transferring technology knowledge to students and fostering digital literacy, innovative thinking,
communications, collaboration, and product production of students in the learning environment.
Darling-Hammond, Zielezinski, and Goldman (2014) described successful approaches with the
use of technology that were applied to at-risk high school students. According to the studies of
the at-risk youth, a benefit of a well-designed technology embedded educational program is that
it can allow students to explore topics from a variety of perspectives. These outcomes can be
utilized with all students in implementing technology into the curriculum, which would allow
students to dive deeper into the curriculum. This is in perfect alignment with the 21
st
century
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 17
skills that are necessary and prescribed by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (Foley,
Khoshaim, Alsaeed, & Er, 2012). In order for students to benefit and attain positive educational
outcomes, educators must address access and barriers associated with technology integration.
Access and Barriers to Technology Integration
Since the inception of technology, educators have struggled to integrate effective
instructional strategies. Ertmer (1998) described two types of barriers that inhibit effective
strategies to take hold, first and second order barriers. Keengwe, Onchwari, and Wachira (2008),
Belland (2009), Collins and Halverson (2010), and An and Reigeluth (2011) refer to these two
types of barriers in their later studies. Teachers have access to increasing amounts of technology
across the country, but the level to which integration is occurring widely differs from classroom
to classroom (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010; Kim et al., 2013).
First-order barriers to technology integration are referred as being extrinsic to teachers,
which include the lack of time to plan their instructional lessons, insufficient and inadequate
technology and software, and insufficient technical and administrative support. In contrast,
second-order barriers are related to intrinsic teacher attributes such as beliefs about teaching,
beliefs about technology, current classroom practices, and their willingness or unwillingness to
change (Ertmer, 1998). There has been much talk about both first and second order barriers;
however, there has been little discussion among the research that has identified the relationship
between first and second order barriers.
Hew and Brush (2007) analyzed 48 previous empirical research studies from 1995 to
2006 and identified six major categories of barriers that K-12 educators face when trying to
integrate technology into the instructional program: (a) resources, (b), knowledge and skills (c)
institution, (d) attitudes and beliefs, (e) assessment, and (f) subject culture. The researchers
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 18
thoroughly dissected each category to gain greater clarity of what was causing the barriers to
technology integration. The researchers described five strategies to overcome the aforementioned
discussed barriers by having a shared vision and technology integration plan, overcoming
scarcity of resources, changing attitudes and beliefs, conducting meaningful professional
development, and reconsidering assessments (Hew & Brush, 2007).
Hew and Brush’s gap analysis provided broad overview to the areas of barriers and
access of technology implementation. Many of the research studies referred in the analysis were
based on self-reported information from the participants. Self-reported data may not give an
accurate account of how teachers’ belief, perceptions, and intentions translate into practice. The
researchers could have chosen studies that triangulated the data to give a closer embodiment of
the educational practice. The studies focused primarily on the teacher and what occurred at the
classroom level. Variables such as the school or the district and how they can be seen as barriers
or points of access for the teacher should be explored. Future research is needed to investigate
how other stakeholders like school and district leaders and community members can influence
technology implementation at the classroom level. Stakeholders also have influence on the
amount and types of professional development support teachers receive.
Support/ Professional Development for Technology Integration
Widespread literature argue that teacher professional development is one of the most
critical elements in ensuring that educators stay current with changes to statewide and national
standards, keep the most updated and new methods of teaching, and fully integrate the newest
technology for student learning (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007; Moore-Hart, 2008; Glassett &
Schrum, 2009; Foley et al., 2012; Ottenbreit-Leftwich et al., 2012). The literature regarding
technology professional development for teacher is limited in scope. The available research
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 19
reveals there are still unidentified effective methods that would shift teacher practice to have the
greatest impact on teaching and learning. According to Lawless and Pellegrino (2007), a focus
on technology professional development and on the integration of technology into instruction as
opposed to learning about technology is dually beneficial for teachers. Professional development,
which is primarily focused on learning about technology, has been identified as ineffective
because “it leads to just the pieces of the puzzle without an effective method to put the puzzle
together” (Koehler, Mishra, Kereluik, Shin, & Graham, 2014, p. 108).
As previously stated, most technology professional development plans are focused on
supporting teachers with skills in how to use a piece of software or hardware package. True high
quality professional development must be designed and centered on fostering the teachers’
abilities to incorporate technology within a pedagogical framework that builds systematics skills
that improve classroom practice (Mouza, 2011). Teachers cannot be expected to learn how to
use educational technology in their teaching after a one-time workshop. Sustained professional
development in the use of the technology assists teachers in their efforts to integrate technology
into the curriculum (Keengwe, Onchwari, & Wachira, 2008). Embedded opportunities for
professional learning and collaborating with colleagues to overcome the barrier of time and
teachers' busy daily schedules are also identified areas of professional development. Skills
training becomes peripheral to alternative forms of ongoing support that addresses a range of
issues, including teachers' changing practices and curriculum, new technologies, and other new
resources, and changing assessment practices (Hutchison & Reinking, 2011). This time spent
ensuring that teachers are using technology to enrich their students' learning experiences is
important in determining the value of technology to their students. Teachers always have been
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 20
the key to determining the impact of innovations, and this situation is also true of technology
(Davis, 2011).
Besides pedagogical support to help students use technology to reach learning goals,
teachers also need time to become familiar with available products, software, online resources,
and time to discuss technology use with other teachers (Foley et al., 2012). Transforming schools
into a 21st century learning community means recognizing that teachers must become members
of a growing network of shared expertise (Taylor & Fratto, 2012). Professional collaboration
includes communicating with educators in similar situations and others who have experience
with technology. This activity can be conducted in face-to-face meetings or by using
synchronous and asynchronous technologies such as e-mail, discussion boards, or
videoconferencing (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007). The effects of introducing technology on
teacher professionalism include increased collaboration among teachers within a school and
increased interaction with external collaborators and other resources (Mueller, Wood,
Willoughby, Ross, & Specht, 2008).
A study conducted by Mouza (2011) investigated technology professional development
for teachers in the urban classroom environment. The qualitative case study identified eight
teachers who had enrolled in and completed a summer technology institute, a technology
professional development that was centered on case development. The process of case
development occurred in two parts; the participants attended a workshop and experienced how
technology could be integrated into their classroom and a weeklong summer institute. The
summer institute consisted of daily meetings with the introduction and demonstration of
computer tools/applications, hands-on and collaborative work, and a discussion of how the
demonstrated applications have implications in the teachers’ classroom context. The study
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 21
followed the eight teachers for five months after the professional development to check the level
of implementation. The results of the study indicated case development allowed the teachers to
focus on pedagogy first instead of the technology as opposed to traditional professional
development (Mouza, 2011).
Limitations in Mouza’s study included: (a) the role of teacher belief and how it played a
part in the success of the study, (b) the teachers who participated in the research self selected
themselves for the professional development and had a predisposition towards technology
integration, and (c) time, as the study was conducted for a short time after attending the
professional development sessions. A longer investigation of the impact the professional
development had on the participants would have yielded better data on the effectiveness of the
relationship between the training and changes in pedagogy. An area of future study should
include developing a system to have continual learning and improvement by those teachers who
have participated in case development. According to Mouza (2011), there are models of
professional development that include a plan for continual learning, but are not fully explained.
21
st
Century Skills
The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (P 21) has put forth the widely adopted framework
for the definition of 21
st
century skills. The holistic view of the P21 framework places a discrete
focus on student outcomes with support from innovative systems to help students master the
required abilities expected of them in the 21
st
century (Taylor & Fratto, 2012). The P21
framework is organized into four distinctive categories: (1) Life and Career Skills; (2) Learning
and Innovative Skills; (3) Information, Media, and Technology Embedded Skills; (4) Core
Subjects and 21
st
Century Themes (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011). Contained within
each category there are specific skills as seen in Table 1.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 22
Table 1
P21 Framework
Category Skills
Life and Career Skills Flexibility and adaptability
Initiative and perseverance
Social and cross-cultural skills
Productivity and accountability
Leadership and responsibility
Learning and Innovation Skills Critical thinking and problem solving
Communication and collaboration
Creativity and innovation
Information, Media, and
Technology Skills
Information literacy
Media literacy
ICT (Information, Communications, and Technology)
literacy
Core Subjects and 21
st
Century
Themes
Global awareness
Financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy
Civic literacy
Environmental literacy
Health literacy
Core subjects (English, World Language, Arts,
Mathematics, Economics, Science, Geography, History,
Government, Civics)

Adapted from P21 Framework Definitions by Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills, 2011
The P21 framework was designed to make the concept of 21
st
century skills much easier
for students, parents, and educators to implement and relate to during daily activities (Taylor &
Fratto, 2012). The P21 framework addresses the knowledge and skills that are necessary for
deeper learning to occur in the classroom (Conley, 2014). In order for students to be considered
21
st
century learners, to be successful, they should have more than content knowledge alone.
Students must be able to draw from and apply knowledge and skills across a wide variety of new
situations with more varied purpose (Conley, 2014). The integration of technology is critical in
the overall scope of the P21 framework.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 23
21
st
century curriculum and instruction. If 21
st
century skills are to become the norm
in the educational system today, there are several factors that must be considered. According to
Trilling and Fadel (2009), to support the implementation of 21
st
century skills, a close inspection
of learning principles, curriculum, and instruction should take place.
As purposed earlier, a major component of 21
st
century skills implementation is
embedding of technology skills into the curriculum. Educators cannot view 21
st
century skills as
one more initiative to fit in their already crowded curriculum. As Taylor and Fratto (2012)
discussed, rather than attempting to get through a great deal of information in a short time,
teachers should focus on how big ideas are interconnected. This would allow for more focused
instruction and more in-depth learning with embedded 21
st
century skills (Taylor & Fratto,
2012). According to P21 (2011), a focused curriculum provides more opportunities to teach for
understanding.
Even with a more focused curriculum, instructional practices must be designed to support
the 21
st
century skills initiative. Trilling and Fadel (2009) identified two simple powerful tools
that can drive 21
st
century education; student created and development of problems and
solutions. The creation of problems lends itself to a process to uncover their answers and is the
crux of where high-level learning takes place. Problems and the inventing of their solutions is
where creativity lies (Trilling & Fadel, 2009). Using these two tools would allow for 21
st
century
skills to be fostered through collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.
When students are introduced to 21
st
century skills, teachers must breakdown the parts into two
basic components, and allow students multiple opportunities for application and practice (Taylor
& Fratto, 2012).
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 24
Similarly, Preus (2012) conducted a qualitative case study to examine how authentic
learning strategies were implemented in a 21
st
century inclusive classroom. The study included
47 hours of classroom observations along with interviews and focus groups. The findings
suggested that in students who were taught metacognitive strategies and how to apply those
strategies, 21
st
century skills naturally emerged (Preus, 2012). Further research is necessary on
how to better prepare educators to use authentic technology embedded instruction that would
lead to the skills necessary for students as they exit the K-12 educational system. Further
research on the connection of fostering highly metacognitive instruction that would allow for
widespread systematic change to occur is essential for 21
st
century skills to become common
practice in schools today.
Barriers to implementation of 21
st
century skills closely parallel the barriers faced in the
integration of technology. The barriers of 21
st
century skills implementation are intrinsic and
extrinsic in nature (Trilling & Fadel, 2009; Taylor & Fratto, 2012). The intrinsic barriers are
barriers that individuals can personally control and are related to teacher beliefs and attitudes.
These limiting beliefs hold back teachers from fully realizing the goals and creating positive 21
st

century educational settings for students (Taylor & Fratto, 2012). Some educators can get caught
up in the negative self-sabotage talk that keeps them resistant to change and allows fear and the
desire to protect oneself from the unknown (Trilling & Fadel, 2009; Taylor & Fratto, 2012).
Extrinsic barriers to 21
st
century skills are related to lack of resources and time (Taylor &
Fratto, 2012). Many schools do not have the funding for everything they need to follow through
with full implementation of a 21
st
century curriculum. The resource of time has more to do with
pedagogy competency than with actual time. Taylor and Fratto (2012) stated the lack of support
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 25
and professional development in the implementation of 21
st
century teaching strategies is more
problematic, because it can lead to wasted time in the classroom.
The common factor with any implementation or change to an organization is to have a
clear whole system approach to the execution (Fullan, 2010). The expected outcome from the
implementation of 21
st
century teaching is worth the system-wide change that must occur for it to
happen with fidelity.
Pedagogy
The implementation of technology in education has the potential to systematically change
how schools are structured (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010; Ertmer et al., 2012). The
traditional educational system has been in place for over a century. While society has been in a
constant state of change, the pedagogy of schools has changed very little. The traditional
lecturing, note taking, and working independently are still commonplace in many classrooms in
America (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2013). Education must keep pace with societal change,
which includes technology integration. Technology integration is essential if we are going to
produce students with the skills necessary to compete in the 21
st
century economy. The
traditional educational system must be replaced with the ability to utilize an infinite variety of
multiple forms of pedagogy (Dhir, Gahwaji, & Nyman, 2013).
Teachers need to develop in young students the skills necessary as prescribed in the P21
framework, which include creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration
(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2011). The educational system that was originally designed
to educate workers for the farm and industrial factories now needs to make a paradigm shift
(Conley, 2014). The shift to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is a step in the direction
that would force educators to embed 21
st
century skills into their teaching practice. As it is
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 26
related to technology integration, most students are digital natives and have grown up with
different forms of technology (Trilling and Fadel, 2009). According to Prensky (2001), digital
natives are individuals who have grown up with a piece of technology in their hands since birth.
These individuals have never known life without technology embedded in most aspects of their
day. Prensky also explains the alternative to digital natives are digital immigrants, who are
individuals who had to make a choice to learn the evolving technology. Many digital immigrant
teachers find it hard to appreciate the skills the digital natives have acquired through daily
interaction and practice with technology.
Unless major advancements occur in the area of pedagogy, the expanded effort and time
spent on technology will produce very little student achievement improvement (Taylor & Fratto,
2012). The evidence is mounting that increased teacher skills and knowledge may be one of the
most important determining factors in increasing student achievement (Ertmer, 2005). The use of
technology for learning in ways that are challenging, meaningful, and relevant require the
rethinking of pedagogy and curriculum development as well as how we use the physical space in
schools (Collins & Halverson, 2010).
Even though students are required to use more forms of technology embedded in their
learning, teachers are still hesitant to fully embrace technology and revise their pedagogy (Hew
& Brush, 2007). There is a need to move away from traditional teacher driven instruction to a
student focused delivery model. Learner Centered Instruction (LCI) is a model that allows
students greater control over their learning, improved critical thinking skills, improved self-
efficacy, and greater self-regulation when integrating technology (An & Reigeluth, 2011).
In alignment with the integration of technology is the gradual release of responsibility
pedagogy framework. The gradual release of responsibility is an instructional framework that
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 27
moves the cognitive load from the teacher as the sole delivery of information, to a joint
student/teacher responsibility, to independent practice, and ultimately student application (Fisher
& Frey, 2014). The early incarnations of the framework left out a key component that is now
found in the latest structure for instruction. The newly added collaborative learning phase allows
for students to engage in the curriculum beyond the four walls of the classroom, which can be
accomplished via the introduction of technology (Fisher & Frey, 2014). Integrating technology
into this framework does not happen overnight, but with ongoing professional development and
sharing of ideas, technology will seamlessly become a structurally embedded element.
The skills required by the gradual release of responsibility pedagogy framework
explicitly connect to the skills necessary to be successful with the CCSS. Educators will be
expected to have deeper learning classrooms that will require students to become full partners in
the learning process (Conley, 2014). These deeper learning classrooms help students make
better connections between what they are learning and how to apply the concepts in every day
situations. Conley (2014) also stated that technological proficiency is a critical learning skill that
students must be able to employ to enhance learning outcomes. Students must think of
technology not in isolation from the learning process, but as an extension of it. Conley (2014)
suggested schools find ways to integrate technology into the learning environment, and more
importantly, learning tasks as frequently as possible so students can have enough experiences
with a wide assortment of technology based learning tools.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 28
Technology Framework
According to Koehler et al. (2014), teachers require an instrument to measure
effectiveness of how technology integration can enhance their proficiency with the seamless
integration of technology into the curriculum. There are different frameworks that help guide and
measure the level of technology implementation. Each framework takes a slightly different
approach to identifying effective technology integration, but they all have common elements
around the level of teacher knowledge needed to integrate technology (Sobel & Grotti, 2013).
The widely used framework is called technology pedagogical content knowledge
(TPACK), which explains the types of knowledge needed by educators for the effective
integration of technology (Voogt, Fisser, Pareja-Roblin, Tondeur, & Van Braak, 2013). The
TPACK framework contains the following components: content knowledge (CK), pedagogical
knowledge (PK), and technology knowledge (TK). When combined, the framework is defined by
the total intersection of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (Koehler et al., 2014). The
important concept to understand when using the TPACK framework is that each separate realm
of knowledge is important unto itself, but the areas of overlap are necessary to fully understand
and explain the teachers' use of technology in the classroom (Sobel & Grotti, 2013).

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 29

Figure 1. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

Figure 1. Schematic drawing of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
that was created by Dr. Matthew, J. Koehler, and Dr. Punya Mishra in 2006 (Koehler et al.,
2014).

The SAMR Model is another framework that can be utilized to evaluate technology
implementation effectiveness (Romrell, Kidder, & Wood, 2014). The SAMR model consists of
four classifications of technology use during learning activities: substitution, augmentation,
modification, and redefinition. Activities are classified as enhanced learning when they fall
within the substitution and augmentation classifications, while transformative learning occurs
when they fall within the modification and redefinition classifications (Puentedura, 2013).
According to Puentedura (2013), the SAMR model will lend itself to having educators start with
substitution and augmentation of their current practice, because it is what they are comfortable
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 30
doing. As educators become more adept at using the technology, they can move their practice to
modification and redefinition where truly transformative practices occur.
Figure 2. The SAMR Model

Figure 2. Charting showing a visual representation of the Substitution Augmentation
Modification Redefinition (SAMR) Model (Puentedura, 2013).

Summary
This chapter provided a review that has encompassed the following topics: (a)
introduction of technology in schools, (b) technology and teacher beliefs, (c) benefits of
technology paired with teaching and learning, (d) access and barriers, (e) professional
development and support, (f) 21
st
century skills, and (g) pedagogical framework. The literature
emphasized the importance teacher beliefs and the role the ongoing professional development
has in the effective integration of technology in the learning process. Ultimately, it is imperative
that technology integration occurs in the learning process for students to be prepared for a wider
variety of college and career experiences.
The chapter concluded with a review of the literature regarding pedagogy and
technological frameworks. The literature is consistent in that technology integration is vitally
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 31
necessary to the success of students reaching a deeper level of learning, which should assist in
the students becoming college and career ready.
After reviewing the literature, there were areas that still need to be studied and explored.
This review provided a foundation for the study and perhaps enhances and expands the
knowledge of the reader. The study will focus on the gaps in the research around how
educational technology is actively being integrated and implemented into the curriculum and
instruction.
This study can add to the K-12 educational technology literature significant in numerous
ways. Educators can use information to increase technology use in the classroom; they can use
this research to implement innovative teaching strategies, and integrate 21st century skills into
the curriculum. Educational leaders and teachers can use the study to assess the importance of
technology use and how it can assist in increasing student achievement. Lastly, educational
leaders can use the information to create innovative professional development to encourage
teachers to use and develop lessons that incorporate technology into the teaching and learning
aspects of the curriculum.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 32
Chapter Three
Methodology
Introduction
This chapter describes the purpose of the study, research design, sampling and
population, data collection, instrumentation, and process used in the data analysis. The purpose
of this study is to truly investigate the dynamics of instructional practices in a K-12 school that is
actively integrating and implementing technology into the curriculum and instruction.
Perceptions, observations, and data collection of teaching practices and procedures of teachers
and administrative staff were explored with the intentions of identifying comprehensive
approaches to technology integration. Additionally, a clear pedagogical vision for the
implementation of educational technology needed to be identified as the principles that guided
the use of technology for teaching and learning. Finally, an investigation of the teachers’ level of
technology integration was explored using the TPACK and SAMR models. The research
questions aimed to encompass the direction of the study and to assist in establishing a template
for other researchers to follow. With this direction, it was hoped that consistent themes emerged
across multiple studies over two years within the research of the thematic dissertation process,
and in turn, enhanced the importance and generalizability of this research.
Research Questions
Utilizing the thematic dissertation process, a team of 10 doctoral students under the
direction of the dissertation chairperson developed the research questions over the course of the
2014 fall semester. The thematic dissertation group examined four central questions to guide the
inquiry.
1. How do educators at “Tech School” integrate technology to support student learning?
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 33
2. To what factors do educators at “Tech School” attribute their knowledge of
instructional technology skills and pedagogy to use technology as an instructional
tool?
3. In what ways are educators at “Tech School” provided support for technology
integration and implementation?
4. What are educators’ beliefs about technology integration and implementation at
“Tech School”?
Research Design
This study used a qualitative case study design to explore technology integration.
According to Merriam (2009), a qualitative research study strives to focus on meaning,
understanding, process, and is grounded in collecting data in the field where the phenomenon
emerges. The goal of a qualitative study is to discover and describe a phenomenon. The
qualitative method also uses inductive analysis from the bottom up to create an organized set of
themes (Creswell, 2014). In search for meaningful and applicable data from this study, the
qualitative method that provides the best fit is the case study. The purpose of this study is to
investigate the dynamics of instructional practices in a K-12 schools that is actively integrating
and implementing technology into the curriculum and instruction. The use of surveys, document
review, observations, interviews, and clear protocols complemented one another in collecting
information within the scope of the research questions.
Research Population and Sample
The dissertation team developed a set of criteria for selecting the schools for the study.
Purposeful sampling for both the participants and school site was conducted for the case study.
The dissertation group took great care in designing the school site criteria, identifying specific
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 34
characteristics of technology embedded curriculum. The school site for the study had to be
public, private, or charter school operating in a K-12 system. The school also had to have a
technology claim that it is actively implementing instructional technology in a significant way.
Lastly, the vision, mission, school profile, and/or principal’s message must demonstrate that the
site embraces instructional technology along with evidence of achievement.
The research population for this case study focused a single elementary school located in
the Los Angeles County that met the school selection criteria. Tech Elementary School is a
public school serving 455 students in grades TK-5. The school is part of a K-8 district consisting
of nine elementary and two middle schools and serves over 6600 students. The K-8 district feeds
into a large urban union high school district in East Los Angeles County area. Tech Elementary
School has a vision, mission statement, and principal’s message that proclaims rigorous
academic standards and high expectations form the foundation for quality instruction that
continues to increase student achievement through the use of technology.
The students at Tech Elementary School in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, first
and second grade use iPads in a shared two to one model. The third grade and fourth students
have transitioned to a one to one iPad program. All fifth grade students participate in a one to
one laptop program. Tech Elementary School’s one to one technology program initiative is
recognized as an Apple Distinguished Program.
Tech Elementary School serves a student body that mirrors the socioeconomic and ethnic
diversity of the local community. The ethnicity and subgroup breakdown for Tech Elementary
School is listed in tables 2 and 3.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 35
Table 2
Tech Elementary School Ethnicity Information
Demographic Information Percentage of the Population
Hispanic/Latino 94.9
White 3.8
Other 1.3
Note. School Enrollment is 455 Students

Table 3
Tech Elementary School Subgroup Information
Subgroup Information Percentage of the Population
English Learners (ELs) 17.5
Reclassified Fluent-Proficient (RFEP) 7.3
Students With Disabilities 5.2
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged 63.9
Note. School Enrollment is 455 Students
According to Creswell (2014), the idea behind qualitative research is to select purposeful
participants and sites that will best assist the researcher to explore the problem and the research
questions. Specifically, network sampling was used for this study due to the limited number of
technology based school sites. Administrators and teachers were used as subjects in the study.
Within the study, significant attention was given to ensure that an average cross-section of
teachers was selected as to not create extreme variations from the norm.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 36
Access/Entry
Initially, the principal of Tech Elementary School was contacted via a letter inviting the
school to participate in the study. The letter explained the nature and purpose of the research,
confidentiality, procedures, and the researcher’s educational affiliation. Follow-up discussions
with the principal were conducted to clearly define outcomes and to set up a face-to-face
meeting. During the meeting, both verbal and written consent was obtained from the principal of
Tech Elementary School. The details were arranged on gaining access to the campus for the data
collection process. The office staff were made aware of the observations, dates, and times to
avoid any potential problems during the actual data collection visitation. It was made known that
at least five interviews, a staff survey, document review, and multiple observations were needed
to complete the study.
A straightforward process was used to obtain consent from the interview participants.
The principal compiled a list of teachers that she felt met the criteria for the scope of the study.
The principal based the decision on past observations and teacher interactions. From the
provided list, contact was made via email and the list was narrowed down to teachers willing to
participate. A mutually agreed upon time was set to have an initial phone conversation with the
participants. During the phone conversation, a verbal consent by each of the participants was
obtained to participate in the study.
Instrumentation
Through the thematic dissertation process, group members developed the data collection
instruments for each of the research questions. The group developed interview questions, survey
question, observation protocol, and document collection protocol. The group consisted of ten
Ed.D candidates divided into three groups. These instruments were developed through
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 37
conversation and collaboration among group members under the supervision of the dissertation
chair during the fall and spring semesters of 2014.
The interview and survey questions and protocols were developed in small sub groups,
and then were modified and adjusted by the entire thematic group. The questions were designed
to evoke the most in-depth and thought provoking answers to the study’s four research questions.
The interview and survey questions were also organized by their corresponding research question
in order to assist in the analysis process. There were 22 interview questions; five or six questions
aligned to each of the research questions. Time was allowed for follow up questions to gain
complete clarity of the participants’ responses. The teacher technology survey was based on a
four point scaled response. The areas included in the survey were demographic information,
student learning, technology skills, and technology beliefs. Each area was designed to gain
background knowledge of the teachers’ technology proficiency at the study site. The survey and
interview questions have some limitations. The information provided was indirect through the
filter of the participants, taking the subjects out of their natural setting, with not all participants
being equally insightful and communicative, and the researcher’s presence potentially biasing the
responses.
For the observations, a basic protocol was used to capture the data in real time. Special
attention was given to the physical setting, the participants, the activities, and interactions, the
conversations, and the small nuances of the entire environment. According to Merriam (2009),
each observation has its own rhythm and flow that must be observed. The rationale for a
structured protocol was to ensure that maximum data was gathered in the short time and was
related to the research questions and purpose. Without a structured observation protocol, it
would be very easy to get off topic and not collect the information needed to produce a high
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 38
quality study. As with interviews and surveys, there are also limitations to the observation
process. The researcher may be seen as intrusive, the subject may alter their normal activity and
therefore accurate information might not be observed, or the researcher may not have good
observation skills.
The observation protocol is a multipage document that was formatted into a table. The
first page listed the pertinent information of the observation and had space to write an overview
summary. The next section of the observation protocol has room to describe the physical space
including the participants that were present. The last portion of the protocol allowed space for a
drawing of the classroom to capture the arrangement and distribution of the student desks,
teacher desk, LCD projector and screen, the location of computer carts, and location of staff and
students throughout the lessons.
Data Collection
The data collection took place at the Tech Elementary School site over a six-day period
during the month of October. The researcher spent the full school day at the study site collecting
data using the reported methods. The data collection instruments that were used during the case
study include interviews, written surveys, document reviews, and observations. By utilizing a
variety of collection strategies and research methods, it provided a comprehensive account of
how technology integration can promote sound pedagogical teacher practice that can generate
positive results for students.
The relationship between research questions and data collection methods is paramount.
Special care was taken not to operationalize the research questions into interview questions. The
purpose of an interview question is to gain insight and explore the topic. The interview should
move from generalized or abstract questions to more specific questions to elicit targeted
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 39
responses (Maxwell, 2013). A balance between observations and interviews occurred in order to
gain a complete and true picture of the phenomenon. Creswell (2014) stated that even though
interviews and observations are powerful tools, people respond differently when they are the
center of attention.
The rationale behind the structure of the interview protocol was grounded with the idea of
being highly structured. The interview needed to capture as much data information as possible in
a short amount of time and having a highly structured interview protocol insured this occurred.
The interview protocol had a list of predetermined questions in a specific order. During the
actual face-to-face interview, written consent was granted during the introductory portion of the
interview protocol. The participants were told that their participation in the interview was
completely voluntary. The participants were also instructed that if at any time they needed to
stop or take a break, all they had to do is ask. The participants were informed they could
withdraw their participation at any time without consequence. After all the instructions were
given, the participants were asked for their permission to begin the interview. Time constraints
were also a factor in determining how tight and structured the interview had to be. Each
interview lasted less than 45 minutes and was recorded with consent of the participants. The
interviews were conducted during the teachers’ normal school day. The principal arranged for
release time for each of the participating teachers meet. The interviews took place in the
principal’s office space to provide sufficient privacy. The interview recordings were also
transcribed and a copy was sent to the participants to ensure accuracy and to correct or clarify
any of their responses.
The observations were captured over the course of the six days during the onsite visit.
Each classroom observation lasted a class lesson, which varied from 60 to 90 minutes in
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 40
duration. The observation protocol guided the collection of the data. During the observation,
extreme care was taken to not interfere with the flow of the class. The observation protocol
assisted the study by keeping the researcher free and clear of lesson implementation. Each of the
observed classrooms had access to a variety of technology teachers used in the classroom in
unique ways. There were teachers at various levels of technology integration and
implementation. Having varied levels of teacher comfort with technology and implementation
helped gain a clearer understanding of how teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, and skills were
affecting outcomes in the classroom. Observations were also conducted during entire school
staff meetings as well as department level meetings. By observing a variety of staff meetings, a
sense of the overall level of technology support and implementation was identified.
Validity and Reliability
Researchers are concerned with producing reliable and valid knowledge in an ethical
manner (Merriam, 2009). For the research to someday be used in a teacher’s professional
practice, it is vitally important the results can be trusted. Merriam (2009) states trustworthiness
only exists when there has been a high level of rigor carrying out the study. The use of surveys,
interviews, observations, and document reviews are widely used techniques in education and
behavioral sciences for the collection of data (Creswell, 2014). The use of multiple data
collection methods allowed the data results to be triangulated, which will be used to build logical
justification for themes and assist in validating the research.
To test content validity of the data collection methods, the researcher shared the research
questions, interview questions, survey questions, observation protocol, and document review
protocol with a panel consisting of three members:
1. Ben Carpenter, Ed.D., high school principal
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 41
2. Carlos Perez, Ed.D., high school assistant principal
3. John Bautista, English teacher and technology coach
The three consultants checked each of the data methods for clarity and the instruments’
overall relevance to the study’s research questions. The feedback from the expert panel was
utilized to give input and assisted in modifying the instruments for the entire cohort. The data
collected from the multiple methods was used in the data analysis process and then in the finding
of the study.
Data Analysis
The researcher provided a text rich account of the collected data and the school setting
where the study took place. Creswell (2014) provided a clear and sound approach to data
analysis as it related to this study. Creswell’s six steps of data analysis will provide the
researcher with the systematic steps needed to make sense of the data collected. Each of the
steps helped refine the gathered information, and moved the research closer towards the findings
of the study.
Step one was the organization and preparation of the data. This involved a variety of
activities to process the raw data into information that was logical and reviewable. Step two was
to look at and read all the data to gain a holistic view and begin to make overall reflections of the
information collected. Step three brought a deeper focus to the data. Creswell (2014, p. 198)
used the term “en vivo” to describe how the data is chunked into broad areas that are given a
common title. The literature review assisted in establishing themes and categories from the
collected data. The data was collected and analyzed from the teacher technology surveys,
interviews, observations, and document reviews. The coded information of the collected data
lead to step four of the process, which described the events, people, and physical setting of the
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 42
school site. The process provided the reader with a rich descriptive depiction of the study as a
whole as well as an understanding of the coded themes and recognized phenomenon specific to
the school studied. The themes were supported by contextual evidence that was triangulated
within the raw data across the multiple collection methods. Step five allowed the researcher to a
synthesis in narrative form of the now clearly identified themes. This provided a clearer idea of
how the emerged themes were connected and gave an explanation from the researcher how
conclusions were reached. Finally, Creswell’s sixth step of the process consisted of making
meaning and interpreting the data. The researcher explained what new knowledge was gained
from the study, how the findings compare to similar studies, how the findings were in opposition
from others studies, and how the information will influence future research.
Summary
The purpose of the study, research questions, and rationale for the research design were
described in chapter three. Further, the research population and sampling, data collection,
instrumentation, and process used in the data analysis were also explained. Chapter four will
include the analysis and discussion of the data collected as well as key findings and themes. The
summary of the findings along with recommendations for future research will be covered in
chapter five.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 43
Chapter Four
The Findings
Introduction
This case study was part of a 10-person thematic dissertation team established at the
University of Southern California. The study was designed to investigate the dynamics of a K-12
school that is actively integrating and implementing technology in curriculum and instruction.
The dissertation team designed the school site criteria by identifying specific characteristics of
technology embedded curriculum. The school site for the study had to be public, private, or
charter school operating in a K-12 system. The school also had to have a technology claim that it
is actively implementing instructional technology in a significant way. Lastly, the school’s
vision, mission, profile, and principal’s message must demonstrate that the site embraced
instructional technology along with evidence of achievement. Chapter four includes the results of
the data collected for analysis.
Tech Elementary School stands as an educational organization that is multidimensional in
nature and full of rich and pertinent information that lends insight into the potential connections
of schools that actively integrate technology into the curriculum and instruction. Through the use
of a variety of data collection instruments, information was gathered that included
documentation, observations, and perceptions of the school by staff members generated through
a survey and interviews. This chapter presents this information using a narrative approach that
was the personal account of the researcher. While this was uniquely a case study of one
elementary school, it was the aspiration that the findings discussed in this chapter provided
beneficial information for similar research and was regarded in the spirit of improving the
educational practice through the reader’s own interpretation.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 44
Process
In this case study, I was able to generate data using four different methods. Various site
and district level documents were reviewed for direct and indirect implications on various
aspects of technology integration into schools, and more specifically, the curriculum and
instructional practices. I was able to get a clear idea of the school culture of Tech Elementary
School through observing the general day-to-day operations of the site, both in and out of the
classroom through onsite visits. Five staff members engaged in a one on one interview,
responding to a group of questions established by the dissertation group in an interview protocol.
Finally, a survey was administered to the teaching staff, which generated an initial image of Tech
Elementary School. These results were dissected in detail later in the chapter.
During my campus visits, I was afforded the opportunity to go in and out of various
classrooms and staff meetings. These encounters allowed me to witness a wide variety of
educational and non-educational interactions. This process also lent itself to the peeling away of
the layers to reveal the true story of Tech Elementary School. Driving by Tech Elementary
School, it would appear to be a school that is set in a suburban setting with the rolling hills and
hiking trails that are located within eyeshot to the main entrance. While on the Tech Elementary
School campus, a park like feeling can be felt with the mature trees and rolling grass covered
fields backing up to the playground area of the school. This is in stark opposition to what can be
found by driving a couple of minutes in either direction of the school. Within a two-minute drive
from Tech Elementary School, you can find yourself in the middle of a typical urban
neighborhood crossing numerous railroad tracks with blocks of large industrial buildings,
houses, apartments, and retail stores. A notable landmark that is within walking distance of the
school campus is one of the county’s largest cemeteries, which adds to the serene park like
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 45
setting. One of the county’s community colleges is also located within a three-minute drive of
Tech Elementary School.
Summary of Document Review
There were several documents used to explore the research questions of this case study
using a document analysis template. The documents reviewed showed significant insight into
the focus of Tech Elementary School. Initially, website documents were investigated to begin
the collection of information on the official public persona of Tech Elementary School. To
obtain a clear understanding of the level of technology integration in the curriculum, I took the
opportunity to investigate the school’s vision and mission statements. The vision and mission
statements unmistakably established the expectations in relationship to technology integration.
The School Accountability Report Card (SARC) report was reviewed to establish a more in-
depth understanding of the educational programs at Tech Elementary School. Data from the
SARC was gathered with respect to number of students and staff, size and location of the
campus, and state test scores. Once on-site, classroom level documents were examined to help
round out the sources used for the document review. The school’s leadership team along with the
school community generated the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) to meet the needs
of the student population and the plan to meet the specific needs. These documents did not
address all of the specifics of technology integration, but they did outline the some of the fiscal
and professional development plans for the school.
The SPSA defined how money would be allocated to technology in terms of purchases of
equipment, applications, repairs and upkeep, and training. This document illuminated the focus
for the professional development of the staff. It provided a list of the types of training required
to meet the needs of the staff members. As with many Single Plans for Student Achievement,
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 46
this document was created and revised by the leadership team, teachers, parents, classified staff,
site administration, district administration, and students. The SPSA stated that Tech Elementary
School strives to function as a Professional Learning Community (PLC). Teachers come together
to meet weekly to improve and develop their instructional plans to meet the needs of our diverse
learners. The focus of the PLCs at Tech Elementary School was the implementation of the
Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and to refine their technology integration practices.
School-wide technology integration is concentrated around the research of Dr. Ruben
Puentedura’s SAMR model. Teachers spent time learning together how to best implement the
use of technology into the curriculum, while utilizing best instructional pedagogy.
Summary of the Observations
While school was in session, the Tech Elementary School campus was quiet and orderly,
with the occasional sound of teachers directing students as they moved about the campus. The
leadership at the campus displayed typical varieties of elementary school posters that promoted a
positive character counts program, healthy eating habits, and during the week of the visit a
campaign to live your life drug free. A large emphasis on creating a college going atmosphere
was also seen throughout the campus with numerous college banners hanging from the ceilings
in the hallways. Each classroom adopted a specific college and posted information about that
school throughout the room. The school’s commitment to technology was clearly visible by the
large murals of technological devices painted on the school walls and handball courts. One of the
handball courts was painted as an Apple MacBook laptop with details down to the letters and
symbols on the keyboard. You could decipher that Apple products had an enormous footprint at
Tech Elementary School.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 47
Parent communication was also integrated with the use of technology, which could be
seen throughout the campus. Many flyers of upcoming school and community events were
located at the main entrance for parents and visitors to read. In addition to having the information
about upcoming events on the flyers, the administration gave multiple electronic options for
parents to interact and gain information about the school. Tech Elementary School has a newer
electronic marquee that is visible from the main road. The flyers listed the typical online means
to communicate like the school website, Facebook, Instagram, and Remind App links, but what
stood out was an innovative application called Sangha. Tech Elementary School is one of only a
handful of schools in the country that are utilizing Sangha as a communication tool. Sangha is an
interactive communication management application that creates and shares events, tasks,
volunteer requests, and messages.
As I entered each room, it was observable that the same collection of core devices was
allocated for each of the classrooms. Each classroom included a 65 inch LED television that was
connected to Apple TV, ceiling mounted LCD projector, interactive whiteboard, document
camera, printer, surround sound, classroom set of iPads, teacher iPad, and teacher laptop. It was
clearly evident that great care was taken in making sure that all classrooms had the necessary
devices available and working daily. It was also unmistakable by the school wide classroom
posters that great effort was made to ensure that all students understood the expectations of
caring for their devices. The iPads were wrapped in child-friendly foam cases to prevent damage
from a drop or fall. The devices were stored in powered caddies that charged the iPads at the
individual student desks waiting to be used at any time of the day.
Using the observation protocol, there were samples of effective practice evident in all
rooms observed. Posters emphasizing the growth mindset were present in the observed
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 48
classrooms. Students were afforded the opportunity to have lessons modeled and demonstrated;
time for structured academic talks by students was allocated; connections were made with the
prior knowledge; guided practice sessions were conducted; advanced organizers were used; high
use of academic vocabulary was evident, and the use of nonlinguistic representation to show
understanding of key concepts was adopted. Students were grouped in a multitude of
configurations throughout the observed time at Tech Elementary School. Students were allowed
to work in pairs, small cooperative groups, individually, and as a whole class group. The level of
student engagement was highly active with students involved in rigorous levels of instruction
using Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels three and four. Students were also given the
opportunity to generate and test hypothesis using their one to one devices. It was also evident
that these effective practices were in place regardless of the amount of technology integration at
Tech Elementary School. Some students needed redirection to maintain their academic focus, but
it was minimal.
In one lower grade classroom, the teacher used the iPad mirrored to the LCD television
for visual cues and reminders for the students to remain on their tasks. This classroom also
employed the use of audio microphone to monitor and visually show the noise level of the class
through an application called “Too Noisy Pro”. As the noise level increased, the visual cues
began to rise and the students started to refocus back to their assignment. This tool was linked
into the positive behavior points used by the teacher and as the students met milestones
throughout the lesson, the more table points they received. Technology was directly used to help
with classroom management as well as to enhance and transform the academic experience. The
students moved from activity to activity by watching the visual agenda on the LCD television. In
this classroom, there were no volunteers or aides of any kind. A term that was heard throughout
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 49
the observation by the teacher was, “chin your apple”. When the teacher made this statement, the
students placed their iPads under their chins with the back of the device and the Apple logo
facing up. The teacher used this strategy as a way to regain focus of the students while giving
new directions.
In an upper grade classroom, the teacher had 35 students, all with iPads. This teacher
also used an application to monitor the student noise level, which was tied to classroom behavior
points. During the observation, the students worked in whole group, small groups, with partners,
and individually both with and without the use of technology. During a portion of the math
lesson, the students used an application titled “Educreations” to record their written and verbal
responses to three math problems. When the students finished the recordings, they submitted the
file to the teacher for review. While the students were working, the teacher moved around the
room to check on student progress. The teacher helped one student access a particular
application, reviewed a groups submission on her iPad and sent a written response, and answered
a group’s question about one of the problems. The device helped the teacher get to more students
in a very short amount of time. The technology integration appeared to be seamless with very
little down or lost time waiting for students to turn in responses. The feedback to students was in
real time, which allowed students to progress at their own pace.
During another observation in a third grade classroom, an art lesson was being taught.
The students all had their iPad devices out as well as art supplies. The students were studying the
artwork of Vincent van Gogh. The teacher used his iPad mirrored to the LCD television to show
samples of Van Gogh’s art. The teacher then sent a document to all the students’ iPads with a
series of websites he wanted the students to view. The students spent the next 20 minutes
reviewing and studying various pieces of Vincent van Gogh’s work in detail. The teacher guided
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 50
the students through a directed art assignment of one of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings. The
students used their iPads with the stylus to practice the painting style before moving on to the use
of pastels and paper.
The classrooms that were visited were all at different stages of implementation of
technology. Some teachers were extremely confident with the technology and it showed in the
level of integration into all aspects of their teaching. Other teachers were in the beginning stages
of integrating technology. The difference between the teachers was concerning where they fell
on the SAMR model level of integration. The beginning teachers were working in the
substitution and augmentation stages, while the more experienced teachers fell in the
modification and redefinition levels of the model. Even though not all classrooms were
transformational with the types of technology integration, they all used technology to improve
their practice and were on a trajectory to move beyond the enhancement level.
Summary of Interviews
The interviews were structured using the interview protocol, which was centered around
the four research questions. Each one of the research questions had five or six specific interview
questions that were focused on the specific topic. The interview process helped to identify
themes that were connected to the document review, observations, and the survey. During this
process, the principal was interviewed along with four other teachers. The interviewed teachers
included two teachers who have taught for 6-15 years, one teacher who was in the third year of
her career, and another teacher who has been teaching for 22 years. The teacher interview
candidates were distributed among lower and upper grade levels. The interview findings were
grouped using the established research questions as a template for the discussion.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 51
Research Question 1: How do educators at Tech Elementary School integrate technology to
support student learning?
The purpose of these series of interview questions were to allow the teachers the
opportunity to explain how technology was integrated into their classrooms. The interview
responses shed light on the types of activities, strategies, and applications present at Tech
Elementary School.
The team of teachers interviewed for the study were distinctly able to articulate the
different types of technology integrated into their classrooms. It was evident that deep thought
and planning went into the types of activities, strategies, applications, and technology hardware
integrated into the classroom. A veteran third-grade teacher shared, “the school is shifting from a
laptop program to an iPad one-to-one program. We also started to allow students to BYOD or
bringing your own devices. We spend the first trimester of the year on the proper use and care of
the devices.” A fifth-grade teacher explained that she uses technology in her class every day. She
also stated, “Technology is definitely a large part of the entire day, especially when I’m teaching
math. I personally use the iPad to mirror it on the TV to teach the lessons using the Educreation
software. The students use the same software to record themselves solving specific math
problems.” She also added, “The Educreation software is a screen cast showing them doing the
work with a student recording of their thought process on how they are solving the problem. I
find it very beneficial in being able to really dive into their thinking.” A newer third-grade
teacher communicated, “we use the iPads for Language Arts. The students use the reading
program Raz Kids to do the reading and then they take their accountability quiz about the
reading right on the same device.” In math, the teacher shared they use Educreation as a kind of
interactive whiteboard on the iPad. The teacher went on to assert, “I will give them a problem to
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 52
do and they can record themselves explaining how they solved the problem. With the Common
Core State Standards having a really big push on literacy and communication, it is important that
our students have the opportunity to share their learning.”
Research Question 2: What factors do educators attribute their knowledge of skills and
pedagogy to utilize technology as an instructional tool?
This set of interview questions tried to elicit the background knowledge of the teaching
staff around technology. The questions also set to investigate the thought process behind how
choices were made with regard to technology integration.
The teachers seemed to have an understanding of their level of technology use and to
increase the extent of integrating technology into their practice. A newer fourth grade teacher
shared, “Honestly, throughout my college experience I had to explore various strategies and
lessons during my student teaching. Technology was not that big of a focus in my training when
I started, so I really had to come into Tech Elementary School with some background because of
the levels of technology integration.” The teacher added, “I could do the basics Google, Gmail,
and a few other web based sites, but I needed training and support on specific apps used here at
Tech Elementary School.” She described how quickly she had to learn the apps to keep up with
the direction of the school and that pushed her to improve all aspects of her professional practice.
During the interview with the veteran third grade teacher, a more holistic picture started
to appear on how Tech Elementary School really pushed the envelope in terms of technology
integration. The veteran teacher explained, “I have been here at Tech Elementary School from
the beginning of the one to one laptop program. My partner teacher who has since passed away
got me extremely excited about the possibilities of integrating technology into my teaching. He
motivated me enough for me to get my Masters in educational technology and that is where my
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 53
background has come from in terms of outside learning. I have been able to learn and grow over
the past five years of having a one to one classroom, which keeps me always striving to learn as
much as possible.” This teacher has been a very strong anchor within Tech Elementary School
when it comes to the continual implementation of technology integration. The perspective that
he took on determining the types of technology or applications to use is wholly based on how
that piece of technology is going to transform the learning and standards for students. The
teacher stated that the school recently switched over to the SAMR model to help evaluate the
effectiveness of the technology implementation. He also added that during their professional
development, time was dedicated to understanding the SAMR framework. The principal had sent
three teachers to a training by Dr. Puentedura, the creator of the SAMR model. He shared “that
was one of the most eye-opening trainings I have attended. I am truly blessed to have a principal
that is willing to take a risk on innovative practices. It has allowed me to really take my teaching
and the incorporation of technology to a new level.” The teacher also commented that in the
beginning, the majority of technology integration was stuck on the substitution and augmentation
levels of the SAMR model, but recently, he has really pushed his pedagogy to the modification
and redefinition levels. Lastly he stated, “I’m excited about where we are headed in terms of our
implementation and integration of technology.”
The other third-grade teacher had a different experience when he started at Tech
Elementary School. He stated, “Before I came to Tech Elementary I was at a school that did not
use much technology at all. We were lucky if we had a document camera. So when I came here
to Tech Elementary School I was very apprehensive because I did not feel I have the technical
skills to use the technology. To be honest I was scared.” He further stated that he was lucky to
have a grade level team member who was the resident expert. Having the mentor completely
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 54
changed how he felt towards the use of technology in his classroom. The teacher expressed that
when it came to choosing how and what technology to use, he listens to other staff members
share their experiences about new applications and then takes time to reflect on how it can be
incorporated into his personal practice. From that point, it is trial and error until he finds
something that fits his style of teaching and will enhance the learning experience for his students.
Research Question 3: In what ways are educators at Tech Elementary School provided support
for the technology integration and implementation?
A large area of concern that many previous research studies have identified as a problem
area was with the amount of support required for new technology. The series of interview
questions were targeted to find out if teachers were supported and more specifically in what
ways at Tech Elementary School. One teacher noted, “with technology there are always snafus
here and there”. He went on to add, “the district technology lead gives us tips on how to
troubleshoot problems”. Another teacher shared, “We have monthly tech training, which helps us
with the new applications we are using or time to discuss technical problems we are having with
hardware”. The principal shared that she is not the expert when it comes to all things related to
technology integration, but relies on the expertise of her teachers to share their knowledge about
best practices. A teacher commented, “It is really nice to be the trainer from time to time because
it forces me to master something and become an expert, which in turn helps my students”. One
of the teachers described how Tech Elementary School has a technical clerk that can be called on
to solve specific technical issues. She also explained how the school has loaner devices to use
until the problem could be fixed, which usually takes a day for most problems. An area when it
comes to getting support is making sure you are planning far enough ahead to foresee any issues
that might impede the implementation of technology into the curriculum. She also stated you
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 55
must be one step ahead so you do not lose important instructional time, because of technical
obstacles. One area that all of the teachers said is an issue from time to time is internet
connectivity. When the network goes down district wide, they fall back to a more traditional
style of teaching, but still remain true to their mission of technology integration. One teacher
shared, “a lot of times you just kind of adjust the schedule because you know that the internet
will work later on and we can come back to this activity.”
Research Question 4: What are educators’ beliefs about technology integration and
implementation at Tech Elementary School?
Teacher beliefs are important to how well technology integration is incorporated into a
school’s culture. The last series of questions hoped to see what types of beliefs the teachers at
Tech Elementary School had about technology integration. One teacher shared, “I think in
today’s world, technology is hyper important. I know it can take over our lives sometimes but it
is an important skill that all our students need for college and career readiness.” She also added,
“technology is not meant to replace good quality and structure, but is meant to enhance and
transform the learning experiences of my students.” Another teacher had a different view on
technology integration in the classroom. He stated, “I think technology is a double-edged sword.
There are great parts of it that really enhance education, but we cannot just rely on technology
itself. There is a time and place for technology, but it must be purposeful”. Yet another teacher
disclosed, “I think technology is essential and I enjoy teaching with it because it allows students
to create and unlock things you would not get with paper and pencil alone. The key is to have
time to collaborate with my colleagues so we can get the most out of our students”.
The teachers shared advice on how to get started with technology integration in the
classroom. One teacher explained that technology can be overwhelming in the beginning and to
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 56
combat that sense of fear you might have, you should pick one thing and get really good at it
before tackling multiple applications or devices. One teacher stated, “using a framework like the
SAMR or TPACK model creates a roadmap that allows you to get comfortable with integrating
technology into your lessons”. Another teacher’s biggest piece of advice was to practice and try
everything by yourself before rolling it out to students. He explained that you must understand
that you will encounter some obstacles, but with practice and time you will be able to teach your
students how to solve and overcome the conflicts that might arise. He explained that technology
integration is not easy, but the payoffs you get with the enhanced and transformed educational
experiences for students are well worth the time and effort.
Summary of the Survey
The survey was prepared with the five areas of focus that included demographic
information, student learning, technology skills, technology support, and technology beliefs. The
responses were recorded across a four point Likert scale that assigned a response of Rarely or
Never (R/N), Sometimes (S), Most of the Time (MT), and Almost Always (AA). The responses
for technology beliefs focus area were assigned a response of Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree
(D), Agree (A), and Strongly Agree (SA). The responses for demographic information were also
recorded across a four-point Likert scale that assigned a response of 0-5 Years, 6-15 Years, 16-
25 Years, and 26+ Years. The responses of the survey are reflected in the percentage in Table 4
below.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 57
Table 4. Survey responses shown in percentages.
N=16
Topic/ Items
Student Learning % R/N % S % MT % AA
1 0 25 50 25
2 0 37.5 37.5 25
3 6.25 18.75 62.60 12.5
4 0 25 50 25
5 18.75 43.75 18.75 18.75
6 18.75 25 31.25 25
7 6.25 56.25 6.25 31.25
8 6.25 31.25 43.75 18.75
Technology Skills % R/N % S % MT % AA
9 0 18.75 62.50 18.75
10 0 37.5 43.75 18.75
11 0 25 25 50
Technology Support % R/N % S % MT % AA
12 0 12.5 50 37.5
13 31.25 18.75 43.75 6.25
14 12.5 43.75 31.25 12.5
15 0 25 25 50
16 0 25 43.75 31.25
Technology Beliefs % SD % D % A % SA
17 0 0 31.25 68.75
18 0 0 37.50 62.50
19 0 0 43.75 56.25
20 0 0 31.25 68.75
21 0 0 25 75

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 58
Table 5. Survey Questions
Student Learning
1 My instruction involves use of technology.
2 My lessons encourage creativity and innovation through student use
of technology.
3 My lessons embed activities or tasks that stimulate critical thinking
and problem-solving through student use of technology.
4 My lessons embed student use of technology in the classroom.
5 My lessons embed student use of technology outside of the
classroom.
6 Students are encouraged to work collaboratively with other students
while using technology.
7 Professional development (PD) sessions have improved my use of
technology in the classroom.
8 I use technology to differentiate instruction.
Technology Skills
9 I use technology daily in a variety of ways to present lessons.
10 I use technology in a variety of ways to assess student learning.
11 I go out of my way to stay current on the new innovations with
technology.
Technology Support
12 Use of technology is encouraged and promoted at my school.
13 IT support staff is available to assist when needed.
14 A mentor is available to support technology integration.
15 Use of instructional technology is a component of my school’s
culture.
16 Teachers are provided with hands-on opportunities to learn
instructional technology.
Technology Beliefs
17 I support the use of technology in the classroom.
18 Instructional technology has a positive impact on student learning.
19 Technology is an important part of teaching and learning.
20 My classroom is student-centered.
21 My students are empowered to be responsible for their own learning.

The majority of the respondents at Tech Elementary School have taught for 0-5 years
(35.50%) and 6-15 years (35.50%), respectively. About 60% of the teaching staff has taught at
Tech Elementary School for less than six years. A review of the survey responses by item
provided an advantageous picture of the perception that the staff at Tech Elementary School have
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 59
about the level of integration of instructional technology. It also gave insight to the perception of
how their students were responsible for their own learning.
In the student learning focus area, eight items attempted to provide an idea of the
teachers’ perception of technology integration in the classroom. Item number one asked
respondents the level of technology integration in their instruction. Twenty-five percent of the
respondents marked sometimes, 50% responded with most of the time, while 25% stated almost
always. Item number two attempted to gauge the level of creativity and innovation in the lessons
through the students’ use of technology. Six respondents stated sometimes, while six others
marked most of the time, and four teachers stated almost always. Item number four asked if
“lessons embed activities or tasks that stimulate critical thinking and problem solving through
student use of technology.” One teacher responded rarely or never, three respondents stated
sometimes, 10 respondents responded most of the time, while two respondents marked almost
always.
In the technology skills focus area of the survey, three questions were asked about the
level of technological skill and future learning of the teachers. Item number nine stated “I use
technology daily in a variety of ways to present lessons.” The majority of the respondents scored
in the most of the time range with 62.50%. While the remaining staff was equally split between
sometimes and almost always at 18.75%, respectively. Item number 10 looked at if technology
was used in a variety of ways to “assess student learning.” Item number 11 seeks to find out if
respondents remain current on the new innovations with technology. Question 11 had 50% of the
teachers responding they almost always stay current with learning innovative practices using
technology.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 60
The technology support focus area really tried to hone in on the perception of technical
support the respondents felt at Tech Elementary School. These items included IT support,
mentorship, and professional growth opportunities. Item number 12 focused on the level of
encouragement and promotion of technology at Tech Elementary School. There was evidence
that there was considerable encouragement for the use of technology with over 85% of the
teachers responding with the most of the time or almost always. Item number 13 asked if “IT
support staff was available to assist when needed.” The teachers responded that IT staff was
rarely available when needed at a rate of 31.25%. Item number 14 questioned whether “a
mentor was available to support technology integration.” The teachers responded with 75%
stating sometimes or most of the time. Item number 15 looked at the use of instructional
technology as a component of the school culture at Tech Elementary. Fifty percent of the
teachers answered with almost always, while 25% fell on most of the time and sometimes
respectively. Item number 16 asked if “teachers were provided with hands on opportunities to
learn instructional technology strategies.” The teachers overwhelmingly responded with 25% and
75% in the most of the time and almost always range.
The last focus area the survey investigated was around the topic of technological beliefs.
Item number 17 asked “I support the use of technology in the classroom.” The responses were
31.25% and 65.75% in the agree and strongly agree span. Item number 18 asked the respondents
if “instructional technology has a positive impact on student learning.” The teachers answered in
a similar manner as the previous question. Item number 19 had the respondents answer
“technology is an important part of teaching and learning.” The returned replies were equally
split across agree and strongly agree. Item number 20 had the teachers respond if their classroom
was student centered. More teachers strongly agreed their classrooms were student centered at
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 61
68.25%. Item 21 asked if “my students are empowered to be responsible for their own learning”
and had the highest strongly agree responses with 75% of the teachers associating with this
category. The technology beliefs set of questions had the strongest responses in agree or strongly
agree with all teachers answering in these two columns.
Discussion
The use of the SAMR Model along with the TPACK Framework was the lens that
allowed for the understanding of the how technology was being applied in the classroom. The
SAMR Model can be described as a framework that is utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of
technology integration by looking at classifying four types of learning activities; substitution,
augmentation, modification, and redefinition (Romrell et. al., 2014). The TPACK framework has
been used to explain the knowledge teachers need to have for the integration of technology to be
effective (Voogt et. al., 2013). The framework contains the following components: content
knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and technology knowledge (TK).
The teachers at Tech Elementary School were aware of both frameworks and tried to
plan their lessons accordingly. First and foremost, they wanted to make sure that the content was
being taught using sound pedagogical practices. Next, they wanted to implement cutting-edge
technology students needed to have in their toolkits to be successful in the 21
st
century economy.
When planning their lessons, the teachers kept the frameworks in mind making sure the content
standards were not compromised because of the implementation of technology. Even though
some teachers were in the preliminary stages of implementing the SAMR model, they tried to
reach stages three and four of the framework. Not every lesson was taught at that level, but an
attempt was made to reach the higher levels of the model, because that is where true
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 62
transformative learning transpires. Every teacher was at a different level and stage within the
SAMR model.
The SAMR model was created to allow teachers the ability to learn how to incorporate
technology tools into their teaching practice and evaluate their effectiveness. Teachers needed to
feel comfortable using the tools and an easy place to start within the model was with substitution
and augmentation of their current practice. This enhanced what they were already doing in the
classroom. The teachers would move to the next level once they understood the aspects of the
technology tools and to truly change their practice into the transformation stages of the model,
which was modification and redefinition.
The Bolman and Deal (2013) four framed leadership model assisted with organization and
helped drive the discussion of the findings. The four frames can be defined as:
The structural approach focuses on the architecture of organization- the design of units
and subunits, rules and roles, goals and policies. The human resource lens emphasizes
understanding people, their strengths and foibles, reason and emotion, desires and fears.
The political view sees organizations as competitive arenas of scarce resources,
competing interests, and struggles for power and advantage. Finally, the symbolic frame
focuses on issues of meaning and faith. It puts ritual, ceremony, story, play, and culture at
the heart of the organization (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p.21).

The structural frame was shown in the data as how the relationships, roles, and
responsibilities manifested in the physical school setting. The time spent at Tech Elementary
School clearly showed the structural frame at work in how technology was integrated into all
aspects of campus life. When looking through the structural lens of Bolman and Deal, the theme
of professional development was highly evident. Professional development was something that
the previous literature stated was necessary for technology integration to occur, but many
organizations use the term very loosely. Some organizations have drive-by professional
development where they might hear about an idea, attend one workshop, and hope the innovation
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 63
has staying power. The difference at Tech Elementary School was the professional development
was a grass roots effort that was not driven from the top down, but organically from the staff.
The principal and leadership team have allowed for all staff members to bring new ideas for
professional development to the table. This has allowed for the teachers to truly embrace the new
and cutting edge ideas wholeheartedly and with an open mind. The staff was able to perceive
that there were no ulterior motives from leadership, the district, or outside forces. With this
structure in place, the teachers knew that it was okay to take a risk on something new. They
understood that they were not going to be penalized or criticized for trying something new and
not have it work out as planned the first time. The other aspect to the professional development
at Tech Elementary School was the professional development was sustained and ongoing. This
has allowed the new ideas to be completely vetted and worked through with fidelity. To sustain
professional development over time, the staff took on the role of an expert in certain instances.
Within the political frame, a style of leadership emerged where professional dialogue and
opportunities to try new and innovative ideas was encouraged. Teachers and staff were inspired
to bring new processes to the team and those ideas could be fully vetted in detail. As long as the
long-term mission and vision were kept in focus, the team understood that change was a natural
part of the process, and this was clearly true with technology innovation.
Another theme from the political frame that surfaced was the fact that great technology
integration can exist without it being the main focus of the larger system. This meant the school
could have a different core mission from the district as it pertains to technology. The district
definitely supported Tech Elementary School, but the school is an outlier from the rest of the
organization when it comes to the level of technology integration.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 64
The human frame looked at the personnel and made sure that the right people were in
the right place. The current and past principals of Tech Elementary had the core mission at the
forefront when it came to hiring new staff for the school. The leadership looked at adding
teachers to the team that had a propensity towards using technology and trying new pedagogy.
The other aspect to the human frame is how Tech Elementary School has created a true
Professional Learning Community (PLC) by having clear and open communication, positive
interactions among all stakeholders, and a sense of adventure for trying new and innovative
ideas.
The symbolic frame manifested itself through the culture fostered and nurtured at Tech
Elementary School. As I walked the campus of Tech Elementary, the culture of technology
integration and innovation was apparent from the signage on the exterior buildings, to the
playground equipment painted as Apple products. It was clearly evident that technology plays an
important role at the school. The leadership at Tech Elementary School models the use of
technology with parents, staff, and students. The principal has used innovative means to
communicate with the school community. One of the communication programs that is used at
Tech Elementary School is only used in a handful of schools in the United States. Tech
Elementary School models being on the cutting edge of new technology. This shows all
stakeholders that the school is willing to try innovative ideas without the fear of failure. The
school is living up to the technology claim that it is actively implementing instructional
technology in a significant way. In the next section, the findings as related to the research
questions were discussed.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 65
Findings
The findings of the study were related to the research questions and triangulated using the
data collected from the document review, survey, interview, and observations. In this section, I
will analyze each of findings as it related to each research question.
Research Question 1: How do educators at Tech Elementary School integrate technology to
support student learning?
The findings that were directly related to research question number one were access to
technology via a one to one program, the use of collaboration to discuss trends and innovative
practices, and the systematic use of technology using the SAMR model as a guide to evaluate the
level of integration. It was evident via document review, observation, and staff interview that
when the students have access to their own device integration of technology was seamless.
Research Question 2: What factors do educators attribute their knowledge of skills and pedagogy
to utilize technology as an instructional tool?
There were three factors the teachers attributed to their knowledge of skills and pedagogy
to integrate technology as an instructional tool. The findings were centered around teacher belief,
mentorship, and having a growth mindset.
Research Question 3: In what ways are educators at Tech Elementary School provided support
for the technology integration and implementation?
The structures of Tech Elementary School allowed for a high level of support to
implement technology integration. The school had powerful internal professional development,
strong site level leadership, time for staff collaboration, and a framework in the SAMR model
which helped focus the support where it was most needed.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 66
Research Question 4: What are educators’ beliefs about technology integration and
implementation at Tech Elementary School?
Technology implementation and integration was at the core belief system at Tech
Elementary School. The use of technology was a non-negotiable for all members of the school
community. There was a strong belief in the power of technology integration as a tool to
transform teaching and learning. The student and staff knew that there would be mistakes along
the way and that was part of the natural learning cycle. The leadership would not hold it against
the teachers if something did not go as planned the first time.
Through the use of the SAMR Model, TPACK framework, and Bolman and Deal’s Four
Frames, a clear understanding was gained of the data collected and outlined in this case study.
The ideas represented here attempted to present the data in a variety of ways to clarify one’s
understanding of the topic. The discussion and findings were only one perspective of the data
collected, with the goal of furthering this study of technology integration in the field of
education. In the next and final chapter of this study, I have outlined the purpose of the study,
themes, conclusion, and implications for future research.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 67
Chapter Five
Conclusions, Implications, and Future Research
Introduction
When entering into the data collection phase of the dissertation process, I had a strong
sense of what the previous research has found by conducting the literature review. The TPACK
and SAMR models created a framework to measure how technology integration can be
integrated into the curriculum and enhance the proficiency of student outcomes. Whenever
technology is integrated into schools, teachers and staff need an instrument that measures their
effectiveness. Utilizing these two tools helped with the investigation of how Tech Elementary
School was actively integrating technology into their instruction and whether at high levels of
effectiveness. Using Bolman and Deal’s Four Frames also help situate the data results into
categories that were easy to understand. This chapter includes a review of the purpose of the
study, a discussion of the findings, and the themes of the study with a connection to the
conclusions and implications to further the research in the future around the topic of technology
integration.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of a K-12 school that was
actively integrating and implementing technology in curriculum and instruction. The study can
help inform and identify different types of educational technology pedagogies that are actively
being integrating into the classroom.
Research Questions
1. How do educators at “Tech Elementary School” integrate technology to support
student learning?
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 68
2. To what factors do educators at “Tech Elementary School” attribute their knowledge
of instructional technology skills and pedagogy to use technology as an instructional
tool?
3. In what ways are educators at “Tech Elementary School” provided support for
technology integration and implementation?
4. What are educators’ beliefs about technology integration and implementation at
“Tech Elementary School”?
Conclusions
The data was collected over a one-month period and used a variety of methods that
included document analysis, teacher interviews, observations, and a survey. There was evidence
of four consistent themes that emerged from the data collection protocol. These themes were:
teacher belief in the power of technology to transform student learning and achievement, access
to high quality internally driven professional development, opportunities for collaboration and
reflection, and strong leadership that is supportive of risk-taking. These factors directly are
linked to the success of the entire organization. An argument could be made that technology is
the key to the success of the modern school. A successful school is one that has great
professional development, opportunities for collaboration among colleagues, and a supportive
leadership team. My belief is that technology is a tool that has the potential to completely
transform the academic experiences of students. The school culture of Tech Elementary School
can be attributed to the four emergent themes. The level of technology integration at Tech
Elementary School appeared to have elevated the level of success of students based on the
fidelity of the emergent themes.
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 69
The theme of strong leadership was centered around having a leader with a focused
vision and willing to take risks to integrate technology into the curriculum. When reviewing the
literature around technology integration, leadership was an area not fully developed. There have
been many studies focused on leadership, but few that center on how leadership can support
technology integration. The principal of Tech Elementary School clearly had a strong belief that
technology integration into the curriculum was essential. It was evident that she was willing to
take a risk in trying innovative software applications and newer hardware devices. When talking
to the teachers of Tech Elementary School, the common words that were used to describe the
principal were supportive, encouraging, inspiring, and positive of trying innovative practices.
These actions translated to a leader who was willing to take risks and support teachers in meeting
their objectives around technology integration. The teachers were not bound by the practices of
the past and were expected to grow as professionals in the field of technology.
The theme of strong teacher beliefs was the most pronounced finding in this study. As
stated by Kim et. al. (2013), there is a strong connection to what teachers believe and how their
beliefs are exhibited in their practice. During the observations and interviews, it was clearly
evident that teachers who have an extreme passion for technology strive to incorporate
technology integration into their instructional development and pedagogy. Embedded within the
theme of teacher beliefs at Tech Elementary School is the teacher expectation of student
outcomes. The teachers at Tech Elementary School truly believed their students could achieve
high levels of attainment and the integration of technology would only enhance student
outcomes. During my time at Tech Elementary School, teachers challenged their students to have
a growth mindset by allowing students to struggle with support. I found this to be a common
practice within the classrooms. A few teachers explained that the entire school took on the
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 70
“growth mindset” based on the book by Carol Dweck. The school culture recognized the fact that
having a growth mindset creates an organization where all participants have unlimited potential
to achieve at extremely high levels.
The idea of professional development was a theme that was found in many previous
studies, but what this current study highlighted was the professional development had to be of
pristine quality, internally driven, and continuous. The technology professional development
conducted at Tech Elementary School was a constant force that was at the center of all meetings.
During every staff meeting, teachers spent time sharing ideas or practices around their
technology integration. This was above and beyond the twice a month dedicated professional
development time that was allocated at Tech Elementary School. The SAMR model was also at
the center of all professional development. The teachers evaluated what level within the SAMR
model the application, device, or practice fell. The goal was to move the school as a whole to the
transformational stages of the model. The other aspect of the professional development at Tech
Elementary School was the fact that the focus of the training was driven by the ideas and
practices of the teachers. If the teachers felt there was an application that was beneficial, then it
was encouraged be shared with the entire staff during professional development time. The team
would then analyze and breakdown the application and see how it fit within the SAMR model.
Along with a high quality internally driven professional development plan, systematic
and focused time for collaboration and reflection between peers was critical to the success of
technology integration. While talking with a teacher at Tech Elementary School, it was shared
that a collaborative culture was created among the staff when it was decided that technology was
going to be the school’s focus. The staff wanted to mirror the Common Core State Standards and
the values four C’s of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Teachers
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 71
were encouraged to work together during grade level and vertical articulation meetings as well as
through observing one another’s classroom practices. During my time at Tech Elementary
School, it was apparent that a collaborative culture was created and an openness to work together
to reach high student outcomes. It was not uncommon for teachers to share students for particular
lessons even at the lower elementary grades. Students were seen moving from classroom to
classroom based on the needs of the lessons being taught. When asked about this practice, the
teacher shared that during the collaborative meetings, they discussed their strengths and built
lessons that highlighted those assets.
Tech Elementary School has a student population that that mirrors the city and district
where it resides. The site budget is in line with schools of similar size in the district. Typically,
this would align with a school that has some access to technology, but Tech Elementary School
has shown that it is an outlier when it comes to the integration of technology. The staff at Tech
Elementary School truly understood its core mission of technology integration. To take it one
step further, the teachers truly believe that high quality technology integration has the ability to
transform teaching and learning for all stakeholders at the school site. With the support of the
strong leadership team that strives to be risk taking, activities like high quality site driven
professional development, collaborative and reflective dialogue, and pedagogy that is rooted in
technology integration has been allowed to flourish. These activities have created a school that
excels in the area of transformational technology as measured by the SAMR and TPACK
frameworks.
After the thematic dissertation team concluded their individual data collection, analysis,
and discussions, we met to review the results as a group. During our meeting, we discussed and
shared the findings of our individual studies. We had an opportunity to listen to one another
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 72
describe in detail the results and compare and contrast our findings. After the discussion, the
group concluded that there were commonalities with the data. In particular, strong leadership
support, ongoing professional development, and time for peer collaboration were seen across all
10 studies. There were differences as to the level and type of leadership support that was
observed. Some had extraordinary levels of site leadership, district leadership, or a combination
of leadership styles. The types of professional development varied from study to study. Some
schools used external training to develop the integration of technology into the curriculum, while
others employed internally driven and led professional development. It was evident that
regardless of the type of training that was utilized, it was important that it was focused, relevant,
and ongoing. Lastly, each of the studies found that time had been created for peer collaboration.
This allowed for the professional growth of the teachers to occur more rapidly than if they
worked in isolation. The models of how the peer collaboration were structured were varied from
site to site and study to study.
Implications
This case study focused on practices of Tech Elementary School, which was actively
implementing transformational technology integration into the curriculum. The practices found
at Tech Elementary School have not yet been replicated district wide, but can be used as a model
that can be implemented at other sites. The school should be seen as an exemplar of how to
integrate technology into the teaching and learning. Future researchers and educators can use
this study to help prepare students for the 21
st
century global society by integrating technology
into the learning process. The key to this study is not to look at technology or pedagogy in
isolation, but to discover how the two components complement one another. Since the pace of
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 73
technology changes so rapidly, the topic of transformational technology integration will be
relevant in the future.
Questions to provide focus of future research on the topic of transformational technology
integration might include the following:
How do you create innovative funding solutions to support transformational technology
integration?
What are the elements of site driven professional development around transformational
technology?
How do you make strong connections between technology and highly effective
pedagogy with the site’s current staff?
What are the hiring practices of a school effectively implementing transformational
technology into teaching and learning?

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 74
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TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 82
Appendix A: Letter
Dear Jane/John Doe,

My name is Robert Kimble and I am a doctoral candidate in the Rossier School of Education at
the University of Southern California. I am conducting a research study as part of my
dissertation, which examines the use of technology in K-12 schools and its impact on instruction
and learning. You are cordially invited to participate in the study. Participation in this study is
completely voluntary. Your identity as a participant will remain confidential at all times.

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete a 10-minute online survey that contains
twenty-two multiple-choice questions. You may be asked for an interview depending on your
responses to the survey questions and your availability. The interview is anticipated to take
about 30 minutes to complete and will be audio taped with your permission.

If you would like to participate or have questions, please contact me at (562) 762-8290 or
kimbler@usc.edu.

Thank you for your participation,

Robert Kimble
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 83
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089

INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH

TECHNOLOGY, TEACHING AND LEARNING IN K-12 SCHOOLS

You are invited to participate in a research study. Research studies include only people who voluntarily choose to
take part. This document explains information about this study. You should ask questions about anything that is
unclear to you.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to identify the impact technology has on instruction and learning in a K-12 school that
reports use of technology for teaching.

This study will add to existing literature by specifically identifying how the school implements technology use in
instruction and its integration into the curriculum, and the possible impact of technology on instruction and learning
in an effort to make this information accessible to educators in an effort to support them in implementing similar
strategies and practices that can improve integration of technology within their schools.

Your participation is voluntary. Your relationship with USC and/or your school/district will not be affected,
whether or not you participate in this study.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
Researchers will be looking at the types of technology available at the school, how technology is used as a tool of
instruction in the classroom, and what the impact of technology is on teaching and learning which have assisted your
school in flourishing in the area of using and integrating technology.

If you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete a 22-question survey. The survey is anticipated to take 10
minutes to complete.

You may also be asked to participate in an interview; the interview may be audio-recorded with your permission and
is anticipated to take 30 minutes of your time.

You will be asked to allow researchers to observe the general school environment, classroom instruction, staff
meetings, leadership meetings, and parent meetings.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential and will be disclosed
only with your permission or as required by law. The members of the research team, the funding agency and the
University of Southern California’s Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP
reviews and monitors research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

The data will be coded with a false name or pseudonym; identifiable information will be kept separately from your
responses.

The data will be stored on password-protected computers and held for three years after the study has been completed
and then destroyed.

When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no identifiable information will be used.

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Robert Kimble
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 84
1614 Adalia Ave.
Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
(562) 762-8290 or kimbler@usc.edu

IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0702
(213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 85

Appendix B: Survey Protocol

Technology Survey

Integration of Instructional Technology

Demographic Information 1
0-5
Years
2
6-15 Years
3
16-25
Years
4
26 +
Years
How many years have you been
teaching?

Student Learning 1
Rarely or
Never
2
Sometimes
3
Most of
the Time
4
Almost
Always
My instruction involves use of
technology.

My lessons encourage creativity and
innovation through student use of
technology.

My lessons embed activities or tasks that
stimulate critical thinking and problem-
solving through student use of
technology

My lessons embed student use of
technology in the classroom.

My lessons embed student use of
technology outside of the classroom.

Students are encouraged to work
collaboratively with other students while
using technology.

Professional development (PD) sessions
have improved my use of technology in
the classroom.

I use technology to differentiate
instruction.

Technology Skills 1
Rarely or
Never
2
Sometimes
3
Most of
the Time
4
Almost
Always
I use technology daily in a variety of
ways to present lessons.

I use technology in a variety of ways to
assess student learning.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 86
I go out of my way to stay current on the
new innovations with technology.

Technology Support 1
Rarely or
Never
2
Sometimes
3
Most of
the Time
4
Almost
Always
Use of technology is encouraged and
promoted at my school.

IT support staff is available to assist
when needed.

A mentor is available to support
technology integration.

Use of instructional technology is a
component of my school’s culture.

Teachers are provided with hands-on
opportunities to learn instructional
technology.

Technology
Beliefs
1
Strongly
Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Agree
4
Strongly
Agree
I support the use of technology in the
classroom.

Instructional technology has a positive
impact on student learning.

Technology is an important part of
teaching and learning.

My classroom is student-centered.
My students are empowered to be
responsible for their own learning.

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 87
Appendix C: Interview Protocol

Interview Protocol
Research Questions Interview Questions

RQ1: How do educators at
school X integrate technology
to support students learning?

1. How would you describe the use of technology in
your classroom?
2. How are students using instructional technology in
the classroom?
3. What are some instructional strategies that
technology can help in differentiating instruction for
diverse students?
4. What technology device is used to assist in student
motivation? How do you know?
5. What applications and/or software programs are used
to support student learning?
6. Is there anything else you would you like to
share?

RQ2: What factors do
educators attribute their
knowledge of skills and
pedagogy to utilize
technology as an instructional
tool?

1. To what do you attribute your background
knowledge of technology?
2. How do you continue to acquire knowledge of
technology device use?
3. How did you learn to integrate technology in your
instruction?
4. How do you determine what technology to use with
your students?
5. Is there anything else you would you like to
share?

RQ3: In what ways are
educators at School X
provided support for
technology integration and
implementation?

1. How does the school support and train teachers to
use technology devices and applications?
2. How does the school make technology accessible to
teachers?
3. In what ways are teachers provided support and/or
informational resources regarding integrating
technology in the curriculum?
4. What are some obstacles in implementing
technology in student learning?
5. Is there anything else you would you like to
share?

1. How do you feel about the use of technology?
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 88
RQ4: What are educators’
beliefs about technology
integration and
implementation at School X?

2. What do you believe are the benefits of technology
in the classroom?
3. Some people say technology takes too much time,
what would you say to this?
4. What advice would you give a novice teacher in the
inclusion of technology in their classroom?
5. What is your favorite technology to use while
teaching? Why?
6. Is there anything else you would you like to
share?

TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 89
Appendix D: Observation Protocol

Date: _________ Grade:_______________ Teacher: _______________

Observation Protocol
Box 1: Practice is observed Box 2: Practice used technology
1= Mildly Evident 2=Highly Evident 1=Enhanced by Technology 2=Transformed by Technology
Samples of Effective Practice
warm-up hook/orientation
connect to prior knowledge
modeling/demonstration
guided practice
independent practice/homework
review homework/answer student questions
appropriate wait time
monitoring
monitoring with feedback & correctives
reinforce effort/provide recognition
structured academic talk by students
non-linguistic representation
cues, questions, advanced organizers
generating & testing hypothesis
identify similarities & differences
differentiating lessons
review/reteach
jigsaw/reciprocal teaching
use of academic vocabulary

Check for Understanding Strategies

allows calling out
random, non-volunteers
volunteers
white boards
teach another
thumbs up/down
exit cards
assessment
Technology Tools
Box 1: Teacher Use Box 2: Student Use
Interactive White Board
Electronic Responders
Document Camera
LCD Projector
Laptop/Tablet
Software
Other: _________________________________
______________________________________________
Classroom Environment (take photos for set-up)
standards-based objective posted
Traditional
Non-Traditional: _________________________
______________________________________________
Level of Student Engagement

engaged (active): ___
compliant (passive): ___
disengaged: ___
rebellious: ___

Student Grouping

individual
pairs
small group cooperative learning
whole class
heterogeneous: ___________________
homogeneous: ____________________

Student Activity

worksheets
note-taking
writing
summarizing
presentations
bookwork
individual PBL
collaborative PBL
performance task

Curriculum Resources

core materials
supplemental
teacher-created/aligned
online resource
student generated

Rigor Level of Instruction

create
evaluation
synthesis
analysis
application
comprehension
knowledge
below grade level
DOK 1
DOK 2
DOK 3
DOK 4

!
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 90

Date: _________ Grade:_______________ Teacher: _______________

Student Demographics
Number of Students: Male:
Instructional Programs
Sped: EL: GATE:
Race/Ethnicity
AA: A: H:

Teacher Behavior:

Female:

Accelerated: GE: Remedial:

W: O:

Student Behavior:

!
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 91

Date: _________ Grade:_______________ Teacher: _______________

Drawing of Room Layout
!
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN K-12 SCHOOLS 92
Appendix E: Document Collection Protocol

RQ 1: How do educators at “School X” integrate technology to support students learning?
Data Needs Potential Document Review Sources
How are teachers using instructional
technology in the classroom?
Lesson plans
School plan
Technology plan
Classroom artifacts
Student work samples
Rubrics
Teacher feedback
How are students using instructional
technology in the classroom?
Lesson plans
School plan
Technology plan
Classroom artifacts
Student work samples
Rubrics

RQ 2: What factors do educators attribute their knowledge of skills and pedagogy to utilize
technology as an instructional tool?
Data Needs Potential Document Review Sources
Teacher education programs
Professional Development
Personal knowledge/research
Teacher responses
Professional development records
Staff meeting/training agendas

RQ #3 - In what ways are educators provided support for technology integration and
implementation?
Data Needs Potential Document Review Sources
Types of PD
Resources
School plan
Professional development records
IT Support Coaching/observation schedules
Site Budget LCAP Plan
Site Budget Process
Coaching – formal and informal
Staff meeting/training agendas
SARC
WASC Documents

RQ #4 - What are educators’ beliefs about technology integration and implementation at “School
X”?
Data Needs Potential Document Review Sources
Educators’ Beliefs School Plan
Lesson Plans

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This study used a qualitative case study design to explore technology integration. According to Merriam (2009), a qualitative research study strives to focus on meaning, understanding, process, and is grounded in collecting data in the field where the phenomenon emerges. A problem exists in which K-12 teachers need the essential skills and knowledge to effectively integrate educational technology into the classroom curriculum. The purpose of this study is to truly investigate the dynamics of instructional practices in a K-12 schools that is actively integrating and implementing technology into the curriculum and instruction. Perceptions, observations, and data collection of teaching practices and procedures of teachers and administrative staff were explored with the intentions of identifying comprehensive approaches to technology integration. The study can help inform and identify different types of educational technology pedagogies that are actively being integrating into the classroom. ❧ The research population for this case study focused a single elementary school located in the Los Angeles County that met the school selection criteria. The site is a public school serving 455 students in grades Transitional Kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is part of a Transitional Kindergarten through eighth grade district consisting of nine elementary and two middle schools that serves over 6600 students. The school has a vision, mission statement, and principal’s message that proclaims rigorous academic standards and high expectations form the foundation for quality instruction that continues to increase student achievement through the use of technology. ❧ The data collection instruments that were used during the case study included interviews, written surveys, document reviews, and observations. The data was collected during six days of onsite visitation of the selected school during the fall of 2015. A survey was administered to the teaching staff of 20 individuals with a return rate of 80%. The document review included information from the school website, School Accountability Report Card (SARC), School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), and classroom level documents. Five interviews were conducted for the study. The participants included the principal and four teachers from both the lower and upper grade classrooms. ❧ Using the theoretical framework of the SAMR and TPACK models to measure the level of technology integration, the research concluded that there were four strong findings. The four findings of the study were

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Asset Metadata

Creator Kimble, Robert (author)

Core Title Transformational technology in K-12 schools: an elementary case study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 04/22/2016

Defense Date 03/03/2016

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag case study,educational technology,elementary school education,improving classroom pedagogy with technology,K-12,OAI-PMH Harvest,SAMR model,teacher beliefs,teaching and learning startegies,Technology,technology driven professional development,technology implementation,technology integration,TPACK model

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Gothold, Stuart (committee chair), Allemann, Jason (committee member), Hocevar, Dennis (committee member)

Creator Email kimbler@usc.edu,rkimble65@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-241209

Unique identifier UC11279119

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Legacy Identifier etd-KimbleRobe-4355.pdf

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Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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