In spite of the regular integration of computers within elementary classrooms, teachers have struggled to appropriately integrate technology into their instructional content in a meaningful manner (Cavanaugh, C., Dawson, K., & Ritzhaupt, A. (2011; Miranda & Russell, 2011; Livingstone, 2012). While this struggle has persisted for thirty years, little investigation has been done into the teacher perception of the use of computers within elementary classrooms (Yan, 2012). Yan (2012) claims that these perceptions will affect how the technology is being used. That being said the aim of my study is to further explore teachers’ perceptions pertaining to technology in the classroom, and as a result of this I will use qualitative research.
I will use a case study to test theoretical models by applying them within real world situations. This case study would be an in depth study of teachers perceptions intended to narrow down this otherwise broad field of research to focus on what teacher perceptions are on the topic, so as to better understand the affect this is having on how that technology is used. This will give indications for and allow further elaboration on the hypothesis.
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"Evaluating Teachers’ Use of Computers as Instructional Tools in Elementary".
The case study research will also allow us to utilize a more holistic approach to research, understanding this specific case. With a case study I can focus on specific cases which are most interesting. This will provide the tools to test my topic with a case. The research will be thorough and the note taking will remain meticulous and systematic. The case study will isolate a small study group of teacher. This will help to determine the driving issues behind teachers’ perceptions.
I will remain passive in my research. For this model I am an observer and not an experimenter. Each case is treated individually and cross case conclusions will be drawn from them. I will analyze the results based on statistical methods. I will collate my data into a manageable form and from there construct a narrative around it. I will utilize examples in my narrative while keeping things interesting. I will show numerical data but only as it relates to judging trends. Not every piece of data will be analyzed, but the key points will regularly be referred back to.
The case study is focused on opinion and will provoke reasoned debate. A case study is a narrower field which will show one narrow example rather than extrapolate to fit a full question, but in this case the case study will provide a more realistic response from teachers compared to a statistical survey. While the statistical survey can determine the amount of time spent on technology in classrooms and the types, this case study will focus on why this is the case and what feelings teachers maintain about it. This case study is also more flexible, with the ability to introduce new results which may be unexpected, or to lead the current research in a new direction compared to a statistical research method which would only seek to prove or disprove the hypothesis.
For this situation a case study is the preferred method of research because it is intended to gather opinions and not statistical data. Rather than real with facts, this research method will not have a right or wrong answer. While a statistical analyze might show an increased use of technology within classrooms, the case study will prove a powerful tool for determining the opinions of teachers who are implementing such technology. Because an entire population is not being reviewed, the case study is a more appropriate research method for scale. The case study will also make for more interesting topics compared to a statistical survey. Pages of statistics are not necessarily of interest to the general public, but well placed case studies can bring with them significant impact.
As I will be working with a case study for this project, I will be using qualitative research, in particular, a descriptive design in my research. The aim of this is to observe and describe. The qualitative research will focus on gathering verbal data compared to measurements. The information that is gathered will by analyzed and interpreted. The primary aim of this research is to provide a detailed description of the topic, an exploratory description. While the hypothesis is broad, the description derived from the qualitative research will provide a whole picture description and utilize exploratory research. This research method is ideal for this project, as it is in the early phases of the project. Overall, the qualitative research method will seek to understand the reasons that govern the use of technology and teacher’s perceptions to it.
As the researcher I will serve as the primary data gathering instrument for this research. I will employ data gathering strategies based on the approach to this research, in particular in-depth interviews, non-structured interviews, and structured interviews. The data will consist mostly of interviews which will appear in the discussion section as graphs.
To date studies have delved into how teachers use technology within the classroom (Ertmer, Ottenbreit, Sadik, Sendurur & Sendurur, 2011; Cavanaugh, Dawson & Ritzhaupt, 2011; Laverick, 2014), but little research has been conducted to determine how teachers feel about computers in the classroom, particularly in the elementary grades. This study will attempt to determine the ways teachers perceive classroom computer-based instruction and what improvements, if any, need to be made to TPACK to make it more meaningful and useful within the elementary grades.
