edet 780 critique 1
TRANSCRIPT
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Abigail Magaro
May 22, 2013
EDET 780
Critique 1
Miranda, H., & Russell, M. (2011). Predictors of teacher-directed student use of
technology in elementary classrooms: A multilevel sem approach using data from
the useit study.Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 43(4), 301-323.
Retrieved from:
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERIC
ExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ9
30313
Introduction
Predictors of teacher-directed student use of technology in elementary classrooms: Amultilevel SEM approach using data from the USEIT studyis written by Helena
Miranda of Florida Gulf Coast University and Michael Russell of Boston College. The
study focuses on predictors of teacher-directed students use of technology. Not only
are factors from the classroom taken into account, factors from a school standpoint
and a district standpoint are also taken into account.
The purpose of the study was to determine the factors that determine how much
technology is used inside a classroom. The amount of resources and funding are
usually the go to reasons why technology is not as widely used as it could be in
todays schools. With 97% of all public schools having access to high speed internet
it seems that the connectivity is there. So what is happening to the technology?
This study used statistics from the USEIT study conducted in Boston. The USEIT
study sent surveys to district administrators, principals, and teachers to interested
districts throughout Massachusetts. The survey included questions related to the
individuals beliefs about technology and its benefits in the classroom, experience in
technology, the pressure one feels in using technology in the classroom, and if the
individual has any integration obstacles.
The study found that not only are there factors resulting in positive and negative
effects in teacher-directed student use of technology, but these factors range from
inside the actual classroom all the way to the district levels. District level factorsinclude principals discretion and the availability of the technology standards. One
school level factor is present and it is the principals use of technology. Classroom
level factors include the teachers beliefs of integrating technology, their experience
with technology, the pressures of using and not using technology in the classroom,
and the obstacles facing teachers when it comes to integrating technology into their
lesson plans.
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ930313&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ930313 -
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According to the researchers the limitations surrounding this study are that the lack
of available districts resulted in inflated effects at the district level. The study also
only focuses on teacher-directed student use of technology. The study fails to
include student directed use of technology and independent student use of
technology.
From the results from this study, the biggest factors that contribute to technology
not being used in the classroom reflect on the teachers beliefs that technology will
improve the students learning and the amount of experience teachers have in using
technology in the classroom. The more experience teachers and principals have in
using technology in the classroom the more likely they are to use it.
If I were to conduct another study I would start by using the same teachers used in
this study, but I would lead seminars and workshops about using technology in the
classroom to enhance student learning. After I felt that the teachers and principals
had an in depth understanding, I would give them a few months to use the
technology they learned about. I would then send another survey and conductobservations to see if the workshops and seminars changed opinions about
technology in the classroom and if it is easier for teachers to integrate the
technology into their lessons.
Critique
The authors were very clear about their objectives about this study. Four pages into
the paper the questions regarding what they hoped the study would reveal are
located. The questions ask about factors regarding teacher directed student use of
technology at the classroom level, school wide level, and district level.
The literature review is organized and in logical order. The authors ask questions
that encourage the reader to use critical thinking and form their own opinions about
the study. Throughout the paper there are many references to other articles and
facts about the USEIT study.
The writing throughout the paper is well organized and free of grammatical errors.
While some parts of the paper and accessible to a wide variety of people, the actual
data used is something specifically for a target audience. I will admit that I had a
hard time following the data charts, specifically table 6. In the paper there is really
no explanation as to how this data was found, what the acronyms mean, and how
the numbers relate to the study.
For this class I wanted my research studies to focus on using technology in the
elementary classroom. This study allowed me to see factors that play contributing
roles in whether technology is used or not. I did not know that principals use of
technology can have an impact on whether it is used frequently in the classroom.
When I first started learning about the factors that can influence the amount of
technology used in a classroom I always felt that resources and funding were at the
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top of the list. It wasnt until reading this study that I learned not only of the other
factors included, but that those factors play a much larger role.
At the end of the report there is a discussion section that takes the results found in
the study and puts them all together. Since I found that data charts to be a little
confusing, this section taught me the most. The factors found in the study weredocumented here and included to what extent the factors played a contributing role.
For example, a teachers belief in technology in the classroom is not going to affect
the amount of technology used at the district level. That is something that can only
be felt at the classroom or school wide level.
There is no explicit theory being tested in this study. If the researchers wanted to in
their next study, they can observe the teachers used the in the original study and
examine the amount of technology used in each classroom versus the amount of
experience each teacher has with technology. This would provide the researchers
an opportunity to theorize and link together experience with implementation.
Conclusion
From my perspective, the study conducted was well written and well executed. My
only concerns were the lack of variation between the districts used. There was an
over representation of white students and most of the districts used were on the
wealthier side of the spectrum. I feel that the researchers used districts that do not
have any issues when it comes to getting the proper funding and resources for their
schools. A study that includes poorer districts would have been better because then
the funding and resources factors might have played a larger role in the use of
technology in the classroom.
This study was very useful to me because as I stated earlier, my main focus of my
research critiques is the use of technology in the elementary school classroom.
Knowing the factors that attribute to that usage can help me as I continue my
education.
In my experience as a student teacher, substitute, and student in the educational
technology program, I know that there are many factors that determine the amount
of technology used inside a classroom. During my observations I can see that a
teachers experience with technology plays major role in whether or not that
teacher will use technology. I am however discussing teacher-directed student use
of technology. I would still like to view the gaps in funding between the districts ofMassachusetts, and whether those gaps attribute to technology use as much as
teacher beliefs and experience.