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ERIC Number: ED585005
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 219
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-0-3558-0372-3
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
The School Principal as Technology Leader: Does a School Leader's Commitment to the Use, Promotion, and Encouragement of Technology Affect Technology Infusion Occurring in Classrooms within the School?
Pretto, Mary Kate
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Caldwell University
Does the commitment on the part of the principal to the use, promotion and encouragement of technology positively affect the implementation of technology into the classroom of each teacher within that principal's school building? This one-year, multi-method case study was structured so as to answer that question. The participants included seven building principals and 41 teachers within one school district in New Jersey. This study attempted to build on previous research and was intended to highlight the connection between technology commitment on the part of the school leader to the use of technology by teachers within their classrooms. The researcher triangulated findings from various data sources in order to provide credible explanations for the research questions posed. The TSSA Likert scale survey and faculty meeting agendas were used to gather quantitative data while principal and teacher open-ended survey questions and face-to-face teacher interviews were used for qualitative data purposes. Additionally, the critical incident technique (CIT) was incorporated into teacher interviews. CIT enabled interviewees to share specific incidents highlighting ways in which a school leader was instrumental in encouraging the use of technology within the building. These examples assisted the researcher in establishing technology commitment, or lack of commitment, on the part of each of the seven principals under study. Survey results established technology strengths and weaknesses for each of the seven principals. Principal and teacher responses to open-ended questions, teacher interviews and faculty meeting agendas further clarified those strengths and weaknesses. Qualitative data enabled the researcher to conclude that funding, or lack of funding, for technology was also a factor impacting both a principal's and teacher's perception of a school leader's commitment to technology. The overall research findings indicated that there is a correlation between principal commitment to the use, promotion and the implementation of technology by teachers within the classroom. Finally, analysis of the qualitative data enabled the researcher to determine that: a) there was a deeper commitment to the use of technology on the part of the school leaders within the district than the overall "TSSA Survey" results would indicate; and b) teachers within the district, generally speaking, had a positive view of the overall commitment to the use, promotion, and encouragement of technology on the part of each of the seven principals under study. District leaders interested in creating a technology-rich school environment may find the results of this study helpful as they move forward structuring technology experiences and creating technology criteria that will enable school principals to use, promote and encourage the use of technology within their respective buildings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Jersey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A