Overcoming Pedagogical, Social/Cultural, and Attitudinal Barriers to Technology Integration in K-5 Schools

• Main Author: Durff, Lisa
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2017
• Subjects: teacher beliefs; teacher change; technology integration; Instructional Media Design
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3602; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4705&context=dissertations

Technology engages and increases academic achievement for K-5 students, but teachers face attitudinal, social/cultural, and pedagogical barriers when they integrate technology for student learning. Although some teachers overcome these barriers, it remains unclear how they do so. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to analyze the attitudes and behaviors of 3 groups to determine how some teachers successfully overcame barriers to technology integration. The conceptual framework included Bandura's social cognitive theory and Ertmer's theory on second order barriers to technology integration. Participants were drawn from each of 3 schools in the northeastern United States. Data included interviews from 3 groups of 2-3 classroom teachers, 1 administrator, and 1 technology integration person. Data were analyzed using open coding to identify rich themes and patterns. The findings showed that a triadic force of administrators, technology support, and teachers worked together to positively influence technology integration. Strategies included providing appropriate professional development, building collegial support and sharing among teachers, training teachers to locate relevant technological resources, and establishing value and support for the use of technology for learning. The present study may contribute to positive social change by increasing the knowledge of barriers preventing integration of technology into K-5 classrooms, and by providing information that will allow teachers, administrators, and technology integration personnel to implement strategies that reduce and overcome these barriers.