Perceptions held by high school mathematics teachers concerning the application of educational technology to their instructional procedures and to the enhancement of student achievement

Purposes. From the information provided by the perceptions of a sample of nearly 50 mathematics teachers at the secondary school level in a large metropolitan school district, the two major purposes of this investigation were (a) to obtain data concerning the role of technology (especially the computer) in the instructional procedures applied in the classroom and (b) the impact of this technology on student achievement. To address the purposes of this study, a survey form was constructed comprising ten item statements in a Likert-type format and three open-ended questions concerned with strength of technology in education, weakness regarding use of technology in education, and ways in which California State Agencies can best approve application of technology in education.;Conclusions. (1) Secondary school mathematics teachers expressed highly different levels of agreement concerning how the use of educational technology could be implemented in the classroom instructional procedures along with its potential impact on student achievement. This large variability in perceptions might be attributed in part to the fact that the majority of instructors used technology less than 20% of the time in their instructional procedures---a circumstance suggesting a lack of familiarity with technology and its applications in classroom learning. (2) Perceptions regarding the use of educational technology in the classroom setting tend to be centered on its provision for alternative approaches to instruction and to the enhancement of motivation for learning in conjunction with its being a tool of convenience. (3) A perceived need exists for greater funding and improving inservice training opportunities from State agencies.