Improving Teacher use of Technology in the Classroom in a Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade Parochial School: An Action Research Stud

This study used action research to help improve technology use in teachers' classrooms through the use of information gained from research of technology use in the classroom. The teachers were asked to be responsible for development and implementation of their own learning through the use of personal professional development. Throughout the study the researcher was available to help teachers in the research and development of technologies to integrate into the classroom. The information gained helped improve the use of technology in the classroom. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered regarding teachers' thoughts and understandings at the beginning of the study, during the study, and at the completion of the study. The research site was a parochial kindergarten through eighth grade private school located in a rural southeastern city. There were 13 available teachers for the study, 11 of whom chose to participate in the study. Information was obtained and results were found by comparing teachers' pre intervention survey answers to their post intervention answers regarding their thoughts and understandings about technology integration as well as information gained from classroom observations of teachers using technology in the classroom. Changes in teachers' use of technology in their classrooms were observed. These results supported the use of personal professional development as an intervention. Teachers researching, implementing, and using technology were found to improve technology use in some classrooms, and results of the study found that more classroom use of technology by a teacher can have a positive effect on technology use in the classroom.