TEACHING 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS: AN ANALYSIS OF FACULTY MINDSET AND PERCEPTIONS OF TECHNOLOGY USE IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION CLASSROOM

This mixed methods research study examined the relationship between faculty mindset and their perceived use of instructional technology in the higher education classroom. Recognizing the growing importance of technology-mediated learning interventions, the researcher sought to gain a deeper understanding of how mindset influenced the use of technology particularly amongst college of education faculty in Florida public 4-year universities.
Data analyses revealed the following findings: (a) Although participants shared a range of integration patterns, faculty predominantly integrated technology for knowledge transmission, backstage activity, and communication purposes; (b) Participants predominantly occupied the integration phase of technology implementation, suggesting that they used technology committedly, but in ways that were familiar and common; (c) The way participants perceived and approached technological realities influenced their patterns of technology integration; and (d) Faculty shared similar concerns about the challenges and benefits associated with technology integration in their classrooms.
The key implications that emerged from this study were that student-centered technology implementation practices were underrepresented, and that faculty seemed ill-equipped or underprepared to implement strategies surrounding accessibility.