Education, Technology

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the program planning process used for planning technology programs for the South Consortium of Schools and of two member schools. This study sought to understand power and interests of the planning community and how they influenced the program process. A qualitative multi-case study design was used and the primary sources of data were interviews, document analysis, and researcher participant and nonparticipant observations. The sample of thirteen included a cross section of school personnel, parents, and community business partners. Findings were grouped into three categories, program planning community, program planning process, and negotiations of power and interests. Program planning communities were influenced by a national challenge to improve technology in the schools and by partnerships developed with parents, communities, and businesses. Factors critical to the planning process emphasized the importance of (a) having adequate time and information, (b) developing viable planning models addressing considerations of power and interests relationships, and (c) having effective managers and leaders. Program planning objectives focused on the acquisition of equipment versus integration of technology in the curriculum. Negotiations were the main practice of planning conducted by those in power who focused on meeting specific planning objectives. As a result of these findings, it was concluded that forming partnerships enhanced the program planning process, program planning models addressing negotiation of power and interests were not fully developed before planning began, and program planning attention was focused primarily on acquisition of equipment rather than integration of technology into curriculum.

Computers are an integral part of our society. The educational system is under considerable pressure to integrate computers into the curriculum both as a subject and as a teaching methodology. While research shows that there are positive trends in computer availability, most teachers have not yet fully integrated technology into the curriculum or their pedagogical methodologies. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of the principal's use of the microcomputer and other principal characteristics. This included the location of the computer used, ethnicity, years of experience in education, age, gender and education, to the degree to which computer technology is integrated in the classroom. The sample was comprised of 40 elementary schools selected at random from Broward County and Dade County, Florida. A random sample of at least 20 teachers from each school was administered the Levels of Computer Use (LCU) survey to determine the degree to which technology was integrated into the classroom. The Technology Use Survey (TUS) was administered to the principal of the school to determine the level of computer use by the principal and other demographic factors related to the principal. Results indicated no significant relationship between the degree to which technology was integrated in the classroom, as determined by the LCU, and the principal's use of the microcomputer (r =.0779, p >.05). Moreover the location of the computer (r =.1068, p >.05), years of experience of the principal (r =.2505, p >.05), age (r =.0301, p >.05), gender (r =.1223, p >.05) and education (r =.0013, p >.05) were not found to have significant relationships with the degree to which technology was integrated in the classroom. A significant relationship was found between the ethnicity of the principal (r =.4582, p <.01) and the degree to which technology was integrated within the classroom. Suggestions for future research include studying the principal's role in the school in terms of their management or leadership role in the integration of technology in the curriculum. Future research should study other possible leaders in the school's organizational culture that might serve as a role model, and investigate the degree to which the principal's ethnic background may actually represent the socio-economic background of the school and other issues of equity.

Ubiquitous incorporation of computer-based, electronic technologies into American society has created intense pressure upon the composition instructors at Florida's community colleges to develop computer skills themselves and to develop curricula which routinely incorporate these technologies into their teaching responsibilities. This fact makes clear the need to assess instructors' readiness: What computer skills have they acquired and what computer-aided teaching methodologies have they learned which make them capable of and willing to teach composition with the aid of computers? What support services on community college campuses seem to encourage instructors to take on the responsibility to teach computer-aided composition. After its pilot testing, a thirteen question survey was sent to the 473 known instructors of credit-level composition at Florida's twenty-eight community colleges. This study examined the characteristics of the 222 respondents, of whom 61 reported that they do teach computer-aided composition and 161 reported that they do not. One way analyses of variance applied to the survey responses of these groups compared them regarding their institutions' technology support services; regarding their familiarity with, training for, and uses of computer technologies in their personal and professional responsibilities; and regarding their participation in departmental, divisional, and institutional planning activities for technology enhancements. Findings revealed that, compared to those instructors who do not teach computer-aided composition, instructors who do are (1) more likely to be familiar with and use a greater variety of computer technologies for both personal and professional use, (2) more likely to serve on departmental committees which consider technology uses, (3) more likely to have in-office access to desktop computers, to have nearby full-service faculty/student computer labs, and to have greater access to computer hardware overall, and (4) more likely to have attended workshops and taken courses on computer technologies and on instructor methods for use of technologies. In responses to a Likert-like question, composition instructors who do teach with the aid of computer technology also expressed greater than expected professional satisfaction with computer-aided composition as compared to traditional methodology.

The purpose of this research study was to measure perceptions of the teaming process in distance learning courses. A survey instrument was adapted and developed based on the benchmarks found in a research study by the Institute of Higher Education Policy. Data was gathered from 100 students enrolled in an Internet-based (web-assisted, web-enhanced, or online) course in the College of Education at Florida Atlantic University. Results showed that the majority of respondents (n = 75 or 75%) were female, in the age range of 18--30 (n = 48 or 48%), were Caucasian American (n = 74 or 74%), were graduate students (n = 68 or 68%), had been using computers for 5+ years (n = 84 or 84%), had taken 1--2 Internet-based courses (n = 38 or 38%), and were taking the current course as an elective, as a requirement, and/or because it was convenient (n = 49 or 49%). A thematic analysis yielded three subscales, collaborative process, instructional design, and learning team process, for data analysis. The results of the study indicated that there are significant relationships between and among the subscales. Highly correlated variables in each of the subscales included the perception that communication with the professor should be facilitated through a variety of ways (M = 5.02), the perception that course materials should promote collaboration among class members (M = 4.56), and the perception that group work should include problem-solving activities to facilitate topic understanding (M = 4.66). Results from the survey questionnaire indicated that communication is crucial between professors and students. Course materials should be structured to promote collaboration among class participants, which in turn indicates how critical good instructional design is in the delivery of distance education courses. Activities that promote collaboration among students, such as problem-solving activities, should be considered in the course design and delivery so that teaming and collaboration occur. Research, interviews, and data analysis of the pilot study (field test) and final research study provided information for the development of the Virtual Learning Team Survey. This survey is designed to help develop effective and efficient distance education courses.