University of New England DUNE: DigitalUNE All Theses And Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 6-2017 The Effects Of Technology On Student Motivation And Engagement In Classroom-Based Learning James Francis University of New England Follow this and additional works at: https://dune.edu/theses Part of the Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, and the Educational Psychology Commons © 2017 James Francis Preferred Citation Francis, James, "The Effects Of Technology On Student Motivation And Engagement In Classroom-Based Learning" (2017). All Theses And Dissertations.edu/theses/121 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at DUNE: DigitalUNE. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses And Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DUNE: DigitalUNE. For more information, please contact bkenyon@une.
THE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN CLASSROOM-BASED LEARNING By James Francis B. University of Connecticut 2008 M. Ed University of New England 2013 A DISSERTATION Presented to the Affiliated Faculty Of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies at the University of New England Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the degree of Doctor of Education Portland & Biddeford, Maine May 2017 i Copyright by James Francis 2017 ii James Francis May 2017 Educational Leadership THE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN CLASSROOM-BASED LEARNING Abstract Technology has seen a recent widespread integration into daily life, where access to vast amounts of information is now available with ease. Today’s generation of students has grown up with technology all around them in an ever-increasing manner.
To create an effective 21st century classroom that meets the needs of the students, a modern teacher must factor a student’s motivation to learn and the effects technology has on inclusionary education. A technology implementation was devised to address this rising need. Research was completed at an urban charter school on a population of 348 at the time of technology intervention through data analysis. Student surveys were administered to gauge student perception and motivation, student individualized education plans were reviewed, and classroom observations were made.
The results showed that students feel motivated through the specific use of technology in the classroom, whether it be for pedagogical purposes or for accommodations as required by an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Further study can aid in updating teaching techniques to better support inclusionary education as well as enhancing student motivation. iii University of New England Doctor of Education Educational Leadership This dissertation was presented by James Francis It was presented on May 12, 2017 and approved by: Michelle Collay, Ph., Lead Advisor University of New England Erin Connor, Ph., Secondary Advisor University of New England Sanela Jonuz, M., Affiliate Committee Member Salem State University iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people who I can and should thank for helping me through this process, both professionally and emotionally. My friends, my family, and my colleagues, for encouraging me and helping me to make it through this process.
I would like to thank Mrs. Sanela Jonuz for her outstanding advisement during this process. Her guidance, patience, and willingness to let me try new things has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and truly experience and understand leadership and education. I would also like to extend a large thank you and express my appreciation and gratitude for Dr.
During my time of need and frustration, she was able to help center my attention and help me refocus on writing through her invaluable advice and help. And finally, I would like to thank my wife Katherine Francis, who for many years has stood by my side, encouraging my progress, and helped see me through to the end. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you! v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.
1 Statement of the Problem. 2 Purpose of the Study. 6 Background of the Study. 10 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.
11 Current State of Educational Technology Implementation. 11 Perspectives on Use of Technology in Education. 13 Student Motivation Through Technology Use in School. 14 Perceptions of Technology in Daily Life.
15 Integrating Technology in Classrooms. 16 Motivating Students with Technology. 17 Influence of Technology on Inclusive Education. 19 Students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.
21 Student-Centered Learning Environments. 22 vi Conceptual Framework. 29 Background of the Technology Implementation. 30 The Technology Implementation Roadmap.
34 Potential Limitations/Biases of the Study. 38 Survey of All Students. 39 Student Support Cards. 45 CHAPTER 5: INTERPRETATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS.
48 Presentation and Interpretation of Findings. 49 Summary of the Findings. 52 Recommendations for Action. 53 vii Recommendations for Further Study.
63 viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Respondents to Technology Survey by Grade. 39 Table 2: Respondents to Question on Computer in the Home. 40 Table 3: Respondents to Question on Computer Usage for School. 40 Table 4: Respondents to Question on Motivation Through Technology.
41 Table 5: Respondents to Question on Technology in Class. 41 Table 6: Respondents to Question on Student Feelings Towards Inclusion. 41 Table 7: Respondents to Question on More or Less Technology in Schools. 42 Table 8: Number of Identified Students Who Have Accommodations (IEP or 504).
43 Table 9: Specific Accommodations as Used on IEPs. 43 Table 10: Specific Accommodations as Used on 504 Plans. 44 ix 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The students of today are surrounded by technology, where access to a vast collection of information is only a fingertip away (Egbert, 2009). Many in the field of pedagogy state that technology integration is helpful, meaningful, and necessary for a school to function successfully.
However, many teachers are reluctant to make the change, and many students are not motivated to try. In 2013, a survey was given to the Chicago Public Schools by Ehrlich, Sporte, Sebring, & the Consortium on Chicago Schools (2013). It was found that 92% of students had some form of technology and internet access in their home, but fewer than half of the students used that technology for work related to school. In the modern information era, the wealth of the world’s information can be accessed through a variety of devices.
Technology that was once expensive and limited to only the privileged few has now advanced and become far cheaper (Edwards, 2009). Students have grown up with technology all around them, and teachers must adapt to this new lifestyle. Teachers adapting to this new lifestyle must find methods of incorporating and utilizing these new forms of technology in class, not only in a motivational level, but also on an instructional level too. This can be done in many different ways, from a ground up pedagogical method to the use of accommodations on an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan.
Students who find themselves supported and taught in a method of which they are used to will be more motivated to learn and feel included. In today’s emerging technological society, it stands to reason that the modern day classroom should reflect what is seen in society. By showing real world technological 2 applications, intrinsic value can be brought to the learning process, increasing interest and motivation (Usher & Center on Education, 2012). It is also important for these classrooms to address the need of all students.
Technology supports the need for divergent learning approaches, helping to create a sense of community as well as a meaningful experience (Futurelab, 2009). Appropriate use of technology can serve the regular education classroom by motivating students in all disciplines, such as math, social studies, and literacy (Heafner, 2004; Liu, 2016; Housand & Housand, 2012). Students who have identified learning disabilities can be served by the appropriate integration of technology through assistive technology devices, allowing students to access the information and maintain pace with a regular education classroom (Floyd and Judge, 2012). Statement of the Problem Today's generation of students learn differently than those of the past.
Technology is all around them, and access to a wealth of information is only a click away. Ehrlich, Sporte, Sebring, and the Consortium on Chicago Schools (2013) found that 92% of students had technology in the home, but less than half used it for school work. Pedagogy must change with the times. When teachers continue to teach topics and skills that students may deem outdated and not applicable in the real world, students may lose motivation and interest as the intrinsic value of what was learned is lost (Usher & Center on Education, 2012).
By integrating technology into education, teachers will be able to motivate and include the entire spectrum of students (from learning disabled to gifted and talented). The topic of technology in the classroom to assist with academic success has been studied, albeit not as extensively as other academic areas. However, the deficiency of available 3 technology lies with assistive technology for students with high incidence disabilities. Flanagan, Bouck, and Richardson (2013) noted that the technology was effective, but the cost was prohibitive.
It was also noted by Bouck and Richardson (2013) that the body of literature was lacking in the subject of assistive technology and its implementation. In order to maintain anonymity for the students and to adhere to the Instructional Review Board (IRB) exemption that was granted on January 29th, 2016, the school name and location will be withheld. The school where data was taken from is a charter school in an urban environment in New England. I will refer to this school throughout the dissertation as NECS (or New England Charter School).
The mission NECS is to prepare students for the rigors and pressures of today’s society who may have little to no resources. Previously, at NECS, a similar finding to Erlich, Sporte, Sebring, & the Consortium on Chicago Schools (2013), was identified, where technology was not utilized effectively. This, in turn, led to a problem of missing “from the ground up” or constructivist instructional practices. Through the course of this dissertation, and at the approval of the administration at NECS, I began a process of identifying and observing the overhaul of their technology plan with the understanding of creating a more motivated, more inclusive learning environment.
Purpose of the Study The use of technology in the classroom has the benefit of increasing academic achievement from the perspective of both the students and the educators (Courville, 2011). In a study by Usher & Center on Education (2012), real-world applications of technology along with other academic subjects helps motivate students. They found that when technology-based inquiry-learning correlates to real-world situations, students begin to see the intrinsic value of 4 what is being learned, which increases interest and motivation by the student. In addition, by applying abstract ideas into real-world situations, students can understand complex concepts, which will then increase competence.
By adding technology into the classroom, teachers can utilize this technology to differentiate instruction, motivate students, and include all skill levels. The purpose of this study was to: 1) find out students’ perceptions of the use of technology in their classroom-based instruction; and 2) to describe current use of general technology and assistive technology in classrooms that include identified students (those with documented learning disabilities). With any research, the best research is conducted by identifying the difficulties and problems of the study early on and accommodating or eliminating them. The purpose of this study is to not only understand the need and importance for technology in the classrooms on its relation to motivation and inclusion, but to encourage the creation of a ground up curriculum design at NECS based on observations of instruction using technology.
Findings from the study will inform a wide variety of audiences. The primary audiences for such a study will be local Boards of Education (for any district curriculum implementation plans), local school administration (for the operation of schools impacted by such a curriculum plan), and teachers (who provide implementation).