Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2020 One to One Device Initiative Implementation in a Rural High School in Mississippi Roxanne Hall Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.edu/dissertations Part of the Instructional Media Design Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact ScholarWorks@waldenu. Walden University College of Education This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Roxanne Hall has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made.
Review Committee Dr. Christine Sorensen, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty Dr. Gladys Arome, Committee Member, Education Faculty Dr. Narjis Hyder, University Reviewer, Education Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.
Walden University 2020 Abstract One-to-One Device Initiative Implementation in a Rural High School in Mississippi by Roxanne Hall EDS, Walden University, 2012 MA, Walden University, 2009 BS, Mississippi State University, 2005 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Educational Technology Walden University November 2020 Abstract One-to-one device initiatives provide access to digital learning for students; however, little is known about how this process occurs in rural schools. Implementing a one-to-one device initiative may have positive effects on student access to digital technologies as well as student and teacher efficacy when sufficient training happens beforehand. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the implementation of a one-to-one laptop initiative in a rural high school in Mississippi, focusing on policy development and stakeholder views. The conceptual framework of implementation science and theoretical frameworks of normalization process theory and adaptive implementation guided the research.
The research questions explored factors influencing the process of implementing a one-to-one device initiative in a rural high school and how stakeholder views influenced the decision-making and implementation process. Purposive sampling was used; interviews, focus groups, and document analysis served as the data collection methods. Data from nine participants and related documents were analyzed using Excel and open coding. The resulting themes suggested that teachers’ perceptions communicated a lack of self-efficacy related to a diminished role in policy development and training.
Teachers reported some students’ lack of self-efficacy related to using the devices in the learning setting. Also, administrators acknowledged that teachers and students experienced challenges with the implementation process. Implications for positive social change suggest increased teacher/student involvement in the policy making and implementation process relative to practice and application during the developmental stages of the one-to-one implementation. One-to-One Device Initiative Implementation in a Rural High School in Mississippi by Roxanne Hall Educational Specialist, Walden University, 2012 MA, Walden University, 2009 BS, Mississippi State University, 2005 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Educational Technology Walden University November 2020 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of Mr.
Johnny Lee Oats and Mrs. Freddie Mae Greenlee-Oats who raised me to be productive and confident in the Lord and in myself. They were my grandparents and worked hard to instill in me the value of education, which they referred to as schooling. Posthumously, I dedicate this scholarly work to their continued struggle to mold and shape me into the woman I have become today.
Your faith lives in me! Acknowledgments I would like to thank my mentor, Dr. Christine Sorensen, for her unwavering support and example of faith and persistence. She was my silent, yet powerful pusher throughout this entire journey. I would also like to thank God for endurance to keep writing and not give up on the process.
Finally, I would like to thank my family (my children and grandchildren) for being proud that their mother and grandmother was aspiring to hold the highest honor given in Education, Doctor of Philosophy. Thank you, Walden for a wonderful academic journey that has prepared me for a lifetime of learning. Table of Contents List of Tables. v List of Figures.
vi Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study. 5 Purpose of the Study. 7 Conceptual Framework for the Study. 7 Nature of the Study.
11 Scope and Delimitations. 14 Chapter 2: Literature Review. 16 Literature Search Strategy. 18 i Normalization Process Theory.
21 Application to Study. 23 Literature Review Related to Key Variable and/or Concepts. 24 Mobile Technology Implementation to Schools. 24 Teacher Perceptions on Implementation.
34 Technology Access in Rural Schools. 35 Rural Schools in Mississippi. 39 Strategies for Implementing Social Change. 41 Summary and Conclusions.
47 Chapter 3: Research Method. 49 Research Design and Rationale. 50 Role of the Researcher. 54 Participant Selection Logic.
57 Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection. 59 Data Analysis Plan. 60 Issues of Trustworthiness. 74 Evidence of Trustworthiness.
84 Research Question 1: Implementation. 86 Research Question 2: Factors Influencing Implementation. 104 Research Question 3: Views of Stakeholders. 124 Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations.
127 Interpretation of Findings. 128 Connections to the Literature. 129 Connections to the Conceptual Framework. 131 Limitations of the Study.
140 Appendix A: Interview Questions. 160 Appendix B: Individual Interview Guide. 166 Appendix C: Focus Group Guide. 168 Appendix D: Document Analysis Form.
172 iv List of Tables Table 1. Mississippi Schools’ Student Performance Scale and Scale Definition. Rural County in Mississippi Census Quick Facts 2013-2017. Type of Document Data Collected.
Codes, Categories, and Themes. A Sampling of Documents and Data Analyzed. Schedule of Professional Development for Teachers. 123 v List of Figures Figure 1.
Overview of Themes. 85 vi 1 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study Introduction Many states, such as Mississippi, face the alarming statistics that place them on the at risk list for failed digital education in an era of digital learning (Columbia University, 2014). Public school districts across the nation have implemented one-to-one device usage in the classroom for students and teachers (Harper & Milman, 2016; Lin et al. Although some public schools have adopted one-to-one initiatives, there is a growing need for a framework for implementation that considers the social dynamics and financial constraints of public schools in rural areas with limited access to digital technologies.
More research is needed to understand the policy and planning context relative to implementing a one-to-one initiative (Keane & Keane, 2017). The question raised is how a school implements a sustainable one-to-one initiative in a way that supports best practices in educational technology and academic assessment of content and applied knowledge in the K-12 classrooms, particularly in underresourced rural schools. Better understanding may help with the implementation of technology in ways that positively impact student learning while still being sensitive to local context. In this chapter I include background literature related to the study, present a statement of the problem and purpose of the study, review the research questions and research approach, explain the conceptual framework, and present the scope of the study as well as its assumptions and limitations.
2 Background This study examined the process for implementing one-to-one computing devices for students and the methodologies, if any, used to implement these technologies in public rural high schools in Mississippi. This investigation may begin to address a gap in research focused on understanding the issues of a rural high school districts relative to implementation of a one-to-one initiative. Furthermore, it may provide an avenue for understanding the implementation process that can be used as a framework for other rural districts to follow. The results of this study may provide insights for district policy makers, school administrators, and teachers to help them make informed decisions that may increase the productivity of the implementation process of one-to-one devices and possibly other technology initiatives lending support to the positive social well-being of a 21st century school and community.
The one-to-one laptop initiative began its diffusion process in 2001 and has been rapidly implemented in many of the nation’s public schools (Goodwin, 2011; Zheng et al. Despite the cost of such an initiative, the state of Maine implemented a state- wide laptop for every student program in 2006 based on the premise that access to technology for every student may provide more opportunities for learning (Goodwin, 2011; Peterson & Scharber, 2017). Subsequently, other public schools followed to provide more access to educational resources for their students and to reduce the cost of paper and books on a district or school level (Stone, 2017). However, the success of such initiatives may have direct correlation to the processes of the schools that adopt them (Goodwin, 2011; Zheng et al.
Bebell and Kay (2010) investigated five middle 3 schools in western Massachusetts and found that after 3 years, one of the schools had abandoned their one-to-one initiative. Their students were not using technology at a higher rate than those students who did not have access to the one-to-one computing devices. However, other schools experienced some success on a small scale in the writing ability of students with the use of the one-to-one laptop initiative, but this increase was not enough to connect the laptop initiative to an authentic growth in student achievement across all academic tested areas (Goodwin, 2011; Hockly, 2017). Goodwin (2011) in addition to Peterson and Scharber (2017) revealed some key factors necessary for successful implementation of one-to-one device programs.
However, rural schools may not have access or opportunities to address these key factors due to the context and/or culture of these schools. The key factors that Goodwin (2011) mentioned were (a) ensuring that every class experiences uniform integration of these technologies; (b) ensuring that teachers have deliberate, scheduled time for communication and collaboration on a monthly basis, at minimum; and (c) ensuring that students are using technology daily for online collaboration and cooperative learning. The growth of one-to-one programs has reached many rural areas, such as small towns in Mississippi, where there is little or no access to the Internet for many students outside of the school environment (Bonk, 2010; Power et al. In fact, according to Census data reported by File and Ryan (2014), Mississippi falls below the national average for homes with computers and digital access to the World Wide Web.
4 Census Bureau (2016) defines a rural area as all territory, housing units, and locales of a town or city that have not been defined as urban. The definition of rural has been consistent in Census Bureau history since 1910. However, the definitions of urban and suburban areas have changed throughout history due to modifications in patterns relative to settlement of areas, data usage, and the technology available to measure urbanized areas. Census Bureau (2016) defines urban based on population density and not location alone.
Urbanized areas are defined as having at least 1,000 people per square mile and the areas are unincorporated. On the other hand, the suburban population is part of the incorporated area of townships, and cities benefit more from local tax dollars and have greater access to business and industry (Chambers, 2014). Rural areas are substantially more underdeveloped and/or under populated than urbanized areas and suburban areas (Chambers, 2014). Due to the dynamics that define the rural, urban, and suburban populaces, public schools that are located in these areas possess certain unique characteristics that limit or provide better access to educational resources.
However, the National Center for Educational Statistics (2015) reported that rural public school students perform just as well on standardized tests as students from suburban public schools, there remains an access to technology issue in rural areas when compared to suburban areas (Editorial Projects in Education, 2016).