EDU 710 Literature Review #2

Analysis of “The Technology Coordinator: An Analysis of the Interactions and

Perceptions that Influence Effectiveness” and “Evaluating computer technology

integration in a centralized school system”

By Megan Gerdts

Touro University

College of Education

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for EDU 710

April, 2010

Technology Integration 1

Abstract

The purpose of the two papers was to determine the effectiveness of the technology

coordinator at a school site and teachers’ perceptions of the coordinator’s job in

technology integration. Both articles also took a deeper look at the factors that determine

teachers’ use of technology in the classroom. The technology coordinator is generally a

volunteer position that is filled by a teacher during the school year. His/her job, as

perceived by the teachers that he/she serves, tends to lean heavy on the side of “problem-

solver” and less on “technology integration leader”. This perception, along with a lack of

technology training, has hindered the use of technology as not just a teaching tool, but as

a means for students to construct and learn the required material.


Analysis of “The Technology Coordinator: An Analysis of the Interactions and

Perceptions that Influence Effectiveness” and “Evaluating computer technology

integration in a centralized school system”

Technology integration is a huge topic plaguing many schools across the nation.

We know that we should be using technology, but how? District staff and administrators

are excited at the possibilities presented with using technology in the classroom and want

to “get on board”. The required equipment may or may not be in place, but the desire to

be “cutting edge” and help students achieve in the 21st century is real. As our students are

exposed to more and more technology, the question becomes, how are schools going to

teach in a way that prepares our children to live and thrive in this technological age? The

main questions addressed in these two papers are (1) In Cyprus, how are computers being

used in classrooms and are the methods used progressive? (2) What are the factors that

effect a teacher’s desire or willingness to integrate computer technology into his/her

instruction and teaching practice? (3) What are technology coordinators being used to do

and what are the perceptions surrounding the position?

Methods

With the integration of technology, come the inevitable questions of who will

train staff, when should this happen, and how does a school or district begin to sort

through the many options for training. Most school have a technology coordinator whose

job description is a bit nebulous, but generally includes: maintaining hardware and

infrastructure, providing software evaluation and training, creating and implementing a


technology plan, and providing professional development in the best practices for

technology integration (Kenton, Pusey, Sadera, 2007). A teacher usually holds the

technology coordinator position and his/her duties are carried out before or after school

hours. It became apparent that teachers’ misperceptions of the technology coordinator’s

job were a hindrance in the coordinator’s ability to be a technology integration leader and

not just provide technical support.

Kenton, Pusey, and Sadera collected data over a three-year period using surveys,

student samples, and interviews. Their focus was on professional development,

integration of technology, and student achievement (Kenton et al, 2007). Interviews were

transcribed and tagged for the different interactions that teachers had with the technology

coordinator.

When studying the country of Cyprus, Eteokleous used the mixed method

approach where quantitative data was collected via survey and analyzed. From the

participants in the quantitative portion, the researcher selected twelve teachers that used

little technology in their classrooms and ten who used it a lot. Those twenty-two teachers

were then interviewed to better understand the factors surrounding their technology

integration or lack thereof. (Eteokleous, 2007)

Results

The results in Eteokleous’ study showed that teachers used computers often for

their own purposes, but rather infrequently in their classrooms. When teachers do use

computers in their classrooms it is not regular and their use is generally just supportive of

the curriculum, not as a means for students to learn curriculum. The three most important


factors for computer-use in the classroom were (1) personal attitudes toward technology,

(2) the teachers’ college preparation in technology skills, and (3) their computer literacy

(Eteokleous, 2007). From that data, it is easy to see why some people choose not to use

technology or are hesitant to do so because they feel inadequately prepared and perhaps

have a negative attitude toward technology. Another finding, that is not surprising, is that

students are more likely to use computers if their teacher does.

During the interviews, it was determined that one of the main factors hindering

teachers is the lack of resources. Teachers needed more computers, software, and

guidance in how to apply technology to the curriculum. A second hindrance is the

rigorous curriculum that lacks computer integration. Teachers are not willing to

“sacrifice” the time needed for computer integration for fear that they will not cover the

curriculum required. The last major hindrance mentioned was the completely inadequate

professional development training. Teachers who know little about computers cannot be

expected to use technology in their classroom without many hours of training and

preparation time. The lack of support and guidance was enough for many teachers to put

technology aside (Eteokleous, 2007).

The integration of technology appears to hinge on the attitudes of teachers and the

resources available to them. The technology coordinator is an excellent resource that,

when used correctly, can provide training and support to teachers. The problem is that

many teachers see the technology coordinator simply as a person who is there for

technology support, not as a technology integration leader. In the technology integration

leader role, there are many wonderful training and learning opportunities for teachers if

they are open to it. Researchers found the teachers didn’t approach the technology


coordinator for integration support because they felt that their knowledge was equal to or

surpassed that of the coordinator (Kenton, Pusey, Sadera, 2007). Some teachers felt that

they were integrating technology where it was appropriate and didn’t need any more

suggestions or support in that area. In order for the technology coordinator to be able to

do more technology integration work, it appeared that the duties of technology support

needed to be handled by someone else. I am not sure that this is feasible at many school

sites, but it appears that the coordinator’s role is largely driven by the expectations and

perceptions of the staff that he/she serves. (Kenton et al, 2007)

Discussion

We know that technology is here to stay, so it is imperative that schools figure out

how to successfully integrate it. From the two articles presented above, we learned that

we have come a long way, but still have a lot further to go until technology is fully

integrated into all classrooms. Having the resources needed to integrate computers into

every classroom is one of the major hurdles that many schools face. The teachers’

perceptions of technology and the amount of training received are two of the factors that

help determine how successful a school will be with integrating technology. Looking

forward, it is important for administrators to look at the role of the technology

coordinator at each school site. The success of the coordinator’s implementation will be

determined, in a large part, by the perceptions held by the teachers at the school.

Ultimately, in order to be successful in using computers and technology in the classroom,

we must have a paradigm shift starting at the state level. Our curriculum must allow for

and integrate technology. Districts must offer the necessary trainings for teachers of all


ability levels to become familiar with and feel successful using computers. Funding for

computers, software, and support must be a priority. Although we are on the right track, I

believe that we have a long way to go.


References

Pusey, P., Sadera, W. & Kenton, J. (2007). The Technology Coordinator: An Analysis of

the Interactions and Perceptions that Influence Effectiveness. In R. Carlsen et al. (Eds.),

Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International

Conference 2007 (pp. 1660-1663). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Eteokleous, N. (2007). Evaluating computer technology integration in a centralized

school system. Computers and Education, 51, 669-686.


EDU 710 Literature Review #2

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