Graduation Year

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ed.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Educational Leadership

Major Professor

Stephen Thornton, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Joyce Haines, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Keith Berry, Ph.D.

Keywords

change management, leadership, self-study, techuity

Abstract

The purpose of this self-study was to explore the technology implementation that took place at one Title I elementary school over the course of a four-year period. The implementation of technology in the school was undertaken for three specific reasons: to invigorate school culture, to enhance classroom instruction, and to raise student achievement.

The research of the technology implementation at Comet Elementary used a self-study approach. Data collected and analyzed during the self-study included the following: school culture and climate surveys, teacher evaluations and observations, student standardized assessments, school budgets, teacher technology integration surveys, and student technology integration surveys.

The major findings of the self-study include these: (1) needs assessments facilitates strategic planning, (2) decision-making and leadership are key to a school-wide change, (3) technology enhances teacher instruction, (4) technology equips students for academic success, and (5) technology positively impacts school culture. These findings help to identify what knowledge and skills help administrators and teachers be successful during a technology implementation.

This study has implications for leaders in schools exploring the possibility of a technology implementation. It discusses the processes that occurred at one elementary that can be expanded to other schools. The protocols informed by the findings from this study may be useful for ensuring that students and teachers have technology that is readily accessible for instruction. These protocols include the following: a strong leadership philosophy, a flow chart of steps taken during a technology implementation, the creation of a site-based technology task force, and the adoption of technology standards.

This self-study focused on the procedures that were in place at one elementary school, and it is critical that other case studies are conducted at schools that have gone through a technology implementation. Studies of other schools would provide rich descriptions of the implementation steps taken and the discussion of the change processes in place. It is important to look at technology initiatives that were successful and those that were unsuccessful to compare what procedures were in place during each process to help avoid the pitfalls of an unsuccessful implementation.

I am hopeful that the experiences that were shared in this self-study from Comet Elementary are beneficial to other site-based leaders contemplating a technology implementation. Readers can use this implementation as an example of a school that went through a technology transformation over a four-year period and the specific steps that were taken during the process.

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