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Lindenwood University Digital Commons@Lindenwood University Dissertations Theses & Dissertations Spring 3-2010 Teacher Perception of the Alignment of enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS) with the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) Standards Diana L. Stanfill Lindenwood University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/dissertations Part of the Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons Recommended Citation Stanfill, Diana L., "Teacher Perception of the Alignment of enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS) with the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) Standards" (2010). Dissertations. 617. https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/dissertations/617 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses & Dissertations at Digital Commons@Lindenwood University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Lindenwood University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Teacher Perception of the Alignment of enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS) with the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) Standards by Diana L. Stanfill March 2010 A dissertation submitted to the Education Faculty of Lindenwood University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education School of Education Acknowledgements The completion of this dissertation is due, in part, to those who have influenced and guided my life the most: my mother, who taught me the value of perseverance; Crystal, my daughter, who is the reason I continually strive to be a better person; and my mentor, Kay, who helped me develop a true understanding and appreciation for educational technology. I am especially thankful to my friends and family for their support and encouragement. I would like to thank Deb and Cindy for the e-mails and telephone conversations that kept me going. I would also like to thank Don, my husband, who spent months as a “dissertation widow,” while I worked to finish the research and write the paper – your patience, love and understanding helped make this possible. I also owe a great deal to the professional support system that surrounded me during the research and writing process. My doctoral committee, and especially my committee chairperson, Dr. Leavitt, who kept me focused, provided guidance and offered words of encouragement that kept me moving forward. To Dr. Wisdom, Dr. Kania-Gosche, Mr. Nick Gleason, and Dr. Beglau for their help and productive comments throughout this process. I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff of Lindenwood University’s Butler Library for their assistance in navigating the library loan system. i Abstract This study used the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) standards for staff development as a framework for measuring specific aspects of the enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS) educational technology professional development program, as perceived by eMINTS teachers. The Technology Integration Cycle supported the research design. The three-part cycle assumed a relationship existed between standards-based professional development, technology-rich classrooms, and students’ acquisition of technology skills. This study’s hypothesis, research questions, and sub-questions were designed to examine the underlying premise of standards-based, high-quality professional development. These questions sought to examine eMINTS teacher perceptions as they related to the degree in which each of the 12 NSDC standards was embedded into the eMINTS practices, and the relationships and differences between various eMINTS demographic groups. To answer these questions, quantitative data were generated from an online survey. The analysis of survey data indicated no significant association between the NSDC Standards and the eMINTS educational technology professional development program, as perceived by the eMINTS teachers. Data analysis using z-tests for proportions revealed that the variables of years in program completion, certification level, and type of training did not significantly affect the perception of the eMINTS survey respondents. Ordinal ranking of the standards revealed the individual scale score mean varied significantly, from the Leadership standard (3.7) being reported as the most represented, ii to the Data-Driven, Evaluation, and Collaboration standards (3.0) being the least. However, when comparing the scale score mean by the NSDC’s categories of Context (3.3), Process (3.2) and Content (3.3), only a slight (.1) difference was found. Because of the in-depth melding of the NSDC standards, educational technology, and the eMINTS program, this research may provide valuable insight to stakeholders involved at all levels: adoption, design, and implementation of educational technology professional development. Further research into eMINTS’ strengths (use of coaches), as well as weaknesses (inability to customize training), could provide the organization with the information needed to strengthen the program and thus increase the number of teachers trained to integrate technology in the classroom. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. x Definition of Terms................................................................................................ 2 Assumptions ........................................................................................................... 4 Background of the Study ....................................................................................... 5 Professional development legislation ........................................................ 6 Educational technology policy ................................................................... 9 The move to standards-based professional development ......................... 10 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................... 12 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................ 13 Importance of the Study ....................................................................................... 14 Barriers to technology integration ........................................................... 15 Limitations of the Study....................................................................................... 17 Summary .............................................................................................................. 18 CHAPTER TWO – REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................. 19 Technology-Rich Classrooms .............................................................................. 19 Technology outside and inside the classroom ......................................... 19 Multiple intelligences and technology integration ................................... 20 Professional development ........................................................................ 23 Technology integration “The eMINTS Way” .......................................... 24 Standards-based Educational Technology Professional Development ................ 27 A historical perspective............................................................................ 27 The bearer of standards for staff development – the NSDC .................... 29 iv Research, publishing and partnerships: Dissemination of information key to NSDC’s purpose........................................................ 30 Standards-based professional development as characterized by the NSDC standards and applied to educational technology professional development ....................................................................... 32 Context Standards ................................................................................................ 32 Learning Communities............................................................................. 33 Leadership ................................................................................................ 35 Resources ................................................................................................. 37 Process Standards................................................................................................. 40 Data-Driven.............................................................................................. 40 Evaluation ................................................................................................ 41 Research-Based ........................................................................................ 43 Design ...................................................................................................... 44 Learning ................................................................................................... 46 Collaboration............................................................................................ 49 Content Standards ................................................................................................ 51 Equity ......................................................................................................