Perceptions of Technology in Dance Education
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University of Northern Colorado Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC Master's Theses Student Research 12-2018 Perceptions of Technology in Dance Education: the Effect of Technology on Student Learning and Teaching Strategies of the Twenty-First Century Skills in Dance Education Anna Kristine Gradwohl Follow this and additional works at: https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses Recommended Citation Gradwohl, Anna Kristine, "Perceptions of Technology in Dance Education: the Effect of Technology on Student Learning and Teaching Strategies of the Twenty-First Century Skills in Dance Education" (2018). Master's Theses. 74. https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/74 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © 2018 Anna Kristine Gradwohl ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO Greeley, Colorado The Graduate School PERCEPTIONS OF TECHNOLOGY IN DANCE EDUCATION: THE EFFECT OF TECHNOLOGY ON STUDENT LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGIES OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SKILLS IN DANCE EDUCATION A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Of Master of Arts Anna Kristine Gradwohl College of Performing and Visual Arts School of Theater Arts and Dance Dance Education December 2018 This Thesis by: Anna Kristine Gradwohl Entitled: Perceptions of Technology in Dance Education: The Effect of Technology on Student Learning and Teaching Strategies of the Twenty-First Century Skills in Dance Education has been approved as meeting the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the College of Performing and Visual Arts, School of Theatre Arts and Dance, Program of Dance Education Accepted by the Thesis Committee: _______________________________________________________________________ Christy O’Connell-Black, M.A., Chair, Advisor _________________________________________________ Sandra L. Minton, Ph.D., Committee Member _________________________________________________ Accepted by the Graduate School: __________________________________________________ Linda L. Black, Ed.D. Associate Provost and Dean Graduate School and International Admissions Research and Sponsored Projects ABSTRACT Gradwohl, Anna Kristine. Perceptions of Technology in Dance Education: The Effect of Technology on Student Learning and Teaching Strategies of the Twenty-First Century Skills in Dance Education. Unpublished Master of Arts thesis, University of Northern Colorado, 2018. The purpose of this study was to assist educators in understanding the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in a dance classroom to teach the twenty-first- century-skills of creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. This research evaluated perceptions of technology integration through the lens of fifty-four current dance educators with a goal of discovering the effects technology has on teaching strategies and student learning in a dance classroom. The research instrument used in this study was an electronic survey that included both quantitative and qualitative questions to analyze the data. The data suggested that current dance educators supported the use of technology in dance education, yet shared mixed reviews on when and how technology should be integrated in the dance classroom. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are a number of people who deserve recognition and gratitude for the support they provided during the path of conducting my research and writing my thesis. First of all, I would like to thank my University of Northern Colorado thesis advisor, Christy O’Connell-Black for her teaching, encouragement, insight, and editing expertise. I would also like to thank Dr. Sandra Minton for her guidance and direction of this program; my editor, Dr. Richard Shore; the numerous participants of my study, and my classmates for their love and constant encouragement over the past two and a half years. Next, I would like to thank my parents, Jim and Darla Olson, for instilling in me a desire for excellence and a love for following my passion and calling in life. Thank you also to my friends and coworkers who have shown me love and grace in the midst of my busy schedule during this season of life. Lastly, I would like to thank my husband, Dr. Brian Gradwohl, for helping me sort through data, create understandable tables, and for being the biggest source of love and support through this whole process. Watching your pursuit of learning and excellence inspired me to make this thesis and program a reality in my own life. I am blessed to be your wife and now mother to our precious baby boy, Everett, who’s kicks and snuggles have kept me motivated and awake enough at night to continue writing this thesis. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 Goal of Thesis Purpose of Study Significance of Study II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ..................................................................... 8 The American Education System Current Educational Theory: Twenty-First-Century-Skills Critical Thinking Communication Collaboration Creativity Technology in Education: Current Trends and Uses Advantages of Technology Integration Disadvantages of Technology Integration Dance Education and Technology: Current Trends and Uses Teacher Perceptions of Technology Use Student Perceptions of Technology Use III. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................... 31 Instrumentation Research Participants Survey Demographics Years of Teaching Setting Grade Levels Dance Styles Data Collection and Analysis Quantitative Data Qualitative Data Summary v IV. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................... 38 Quantitative Data Available Technology Verses Technology Currently Used Technology Provision Most Valuable Technology Least Valuable Technology Perceptions of Technology Use Qualitative Data Teacher Engagement Technology as a Teaching Strategy Choreography and Technical Dance Skills Historical Content Collaborate, Communicate, and Choreograph Student Engagement Technology as a Learning Tool Improvisation, Creative Movement, and Choreography Critical Thinking and Class Discussions Expression and Stage Presence Collaborative Projects Writing About Dance Peer Critiques and Feedback Classroom Presentations Summary V. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................... 73 The Research Question and Methods Interpretation of the Findings Limitations to the Study Recommendations for Further Research Conclusion WORKS CITED .................................................................................................... 80 APPENDIX A. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FORMS ........................ 85 APPENDIX B. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION ......................................... 89 vi LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: Age of Participants ........................................................................ 33 TABLE 2: Years of Teaching Experience ....................................................... 34 TABLE 3: Teaching Setting ............................................................................ 34 TABLE 4: Grade Levels .................................................................................. 35 TABLE 5: Teaching Styles ............................................................................. 36 TABLE 6: Available Technology vs. Technology Currently Used ................ 40 TABLE 7: Who Provides Majority of Technology ......................................... 41 TABLE 8: Most Valuable Available Technology ........................................... 42 TABLE 9: Least Valuable Available Technology .......................................... 43 TABLE 10: Perceptions of Technology Use ..................................................... 45 vii 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Goal of Thesis In the ever-growing age of technology, emerging methods for new teaching strategies have become more common in the classroom. Some of these methods include the use of tablet devices, smart boards, flipped classrooms, video collaboration, online courses, interactive classroom games, and online educational platforms. Drs. Fatma Hocanin and Ersun Iscioglu, professors from Eastern Mediterranean University in Turkey, conducted a study in 2014 about the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile devices in a university classroom. Their research showed “mobile tablets are becoming so popular in classrooms around the globe that many teachers see them as being a common accessory—as common as a pen or a pencil” (13). Despite this trend, educators’ opinions differ on the usefulness of these strategies in dance education. As a result, dance education is one of the slowest artistic disciplines to implement new technology strategies into teaching (Calvert et al. 6). According to Tom Calvert, Lars Wilke, Rhonda Ryman, and Ilene Fox’s article, “Applications of Computers to Dance,” this is due to the following two reasons involving: …the unwillingness of dancers and dance choreographers to let any media stand between them and their live kinesthetic experience, and the low marketability of this branch, due to which the newly devised technological applications delay to develop and co-opt in the market place. (Dania