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How Deeper Learning and 21St Century Skills Influenced One Suburban District's Transition to 1:1 Student Technology

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How Deeper Learning and 21St Century Skills Influenced One Suburban District's Transition to 1:1 Student Technology 1 HOW DEEPER LEARNING AND 21ST CENTURY SKILLS INFLUENCED ONE SUBURBAN DISTRICT’S TRANSITION TO 1:1 STUDENT TECHNOLOGY A thesis presented by Paula A. Dillon to The School of Education In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education Dr. Chris Unger Advisor College of Professional Studies Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts March 2017 2 Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine administrator, student, and teacher perceptions of organizational structures, systems, and supports implemented to aid technology integration, and the potential for that technology integration to achieve 21st century skill acquisition and deeper learning in a 1:1 environment. The Diffusion of Innovation Theoretical Framework guided the design and analysis of this study. Further, a literature review of the integration of technology into content and pedagogy informed this study. The overarching research question for this study asked how teachers, students, and administrators perceive the implementation of a 1:1 district-wide implementation initiative, and its impact on 21st century skill acquisition and deeper learning. As such, the study sought to answer the following questions: (1) How has the district organized itself to support technology integration by teachers with the specific intent of fostering deeper learning and 21st century skills? and (2) How do administrators, teachers, and students perceive the implementation of 1:1 and its impact on 21st century skills and deeper learning? An instrumental case study approach was used to explore and describe the perceptions of administrators, students and teachers using rich- description of their experiences. It is evident that the purposeful integration of technology in the 1:1 environment led to student acquisition of 21st century skills and deeper learning at the study site. In addition, the study revealed structures and supports necessary to facilitate 1:1 programs to foster deeper learning and 21st century skills including strong communication, robust infrastructure, long- range planning, stakeholder engagement, professional learning, collaboration and time. The findings of this study, along with the identification and analysis of related themes, have the potential to inform similar districts as they embark on the implementation of 1:1 programs to foster 21st century skills and deeper learning competencies. Keywords: 1:1, technology integration, deeper learning, 21st century skills, innovation 3 Acknowledgements It is with my sincerest gratitude and respect that I acknowledge my advisor, Dr. Chris Unger. From my first course at Northeastern to my last, he pushed me to think beyond the current reality and design of education. He is an inspiration to the educational field and a thought leader in educational redesign. It is because of Dr. Unger that I have had the courage and motivation to not only finish my doctoral work, but to engage as a true scholar-practitioner and change agent in the field. I would also like to thank Dr. Corliss Brown Thompson for her feedback and time she provided me as my second reader. I would also like to acknowledge my supportive family, without whom the completion of my doctoral journey would not have been possible. To my husband, Jason, daughter, Aine and son, Kyler, thank you for allowing me the time and providing me the often-needed encouragement along the way. Jason, thank you for always reminding me that I can achieve my goals, and for always pushing me outside of my comfort zone. Aine and Kyler, I hope to inspire you to ignite your passions and achieve your dreams, and I promise to be your greatest champion along the way. To my parents, Robert and Ann, thank you for believing in me and pushing me to be the first in our family to cross the finish line. I cannot thank you enough for the dinners you made, the carpools you drove, and the hours you sacrificed, allowing me to focus on accomplishing my goals. When I entered pre-law, you told me I was born a teacher. Maybe parents do know best. Finally, to my colleagues and peers, my gratitude for your encouragement and support. I could not ask for a more supportive group of people to be surrounded by daily. Thank you for believing in my crazy and entering the challenge of school redesign with me. I know I have high expectations and idealistic visions; and yet, you exceed them every time. 4 Table of Contents Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 8 The Topic .................................................................................................................................. 8 Problem of Practice ................................................................................................................. 10 Study Site ................................................................................................................................ 13 Statement of Significance ....................................................................................................... 13 Intended Audiences ................................................................................................................. 15 Positionality Statement ........................................................................................................... 17 Research Questions and Purpose Statement ........................................................................... 22 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................... 22 Diffusion of Innovation Explained ......................................................................................... 23 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 27 Chapter II: A Review of the Literature ......................................................................................... 30 The Shifting Landscape of Education ..................................................................................... 30 A Relevant and Significant Issue ............................................................................................ 31 Significance of 21st Century Skills and Deeper Learning ....................................................... 34 The Integration of Technology into Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) ............... 46 Transforming Teaching and Learning in 21st Century Classrooms ....................................... 48 Technology and the Acquisition of 21st Century Skills and Deeper Learning ....................... 50 Leadership Strategies Affecting Students and Teachers ......................................................... 54 Existing Studies on Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) and Technology Integration ................... 59 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 63 Chapter III: Methodology ............................................................................................................ 66 Research Paradigms and Study Propositions .......................................................................... 67 Research Tradition .................................................................................................................. 68 Study Site and Participants ..................................................................................................... 71 Recruitment and Access .......................................................................................................... 73 Data Collection ....................................................................................................................... 74 Data Storage ............................................................................................................................ 76 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 76 Trustworthiness ....................................................................................................................... 77 5 Protection of Human Subjects ................................................................................................ 78 Chapter IV: Research Findings ..................................................................................................... 80 Summary of Study Site, Participants, Focus Groups and Data Collected .............................. 80 Research Question 1: How has the district organized itself to support technology integration by teachers with the specific intent of fostering deeper learning and 21st century skills? ........... 84 Research Question Two: How do administrators, teachers, and students perceive the implementation of 1:1 and its impact on 21st century skills and deeper learning? ............... 104 Document Review ................................................................................................................. 135 Summary of Findings ............................................................................................................ 137 Chapter V: Discussion of the Findings ....................................................................................... 141 Revisiting the Problem of Practice ....................................................................................... 141 Review of Methodology
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