Teachers' Use of Digital Literacies in Predominantly African American
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Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Early Childhood and Elementary Education Early Childhood and Elementary Education Dissertations Department Spring 5-12-2017 Digitally Sound? Teachers’ Use of Digital Literacies in Predominantly African American Classrooms in a Low SES Urban School Setting Ruby Champion Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/ece_diss Recommended Citation Champion, Ruby, "Digitally Sound? Teachers’ Use of Digital Literacies in Predominantly African American Classrooms in a Low SES Urban School Setting." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2017. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/ece_diss/30 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Department at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Early Childhood and Elementary Education Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ACCEPTANCE This dissertation, DIGITALLY SOUND? TEACHERS’ USE OF DIGITAL LITERACIES IN PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN CLASSROOMS IN A LOW SES URBAN SCHOOL SETTING, by RUBY NESBITT CHAMPION, was prepared under the direction of the candidate’s Dissertation Advisory Committee. It is accepted by the committee members in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor of Philosophy, in the College of Education and Human Development, Georgia State University. The Dissertation Advisory Committee and the student’s Department Chairperson, as representatives of the faculty, certify that this dissertation has met all standards of excellence and scholarship as determined by the faculty. _______________________________ _________________________________ Mona Matthews, Ph.D. Joyce King, Ph.D. Committee Chair Committee Member _______________________________ _________________________________ Diane Truscott, Ph.D. Tisha Lewis-Ellison, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Lynn Hart, Ph.D. Chairperson, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education ______________________________ Paul A. Alberto, Ph.D. Dean College of Education and Human Development AUTHOR’S STATEMENT By presenting this dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the library of Georgia State University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote, to copy from, or to publish this dissertation may be granted by the professor under whose direction it was written, by the College of Education and Human Development’s Director of Graduate Studies, or by me. Such quoting, copying, or publishing must be solely for scholarly purposes and will not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be allowed without my written permission. RUBY LORRAINE NESBITT CHAMPION NOTICE TO BORROWERS All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University library must be used in accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. The author of this dissertation is: Ruby Lorraine Nesbitt Champion Early Childhood and Elementary Education College of Education and Human Development Georgia State University The director of this dissertation is: Dr. Mona W. Matthews Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education College of Education and Human Development Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303 CURRICULUM VITAE Ruby L. Nesbitt Champion ADDRESS: 3999 Smithfield Trail Ellenwood, GA 30194 EDUCATION: Doctor of Philosophy 2016 Georgia State University Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education Master of Education 2005 Georgia State University Department of Early Childhood Education Bachelor of Science 1996 Howard University Biology PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 2009-present Teacher J.W. Dobbs Elementary School 2006-2009 Doctoral Fellow Georgia State University 2002-2006 Teacher/Team Lead Capitol View Elementary DIGITALLY SOUND? TEACHERS’ USE OF DIGITAL LITERACIES IN PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN CLASSROOMS IN A LOW SES URBAN SCHOOL SETTING by RUBY L. NESBITT CHAMPION Under the Direction of Dr. Mona W. Matthews ABSTRACT While digital technologies have been recognized as a necessary part of school learning, a digital divide persists between those who have technological access and those without technological access. African American children in impoverished, urban areas may lack the same opportunities to use technology as children in higher socioeconomic status (SES) areas. Research demonstrates that schools may serve as an equalizer in bridging this digital divide. Thus, students who attend schools in low SES comminutues can benefit from the integration of Digital Literacies (DL) during literacy instruction. This qualitative study examined how teachers in an urban, low SES school struggled to utilize DL in ways that challenged traditional literacy practices. To understand these struggles, this study examined how elementary teachers within this demographic used DL in response to the demands for technology during literacy instruction. Guiding questions included: a) What pedagogical practices do teachers of African American children in urban, low SES classrooms use when integrating digital tools during their literacy instruction? b) How do these teachers’ perceptions of Digital Literacies’s usefulness impact the ways they use Digital Literacies during their literacy instruction? c) What challenges do the teachers face and how do they respond to these challenges as they integrate Digital Literacies in their classrooms? Data collected included observations of teachers during Digital Literacies lessons, individual and focus group interviews, audio-journals entires, curriculum maps, and lesson plans. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative method to allow themes to emerge. Results from this qualitative study revealed that teachers exhibited three levels of Implementation of DL, including Limited, Moderate, and Full Implementation. Examination of teachers’ pedagogical practices using the TPACK rubric and the SAMR model of integration revealed that a teachers’s willingness to implement DL is dependent upon variations in the level of DL knowledge and intangible variables such as a teacher’s beliefs toward technology, a teachers’ comfort level, and the teacher’s response to challenges that occur. This study’s aimed to provide valuable information to the existing body of research on DL for teachers of African American students. INDEX WORDS: Digital literacies, Urban education, Literacy, Technology, Teacher efficacy, African American children DIGITALLY SOUND? TEACHERS’ USE OF DIGITAL LITERACIES IN PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN CLASSROOMS IN A LOW SES URBAN SCHOOL SETTING by Ruby L. Nesbitt Champion A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Early Childhood and Elementary in Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education in The College of Education and Human Development Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 2016 Copyright by Ruby L. Nesbitt Champion 2017 DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my beautiful parents, Rosa and Reuben Nesbitt, my supportive and loving husband Alfonso Champion, and my wonderful daughter, Zoë Champion. Anything is possible when you have the unwaivering love and support of a beautiful family. Thank you for believing in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It has been such a blessing to have been given the opportunity to grow as a scholar. I have grown in ways that I could never have imagined and it has been such a privilage to have had some of the most extraordinary people guide me along the way. First, I would like to thank my husband, Alfonso, for his love and support, and for making such a sacrifice of his time to do things for our family when I could not. I would also like to thank my parents, Rosa and Reuben Nesbitt for ALWAYS loving, nuturing, and supporing me unconditionally. It is because of you, that I am! I would also like to thank my beautiful blossom, Zoë, for always making mommy smile with your hugs and kisses that filled my soul with love. Lisa and Carla, my GSU “cohort” sisters, I could not have made it through this process without you. You have both been such dynamic role models, personal cheerleaders, and sources of inspiration for me, and I am honored to have taken this journey with both of you. I would also like to also acknowledge my mentors, Dr. Asa Hilliard and Dr. Floretta Thornton-Reid. While they are both no longer here on this Earth in the physical form, they passed on their wisdom and knowledge and helped me to build confidence in myself as a young, African American scholar. Their impact will forever be felt and I thank them for the seeds that they planted within me. I also must thank Dr. Joya Carter Hicks for pushing me to begin this doctoral program in the beginning. Had it not been for you, I would have never even attempted to pursue this endeavor. To my J.W. Dobbs close friends and colleagues, I thank you for supporting me and pushing me to keep going so that I can continue to make education better for our students. Ashley, Angel, and Bernadine, thank you for embracing me, lifting me up,