Study of the Use of Telecommunications in the Classroom
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Rowan University Rowan Digital Works Theses and Dissertations 5-31-2002 Study of the use of telecommunications in the classroom Ed Ewing Rowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd Part of the Elementary Education and Teaching Commons Recommended Citation Ewing, Ed, "Study of the use of telecommunications in the classroom" (2002). Theses and Dissertations. 1432. https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1432 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Rowan Digital Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Rowan Digital Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDY OF THE USE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM by Ed Ewing A Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Arts Degree of The Graduate School at Rowan University May 1, 2002. Approved yProfessor Professor Date Approved / A€ /O/ , - / I V,, ABSTRACT Edward Ewing Study of the Use of Telecommunications in the Classroom 2002 Dr. Louis Molinari Elementary Education / Computer Emphasis The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of integration of technology in the classroom. Specifically, the study was to look at computer software and related Internet and telecommunication usage. The study took place in Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey. Teachers in four public school districts from each county were invited to participate. A letter was sent to the chief administrator of each selected school district, explaining the purpose and significance of the study. A packet was also sent to each teacher in the participating schools. The packet included an introductory letter and a questionnaire. In addition, the questionnaire was posted on the Internet. Differences were found in the actual use of telecommunications among the selected participating schools. Teachers and schools were using many, but not all of the technology standards recommended by the New Jersey Department of Education. MINI-ABSTRACT Edward Ewing Study of the Use of Telecommunications in the Classroom 2002 Dr. Louis Molinari Elementary Education / Computer Emphasis A survey was conducted from four public schools each in Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, New Jersey. The study was to investigate the use of telecommunications via Internet and distance education in the classrooms. Differences were found among the recommended use and actual use in the participating classrooms. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I sincerely thank all the teachers and administrators who took the time to participate in this study. My thanks go to Dr. Louis Molinari for his time and patience in the writing of this thesis and for his support throughout the entire process. I would also like to give a great deal of special thanks to my wife, Tracie, and my children Eddie and Kayla, who without their love and inspiration, I would never have been able to complete this study. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ..................................... LIST OF GRAPHS .................. .................viii CHAPTER 1. THE PROBLEM ................................... 1 Introduction .. 1............................ Significance of the Study .................. 2 Statement of the Problem ................... 6 Specific Hypothesis ......................... 7 Method of Study ................... 7......7 Limitation of the Study ..................... 8 Definition of Terms Used .................... 9 Organization of the Thesis ................. 11 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..................... 13 Introduction ............................ 13 Early Development of Technology ............ 14 Early Telecommunications ...................15 Educational Television: Early Years ........ 18 Radio Broadcasting: The Beginnings ......... 19 Beginning of the Computer Age .............. 22 Beginnings of the Internet and the Web ..... 26 Early Years of Distance Education .......... 30 Computer Technology: Now and the Future ....33 Internet Today ............................. 34 iii CHAPTER Distance Learning Today . ...................39 3. DESIGN OF THE STUDY .......................... 43 Setting .................................... 43 Participants ............................... 45 Instrument . .............. ........ .......... 49 Procedure .................................. 51 Scoring .................................. 51 4. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA ......................... 54 Overall Summary of Research Questions ...... 57 County Comparisons ......................... 60 Rural and Suburban Schools . ................ 66 NJDOE School Technology Survey 2001 ....... 71 Individual School Analysis ................. 72 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............. 77 Summary of the Problem ..................... 77 Summary of the Hypothesis .................. 77 Summary of the Method of Investigation ..... 77 Conclusions ......... ....................... 78 Recommendations ............................ 80 Recommendations for Future Study .......... 80 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................... ....... 82 APPENDICES ....... ... ............... 91 A. Lists of School Districts ................. 92 Asked to Participate in the Study iv B. New Jersey Department of ..................... 95 Education District Factor Groups (DFG) C. Teacher Telecommunication Survey ............. 97 D. Internet Telecommunication Survey ........... 99 E. New Jersey Department of Education Core Curriculum Standards in Technology ...103 F. Administrator Telecommunication Letter ...... 104 G. Teacher Telecommunication Letter ............ 105 H. t-Test for Independent Samples ............ 106 I. New Jersey Department of Education ......... 112 School Technology Survey 2001 Report V LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1. Teacher Telecommunications Results Camden County School District: B Rating Demographic Information ................... 54 2. Teacher Telecommunications Results Gloucester County School District: CD Rating Demographic Information .................... 55 3. Teacher Telecommunications Results Gloucester County School District: B Rating Demographic Information .................... 55 4. Teacher Telecommunications Results Gloucester County School District: DE Rating Demographic Information .................... 55 5. Teacher Telecommunications Results Gloucester County School District: I Rating Demographic Information .................... 56 6. Teacher Telecommunications Results Salem County School District: CD Rating Demographic Information .................... 56 7. Teacher Telecommunications Results ' Salem County School District: B Rating Demographic Information .................... 56 VI FIGURE 8. Teacher Telecommunications Results Salem County School District: DE Rating Demographic Information ....................57 9. Teacher Telecommunications Results Salem County School District: FG Rating Demographic Information .................... 57 10. Teacher Telecommunications Results All Nine Participating School Districts Demographic Information ....................58 11. Teacher Telecommunications Results All Salem County Participating Schools Demographic Information . ...................61 12. Teacher Telecommunications Results All Gloucester County Participating Schools Demographic Information .................... 61 13. Teacher Telecommunications Results All Rural Participating Schools Demographic Information .................... 67 14. Teacher Telecommunications Results All Suburban Participating Schools Demographic Information ................... 67 vii LISTS OF GRAPHS GRAPH 1. Average Monthly Hours Usage of Technology, Software, and Telecommunications for All Nine Participating Schools ................. 59 2. Average Monthly Hours of Technology Resource Use for Salem and Gloucester County Participating Schools ...................... 62 3. Average Monthly Hours of Computer Software Use for Salem and Gloucester County Participating Schools ...................... 63 4. Average Monthly Hours of Total Internet Use for Salem and Gloucester County Participating Schools ...................... 64 5. Average Monthly Hours of Distance Learning Use for Salem and Gloucester County Participating Schools ...................... 65 6. Average Monthly Hours of Computer Software Use for Rural and Suburban Participating Schools ...................... 68 7. Average Monthly Hours of Total Internet Use for Rural and Suburban Participating Schools ...................... 69 viii GRAPH 8. Average Monthly Hours of Distance Learning Use for Rural and Suburban Participating Schools ...................... 70 9. Average Monthly Hours of Computer Software Use for All Participating Schools ...........73 10. Average Monthly Hours of Total Internet Use for All Participating Schools .......... 74 11. Average Monthly Hours of Distance Learning Use for All Participating Schools .......... 75 ix Chapter One THE PROBLEM Introduction In the early 1800s, schools were described as having only one room, four walls, blackboards, tables and chairs. The students sat at their assigned desks while the teacher stood in front of the room, or moved about to see if the class was paying attention. The students sat for long periods of time, listened carefully to the teacher, and spoke only when directed to do so (Rowe, Shih, and Smith, 1998). Today, our current education system is more or less based on the educational model described above. Traditional instruction is very verbal, seldom visual, and rarely hands on. Students receive assignments near the end