Regis University ePublications at Regis University All Regis University Theses Spring 2006 From Chalk Boards to Smart Boards: Technology in the Classroom Megan E. O'Malley Regis University Follow this and additional works at: https://epublications.regis.edu/theses Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation O'Malley, Megan E., "From Chalk Boards to Smart Boards: Technology in the Classroom" (2006). All Regis University Theses. 427. https://epublications.regis.edu/theses/427 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by ePublications at Regis University. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Regis University Theses by an authorized administrator of ePublications at Regis University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations. FROM CHALK BOARDS TO SMART BOARDS: TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM by Megan E. O’Malley A Research Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Education REGIS UNIVERSITY May, 2006 ABSTRACT From Chalk Boards to SMART Boards: Technology in the Classroom Researchers support the use of technology in the classroom as a way to enhance the learning environment and student achievement. Successful technological integration depends on appropriate teacher training. There are numerous ways to successfully integrate technology into the classroom such as educational technology, business partnerships, and technological tools. Teachers have the ability to introduce students to varying types of technology at an early age, better preparing students for their educational career. Educating administrators and teachers alike is the first step in creating successful classrooms. This first purpose of this project was to explore the effects that technology use had on student achievement. The second was to create an inservice including the information to educate teachers and administrators about the benefits of technology use. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1. INTRODUCTION . 1 Statement of the Problem . 1 Purpose of the Project . 2 Definition of Terms . 2 Chapter Summary . 3 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE . 5 Increase of Technology Use . 5 eMINTS and Increased Student Achievement . 6 Effectiveness of Technology in Schools . 8 Technology as an Unknown to Student Achievement . 11 Meaningful Technological Integration . 13 Teacher Training . 13 Teacher Confidence . 16 Tools and Methods for Success . 18 Collaborative Software . 18 Business Partnerships . 19 Tools . 20 Chapter Summary . 22 3. METHOD . 23 Target Audience . 24 Goals of the Project . 24 Assessment . 25 Chapter Summary . 25 4. RESULTS . 26 5. DISCUSSION . 48 Objectives Achieved . 48 Assessment of the Project . 49 Limitations to the Project . 49 Recommendations for Future Research . 50 Project Summary . 51 REFERENCES . 52 iii APPENDICES A. Appendix A . 55 Technology Survey . 56 B. Appendix B . 57 Brochure . 58 iv Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Students depend on teachers to instruct them and expose them to the most current, up to date, and effective types of information. Through the guidance of technologically confident and prepared teachers, students can achieve higher levels of thinking and more enhanced learning experiences. Through the use of personal computers, the Internet, SMART boards, community learning, business pairing, among other methods, students’ learning experiences will be more comprehensive and meaningful. Statement of the Problem In this age when technology knowledge is a must for success, teachers are under scrutiny for their lack of technological integration in the classroom at the primary level. Lack of confidence, training, budget, and resources prevent many teachers from the integration of technology into their classrooms. District officials, as well as teachers, must find ways to facilitate technology integration at the primary level to ensure student success and performance in their formative years. Purpose of the Project The purpose of this project will be to present educators and school officials with information in regard to ways to integrate technology in the classroom. This author will inform school officials of the reasons why it is beneficial to integrate technology in the 2 classroom, the reasons why most teachers do not integrate technology in the classroom, and then offer them ways to alleviate these barriers. Also, this author will model various types of technology that can be integrated into the classrooms to increase teacher confidence and awareness. This information will be delivered to educators in the form of an inservice with an additional brochure. Definition of Terms The following list of words and phrases are terms that will be used throughout the proposal, and in Chapter 2 in particular: ACT Office of Policy Research: Organization dedicated to informing policy makers and the general public on important issues in education by providing timely information that can directly enhance knowledge, dialogue, and decision making (Noeth & Volkov, 2003). eMints: Enhancing Missouri Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies. This program was initially designed to boost student achievement throughout the urban district of Missouri (eMINTS, 2006). Internet: The vast collection of interconnected networks that are connected by the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANet of the late 1960s and early 1970s (Ezner’s Glossary of Internet Terms, 2003). FRLP: Free or Reduced Lunch Program. Federally assisted meal program that provides low cost or free nutritious lunches to students (USDA Food and Nutrition Services, 2006). 3 Milken Family Foundation: “Serves American public education as an honest broker of research, analyses and new insights into the effective use of technology in teaching and learning (Moursund & Bielefeldt, 1999) SIIA: Software & Information Industry Association. The members research the effect of integrating technology into schools (SIIA, 2006). Student to Computer Ratio: Calculated by the division of total school computers by student population (Peck, Cuban, & Kirkpatrick, 2002). Chapter Summary By training teachers to integrate technology in the classroom, it is the position of this researcher that students will be more productive members of their learning environment, as well as society. Teachers need adequate exposure to and training in technology in order to be the most effective facilitators of information in their classrooms. In the opinion of this researcher, the use of technology can broaden and enhance student understanding. The goal of this researcher is to deliver information to teachers and officials to make them the most effective and current facilitators they can be. In Chapter 2, the Review of Literature, this researcher will present the current debates that surround the benefits of technology integration in the classroom. This researcher will make a case for the integration of various types of technology into the classroom as a means to higher level teaching and learning. In Chapter 3, Methods, the researcher will explain how she will deliver her findings to teachers and district officials. This proposal will include the plans for the presentation that will teach the audience why 4 teachers are hesitant to use technology in their classrooms, why they should integrate technology into their classrooms, and most importantly, what types of technology the teacher can integrate into the classroom setting. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE The purpose of this project will be to inform educators, school officials, and parents with information about ways to integrate technology into the classroom. Many teachers, parents, school officials, and students disagree about how much technology should be integrated into the classroom. Over the past couple of decades, technology use in the classroom has increased substantially. However, the extent to which the presence of the technology has increased test scores or overall student achievement is debatable. Access to computers and the Internet has skyrocketed in most schools, and according to a policy report issued by ACT (2003, as cited in Noeth & Volkov, 2003), school Internet connectivity has grown from 35% in 1994 to 99% in 2001. While most people in the realm of education defend the use of technology to expand student learning in the classroom, others maintain that technology should be used only as secondary material, because it