Date

9-2015

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Lucinda S. Spaulding

Keywords

mothers, preschool children, technology, technology decisions

Disciplines

Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Psychology | Other Education

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to explore the technology decision process mothers use when making technology decisions for their preschool age (3-5 years) children in the home environment. I used snowball and maximum variation sampling procedures to purposefully select 18 mothers of preschool age children living in urban, suburban, and rural areas located in and around a college town in central Virginia. Data gathered from questionnaires, participant interviews, and focus groups were analyzed and findings revealed mothers’ technology decisions are a multi-dimensional process whereby they situationally reflect to form technology preferences which promote intentionality and individuality in the technology decisions they make for themselves and their children. The results of this study addressed the research gap regarding mothers’ technology decisions for their children by connecting and broadening theoretical understanding of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model (Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003) and the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998) through three new constructs: reflecting situationally, promoting intentionality, and valuing individuality.

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