Date

4-2019

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Linda Holcomb

Keywords

Title I, Elementary, Technology Integration

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Education | Elementary Education

Abstract

If Title I elementary students are not given opportunities to learn how to utilize digital technology in their classrooms, a whole segment of the population will lack the knowledge and skills to become successful upon graduation and contribute to the betterment of society. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of Central Texas elementary teachers’ use of digital technology in their Title I classrooms. The central research question in this study was: how do Title I elementary teachers in Central Texas describe their experiences using digital technology in the classroom? Two theories framed this investigation. The first was the experiential learning theory which emphasizes the relationship experience plays in adult learning. The second theory was Social Constructivism, specifically Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development which describes how students move through three zones of development to master concepts. Findings from this research revealed how 11 Title I elementary teachers are preparing their students for life in the 21st century through technology integration. Data collection was conducted through interviews, focus groups, and writing prompts. All data was analyzed using Moustakas’ steps for data analysis. This research revealed the depth of technology integration in Title I elementary schools and the dedication these participants had regardless of the barriers they had to overcome. Recommendations include further research with more Title I elementary schools and added student perspectives.

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