Date

6-2022

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Russell Yocum

Keywords

Hispanic, High School, Students, Graduation, Technology Access

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe Hispanic high school graduates’ experiences with access to technology in a southeastern suburban area near Atlanta, Georgia. Although there is research that focuses on factors that lead to Hispanics graduating from or dropping out of high school, the existing research has not focused on the experiences with technology among Hispanic high school graduates. The following research question guided this study: What are the described experiences with access to technology among Hispanic high school graduates near Atlanta, Georgia? Kearsley and Shneiderman’s engagement theory (1998) and Brown, Collins, and Duguid’s situated cognition theory (1989) was used to examine the results of this study. Participants were selected from a Hispanic educational advocacy group, located about 30 miles outside of Atlanta, GA. The participants included 7 Hispanic high school graduates, including both males and females. Participants were selected by a survey. Data were collected using questionnaires, a focus group, and journal prompts. Data analysis was conducted using Creswell’s (2014) multi-step approach. The findings revealed that the experiences with technology among Hispanic high school graduates is influenced by both educational usages, as well as personal usages. Furthermore, the findings revealed how the positive and negative experiences with technology prepared Hispanic students for post-secondary education and prepared them to face some of the challenges present during the Covid pandemic. Recommendations for future research include how these findings can guide future studies.

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