Date
5-20-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Vonda Beavers
Keywords
higher education, administrators, technology, active learning, pedagogy
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Kisten, Letty N., "Contending with the Digital Age: Faculty Insights on Collaborating with Administrators for Technology Integration in Higher Education – A Qualitative Study" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8512.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8512
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members who collaborate with administrators to integrate technology into the classroom. The study was designed to inform administrative decision-making by highlighting ways to align institutional technology goals with teaching practices that promote faculty effectiveness and student academic success. Through the lens of Bruner’s (2004) constructivist theory, the study framed technology integration as a means of fostering active learning and student engagement. The central question guiding this study was: What are the experiences and perceptions of higher education faculty members who collaborate with administrators to integrate technology to support active learning? The study included 10 instructors from the United States who engaged in in-depth interviews, written journal responses reflecting on faculty experiences with technology, and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed following the steps of transcendental phenomenology: epoché, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and the development of textural and structural descriptions. The results revealed a significant correlation between faculty members’ experiences and perceptions of higher education administrative leadership and their approaches to technology integration. The findings also identified specific areas where leadership strategies could be strengthened, including fostering dialogue, providing incentivized faculty training, ensuring resource availability, and offering sustained support to enhance constructivist pedagogy. The insights derived from the data may contribute to a profound understanding of administrative practices and how they shape the extent to which technology integration becomes meaningfully embedded in pedagogy.
