JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership / M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
EDUC 3316 Integrating Technology into Education

Name: Mabel Ortiz-Marino Date: 09/23/17

Cite the reviewed article in APA format:

Waxman, H., Boriack, A., Yuan-Hsuan, L., MacNeil, A. (2013). Principals' Perceptions of
the Importance of Technology in Schools. Contemporary Educational Technology, 4(3),
187-196.

INTRODUCTION

Research Questions (if research questions are not specifically mentioned,

what is the theoretical background or overarching theme):
The present study specifically examines the following two research questions:
1. What are principals perceptions of the importance of technology?
2. Do principals perceptions of technology differ by years of experience and
gender?

Purpose of the research:

The purpose of this study was to examine the principal's perspectives and
orientation toward the use of technology in the schools, focusing in years of
experience and gender.

METHODOLOGY

What is the methodology for the research or approach used to understand

the issue? Provide information regarding the following:

Participants: The subjects for this study were three hundred ten principals from
a metropolitan area in the southwest region of the United States, consisted in
one hundred twenty-six males and one hundred eighty-four females, Also, with a
range of experience, one hundred four having 0-3 years of experience, eighty-
two having 4-7 years of experience, fifty-five having 8-11 years of experience,
thirty-two with 12-15 years, and thirty-one having greater than 15 years.
Procedures:
a specific number of Public schools' principals have to answer a questionnaire
administered by graduate students in the Educational Leadership program at a
major, urban doctoral-granting university located in the south-central region of
the U.S.

Data Collection Methods/Data Source:

The survey instrument was designed for this purpose also included qualitative
and quantitative questions. Interview questionnaire with open-ended cognitive
questions.

Data Analysis:
Analysis of the interview data began with a process of data reduction. The
participants responses were read several times to become familiar with the data.
The data was then coded into meaningful categories. Once the categories were
established, another researcher independently coded a 10% sample of
responses to determine the consistency of the coding. The inter-coder
reliability results revealed a high level of agreement (Cohens kappa = .94).

RESULTS

Findings or Results:

In responding to the research questions, the principals responded to major

functions of technology that were grouped into six differences categories: 35%
communication; 28% instruction; 14% data sharing and management; 15%
resource; 10% administrative task; and for 9.7% for student learning. The results
for the use of technology by gender are the following: for communication, males
33% and 36% for females; for instruction males 33% and females 25%; for data
sharing and management for males 15% and females 15%; for resources males
16% and females 14%; for administrative tasks males 12% and females 9%,
finally for student learning males 8% and females 10%. By year of experience
the highest percentage was 39% corresponding to the group 0-3 years of
experience, for instruction the highest percentage was 39% corresponding to the
group 15 years or more; for data sharing the highest percentage was 22%
corresponding to the group 12-15 years of experience; for resources the highest
percentage was 26% corresponding to the group of 15 years or more of
experience; for administrative tasks the highest percentage was 19%
corresponding to the group of 15 years or more of experience; and for student
learning the highest percentage was 15% for the group corresponding 4-7 years
of experience. ()
 DISCUSSIONS

Conclusions/Implications:

According to this study, principals give more importance to the use of technology
for communication, and less for the student learning. I think the implementation
of technology for the teaching and learning should be greater than that. This
study is very informative; however, it leaves outside suggestions and problems
that principals and professionals at school have in the use of technology. I think
the principals and teachers should literate in the new technology and the different
programs, software and equipment for teaching purposes, also constantly
training in that matter.

REFLECTIONS

Students Reflections:

Nowadays, it is important the implementation of the use of technology in schools

for the learning process because technology is advancing every year, and
changing, so schools and students needs to be at the same level to be
competitive with other students worldwide. The implication that I see in the use or
improve of technology at schools is the small budget that they have, not all the
school have the sufficient funds to spend in new equipments, also, budget for
training the personal or for hiring capable personal in using and applying
technology.