TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN EDUCATION –

AN EXAMINATION OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING BY

SECONDARY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS IN CONNECTICUT.

Kristin A. Sroka
BA, University of Connecticut, 2015

MS, University of Bridgeport, 2017

Chair

Lori Noto, PhD

Reader
Niralee Patel-Lye, EdD
Reader
Michael G. Fraina III, PhD
Director, Education Leadership Doctoral Program.
Ioana Badara, PhD
Director, School of Education.
Nancy DeJarnette, PhD

DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION IN
THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT
2020
© Copyright by K. A. Sroka 2020

ii
iii
 ABSTRACT

As technology becomes more advanced, it becomes more tempting for teachers to integrate it

into their lesson planning. Although technology can be beneficial to student learning, there are

issues that arise as barriers during this integration of technology into the classroom. Some of

these barriers include students becoming distracted and using the internet to procrastinate instead

of completing the required work. At a younger age, there is more of a reliance upon the teacher

to constantly remind each and every student to stay on task. However, as students get older,

especially in post-secondary education, there is an expectation that students are disciplined and

can stay on task without teacher input. Educational technology can be both beneficial and

harmful to the learning environment. The purpose of this study is to determine what barriers arise

when integrating technology into the classroom and how to overcome these barriers by making

changes. The literature reviewed for this study was focused on educational technology and its

growth through recent years. This study was conducted months after the beginning of a global

pandemic (COVID-19) when teachers worked from home and were forced to be more reliant on

technology than ever before. The ideas of theorists such as Bandura, Piaget and Dewey were

used to set the foundation of education and how it is impacted by the advancement of technology

in society as a whole. The study used a quantitative approach, which surveyed 50 high school

mathematics teachers from urban districts throughout Connecticut. The participants were made

up of a diverse pool of teachers with different levels of education and different years of

experience. The study conducted determined that the most common barrier among the participant

pool was the lack of release time for teachers to learn, practice and plan with technology.

Teachers are expected to use technology without proper training and time to experiment with it

iv
before implementation. The researcher used statistics to analyze the data gathered from the

surveys. The results suggest that further research be completed to determine how to improve

teacher preparation programs and professional development opportunities to meet the

technological needs of teachers. Future research can also be conducted to determine how to

eliminate the barriers that were present during the study.

Keywords: Technology, education, mathematics, integration

v
 DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this dissertation first to my family, who have all been so patient

with me over the last few years, especially with me typing away on my computer during dinners

and family get togethers. They have been my biggest supporters by offering me space and quiet

time when I needed it the most, and giggles when I needed a break.

Specifically, I would like to thank my nephews, Kolton, Callen, Beckett and Deacon,

who always made me smile when I wanted to give up. They gave me the inspiration to keep

moving forward and working toward my dreams.

Lastly, I must thank my beautiful puppies, Oreo and Simba, who joined my family in the

process of getting this degree and have been my biggest supporters, giving me puppy kisses and

snuggles whenever I needed them along the way.

vi
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to acknowledge many people for helping me during my doctoral work. I

would especially like to thank my family for encouraging me to further my education and for

standing by me every step of the way. I would like to thank my parents, Maureen and Robert for

being so supportive of me over these past years. I would also like to thank my sisters, Kelly and

Tracy, for being my role models for the last 26 years. I could not have gotten this far without the

encouragement of each and every one of you.

I would like to thank Dr. Lori Noto, Dr. Linda Paslov, Dr. Niralee Patel-Lye and Dr.

Michael G. Fraina III for being so supportive throughout my entire educational journey. I am so

thankful for all of the professionals that have worked on my committee and have made this

journey possible for me. I am so grateful for the professional relationships that I have built

during my academic career and I look forward to watching them grow as I continue my research

and professional journey.

vii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... 4

LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ................................................................. 6

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................................... 6

PROBLEM STATEMENT ............................................................................................................... 8

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................. 9

RESEARCH QUESTION(S) AND HYPOTHESES ............................................................................ 10

NATURE OF THE STUDY............................................................................................................. 12

DEFINITIONS.............................................................................................................................. 12

ASSUMPTIONS ............................................................................................................................ 14

SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS ..................................................................................................... 14

LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 15

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY................................................................................................... 16

SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 17

CHAPTER II - LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................ 19

LITERATURE SEARCH STRATEGY............................................................................................. 20

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................................... 21

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .................................................................................................. 24

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................................. 32

CHAPTER III - INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH METHOD ................................ 34

1
 RESEARCH DESIGN AND RATIONALE ....................................................................................... 35

CONCEPT MAP .......................................................................................................................... 38

ROLE OF THE RESEARCHER...................................................................................................... 38

WORLDVIEW ............................................................................................................................. 41

METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 42

POPULATION.............................................................................................................................. 44

PROCEDURES FOR RECRUITMENT, PARTICIPATION, AND DATA COLLECTION ...................... 44

DATA ANALYSIS PLAN .............................................................................................................. 46

VISUAL METHODOLOGICAL MAP ............................................................................................ 47

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY..................................................................................................... 47

ETHICAL PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................. 49

SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 49

CHAPTER IV - INTRODUCTION TO THE RESULTS ....................................................... 51

DATA COLLECTION ................................................................................................................... 52

STUDY RESULTS ........................................................................................................................ 53

SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 57

CHAPTER V – DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............. 58

INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ................................................................................................ 58

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................... 59

RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................. 60

IMPLICATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 61

CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................... 62

2
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 64

APPENDIX A............................................................................................................................... 71

APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................... 82

APPENDIX C............................................................................................................................... 83

APPENDIX D............................................................................................................................... 84

3
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Worldviews…………………………………………………………………………......39

Table 2: Researcher Worldview Matrix………………………………………………………….41

Table 3: Demographics of Participants…………………………………………………………..54

Table 4: Barriers and Percentages of Teachers Who Listed the Barriers…………………..……55

4
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Concept Map…………………………………………………………………………..38

Figure 2: Visual Methodological Map…………………………………………………………...47

5
 CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

Technology is an everchanging tool with advancements being made every day that help

create quicker and easier ways to complete tasks. While technology can be used for fun, it can

also be used as a way to learn new concepts and material. Over the last two decades, educators

have had the opportunity to transition from a lecture-style classroom to a more technological

approach dependent on technology in the classroom. Along with the introduction and creation of

new educational technologies comes many issues. These issues are related to teachers being

reluctant to change, negative associations with technology, and the difficulties of altering

curricula. The objective of this study is to determine what barriers are presented when integrating

technology into classrooms and approached to overcoming these barriers.

Background of the Study

We live in a society in which the use of technology is increasing at an exponential rate

(Hecht, 2018). Millennials have become more technology savvy and reliant upon technology

than any generation before (Vogels, 2019). Education is a huge part of how people learn new

skills. It can be extremely beneficial to combine the two together. Many new technologies have

been specifically designed to help students learn new skills in and outside of the classroom.

Technology integration in education has become a topic of growing interest to society over the

past few decades. The argument for integrating technology into education is that society has

become more dependent on technology in all areas more than it ever has been before (Vogels,

2019). The growth of technology in education has been a debated issue for the last few decades,

but the discussion has grown rapidly over the past few years (Yemothy, 2015). Millennials are

constantly stereotyped as being too reliant on the screen in front of them and not observant

6
enough to their surroundings (Vogels, 2019). This idea that they need to be plugged in to the

world disconnects them from what is actually happening right in front of their eyes.

This same idea applies in the classroom. About 94% of high school students have access

to a personal electronic device, which requires constant redirection from teachers to keep

students focused on tasks unrelated to the electronics at the high school level (Versel, 2018). In

secondary education, it requires a large amount of self-discipline to keep oneself on task and on

schedule to complete assignments in a timely manner. Millennials typically prefer to use

electronics for note taking as opposed to traditional pen and paper note taking. Some educators

may perceive this to be lazy. However, it is just a different way of learning. Teachers need to be

open to changing the way lessons are written to engage their student population. Millennials

have become more dependent on technology in the present than ever before (Au-Yong-Oliveira,

Goncalves, Martins, & Frederico, 2018). This dependency on technology leads to a strong

opinion about how the youth should be taught and how teachers can use technology to modernize

education. Technology will continue to improve. However, as educators, we already have

options that a beneficial to the teaching and learning in current classrooms.

Technology is developing and advancing every day. However, researchers who have

studied the topic have not come to concrete conclusions about using technology to increase

student motivation and performance. The foundations of education are in crisis as changes are

being suggested for the teaching and learning experience. Technology enables students in and

outside of the classroom to be able to do more (Fojtik, 2014). However, many educators are not

taking advantage of the benefits that technologies can have in teaching. In the United States, the

majority of students in 6th grade or above have a mobile device or laptop with unlimited access

(Versel, 2018). If teachers took full advantage of the situation, they would have students using

7
these devices for educating themselves instead of solely communicating with each other on

social media. The current traditional education system may actually be considered ‘brain-

unfriendly’ and offensive to roughly one in six students in a classroom (Buckley, Seery, Canty,

& Gumaelius, 2018). ‘Brain-unfriendly’ refers to styles of learning that require repetition to

learn, instead of exploration and peeked interest. An education system based on that of the

constructivist theory would be most successful (Buckley, Seery, Canty, & Gumaelius, 2018).

This theory considers the fact that individual adolescents have different ways of studying and

learning. As one can see in high school education, students at this age usually know what type of

learners they are and what study habits work best for them individually. Sometimes these study

habits that contribute to creating a successful student are reliant upon programs that technology

introduces or provides. There are many different types of learners including visual, auditory and

kinesthetic. All of these types of learners need to be considered when planning how to teach a

new skill.

Some teachers have changed their entire teaching style to reflect a process known as a

flipped classroom. In this type of learning environment, students learn new topics at home,

usually by watching videos on technology. Then they spend class time practicing problems

independently at their own pace and asking the teacher individualized questions. This is one new

type of learning that educational technology has made possible.

Problem Statement

In the 1990’s, one of the biggest issues that educators faced was determining what they

needed to teach at each grade level to prepare students for the next. This included planning a

curriculum that would help students to build knowledge that they would need to be functioning

members of society (Versel, 2018). Educators worked hard to determine what books they should

8
have students read, and what topics to discuss during class. However, most teachers did not have

technology in their classrooms to use for educational purposes. Beginning in the early 2000’s,

the world has seen new challenges and faced new issues, that have sprouted from the

advancement of technology in education. For instance, this includes information technology,

which has become a regular part of our everyday life. The education system is integrating the use

of personal devices in the classroom at an alarmingly increasing rate (Aagaard, 2015). In the past

decade, new technologies have replaced each other multiple times and many applications have

been created and outdated. Although technology is thought to be beneficial for education, not all

teachers are taking advantage of using technology in their classrooms. This study is to determine

what is stopping or limiting educators from using technology in their classrooms and how these

barriers can be overcome.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine the barriers that come along with the integration

of technology, and how teacher training and support can help ease technology into classrooms.

Most teachers do not take full advantage of the resources that they have at their disposal to help

integrate technology into their lessons. However, one of the goals of this research is to determine

if those resources are sufficient in preparing teachers with the skills that they will need to

modernize their teaching styles. It is clear that different technologies will apply to different

subjects, which means for this study, the researcher will focus on math teachers and technologies

that can be used in mathematics classrooms.

To complete this research, the researcher examines the barriers that teachers face when

trying to integrate technology, how they can be overcome, and what can be done to make the

integration easier. From experience, the researcher is aware that there are many issues that arise

9
when using technology in a classroom. Some examples of issues include, but are not limited to

power and internet being interrupted frequently, the printers breaking down. In some districts,

teachers are required to use technologies such as SmartBoards for all of their lessons, but the

boards are not always reliable and stop working frequently. For this reason, it can be crucial for

each teacher to have hard copies of some lessons that could be used in case technological

difficulties arise.

The researcher collected quantitative data on this research topic. The researcher surveyed

50 high school mathematics teachers who work in 11 urban districts in Connecticut to determine

the barriers they face when integrating technology into the classroom. From the data that was

collected, the researcher determined obstacles that are anticipated and those that are unexpected.

The researcher collected data on the different training and supports that are offered to teachers

who are integrating technology into their lessons to determine if training has a positive impact on

technology integration. The researcher compared each teacher’s previous training and the

amount of technology they reported to use in their classroom to determine if there is a significant

relationship between the two.

Research Question(s) and Hypotheses

The research questions being studied are aligned to the problem statement that is being

researched and will be used to determine what barriers limit the integration of technology in the

high school classroom. An overarching research question that is addressed in the study is: what

technological barriers influence a teacher’s integration of educational technology in the

classroom and how can educators, administrators and members of society overcome these

barriers?

10
 1. What technology professional development and supports are available to

mathematics educators and to what extent are the educators accessing these

opportunities?

2. Is there a relationship between technology integration and self-perceived lack

of technological skill?

3. To what extent are classroom teachers using or accessing technology

interactively during lessons as self-reported?

4. What are the self-perceived personal and institutional barriers preventing

technology integration by high school mathematics teachers?

5. What is the correlation coefficient (if any) of the relationship between

technology integration and -

a. Self-perceived barriers to technology integration?

b. Self-perceived level of technology confidence?

c. Participation in technology focused professional development?

Using these questions to frame the study will help to guide the research. Each of these

questions has been carefully worded to ensure that it would create a valid study. The questions

have been analyzed by a panel of experts composed of 3 administrators and 3 educators to ensure

that they are not leading or suggesting a response in any way.

The researcher uses research questions to lead this study in the correct direction. The

questions will help to focus the study on its main purpose, which is to determine what influences

technology integration into high school mathematics classrooms and how to overcome those

barriers. Each of the research questions helps to determine how educators and school leaders can

11
better integrate technology into the classroom and eliminate the obstacles that are seen in the

process.

Nature of the Study

New technologies are created and discovered every day. New laptops and phones are

constantly being designed and new software is constantly being updated. As technology becomes

a more integral piece of socialization and communication across the world, it also becomes a

possibility for advancing the education system. There are many new ways for educators to teach

students using these new technologies and programs. Classrooms all over the world have made

the transition from chalkboard and whiteboard to overhead projector or SMART board. These

applications allow educators to keep all information written in a safe place where they can refer

to it at a later time.

The participants in this study are high school mathematics teachers from all urban

districts in Connecticut who are given the same access to technology in their classrooms. While

some teachers use technology in their classrooms every day to create structures and patterns for

their students, some teachers are reluctant to use any technology in their classroom and avoid it

whenever possible. This study surveyed 50 high school mathematics teachers from 11 urban

districts throughout Connecticut to determine if there is a correlation between personal views and

beliefs about technology and the use of technology in the classroom. It is possible that there may

be a connection between a teacher’s self-perception on technology and their use of educational

technology in the classroom (Yemothy, 2015).

Definitions

Educational Technology: Any form of electronic machinery or application that can be used for

educational or learning purposes.

12
Professional Development: Professional development is defined as a way to create conditions

that allow new skills to be developed and implemented to achieve a goal (Showers, Joyce, &

Bennett, 1987).

Types of Educational Technology: Laptops, iPads/tablets, document cameras, interactive

boards/projectors, video/audio recording, virtual classroom platforms, communication systems,

subscription-based educational programs, and educational applications.

Educational Subscriptions/Applications: Technological programs that require school

subscription plans, such as IXL, Khan Academy, Edgenuity

Millennial: A person born between the years of 1981-1996.

Gen-Z: A person born between the years of 1997-2010.

Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT): Integrated Co-Teaching is a classroom in which a general

education and a special education teacher jointly provide instruction to a class that has students

with and without disabilities (Enright-Polanish, 2017).

Flipped Classroom: A flipped classroom is a type of blended learning where students are

introduced to new content at home and practice the new content at school (TeachThought Staff,

2020). Pros – students set their own pace. Cons – no access to technology at home, no motivation

to learn at home.

Google Suite: Includes many programs such as Jamboard, Sites, and Podcasts. These

applications allow for students to work collaboratively in real time, and for educators to create

their own websites, where students can find, complete and submit assignments.

Microsoft Office Suite: Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, OneDrive and

Teams, which allow students to collaborate with one another and with their teachers.

13
Declarative Knowledge: Knowledge about a topic; most commonly referred to as the answers

to “wh…” questions.

Procedural Knowledge: Knowing how to do something’ most commonly from repetition in

mathematics.

Strategic Knowledge: The ability to formulate a logical goal and create a plan to reach that

goal.

Wisdom Knowledge: Having the ability to discern and judge what is true, and make appropriate

connections to a specific situation.

Assumptions

In the case of this study, four assumptions had to be made to create a solid plan. The first

assumption is that all participants are fully qualified teachers with a CT 029 mathematics

teaching certification as described by the job requirements in the public school system. The

second assumption is that all participants in the study answered the survey questions honestly

and did not modify their answers. The third assumption that was made is that each participant

was only able to complete the survey once, as to not skew the collected data. The last assumption

is that each participant would keep the survey questions and their individual responses

confidential during the study to avoid collaboration and altered opinions due to suggestions.

Scope and Delimitations

The scope of this study was limited to the following variables:

• Personal barriers to technology integration

• Professional barriers to technology integration

• Availability of technological professional development by school

• Teachers’ individual reported levels of technology integration

14
 • Reported technology integration confidence level by each participant

• Reported technology training attendance by each participant

The barriers examined in the study were delimited to include both personal and

professional barriers for each participant. This is to determine any possible underlying cause for

a lack of technology integration in the classroom, on behalf of either the teacher’s choice or

provided resources and trainings. The professional development were delimited to only the

workshops held in the building and advertised by the school’s administration team, to keep a

constant base of what was offered and who attended.

Technology integration was delimited to include laptops, iPads/tablets, document

cameras, interactive boards/projectors, video/audio recording, virtual classroom platforms,

communication systems, subscription-based educational programs, and applications because they

were available to the teachers in the building. Tape recorders, overhead projectors and films were

not included in this study because they are outdated and irrelevant to the topic being studied. As

this study looks into incorporating educational technology into the classroom, it looks for

adapting to meet the needs of the student body and of society as a whole, by learning how to use

new apps and programs, and successfully implementing them.

Limitations

The first limitation that was identified during this study was the inability to claim

causation for the differences in technology integration based on the identified groups within the

study. Gender cannot be deemed a cause for the amount of technology an educator uses in their

classroom. Whether a connection can be made between the two is one issue, but stating that two

variables have a cause and effect relationship, when they do not, is a larger issue. Therefore, this

15
study will be determining whether or not relationships exist between variables, but not whether

they have a causal effect on one another.

The second limitation of the study is the inability to generalize results to the larger

population. Since the participants were all math teachers in urban districts in Connecticut, many

of whom are natives of the state, it would not be credible to generalize the results from this area

to draw conclusions about all teachers in the United States as a whole or in other countries. Also,

since the teachers in this study all work in urban districts throughout the state, they all have

access to the similar budgets and resources, which other districts and areas across the nation may

not have access to.

Significance of the Study

Every day, technology is advancing. The job market is changing to reflect those

advancements. Students need to be prepared for positions that require competence with

technology and 21st century learning skills (Newbill & Baum, 2013). Including technology into

the education system is one way to help prepare students for their future occupations (Ritzhaupt,

Dawson, & Cavanaugh, 2012). As technology becomes a more integral part of many industries,

employers look for potential employees that have technological skills (Wagner, 2008).

Technology is leading the changes in business world and also the educational system (Berners-

Lee, 2008). This study will attempt to find barriers that arise when implementing technology into

K-12 education and how to overcome these barriers.

School systems are expected to be systems of college and career readiness: to prepare

students for their future educational and professional journeys (Jones, Fox, & Douglas, 2011).

Educators need to be able to teach these modern practices, they need to understand them and feel

confident in using them (Anthony, 2012). Therefore, educators, with the support of their

16
administrators, should work to integrate technology into their classroom lessons and assignments

as often as possible.

This study will serve to point the way for future researchers toward further examination

of the use of technology in the classroom. This study allows administrators to determine what

they can do to better support their staff in integrating technology into their classrooms. First, it is

crucial that administrators supply sufficient Professional Development opportunities for teachers

related to technology. Well planned Professional Development will assist teachers in the

implementation of technology in the classroom. The study is being used to draw connections

between demographics and lifestyles to the use of technology and feelings of such in the

professional community.

Summary

This study is necessary to eliminate barriers to the implementation of technology in high

school mathematics classrooms. First, it must be determined what barriers are present and

understand why those barriers act as such for educators. Additionally, determining which

personal and professional barriers are present will help to determine how educators or districts

can work to reduce or eliminate the barriers. Potential barriers to be studied include fear of

appearing unintelligent, anxiety of unknown territory and lack of motivation to adapt to the

circumstances. Researchers across the world have reported each of these issues as reasonings to

not include technology in their classrooms (Ritzhaupt, Dawson, & Cavanaugh, 2012).

Educational programs all over the world have tried to overcome these barriers by creating

opportunities for technology-based professional development in their schools (Loveland, 2012).

Integrating technology into a classroom cannot be done seamlessly overnight (Uslu & Buman,

17
2012). It takes time, effort and practice to be able to successfully use technology in the classroom

to improve curriculum and the student learning experience.

18
 CHAPTER II - LITERATURE REVIEW

Technology is advancing at an exponential rate (Aagaard, 2015). The innovation of

technology across the world leads to the integration of technology into professional careers and

educational settings. Technology is used for almost every career allowing people to do more and

complete tasks much quicker (Fojtik, 2014). The United States, as referenced in the Every

Student Succeeds Act, has set the precedent that K-12 schools are used as college and career

readiness institutions (Education, 2015). To prepare students for careers that are based heavily on

using technology, they should be taught using technology.

In many districts in the U.S., technology is not affordable given the budget, so teachers

are forced to continue teaching using a chalkboard, notebooks and pencils. This style of teaching

is considered ‘old-school’ and ‘brain-unfriendly’ to youth (Buckley, Seery, Canty, & Gumaelius,

2018). Millennials and the Gen-Z population are more dependent on technology than any

generation before them (Au-Yong-Oliveira, Goncalves, Martins, & Frederico, 2018). Along with

integrating technology into educational instruction, new issues arise in the classrooms (Hamiti,

Reka, & Baloghova, 2014). These issues include students being distracted by noneducational

technology and teachers refusing to integrate technology into their lessons.

The purpose of this study is to determine what barriers arise when integrating technology

into high school mathematics classrooms. Studying the barriers that prevent the use of

technology into education will allow future researchers to conduct studies and offer solutions or

suggestions to eliminate those barriers. Students learn by seeing and experiencing, which

includes using software that they will need to use for their careers (Salah & Darmoul, 2018).

Teachers being able to understand how to properly implement a new technology or program into

a classroom is the first step in changing a curriculum and influencing student learning for the

19
better. Professional development and teacher buy-in are equally as important. This study will

help to determine the barriers to successful technology integration and potential future research

studies.

Literature Search Strategy

The literature search included a review of educational technology, mathematics

curriculum, classroom resources, and online learning. Terms researched for this study included

many combinations of the following words and phrases: mathematics, education, technology,

professional development, training, online, classroom, resources, interactive, distance learning,

student engagement, barriers, pros and cons, and secondary schools.

There is a variety of information available in the field of integrating educational

technology into classrooms. The researcher chose to narrow down the research articles by

choosing ones written over the past decade with a focus on 2012 to the present. This led to a pool

of hundreds of scholarly articles and dissertations, with abstracts from which the researcher

could choose. After reading through hundreds of abstracts, the researcher was able to determine

which ones would be helpful in researching more about the implementation of educational

technology into high school mathematics classrooms and organized them by topic.

Once organized, the researcher began reading through each article. The researcher

highlighted important information, and then used post-it notes to create a poster board that

compared and contrasted the different ideas presented by each author. This visual made it easier

to organize thoughts and refer back to notes while writing the literature review. As the research

continued, the researcher found articles of theorists and philosophers from many years ago

(outside of the original parameters) that were referenced in the articles read. The researcher

20
included literature from some of these theorists because they necessary in explaining the

foundation of education and how technology impacts education.

Conceptual Framework

The researcher has chosen to study the constructivist theory as the conceptual framework.

This theory was developed and adapted by Piaget and Dewey. The constructivist theory of Piaget

states that individuals learn from following logical steps that build upon the skills they already

know and have learned (Piaget, 1980). Dewey’s belief on the constructivist theory was that

learning takes place through life experiences (Dewey, 1938). Taking these two theorists’ ideas

into consideration, technology integration provides the opportunity of learning by exploring and

experiencing in new ways.

The constructivist theory can also be interpreted by emphasizing how the quality of

instruction affects student development (Vygotsky, 1986). Technology, which can push students’

development, connects students with information that they can use to be successful in future

education and employment, but also allows students to connect with each other so they can

inquire and succeed together. Technology is a new possibility to improve the quality of

instruction in the classroom if it is used correctly and if barriers can be eliminated. If the barriers

of technology can be addressed, technology opens up a whole new world of opportunities for

scholars and educators, along with other members of society.

During the 1800s, philosophers began to introduce the theories that are still used in

education today. It was during this time that philosophers including Jean Piaget and John Dewey

began writing some of their most famous works. Piaget began his science career in high school at

the age of 11. He soon became famous for his work on cognitive development and learning

theories (Piaget, 1980). The constructivist theory of Jean Piaget, a famous philosopher and

21
natural scientist from Switzerland, states that teachers must create a curriculum that improves the

conceptual growth of students (Piaget, 1980). The self-learning theory allows both students and

educators to learn by constructing logical steps and making connections (Piaget, 1980). Piaget’s

theory places importance on students experiencing or making connections with their curriculum,

rather than simply hearing and regurgitating it. Piaget encouraged teachers to integrate objects

into learning so that students can experience what was being learned instead of reading or

hearing about it (Piaget, 1980).

Piaget’s theory of constructivism states that humans learn from their experiences inside

and outside the classroom (Piaget, 1980). His theory discussed two key components to learning:

accommodation and assimilation. Assimilation allows for an individual to connect new

experiences to older experiences and alter their outlook on life, while accommodation is allowing

new experiences to fit into already constructed outlooks and not change an individual’s opinions

on the matter (Piaget, 1980). When these two ideas are put together, an individual can

compartmentalize and determine which experiences are important enough to change a belief and

which are not. Piaget’s theory of constructivism focuses on how learning occurs, rather than on

what influences learning (Piaget, 1980). Educators who follow Piaget’s theory of constructivism

should challenge their students to be critical thinkers and should be more of a mentor/coach, than

just a teacher. Along with Piaget, John Dewey contributed many ideas to the constructivist

theory.

Dewey was an intelligent philosopher attending college at the age of 15. At the age of 25,

Dewey had already received his Ph.D. and had 3 years of teaching experience. Dewey then

worked as a professor and the head of the Philosophy Department at a university until he retired.

Dewey was most famous for his views on progressive education. Progressive education is a view

22
that emphasizes learning by doing (Dewey, 1938). Dewey strongly believed that individuals

learn best through a 'hands-on' approach. This theory places Dewey in the educational

philosophy of pragmatism. A pragmatist believes that reality must be experienced (Dewey,

1938). In regard to education, Dewey believed that students must interact with the environment

in order to learn from it (Dewey, 1938). He also believed that education curriculum should be

built upon experiences which allow teachers and students to learn together (Dewey, 1938). In a

classroom based on the ideas and theories of John Dewey, one may see a teacher deliver initial

information, but one would also likely see students working in groups to explore concepts within

the content. One should see an abundance of conversations and collaboration along with student

projects, presentations, or other differentiated techniques of evaluation.

After John Dewey introduced his interpretation of the constructivist theory, Seymour

Papert followed in his footsteps with his adapted technology constructionism theory. Papert

states that children should use technology to create their own educational experience (Papert,

Logo philosophy and implementation, 1999). Papert coined the term constructionism, which was

his way of mixing together his theory of constructivism as well as the words “to construct,” or

“making.” Papert’s theory of constructionism assumes constructing one’s own knowledge.

Constructionism was built on the assumption that children learn best by finding the specific

knowledge they need themselves (Papert, The Children's Machine: Rethinking school in the age

of the computer, 1993). By inventing the theory of constructionism, Papert successfully

predicted the use of technology in education. Papert's constructionism allows young learners to

learn through personal inquiry and creativity (Papert, Logo philosophy and implementation,

1999).

23
 Education is not only about teaching and learning, but also about the development of the

adolescent mind. Albert Bandura is an important theorist in the field of developmental

psychology and educational psychology. One of his most famous contributions to psychology is

modeling theory (Bandura, 1977). In this theory, Albert Bandura stresses social learning through

observations. He believes that individuals adopt new behaviors by observing others (Bandura,

1977). The philosopher coined the theory of modeling, which stated that children learn through

observing others, imitating or mimicking actions, and modeling new behaviors (Bandura, 1977).

Modeling theory puts an emphasis on observation and imitation and how it changes an

individual’s behavior, knowledge, attitudes and values (Bandura, 1977). Bandura defines

effective modeling as requiring attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. Modeling can

be both a positive and negative process.

Review of the Literature

Many years ago, the biggest issue in education was figuring out what to require students

to read or what to say when lecturing from the front of the room to get students to absorb the

most information. Recently, the world has seen new challenges and faced new issues, that have

sprouted from the advancement of technology in education (Hamiti, Reka, & Baloghova, 2014).

This relates back to Dewey’s idea of pragmatism that states a student must have the opportunity

to experience the world to learn from it (Dewey, 1938). These new challenges and opportunities

include information technology, which has become a regular part of our everyday life. The

education system is integrating the use of personal devices in the classroom at an alarmingly

increasing rate (Aagaard, 2015). This increase was predicted in the 1900s by Papert, who

suggested that electronics be used to benefit the learning experience (Papert, The Children's

Machine: Rethinking school in the age of the computer, 1993). It is thought that giving students

24
access to their own personal device will increase their inspiration and encourage students to want

to learn. Schools that provide engineering technology education classes and degrees, need to

create courses that take advantage of the newest advancements in automation, information and

communication technologies to show integration, interoperability, modularity and flexibility in

contemporary manufacturing settings (Salah & Darmoul, 2018). This idea refers to Bandura’s

modelling theory in which students learn by seeing and experiencing (Bandura, 1977). In the

classroom, this requires students to actually complete tasks, rather than observe their teachers

completing the tasks in front of them.

It is important to consider that many different strategies together support knowledge

advancement. The knowledge being referred to is a combination of declarative, procedural,

strategic and wisdom. Technology education is a very new and different way to learn in the

classroom. Modern technology education is recognized to have the ability to advance and

provide outcomes of autonomy, creativity, problem solving, self-actualization, critical

reflection/appraisal and communication skills. This new innovative way of exposing students to

topics and having them master skills is being highly debated in the school systems because if

students became solely dependent on technology, teachers would become unnecessary and

irrelevant in the learning process of adolescents. Clearly, this is not a possibility for the near

future of education.

Understanding why incorporating technology into education sparks student interest and

motivation can help educators to modify their lessons accordingly. The debate about using

technology in education continues today as researchers struggle to find a line between the good

and bad results that it supposedly brings. When graduate students who are currently practicing

teachers are requested to use vertical discourse to interact with peers, they are challenged with

25
finding a connection between education, technology and society (Thomas, 2018). Many teachers,

especially those who have held the same position for an extended amount of time, are not

comfortable with changing their lesson plans to incorporate technology. They may have become

comfortable with the way that they teach each skill by repetition over the years. Many teachers

avoid using technology in their classroom because they see the negatives of students becoming

distracted by non-class related websites that would be avoided completely if students were not

allowed to use devices in the classroom. Introducing humanitarian technologies into education

leads to more required technology training for teachers (Ignatyeva, 2015). This demand required

technological advances to be created and used in the classroom at an alarmingly growing rate.

This exponential growth is based upon the fact that society has become more reliant on

technology and the internet than ever before.

Studies show that the best way to get students to do better in class is to provide them with

opportunities and experiences that are motivating. Motivation is crucial to not only contemporary

academics, but to student’s future success and their expectation of school (Autio, 2011). This

study showed that each student may be motivated by different things based on their desired

career path. However, some motivations held constant over all career paths. Out of all of the

possibilities that can impact motivation, the freedom of choice had the most significant effect on

motivation. This means that giving students options to choose how they learn new information

motivates them to want to learn because they feel like they chose the path to study. The types of

learning that were presented during this study were reading, lecturing, and discovering through

technology. Most students experience discovering through technology at some point during the

study.

26
 The grade level of education and age are the top two issues that affect the “digital divide”

in contemporary information and communications technology (ICT), the long-term benefits of

early education for technology use insinuate that encouraging higher educational degrees to

persons that desire leaving school before graduation can improve participation in using new

technology and reduce socio-economic gaps between technology users (Kampfen & Maurer,

2018). Over the past two decades, technology has advanced an unpredictable amount and forced

educational instruction to alter its style to stay up to date. It is essential for students to use the

technology provided to them as a resource to further their education. Change in the educational

system has focused on improving the quality of educators instead of improving classroom

instruction and student learning.

Teacher education programs often have many different ideas and programs to decide

between when putting together a curriculum. Technology is only one part of educating teachers,

and many pre-service teacher education programs limit teaching how to incorporate technology

into a classroom into one or two courses. Teachers are expected to take all of the information

learned in this course and apply it to their classrooms. However, most programs do not go in

great depth because the focus of their students’ studies is dramatically different. For example, a

kindergarten teacher will not be using all of the same programs or technology as a high school

mathematics teacher. For a pre-service teacher to fully understand how technology can be helpful

to the teaching and learning process, it should be a part of every step throughout the pre-service

teacher education program. Each class that the pre-service teacher is required to complete should

have some type of technology component that relates to it. Integrating technology into a

classroom is a very complex process that necessitates all teachers to understand and utilize many

different skills. In order to ensure that students are receiving the best education possible, teachers

27
need to be prepared through teacher education programs and professional developments to unite

the idea of teaching using technology with curriculum and other teaching matters.

There are many research studies that question the effectiveness of teacher preparation

programs and professional development and their effects on the use of technology in the

classroom after completion of these programs. The real issue that needs to be addressed in these

trainings is the content and delivery of the technology training (Tondeur, et al., 2011). Humans

learn by experiencing, as stated in Piaget’s theory of constructivism (Piaget, 1980). Educator

technology trainings encourage teachers to incorporate modern technology in their lesson

planning and in their classrooms as much as possible (Tondeur, et al., 2011). This study will

discover the most beneficial strategies for modern technology integration into professional

development and into high school mathematics classrooms. Motivation, interest and student

engagement are some of the required sections of learning that lead to a positive classroom

environment. Since technology is said to improve student motivation, technology is therefore a

factor in creating a successful learning environment.

Educators that are interested in learning about integrating technology into education

should also research the impact that different technologies have in the classroom. The integration

of technology into occupations including both accounting and education is an ongoing issue that

has yet to be solved (Watty, McKay, & Ngo, 2016). Employment agencies have not been able to

keep up with the pragmatism that Dewey wrote about in his educational psychology (Watty,

McKay, & Ngo, 2016). There is no easy answer as to how much technology is beneficial for an

occupation or if it is necessary for any part of a job to remain hand-written. Handwritten files are

starting to become obsolete, but there is always a question as to how reliable technology and the

28
internet really are. There is always the possibility of technology programs and applications

changing.

The integration of technology into education improves student learning (Shrakibaei,

Khalkhali, & Andesh, 2011). Therefore, using technology in education is beneficial for not only

the learning process of students who wish to succeed, but the future of all students. Studies

produced effects which supported using technology for English/Language and Social

Studies/History and using an all-inclusive method rather than learning by repetition (Karich,

Burns, & Maki, 2014). Other subjects such as Mathematics, Sciences, Foreign Languages, or

Special Electives were not so inclined to show success through technology.

The ultimate goals of education should be to engage students and improve student

learning. Some researchers, such as Ivan Illich (1993), created the idea of personal learning

networks even though they didn’t have the means to make it possible. Technology today is what

makes possible the creation of personal learning networks in personal learning environments all

over the world (Docekal & Tulinska, 2015). Theorists including Papert, Vygotsky and Illich

were all able to contribute their ideas to education in writing, but unable to model what their

theories looked like.

As technology becomes more advanced, it becomes more tempting for teachers to

integrate it into their lesson planning. Although technology can be beneficial to student learning,

there are issues that arise during this integration of technology into the classroom. Some of these

issues include teacher resistance, technological problems and time restraints. The conversation

that comes up is that educational technology can be extremely beneficial to student learning if

the barriers of technology integration can be overcome.

29
 Technology has grown to be relied upon very heavily for everyday tasks in society. Each

and every day, technological advances are made to improve our access to information and to

others. Although society has become increasingly reliant on technology, the education system

lacks the access to equipment and support necessary to incorporate technology in the classroom.

Although there are many obstacles in the way of using technology in education, teachers are

expected to be able to defeat all odds and do so, no matter what gets in the way. Prior research

has exposed the idea that issues on both the school and personal levels have affected the

integration of technology in the classroom in a negative manner. On the contrary, researchers

have also found positive ways for integrating technology that have been proven to be effective

for improving the use of technology in the classroom.

Four main purposes for a study into technology integration in education are: to identify

the levels of technology integration occurring at the classroom level, to determine the

technology-integration-related barriers in the school, to verify if the technology training provided

was being attended, and to discover the specific technology training and support needs of

educators (Yemothy, 2015). Similarly to that of Yemothy, the purpose of this study is to

determine how to avoid the many issues that are arising by integrating technology into the

classroom.

This literature states that the integration of technology into education can be beneficial

not only for a student’s learning experience, but also for helping the student create a version of

themselves that can be a functioning member of society. An overarching research question that

remains and will be addressed in the study is: what technological barriers influence a teacher’s

integration of educational technology in the classroom and how can educators, administrators

and members of society overcome these barriers?

30
 There are many theories that relate to technology integration in classrooms and the

barriers that can arise with the change. Edward Thorndike, a founder of the behaviorist theory

promotes the integration of educational technology because it is seen as a reward in the reward

and punishment system (Ouyang & Stanley, 2014). Many schools associate technology with

reward by using ‘computer time’ or ‘iPad time’ for games when students finish their

assignments. Also, the impact of technology on education theory is crucial in the understanding

of why technology is important in teaching and learning. The impact that technology has on

education theory and why technology in the classroom can make the learning process more

beneficial to students is substantial (Docekal & Tulinska, 2015).

These theories are relevant to the study because they describe why the integration of

technology into classrooms can be beneficial for the learning experience of students. The

behaviorist theory, although not completely specific to educational technology, relates to many

different types of rewards. However, the younger generations view technology as a reward in the

classroom. Some elementary schools use ‘iPad time’ as a reward for students who show great

behavior or listen to instructions and act accordingly. The researcher will research many different

types of educational technology. Then the researcher will find out if the types of technologies

and the integration of those technologies is related to either of these theories. As the researcher

completes this study, the researcher plans to find many more theories that may impact the

integration of technology into K-12 classrooms.

As an example, today in Japan, students use computers and headsets to have

conversations and language practice with other teachers & students in the Philippines and other

nations. Teachers can create smart boards and a digital space for students to submit and correct

work either through posted information and assignments, or in real time. These online

31
communities extending beyond the classroom give students access to interactions with mentors

or other classmates that can be extremely beneficial for both teachers and students when stepping

back into the classroom space. If humanity is to continue advancing, these types of networks and

methods must increase and become accessible to the masses.

Summary and Conclusions

Society must find it incredible that educators are so concerned about, even debating, the

benefits of computers and technologies on teaching and learning in education (Schmid, et al.,

2014). Technology is universal in society and impacts significantly our daily lives, whether we

know it or not. This is a statement that cannot be argued. As a society, the population has

become more dependent on technology than ever before. As time passes, that dependency

becomes even stronger. Integrating technology into education is an epic mission with many

views that are changing every day with the evolution of technology. It is necessary for schools to

use new and emerging technologies that provide a unique, anywhere, anytime experience for

students (Watty, McKay, & Ngo, 2016).

It is globally known that technology can be used to change education for the better. It is

also encouraged by many districts who can afford to use technology. However, it is unknown

why there are so many issues that arise when attempting to use technology in education and how

to overcome those issues. Many researchers have written articles about the pros and cons of

using technology in education as a whole, but there is a lack of research focused on determining

what barriers are present and need to be overcome to successfully use technology in a classroom

setting. The goal of this study is to find out why professionals are so resistant to accepting these

new technologies at their workplace and what influences their opinion about using technology in

32
their classrooms. Hopefully, this will pave the way for future researchers to conduct studies to

help eliminate the barriers that are found through this study (Yemothy, 2015).

33
 CHAPTER III - INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH METHOD

This quantitative study was used to evaluate the effectiveness of using technology in

teaching to increase student learning. Quantitative research is defined as “a systematic

investigation of phenomena by gathering quantifiable data and performing statistical,

mathematical, or computational techniques” (Bhat, 2020). Throughout this study, the

relationship, or lack thereof, between technology integration and outside factors will be closely

examined and monitored to determine how educators can better integrate technology into the

classroom.

Learning theory consists of three main concepts: behaviorism, cognitive constructivism

and social constructivism (Berkeley Graduate Division, 2020). As society changes and becomes

more reliant on technology, education needs to follow the lead and change to meet the needs of

the developing society. Comparing a current lesson in a classroom to one from ten years ago, the

lesson delivery is completely different. Similarly, ten years from now, delivering content to

students will be completely different from what it is now. Every day, society changes. Education

needs to also change to keep up with these societal advancements and achievements. The

researcher will use the research questions to lead this study in the correct direction.

The questions will help to focus the study on its main purpose, which is to determine

what influences technology integration into high school mathematics classrooms and how to

overcome those barriers. Each of the research questions leads the study to collect a different

piece of data, and then put the data together to come up with a relationship between each of the

questions with the overall goal of the data which is to determine how we can better integrate

technology into classroom and eliminate the obstacles that we see. This study and its results will

34
be directed towards educational leaders, curriculum writers, educators and researchers interested

in education and teacher preparation programs.

Research Design and Rationale

The overall focus of the study will be to examine the technology integration of

mathematics educators at the high school level and the support of technology integration from

administrators at the high school level. It will also focus on the reasons that barriers exist in

technology integration and how to minimize those barriers. The following research questions

will help to guide the study:

1. To what degree are educators using and accessing technology in the

classroom?

2. What are the self-perceived personal barriers and the instructional barriers

limiting technology integration by educators?

3. What technological professional developments are available to educators and

to what extent are educators accessing these opportunities?

4. Is there a significant relationship between technology integration and

a. Self-perceived barriers to technology integration?

i. 𝐻" 1. There is no significant relationship between technology

integration and self-perceived barriers to technology

integration.

ii. 𝐻$ 1. There is a significant relationship between technology

integration and self-perceived barriers to technology

integration.

b. Self-perceived level of technology confidence?

35
 i. 𝐻" 2. There is no significant relationship between technology

integration and self-perceived level of technology confidence.

ii. 𝐻$ 2. There is a significant relationship between technology

integration and self-perceived level of technology confidence.

c. Participation in technology focused professional development?

i. 𝐻" 3. There is no significant relationship between technology

integration and participation in technology focused

professional development.

ii. 𝐻$ 3. There is a significant relationship between technology

integration and participation in technology focused

professional development.

The participants consisted of 50 high school mathematics teachers from 11 urban school

districts in Connecticut. The researcher used the Connecticut State Department of Education

website to determine which districts in Connecticut were categorized as urban. The researcher

then looked at each districts website and compiled a list of all math teachers at the high schools

within the districts. The list consisted of 198 math teachers from 11 urban districts. An email was

sent out to each of these certified teachers with instructions to complete the survey attached to

the email. Each of these teachers was asked to complete an anonymous survey regarding their

views on technology and their personal use of technology in the classroom. This list of questions

is to guarantee that the same information is collected from all participants and that the data

collection process was not bias in a specific instance. The researcher used questions from the

Educational Technology Integration Questionnaire to survey educators and gather data about

technology use and perceptions (Yemothy, 2015). These questions were all used by an expert in

36
the research field. They were also vetted by 3 administrators and 3 educators, who did not

participate in the study, to ensure that the questions were directly related to this study and not

misleading in any way. The 23 pre-designated survey questions can be found in Appendix A,

following the participant agreement, along with the scale that will be used to consider each

variable.

After having educators complete this survey and determining more information about the

professional development opportunities that were provided and taken advantage of by teachers,

the researcher was able to determine how these variables are related to each other and what can

be done to eliminate the issues that teachers are being faced with. To complete this task, the

researcher transferred all data from SurveyMonkey into SPSS and used descriptive statistics to

determine whether there is a correlation between the use of technology and any of the barriers

suggested.

The ethical issue that will most likely be associated with this project is assessment. This

experiment requires teachers to be truthful about the amount of technology that they use in their

teaching practices along with the amount of professional developments that they chose to attend

to better understand technology integration (Professional Learning Board Network Support,

2020). All information was kept completely anonymous and confidential.

The researcher used the data collected from the surveys to determine whether there is a

correlation between the variables being measured. The researcher then used the data to determine

if the correlation is strong, weak or non-existent based on the numbers that are collected and

analyzed. The researcher will organize each of the variables against technology integration to

determine if each of them has a correlation with technology integration independent of the

others.

37
Concept Map

This quantitative study uses a critical realism approach to determine which barriers are

present when integrating technology into high school mathematics classrooms and how those

barriers can be overcome. It is built off of the research questions, which provide a detailed path

for the study and ensure that the results are directly relate back to the purpose of the study.

Figure 1: Concept Map

Figure 1. Concept Map. Adapted from “Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach”

by J. Maxwell, 2013. P. 5 Copyright 2013 by Sage.

Role of the Researcher

Teachers take part in an everlasting cycle of improving the education system. To improve

teaching, they continuously try new ideas and theories proposed by other educators and potential

38
funders. Research involving experimenting and gathering data is the most concrete way to

determine whether or not a new way of learning has a beneficial effect on the educational

experience for students or student learning. One of the most current evolving pieces of education

is the integration of technology into the classroom. Along with new resources and possibilities

are the barriers that have to be overcome.

A worldview is defined as meaning “a basic set of beliefs that guide action” (Guba,

1990). The four main worldviews in research are defined as Postpositivism, Constructivism,

Advocacy/Participatory and Pragmatism in the chart below (Creswell & Poth, 2018).

Table 1: Worldviews

Schools systems are continuing to work toward giving all students equal access to

education. However, although we have been working toward this nationally, there are huge

differences between even the poorest communities in the United States and communities in third

world countries. The future of education will hopefully come up with a way to ensure that every

child across the world, no matter the wealth of their community, should have access to an

education that can make them knowledgeable enough to be a contributing member to society.

39
 The topic that the researcher has chosen for this study is how to eliminate barriers that are

presented by educational technology integration in the classroom. Some teachers use technology

to teach the students skills that cannot be taught without it, but some teachers use technology to

make their lives easier. The purpose of this study is to determine how teachers can properly

integrate technology into the classroom without integrating issues into the classroom with it. To

successfully conduct this study, the researcher will learn all about new technologies that can be

used in the classroom along with how to make the integration of these technologies into the

classroom as smooth as possible. The researcher would like to be able to give teachers the

information that they need to be able to improve the integration of educational technology into

their classrooms.

The researcher’s interest in educational technology has stemmed from the evolution of

technology in society. The researcher has had the opportunity to grow up in an era of changing

times. Over the last three decades, the researcher has watched the change from before each

person carried around a cellphone to seeing how dependent adolescents are on their smartphone

devices today. This dependency can be used to benefit students in education, particularly high

school mathematics. Over the past few years, the researcher has taken courses and attended

professional development that introduced many different teaching styles and teaching

technologies to adapt to the needs of my students. During these educational opportunities, the

researcher has been introduced to many new and evolving mathematics technologies that are

created to help students learn mathematics skills. These technologies can be beneficial when

actually helping students acquire new skills, but they can also be detrimental when solving

equations for students and not teaching them anything. This all depends on whether a teacher

40
knows how to properly use educational technologies in a high school mathematics classroom and

which technologies are beneficial to student learning.

The researcher is interested in this research topic because it is related to the past, present

and future of teaching mathematics and supporting technology integration in classrooms. As a

high school math teacher, there are many new technologies available that can be adapted to

become part of lesson plans and be used to teach new ideas. However, there are many more

technologies that can be a distraction to learning. The researcher would like to determine what

barriers exist when integrating technology into classrooms and whether using educational

technology is beneficial to a student’s learning. The researcher is the right person to do this

research because of the experience earned working in high school math classrooms in different

schools, cities and districts throughout Connecticut. This experience allows the researcher to be

ready for what challenges may arise in different types of populations and to have solutions

before the challenges arise.

Worldview

Table 2: Researcher Worldview Matrix

Worldview
Transformative-action: The ontology of the researcher, or form and nature
Ontology: of reality, is that teachers should be using the technological resources
provided to them in whatever ways they deem fit to teach students (Moon &
Blackman, 2017). The administration should ensure that each department had
funds in their budget for the resources that they desire or believe will be
helpful to the students. Teachers will then have the opportunity to use any of
the resources paid for by the school whether they are websites, applications or
devices.
Critical Realism: The epistemology of the researcher, or basic belief about
Epistemology: knowledge, is that finding ways to eliminate the barriers that arise when
integrating technology into education, especially into the mathematics

41
 classroom in secondary education can be beneficial to the learning experience
of students (Moon & Blackman, 2017). There has been an emphasis put on
secondary education schools to integrate newer technologies into their
classrooms and on educating teachers on how to use them properly in the
classroom. Many experienced educators have a tough time learning how to
use these new technologies and dislike having to adjust their lesson plans
every year to incorporate these new technologies into their lessons. The
researcher believes newer teachers are more open to altering their lesson
plans to engage students, whereas teachers who have been in the career for
longer are less likely to modify their lesson planning to adapt to the newest
trend that has caught student attention.
Pragmatism: The axiology of the researcher, or moral and immoral values, is
Axiology: partial to the experiences had in the school system (Saunders, Lewis, &
Thornhill, 2012). As an educator, the researcher has overcome many
technological obstacles including no internet, broken bulbs, non-responsive
touchscreens, website glitches, etc. The researcher has come across many
small issues when integrating technology into the classroom, but has always
found a way to overcome these issues. The researcher is interested to find out
if others experience the same, or different barriers when integrating
technology into the classroom.
Methodology: Constructivism (Inductive Approach): The researcher uses trends and
patterns along data to create common themes and form general conclusions.

Methodology

Quantitative research methods “emphasize objective measurements and the statistical,

mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys,

or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques” (USC Library,

2020). Quantitative research is all about numbers and statistics. Quantitative studies define what

is being measured and exactly how it is being measured. These studies usually use surveys and

questionnaires, along with observations based on specific coding. Each piece of data in a

quantitative study needs to be able to be expressed numerically, whether it is eye tracking or

facial expressions. Quantitative research is normally associated with the relationship between an

independent variable and at least one dependent variable. In a study that is measuring student

academic improvement, a quantitative study may be best because it allows for the study to

42
analyze student grades throughout the study. In this case, without quantitative data, the study

would not have enough information to form a conclusion.

The researcher used a quantitative research design with a narrative approach for this

study. The researcher incorporated quantitative data to determine what barriers are present in

incorporating technology into education and possibly suggestions on how to overcome those

barriers. To conduct this study, the researcher will use research questions to conduct a survey on

SurveyMonkey, an anonymous survey tool, to determine how to overcome the obstacle of

integrating technology into education to modernize high school mathematics education.

At a time, such as now, when COVID-19 has required all K-12 schools to convert to

online distance learning overnight, technology is in full effect. As far as teaching math from a

distance goes, there are many different websites to use that can support student learning along

with teachers creating their own virtual classrooms. Since this study took place during the height

of the COVID-19 pandemic, when all schools in Connecticut were sent home to conduct classes

virtually, teachers should be more used to and comfortable with technology than they have been

in the past.

After determining that there was an issue regarding educational technology and its use in

the classroom, the researcher suggested a study in which barriers would be analyzed. The

researcher sent this proposal to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of

Bridgeport and received IRB approval to conduct the study. Once the study was preapproved, the

researched began conducting a poop of potential participants who meet the needs of the

population of the study.

43
Population

This study used a population of 50 high school mathematics teachers from all urban

districts throughout Connecticut to determine if there are connections between personal

experiences and opinions about technology and the use of technology in their classrooms. The

population includes male and female math teachers of different ages and diverse educational

levels. The potential subjects for the study will be found using the math department’s directory

on the websites for the 11 urban districts included in the study.

The survey was sent out through email to all 198 registered high school mathematics

teachers in urban districts in Connecticut. Their emails were found on the district websites for the

11 urban districts in Connecticut. Seven days after the initial email, a reminder email was sent

out to all invitees to remind them that the study was still open and accepting responses. Out of

the 198 teachers invited, 50 responded to the survey. The response rate was 25.3% of invited

teachers. This response rate being lower than anticipated may be correlated to timing and being

administered during a global pandemic. The pandemic caused stress and mental health issues for

many teachers who felt overwhelmed by online teaching and most likely were too busy to

complete the survey.

Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection

The necessary components of a sampling design include representing the entire

population, being large enough to avoid errors, and being selected randomly (Lavrakas, 2008).

Each of these components helps to ensure that the study is valid, and as least biased as possible.

Without validity, a researcher will not be able to accurately draw conclusions about the study,

and therefore, will not be able to add to research on the topic.

44
 It is important for a sample to represent the entire population. This means that the sample

should represent similar proportions of subgroups as the whole population. It should also make

sure to include each of the subgroups represented by the population. If a study is conducted

about students in a particular school, it should include students from every class, ELL students,

students with IEPs, students with 504s, and students who are excelling and need to be

challenged. By including all types of students in the study, all subgroups of the school would be

represented and therefore can be taken into consideration in the conclusion of the study. Without

the representation of a specific group, for instance English Language Learners, a study will not

be able to draw conclusions about how a program in English class works because it will not be

taking into account an important subgroup of learners. This applies to all studies. By forgetting a

subgroup or leaving out how the study affects them, the study and the research are not capable of

drawing conclusions on a topic.

The sample chosen for the study was at random to avoid bias. There are many ways to

conduct random probability sampling including the following: simple random sampling,

stratified random sampling, proportional stratified random sampling, systematic random

sampling and cluster sampling. There are also different types of random non-probability

sampling including convenience sampling, quota sampling, purposive sampling, and snowball

sampling. Each of these follows different guidelines to create an unbiased sample, but ends up

with a randomized sample of participants that allow the researcher to conduct an unbiased study.

When conducting a study, many researchers make sure to separate themselves from the study by

performing the research at a place away from their home or job. It would be easy for a researcher

to become biased if they chose the participants in the study because it almost makes sense to

choose the participants that are most likely to support the researcher’s initial ideas. However, to

45
conduct valid research, this is not allowed. The sample must be random, and not hand-selected

by the researcher due to qualifications of participants.

The sample must also be large enough to avoid errors. If the population is too small, it

may include outliers and skew the data to provide an incorrect conclusion. If only 5 students in a

school were chosen and analyzed, they might be the top 5 students in the school, or the lowest 5

students in the school. Either way, the data collected on those 5 students would not be enough to

make generalizations about the population of all the students in the school in general. There is a

formula that a researcher can use that includes population size, margin of error, confidence level

and standard deviation to determine what the minimum sample size for the study should be.

However, this minimum value changes depending on the study. If a researcher were conducting a

study on residents of the U.S., he or she would clearly need a much larger sample to be able to

account for all subgroups. In that case, the researcher would need to make sure that the

percentage of subgroups of gender, race, state residency, income, household type, education

level, etcetera were all represented in the study (Qualtrics, 2020).

Data Analysis Plan

The researcher gathered information from the given surveys on SurveyMonkey to

determine which factors are corrected with the integration of educational technology in the

classroom. The results were then inputted into SPSS and analyzed using different tests to

compare and contrast each questions results, with respect to teacher use of educational

technology in the classroom when necessary. The results were interpreted based on the majority

answers from each question. The given survey allows the researcher to draw conclusions about

the factors that act as barriers to the integration of technology.

46
Visual Methodological Map

Figure 2: Visual Methodological Map

Validity and Reliability

Credibility is, in essence, the “extent to which a research account is believable and

appropriate, with particular reference to the level of agreement between participants and the

researcher” (Mills, Durepos, & Wiebe, 2010). It is used to establish that a test or survey is

measuring what it is intended to measure. The surveys that will be conducted in this research are

constructed of questions that were thoughtfully created with measurable outcomes taken into

consideration. The way that the questions are worded (excluding the demographic section)

creates an environment for categorical responses for most of the questions. This eliminates the

issue of organizing open-ended answers and trying to analyze data that may not be compatible.

By analyzing data question by question using SPSS, the researcher was able to draw

conclusions about the effects of teacher preparation programs and professional development

47
opportunities centered around educational technology. After collecting the information, it was

able to be arranged by categories according to the demographics of the teachers to allow for

further analysis of the connection between demographics and technology use in the classroom.

The data collected shows common barriers among staff along with common technology-related

issues that they face.

Validity refers to a tool's significance with respect to a researcher’s ability to create a

sufficient analysis based on the collection of data from a study. It applies to both the design and

the methods of a research study. “Validity in data collection means that your findings truly

represent the phenomenon you are claiming to measure” (Henrichsen, Smith, & Baker, 1997).

The survey that was conducted in this research was used to compare and contrast the technology

use and opinions of technology from many different teachers within a district. The survey

questions that have been carefully predetermined guarantee that the same information will be

being asked of each of the surveyed teachers and that the responses can be compared and

contrasted without issues. Before administering the survey, the questions were vetted by three

administrators and three educators who would not be taking part in the study. These

professionals were asked for suggestions to improve the survey. The individuals ensured that

each question was directly related ack to the research questions and was not leading or confusing

in any way. The survey allows the collected data to be represented visually in charts and graphs

that compare potential barriers to integrating technology into the classroom.

The guidelines that have been put in place to lead the study guarantee that the study will

be both credible and valid based on the setup of the surveys and the information that will be

collected by the surveys during the study. The validity is ensured by clearly identifying the

48
research methods that are used to conduct the study including the gathering of data through

articles and surveys.

Ethical Procedures

The surveys were administered by using SurveyMonkey, an anonymous online survey

tool that does not collect IP addresses. The link to this survey was sent out in a mass email to 198

high school mathematics teachers in the state of Connecticut, with all recipients blind-copied, as

to ensure privacy and anonymity. The email stated that the survey is optional and will not be

shared with each recipient’s employer. By sending out one email to all potential candidates, and

opting for SurveyMonkey to not collect IP address information, the surveys will be completely

anonymous, and therefore should be more reliable. Teachers should have been able to answer

each question honestly, knowing that there are no repercussions for any of their answers. By

opening up the study to include teachers both inside and outside of the researcher’s district, the

study allows for the possibility of interpreting the findings from educators in Connecticut and

generalizing for a larger population, such as educators across the United States of America.

Seven days after the initial email, a follow-up email was sent as a reminder to all invitees.

Since the survey was completely anonymous, the researcher was unable to determine which

teachers had already participated in the study, so it was sent out to the entire initial pool of

invitees. The email reminded teachers who had not yet completed the survey that it was still open

for responses and was to be disregarded by teachers who had already completed the survey.

Summary

This quantitative study was conducted to determine what barriers are present when

integrating technology into education. The study focused on teachers’ self-perceptions of barriers

to technology, teacher technology confidence, and participation in technology related

49
professional development with respect to technology use in their classrooms. The problem being

addressed in the study was that teachers are not taking advantage of the technological resources

that are available to them in the classroom. The design of this study was to survey teachers to

determine what barriers they face when attempting to integrate technology into their classrooms.

The information gathered from the surveys allowed the researcher to form generalizations about

which barriers are the most common among teachers integrating technology into the classroom.

The researcher used SurveyMonkey to administer an anonymous survey that collected data about

teachers’ perceptions of technology and their use of technology in the classroom. The goal of this

study was to determine what barriers are present when integrating technology into the classroom,

and lead the way for future researchers to create studies that can help to minimize those barriers,

and in turn, create a more modernized and technology-friendly classroom.

50
 CHAPTER IV - INTRODUCTION TO THE RESULTS

The purpose of this study is to determine the barriers associated with the integration of

technology for instruction in a math classroom, and how teacher professional development and

support can help ease technology into classrooms. Most teachers do not take full advantage of

the resources that they have at their disposal to help integrate technology into their lessons.

However, one of the goals of this research is to determine if those resources are sufficient in

preparing teachers with the skills that they will need to modernize their teaching styles. It is clear

that different technologies will apply to different subjects, which means for this study, the

researcher will focus on math teachers and technologies that can be used in mathematics

classrooms.

The overall focus of the study is to examine the technology integration of mathematics

educators at the high school level and the support of technology integration from administrators

at the high school level. It will also focus on the reasons that barriers exist in technology

integration and how to minimize those barriers. The following research questions will help to

guide the study:

1. To what degree are educators using and accessing technology in the classroom?

2. What are the self-perceived personal barriers and the instructional barriers limiting

technology integration by educators?

3. What technological professional developments are available to educators and to what

extent are the educators accessing these opportunities?

4. Is there a significant difference between technology integration and

a. Self-perceived barriers to technology integration?

51
 i. 𝐻" 1. There is no significant relationship between technology integration

and self-perceived barriers to technology integration.

ii. 𝐻$ 1. There is a significant relationship between technology integration

and self-perceived barriers to technology integration.

b. Self-perceived level of technology confidence?

i. 𝐻" 1. There is no significant relationship between technology integration

and self-perceived level of technology confidence.

ii. 𝐻$ 1. There is a significant relationship between technology integration

and self-perceived level of technology confidence.

c. Participation in technology focused professional development?

i. 𝐻" 1. There is no significant relationship between technology integration

and participation in technology focused professional development.

ii. 𝐻$ 1. There is a significant relationship between technology integration

and participation in technology focused professional development.

Data Collection

The researcher used the Connecticut State Department of Education’s website to create a

list of urban school districts in the state of Connecticut. Then, the researcher used the districts

websites to compile a list of all high school mathematics teachers within the districts, which

amounted to 198 emails. An email was sent out to each of these certified math teachers with

instructions to complete the survey using the general link to the survey in the email. The email

described the study. The survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey, an anonymous survey tool

that does not collect IP addresses. The survey questions ensured that participants are currently

teaching math in an urban secondary setting, and requested consent for their responses to be used

52
for educational research. Each of the participants completed an anonymous survey regarding

their views on technology and their personal use of technology in the classroom. This list of

questions was used to guarantee that the same information was collected from all participants

and that the data collection process was not bias in a specific instance. A follow-up email was

sent 7 days after first email, to remind invitees about the study and encourage them to take part

in it is they meet the qualifications and haven’t already done so.

The survey was kept open for 14 days, to allow potential participants ample time to

complete the questionnaire. Fifty-two teachers, out of 198, responded to the survey and met all

criteria for inclusion in the study; each participant is a current high school mathematics teacher

in an urban district in the state of Connecticut. However, two of the respondents did not answer

all questions on the survey, so their responses were thrown out. The results from the remaining

fifty respondents was analyzed and used to draw conclusions.

Study Results

Fifty educators from diverse backgrounds participated in the study by responding to all

questions presented in the survey. The participants in the study identified as different genders

and were different ages, as well as had different amounts of experience and taught different

grades of students. The age of the respondents displayed a normal distribution with 12% under

30 years old, 20% between 30 to 39 years old, 32% between 40 to 49 years old, 20% between 50

to 59 years old and 16% 60 years old or older. The respondents identified as 44% male, 54%

female and 2% other. The diverse nature of age and gender of respondents is well-representative

of the entire population of high school mathematics teachers in urban districts of Connecticut and

even high school mathematics teachers in general. The demographic information can be seen in

the table below.

53
Table 3: Demographics of the Participants

Demographics
Age Under 30 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+
12% 20% 32% 20% 16%
Gender Female Male Other
54% 44% 2%
Years Taught 2-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21+ years
12% 8% 12% 16% 24% 28%
Grades Taught 9th 10th 11th 12 th

54% 88% 76% 74%

The study determined that in 52% of the represented classrooms, all technology devices

were for teachers only and not allowed to be used by students. Of all the respondents, 76% of

teachers stated that they use technology regularly (more than 75% of the time) during

instructional lessons, while 16% responded with seldomly (less than 15% of the time). The

number of classrooms that did not have technology accessible to students was much higher than

anticipated. At a time when all schools are reliant on technology due to a global pandemic, it is

astonishing that 52% of high school mathematics classrooms in urban districts in Connecticut do

not have technological devices available for student use in the classroom.

The majority of teachers, 76% to be exact, assign projects that require the use of

technology both in the classroom and at home. This leads to an assumption that students will

have access to technology in both locations. However, the previous stated data, proves that this is

not the case. This leads to a disconnect between what it expected of students and what they have

available to them in the classroom. In the represented classrooms, 24% of teachers stated that

there are no computers available for use in their classrooms. This means that students would

need some other type of technology available to complete assignments in the classroom. In an

urban district, it is not safe to assume that all students have their own phones or devices that can

54
be used for school work. This means that many students may be set up for failure by not being

provided the necessary resources to complete technological tasks for their classes.

One of the barriers that was originally noted was teachers not feeling comfortable with

technology, and therefore not using it in their classrooms. In this study, 100% of teachers stated

that they feel comfortable that they can complete basic technology related tasks without issues.

However, there were many common barriers across the board. Below is a table that displays each

of these barriers and the percentage of teachers that agreed it was indeed a barrier.

Table 4: Barriers and Percentages of Teachers who Listed the Barriers (Great, Moderate, Small)

Barrier %GB %MB %SB

Lack of release time for teachers to learn/practice/plan with technology 48% 24% 24%
Outdated, incompatible, or unreliable computers 32% 36% 24%
Lack of funding to purchase desired technologies 28% 24% 32%
Inadequate training opportunities 20% 36% 32%
Not enough computers 16% 32% 16%
Lack of good instructional software 16% 24% 48%
Lack of support regarding integrating technology into the curriculum 16% 24% 36%
Lack of administrative support 16% 8% 36%
Internet connection is irregular, unstable or not dependable 12% 40% 24%
Lack of technical support or advice 12% 28% 32%
Concern about student access to inappropriate materials 8% 20% 24%
Internet access is not easily accessible 8% 16% 36%
Hesitation due to lack of personal knowledge about specific programs 8% 12% 48%
Lack of time in schedule for students to use computers in class 8% 12% 32%
Concern of students’ technology skills exceeding that of educator 8% 8% 24%
Concern with limited experience using specific software or websites 4% 24% 44%
Concerns with limited experience using technology devices 0% 16% 24%

The most common barrier that was presented was the lack of release time for teachers to

learn, practice and plan with new technologies. As new technologies are created, many times

they are introduces by administrators in an email. Lack of time for proper introduction or

55
planning will lead to unsuccessful implementation of resources. 100% of teachers responded that

independent learning prepared them to use technology in the classroom. This number was higher

than the 84% who said professional developments were helpful and the 80% who stated that they

learned about educational technologies in college.

Professional development opportunities were stated to at least somewhat helpful by 84%

of the respondents. This number was intriguing, so the data related to professional developments

was analyzed in further detail. 28% of teachers were unaware if their school offered basic

computer training and 20% were sure that it was not offered. This accounts for 48% of the

population not being able to participate in basic technology training. On the same question, 36%

of teachers report that they don’t attend the training, leaving only 16% of teachers taking

advantage of basic computer training. As the question was narrowed to advanced technology

training, 42% were unaware if it was offered, 46% were not offered the training in their districts,

4% declined the training opportunities, and only 8% participated in the advanced technology

training. Of the teachers who reported that they do not participate in the trainings offered at their

school, 66% stated their reasoning as the training topics being covered are not what they need

help with.

Along with preparing and planning to use technology, it is essential for teachers to have

support throughout the entire process of using technology in their classrooms. 80% of teachers

responded that there is an IT help desk available for them to send questions to, but 68% stated

that their fellow classroom teachers are just as helpful with many of the simpler technology-

related questions that they were not prepared for during professional developments.

56
Summary

The most prominent barrier that was agreed upon by 96% of respondents was the claim

that the lack of release time for teachers to learn, practice, and plan ways to use technology was a

barrier to their use of technology in the classroom. The second greatest barrier is outdated

technology recorded by 88% of respondents, followed by lack of reliable software by 84% of

respondents, inadequate training opportunities by 84% of respondents and lack of funding to

purchase desired technology by 80% of the respondents. When asked what has helped to prepare

teachers to use technology in the classroom, 100% of respondents agreed with independent

learning time as the most beneficial in helping to prepare them to use technology in their

respective classrooms. On the same question, 24% of respondents stated that their college and/or

graduate work did not help them at all in preparing to use technology in the classroom. Although

professional developments were not completed useless, 66% of respondents stated that the

Professional Development training topics that are covered during professional learning time are

not related to the topics that require help.

57
 CHAPTER V – DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The problem that initiated this study is teachers not using all available technologies in

their lessons and in their classrooms. The study was created to determine what limits educators

from using technology in their classrooms and how administrators can help teachers to overcome

these barriers. The purpose of the study was to determine what barriers are most precedent when

attempting the integration of technology into classrooms, and how teacher training and support

can help eliminate those barriers. This research was conducted with the intent that the researcher

will be able to provide administrators with more beneficial ways to support their staff regarding

the integration of technology into their classrooms.

Interpretation of Findings

The results of the study supported the initial idea that there were barriers preventing

teachers from integrating newer technologies into their classrooms. More specifically, there were

commonalities that were presented as barriers to the majority of teachers who participated in the

study. The most common barrier faced when integrating technology is the lack of release time

for teachers to learn, practice, and plan ways to use technology. Even with more and more

technologies becoming available for educators, and many of them being very user-friendly, it is

nearly impossible for teachers to be expected to successfully add technology into lessons,

without the proper time to plan accordingly.

Another barrier that was deemed common among educators was outdated, incompatible

or unreliable technology. Without the necessary devices and programs, it is nearly impossible for

teachers to add technology components into their lessons on a regular basis. With computers or

laptops that breakdown frequently, or unstable internet, there is a high probability that teachers

will have to have a backup plan that does not require technology in the case of a technology

58
issue. If teachers believe that creating a lesson plan including technology also requires a backup

one without, there is an assumption that using technology requires double-planning, which

doubles their workload.

Administrators and educators can both work together to apply for grants for funding to

purchase desired technology for classrooms in the building. Newer, more reliable resources will

allow educators to ditch the back-up plan and focus on the technology loaded lesson plans. Not

only will this lighten the load, but it will also free up time for teachers to learn and implement

new technology-related practices into their teaching. This information can be useful to

administrators when evaluating their professional development opportunities for teachers and

attempting to improve the opportunities to meet the needs of teachers in their buildings. The

numbers support the idea that there is a disconnect between what teachers need and what

administration does to help teachers. The question is whether are administrators are naïve and

trying to support teachers, or providing unhelpful information to teachers to simply check off

boxes assigned from central office positions.

Limitations of the Study

Throughout this study, a few limitations presented themselves. At first, the researcher

was faced with the inability to claim causation between the variables presented within the study.

For example, the gender or age of a teacher cannot be considered a cause with an effect of the

amount of technology an educator uses in his or her classroom. The researcher determined that

connections can surely be made between the variables in the study, but declaring that two

variables have a cause and effect relationship, when this cannot be proven, would lead to many

issues within the data. Therefore, this results in the study determined whether there were possible

59
relationships between different variables and the use of technology in the classroom, but not

necessarily what the cause was for the amount of technology used by each educator.

Another limitation that presented itself in the study is the inability to generalize results to

the larger population. Since the participants were all teachers in urban districts in Connecticut, it

would not be credible to generalize the results to teachers in the United States as a whole or in

other countries. The study could be stretched to generalize ideas to high school mathematics

teachers in urban districts thought the U.S., but it is crucial to maintain the urban demographic,

and the high school mathematics subject area when generalizing results.

Recommendations

Further research should be completed to continue this study to examine how altering each

of the potential barriers changes teachers’ use of technology in the mathematics classroom. This

research may help to identify further needs of educators or requirements of administrators,

resulting from the data collected throughout the study.

An extension of this study would also be beneficial to research to expand the pool of

teachers being studied. The extension can include teachers of all grades and all subjects in

different types of communities and districts. Including different populations of teachers into the

study might shed light on the needs and challenges that are unique to specific subcategories of

educators.

Since the results of the study suggest that the biggest barrier to technology integration is

lack of release time for teachers and lack of teacher support, future research could be conducted

to explore the relations between the amount of release time and support necessary to increase

technology integration in the classroom. Such research might provide insight into how much

60
release time and technology related support is needed for teachers to realistically learn, plan and

use technology in their lessons.

Since technology can be integrated into classrooms at varying levels, future research can

focus on collecting data to create a scale of technology integration for teachers. This may include

a study that creates a tool to measure the use of technology in classrooms and the effectiveness

of the technology integration on improving student learning.

This study can be used as a suggestion for future research to analyze evidence regarding

the successfulness of each type of content and delivery that teacher preparation programs and

professional development have to offer. The future research can be intended for administrators to

improve their professional development opportunities regarding technology training and create a

more efficient curriculum that can better support educators who take part in the technology

training at their institution.

Implications

Future research should focus on the most prominent barrier reported by the survey: the

lack of release time for teachers to learn, practice, and plan ways to use technology. In doing so,

research can be done to determine which type of release time is most beneficial for teachers and

how much release time is necessary for each new technology to be fully understood by educators

in the building.

This study has the potential to contribute to positive change in education by initiating a

shift in the administration’s approach to planning and implementing technology professional

developments and supporting educators throughout the integration of technology into their

classrooms. These improvements can help schools to efficiently and effectively support the

integration of technology into high school mathematics classrooms. The increase of educational

61
technology may also stimulate student engagement and lead to improved student education and

learning. Administrators in each district have the authority to decide how professional

development trainings and run in their building. A study that focuses on improving the most

common barrier of technology integration will be helpful to school administrators everywhere, in

determining how to successfully plan their professional development trainings for staff.

This study can also contribute to a shift in schools general technology culture by

providing a framework to support the inclusion of technology in mathematics lessons, and

providing teachers with technology related support that was previously nonexistent or not

supportive of educators. When educators are provided the opportunity to learn new technologies

and receive training and support on the use of these technologies, they are likely to feel valued

and invested in applying the new technologies in their classrooms. There is a strong correlation

between administrative support of teachers and teachers willingness to increase effort in their

jobs.

The knowledge gained through this study has potential for schools who are experiencing

challenges when attempting to integrate technology into classrooms. Schools struggling with the

integration of technology into mathematics classrooms can use this study to launch an

investigation of their teachers’ practices of technology and the school’s technology culture to

determine how they can improve the technology use by teachers in their respective school. This

study will allow schools to decide whether administration needs to alter technology related

professional developments or adapt the support systems in place to meet the needs of teachers.

Conclusions

The purpose of this study was to determine which barriers are present when integrating

technology into high school mathematics classrooms. There is a strong correlation between the

62
use of technology and the resources that are available to teachers. Teachers who reported that

they do not use technology frequently in their classroom, also reported that they do not have

access to reliable technology, access to funding for new technology, or independent learning

time to practice working with technologies. To support mathematics teachers in the classroom,

administrators should work towards grants to help with technology/subscription funding, and

provide teachers with independent or small group professional learning time, and to ensure that

the topics covered during professional development meetings are the topics that teachers are

requesting help or need clarification.

63
References

Aagaard, J. (2015). Drawn to Distraction: A Qualitative Study of Off-Task Use of Educational

Technology. Comuters & Education, 87, 90-97.

Anthony, A. B. (2012). Activity theory as a framework for investigating district-classroom

system interactions and their influences on technology integration. Journal of Research

on Technology in Education, 44(4), 335-356.

Autio, O. (2011). Elements in Students Motivation in TEchnology Education. Procedia - Social

and Behavioral Sciences, 29, 1161-1168.

Au-Yong-Oliveira, M., Goncalves, R., Martins, J., & Frederico, B. (2018). The Social Impact of

TEchnology on Millennials and Consequences for Higher Education and Leadership.

Telematics and Informatics, 35, 954-963.

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-Efficacy: Towards a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychology

Review, 84(2), 192-215.

Berkeley Graduate Division. (2020). Overview of Learning Theories. Retrieved from Berkeley

Graduate Division: Graduate Student Instructor - Teaching & Resourse Center:

https://gsi.berkeley.edu/gsi-guide-contents/learning-theory-research/learning-overview/

Berners-Lee, T. (Director). (2008). The semantic web of data [Motion Picture].

Bhat, A. (2020). Quantitative Research: Definition, Methods, Types and Examples. Retrieved

from QuestionPro: https://www.questionpro.com/blog/quantitative-research/

Buckley, J., Seery, N., Canty, D., & Gumaelius, L. (2018). Visualization, Inductive Reasoning,

and Memory Span as Components of Fluid Intelligence: Implications for Technology

Education. International Journal of Education Research, 90, 64-77.

64
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among

five approaches. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.

Crossman, A. (2020, February 2). An Overview of Qualitative Research Methods. Retrieved from

ThoughtCo: https://www.thoughtco.com/qualitative-research-methods-3026555

Dewey, J. (1938). Logic: The theory of inquiry. New York: Holt and Co.

Docekal, V., & Tulinska, H. (2015). The impact of technology on education theory. Procedia -

Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 3765-3771.

Education, U. D. (2015). Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Retrieved from U.S. Department

of Education: https://eee.ed.gov/essa?src=rn

Enright-Polanish, J. (2017, January). Integrated CoTeaching (ICT). Retrieved from HOH

Schools:

https://www.hohschools.org/cms/lib/NY01913703/Centricity/Domain/8/ICT%20Jan%20

2017.pdf

Fojtik, R. (2014). Mobile Technologies Education. Procedis - Social and Behavioral Sciences,

143, 342-346.

Given, L. M. (2008). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Retrieved from

SAGE Research Methods: https://methods.sagepub.com/reference/sage-encyc-

qualitative-research-methods

Guba, E. G. (1990). The alternative paradigm dialog. In E. G. Guba, The paradigm dialog (pp.

17-27). SAGE Publications, Inc.

Hamiti, M., Reka, B., & Baloghova, A. (2014). Ethical Use of Technology in High Education.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 4411-4415.

65
Hecht, J. (2018, November 30). Retrieved from Forbes:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaredhecht/2018/11/30/how-technology-is-driving-change-

in-almost-every-major-industry/#27da81502f6f

Henrichsen, L., Smith, M. T., & Baker, D. S. (1997). Taming the Research Beast: Research

Methods in TESL and Language Acquisition. Retrieved from BYU Linguistics:

https://linguistics.byu.edu/faculty/henrichsenl/ResearchMethods/

Ignatyeva, I. (2015). The Trend of Technologisation of Modern Education (the Use of

Humanitarian Technologies). Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 214, 606-613.

Jones, R., Fox, C., & Douglas, L. (2011). Transforming education to ensure all students are

successful in the 21st century. Nationals Educational TEchnology Trends: 2011, 1-121.

Kampfen, F., & Maurer, J. (2018). Does Education Help "Old Dogs" Learn "New Tricks"? The

Lasting Impact of Early-Life Education on Technology Use Among Older Adults.

Research Policy, 47, 1125-1132.

Karich, A. C., Burns, M. K., & Maki, K. E. (2014). Updated Meta-Analysis of Learner Control

Within Educational Technology. Review of Educational Research, 84(3), 392-410.

Lavrakas, P. J. (2008). Sample Design. In P. J. Lavrakas, Encyclopedia of survey research

methods. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Loveland, T. (2012). Professional development plans for technology education: Accountability-

based application at the secondary and post-secondary level. Technology and

Engineering Teacher, 71(1), 26-32.

Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. Thousand Oaks:

SAGE Publications, Inc.

66
Mills, A. J., Durepos, G., & Wiebe, E. (2010). Credibility. In A. J. Mills, G. Durepos, & E.

Wiebe, Encyclopedia of Case Study Research. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.

Moon, K., & Blackman, D. (2017, May 2). A guide to ontology, epistemology, and philosophical

perspectives for interdisciplinary researchers. Retrieved from Integration and

Implementation Insights: https://i2insights.org/2017/05/02/philosophy-for-

interdisciplinarity/

Newbill, P., & Baum, L. (2013). Design Creativity. Learning & Leading with Technology, 41(4),

17-19.

Ouyang, J. R., & Stanley, N. (2014). Theories and Research in Educational Technology and

Distance Learning Instruction through Blackboard. Universal Journal of Educational

Research, 2(2), 161-172.

Papert, S. (1993). The Children's Machine: Rethinking school in the age of the computer. New

York: Basic Books.

Papert, S. (1999). Logo philosophy and implementation. Canada: LCSI.

Piaget, J. (1980). Les formes élémentaires de la dialectique. Paris: Gallimard.

Professional Learning Board Network Support. (2020). What Are Some Ethical Issues Every

School Must Discuss? Retrieved from Professional Learning Board:

https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/what-are-some-ethical-issues-every-school-

must-discuss/

Qualtrics. (2020). Determining sample size: how to make sure you get the correct sample size.

Retrieved from Qualtrics: https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-

management/research/determine-sample-size/

67
Ritzhaupt, A. D., Dawson, K., & Cavanaugh, C. (2012). An investigation of factors influencing

student use of technology in K-12 classrooms using path analysis. Journal of Educational

Computing Research, 46(3), 229-254.

Sacred Heart University. (2003). Research Guides: Organizing Academic Research Papers: 9.

The Conclusion. Retrieved from Sacred Heart University Library:

https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185935

Salah, B., & Darmoul, S. (2018). Engineering Technology Education Based on the

Reconfigurable Manufacturing Paradigm: A Case Study. Procedia Manufacturing, 23,

87-92.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2012). Research Methods for Business Students.

Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

Schmid, R. F., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Tamim, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Surkes, M. A., . .

. Woods, J. (2014). The effects of technology use in postsecondary education: A meta-

analysis of classroom applications. Computers & Education, 72, 271-291.

Showers, B., Joyce, B., & Bennett, B. (1987). Synthesis of research on staff development: A

framework for future study and state-of-the-art analysis. Educational Leadership, 45(3),

77-87.

Shrakibaei, Z., Khalkhali, A., & Andesh, M. (2011). Meta-analysis of Studies on Educational

Technology in Iran. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 28, 923-927.

TeachThought Staff. (2020, January 6). The Definition of the Flipped Classroom. Retrieved from

Teach Thought: https://www.teachthought.com/learning/the-definition-of-the-flipped-

classroom/

68
Thomas, H. (2018). Powerful Knowledge, Technology, and Education in the Future Focused

Good Society. Technology in Society, 52, 54-59.

Tondeur, J., Braak, J., Sang, G., Voogt, J., Fisser, P., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2011).

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Integrate Technology in Education: A Synthesis of

Qualitative Evidence. Computers & Education, 59, 134-144.

USC Library. (2020, March 3). Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Quantitative

Methods. Retrieved from USC Libraries Research Guides:

https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/quantitative

Uslu, O., & Buman, N. T. (2012). Effects of the professional development program on Turkish

teachers: Technology integration along with attitude towards ICT in education. Turkish

Online Journal of Educational Technology - TOJET, 11(3), 115-127.

Versel, L. (2018, February 8). Digital Education. Retrieved from Education Week:

https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2018/02/smartphones_student_learnin

g_classrooms_K12_education.html

Vogels, E. A. (2019, September 9). Factank: News in the Numbers. Retrieved from Pew

Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/09/us-generations-

technology-use/

Vygotsky, L. (1986). Language and thought. Cambridge: Institute of Technology Press.

Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap. New York: Basic Books.

Watty, K., McKay, J., & Ngo, L. (2016). Innovators or inhibitors? Accounting faculty resistance

to new educational technologies in higher education. Journal of Accounting Education,

36, 1-15.

69
Yemothy, N. E. (2015). Improving Educational Technology Integration in the Classroom.

Walden Dissertation and Doctoral Studies.

70
 Appendix A

UB HRP-574 and Survey

1. The purpose of this research project is to determine the barriers associated with the integration of
technology, and how teacher professional development and support can help ease technology into the
classroom. This study will help eliminate the barriers associated with the integration of technology into high
school mathematics classrooms. This is a research project being conducted by Kristin Sroka, a doctoral
candidate at the University of Bridgeport. You are invited to participate in this research project because you
are registered in the Connecticut Department of Education’s database as a 7-12 Mathematics teacher holding
an 029 certificate.

Your participation in this research study is voluntary. You may choose not to participate. If you decide to
participate in this research survey, you may withdraw at any time. If you decide not to participate in this study
or if you withdraw from participating at any time, you will not be penalized.

The procedure involves filling an online survey that will take approximately 20 minutes. Your responses will be
confidential and we do not collect identifying information such as your name, email address or IP address. The
survey questions will be about your personal views on technology, how you use it in your classroom and the
support that you receive from your school/district.

We will do our best to keep your information confidential. All data is stored in a password protected electronic
format. To help protect your confidentiality, the surveys will not contain information that will personally identify
you. The results of this study will be used for scholarly purposes only and may be shared with University of
Bridgeport representatives.

If you have any questions about the research study, please contact the University of Bridgeport’s IRB
Administrator at irb@bridgeport.edu. This research has been reviewed according to University of Bridgeport
IRB procedures for research involving human subjects.

ELECTRONIC CONSENT: Please select your choice below.

Clicking on the "agree" button below indicates that:

• you have read the above information

• you voluntarily agree to participate

• you are at least 21 years of age

• you are a current mathematics teacher at a high school in an Urban district in Connecticut

If you do not wish to participate in the research study, please decline participation by clicking on the
"disagree" button.
Agree

Disagree

71
2. How many school provided computers (including laptops) are located in your regular teaching classroom
(excluding remote/hybrid learning)?

3. How many of these school provided computers (including laptops) and tablets located in your classroom

None Some Most All

have access to the

internet?

are used for instruction?

are used by students?

4. On average, you use computers and tablets or the Internet for instruction during class time:
Regularly - more than 75% of the time

Often - about 50% of the time

Sometimes - about 25% of the time

Seldom - less than 15% of the time

5. Do you assign projects that require your students to use a computer inside the classroom and at home?
Inside the classroom only

At home only

Both

Neither

6. Approximately what percentage of your students have regular access to a computer with Internet at home?
0-20% 61-80%

21-40% 81-100%

41-60%

72
7. Are the following available to you, and if yes, to what extent do you use them?

Not available Not used at all Small extent Moderate extent Large extent

Computers in your
classroom

Computers elsewhere in
the school

Computers at home

Tablets or iPads in your

classroom

Internet in your
classroom

Internet elsewhere in the

school (computer labs)

Internet at home

E-mail at school

School network Internet

from home

Interactive Technology
(Smartboards, etc.)

Classroom Technology
(document cameras,
etc.)

Virtual Learning
Networks (Google
Classroom, Canvas,
Moodle, etc.)

73
8. To what extent do you assign students in your typical class, work that involves using computers or the
Internet in the following ways?

Not at all Small extent Moderate extent Large extent N/A

Practice drills

Solve problems or
analyze data

Use computer
applications such as
word processing,
spreadsheets, etc.

Graphical presentation
of materials

Demonstrations or
simulations

Produce multimedia
reports or projects

Research using the

Internet

Use or read from e-

books or i-publications

Correspond with
experts, authors,
students from other
schools, etc., via e-mail
or the internet

9. On average, how frequently do students in your typical class use each of the following during class time?

Not at all Rarely Sometimes Often Constantly

Computers in the
classroom

Computers in a
computer lab

Internet from the

classroom

Internet from a computer

lab

Virtual Learning
Platforms

Graphing Calculators

74
10. For each objective listed below, please indicate how much you use computers or the Internet at SCHOOL
to accomplish this goal:

Not at all Small extent Moderate extent Large extent

Create instructional
materials

Gather information for

planning lessons

Access model lesson

plans

Access research and

best practices for
teaching

Multimedia
presentations for the
classroom

Administrative record
keeping

Communicate with
students' parents

Communicate with
students outside of
classroom hours

Post homework or other

class requirements or
information

75
11. For each objective listed below, please indicate how much you use computers or the Internet at HOME to
accomplish this goal:

Not at all Small extent Moderate extent Large extent

Create instructional
materials

Gather information for

planning lessons

Access model lesson

plans

Access research and

best practices for
teaching

Multimedia
presentations for the
classroom

Administrative record
keeping

Communicate with
students' parents

Communicate with
students outside of
classroom hours

Post homework or other

class requirements or
information

12. I feel confident that I could:

Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

Send an e-mail to a
colleague, student or
parent

Send a document as an
attachment to an email
message

Use an Internet search

engine to find a website
on a specific topic

Use a spreadsheet to
create a pie chart on the
proportions of different
colors of M&Ms in a bag

76
 Strongly disagree Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly agree

Use a web based

subscription or program
in the classroom with
students (BrainPOP,
Kahoot!, RazKids, etc.)

Configure settings such

as headers, footers,
margins, columns, tabs
on a word processing
document

Create a newsletter with

graphics and text in
columns

Use the computer to

create a slideshow
presentation with
embedded videos and
links

Write a short essay

describing how you
would use technology in
the classroom

Create a lesson that

incorporates subject
matter software as an
integral part

Use technology to
collaborate with other
teachers or students not
in my classroom

Create a classroom
website with all notes,
assignments, resources
and schedules for your
classes

13. Please indicate to what extent, if any, each of the following are barriers to your use of school computers,
technology, or the Internet for instruction.

Not a barrier Small barrier Moderate barrier Great barrier

Not enough computers

Outdated, incompatible,
or unreliable computers

Internet access is not

easily accessible

Internet connection is
irregular, unstable or not
dependable

77
 Not a barrier Small barrier Moderate barrier Great barrier

Lack of good
instructional software

Inadequate training
opportunities

Lack of release time for

teachers to
learn/practice/plan ways
to use technology

Lack of administrative
support

Lack of support
regarding ways to
integrate technology into
the curriculum

Lack of technical
support or advice

Lack of time in schedule

for students to use
computers in class

Concern of students’
technology skills
exceeding that of
educator

Hesitation due to lack of

personal knowledge
about specific programs

Concern with limited

experience using
specific software or
websites

Concerns with limited

experience using
technology devices

Concern about student

access to inappropriate
materials

Lack of funding to
purchase desired
technology

78
 14. In your opinion, how well prepared are you to use computers and the Internet for classroom instruction?
Not at all prepared

Somewhat prepared

Well prepared

Very well prepared

15. To what extent have each of the following prepared you to use technology in the classroom?

Not at all Small extent Moderate extent Large extent

College/Graduate work

Professional
Development activities
outside of school

Professional
Development activities
at school

Colleagues

Students

Independent Learning

16. How many hours of formal professional development in the use of technology did you participate in during
the last 3 years?
0 hours

1-8 hours

9-32 hours

More than 32 hours

17. Does your school's administration:

Yes No

Require technology
training for teachers?

Encourage technology
training without
incentives?

Encourage technology
training with incentives?

Leave it up to teachers
to initiate participation?

79
18. Does your school make the following types of training available to you and, if yes, have you ever
participated in these programs?
I don't know if it's Yes, but I do not
available No, it's not available participate Yes, I participate

Basic computer training

Software Applications
(Google Suite, Microsoft
Office, etc.)

Educational Platforms
(Canvas, Google
Classroom, Moodle,
etc.)

Educational
Subscriptions
(Edgenuity, IXL, Khan
Academy, etc.)

Use of technology
devices (iPads, tablets,
SmartBoards, etc.)

Use of the Internet

Use of advanced
telecommunications
(Google Meets, Zoom.
Skype, etc.)

Integration of technology
into the curriculum

Advanced technology
training (coding,
software modifiying, etc.)

19. If you do not participate in training that is available at your school, why not?
Times training offered conflict with teaching schedule

Other school commitments

Training topics are not what I need help with

Family/daycare issues

Prefer one-to-one support

Personal reasons

Other

80
20. Please select who is available to send technology questions to at your school
Technology coordinator IT Help Desk team

Technology specialist Students

Library/media specialist Other

Fellow classroom teacher(s) No assistance provided

21. Including this school year, how many years have you been employed as a teacher?
1 year 11-15 years

2-3 years 16-20 years

4-6 years 21+ years

7-10 years

22. Which gender do you identify as?

Male

Female

Other

23. Which grades do you currently teach? (Select all that apply)
9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

12th grade

24. How old are you?

Under 30 years old 50-59 years old

30-39 years old 60+ years old

40-49 years old

81
 Appendix B

Email Invite

Dear Invitee,

My name is Kristin Sroka. I am a doctoral student at the University of Bridgeport studying

Educational Leadership with an emphasis on Educational Technology. I am kindly requesting

your participation in a doctoral research study that I am conducting titled Technology Integration

in Education: An Examination of Technology Adoption in Teaching and Learning by Secondary

Mathematics Teachers in Connecticut. The intention of this study is to determine the barriers

associated with the integration of technology, and how teacher professional development and

support can help ease technology into classrooms.

This study involves completing a short survey, which should take about 20 minutes. Participation

for this study is completely voluntary and completely anonymous. Therefore, it does not require

you to provide your name or any other personal information.

If you are a secondary mathematics teacher in an urban district and would like to participate in

the study, please read the Informed Consent letter below. If you believe you would be a good fit

for this study and would like to begin the survey, click the survey link at the end of the letter.

Your participation in the research study will be of great importance to assist in helping

educational administrators and teachers adapt to technology-friendly and interactive secondary

mathematics classrooms.

Thank you in advance for your time and participation.

Sincerely,

Kristin Sroka, M.Ed., Doctoral Student, University of Bridgeport

82
Appendix C

IRB Approval

83
 Appendix D

CITI Training Certificates

Completion Date 28-Jul-2020

Expiration Date 28-Jul-2023
Record ID 37648166

This is to certify that:

Kristin Sroka
Not valid for renewal of certification
Has completed the following CITI Program course: through CME. Do not use for
TransCelerate mutual recognition
(see Completion Report).
Social & Behavioral Research - Basic/Refresher (Curriculum Group)
Social & Behavioral Research - Basic/Refresher (Course Learner Group)
1 - Basic Course (Stage)

Under requirements set by:

University of Bridgeport

Verify at www.citiprogram.org/verify/?w01d7f7c7-f0a2-4308-8939-fe69b9878032-37648166

Completion Date 27-Jul-2020

Expiration Date 26-Jul-2024
Record ID 37648168

This is to certify that:

Kristin Sroka
Not valid for renewal of certification
Has completed the following CITI Program course: through CME. Do not use for
TransCelerate mutual recognition
(see Completion Report).
CITI Conflicts of Interest (Curriculum Group)

Conflicts of Interest (Course Learner Group)

1 - Stage 1 (Stage)

Under requirements set by:

University of Bridgeport

Verify at www.citiprogram.org/verify/?w6d782da5-b663-4fca-a7d4-798e52769f37-37648168

84
 Completion Date 28-Jul-2020
Expiration Date 28-Jul-2023
Record ID 37648167

This is to certify that:

Kristin Sroka
Not valid for renewal of certification
Has completed the following CITI Program course: through CME. Do not use for
TransCelerate mutual recognition
(see Completion Report).
Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research (Curriculum Group)
Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research (Course Learner Group)
1 - RCR (Stage)

Under requirements set by:

University of Bridgeport

Verify at www.citiprogram.org/verify/?wd0e07631-ddf1-4e77-a4c5-d63899cce587-37648167

85
 ProQuest Number: 28651488

INFORMATION TO ALL USERS

The quality and completeness of this reproduction is dependent on the quality
and completeness of the copy made available to ProQuest.

Distributed by ProQuest LLC ( 2021 ).

Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author unless otherwise noted.

This work may be used in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons license
or other rights statement, as indicated in the copyright statement or in the metadata
associated with this work. Unless otherwise specified in the copyright statement
or the metadata, all rights are reserved by the copyright holder.

This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17,

United States Code and other applicable copyright laws.

Microform Edition where available © ProQuest LLC. No reproduction or digitization

of the Microform Edition is authorized without permission of ProQuest LLC.

ProQuest LLC
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346 USA