| The academic performance of students in the United States is falling below acceptable national standards, and educators are seeking to provide the necessary tools for student success. The purpose of this multiple case study was to contribute to filling the research gap in the literature related to how technology is used in 21st century classrooms by investigating educators' views about the effectiveness of technology-based instruction. The theories of constructivism and anchored instruction provided the conceptual framework. A purposive sampling strategy was used to select 13 middle school educators from a rural public school district in the mideastern region of the United States. Qualitative data were collected via the LoTi Survey, interviews, and artifact examinations. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze individual cases, and within and cross-case analyses were conducted. The findings indicate technology is used more often as an administrative tool and for teacher-directed instruction than as an instructional tool for student-centered learning experiences. Teachers indicated their lack of technology use in instruction related in part to their lack of knowledge about its potential use in their classrooms and in part to a lack of access to technology resources through their district. Technology-based instruction has the potential to transform instruction from traditional methods of learning to student-centered learning environments, thus having the potential to have a positive effect on learning. The study results will have social change implications by helping educators to make changes in instructional strategies and use professional development opportunities to help teachers to more effectively integrate technology in K-12 classrooms. |
