The Impact Of Professional Development On Technology Integration In High School Classrooms

Classroom integration of technology is a complex process that must include thought to the purpose of integration and a plan for the professional development of the teachers. The change in any instructional practice requires an effective professional development plan that best addresses the needs of the teachers. This study investigated the level of technology integration of high school teachers and the professional development opportunities of those teachers. The goal of the study was to determine the level of technology integration as perceived by the teachers and administrators and to determine the professional development opportunities at each level. Three hundred and twelve teachers from thirteen high schools and across diverse content areas responded to a questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire identified the tasks for which the students were using technology, the years of experience of the teachers, and the content areas of the teachers. The second part of the questionnaire asked the teachers to respond to statements aligned to the levels of technology integration. The third part of the questionnaire asked the teachers to respond to statements regarding frequency and type of professional development. The principals from each of the thirteen high schools and a random sampling of the responding teachers were also interviewed. The findings in this study indicated that the majority of the teachers were integrating technology at a routine level. Professional development that included independent exploration, collaborative time with peers, and on-site coaching had enabled these teachers to utilize technology for lessons and classroom management as well as to facilitate their students in using technology tools. This study also indicate that in order for teachers to move to higher levels of technology integration, the professional development needs to include differentiated, collaborative, real time opportunities on a frequency of at least monthly.