Publication Date

2022

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wilkins, Elizabeth A.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction (CI)

Abstract

This qualitative study focused on the perceptions three elementary school teachers had regarding their ability to integrate technology into the writing curriculum as well as their understanding of how technology and multimodalities can actually be integrated. The three teachers were asked to reflect on their technology use in teaching writing for a 12-week period. Each was selected based on their self-reported Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) as measured by a screening survey. In addition to these reflections, they were interviewed at the beginning, middle, and end of the study period. Data collection methods also included weekly lesson plan reflections and analytic memos. The study was grounded in the TPACK framework and the Pedagogy of Multiliteracies. Four of the seven modalities of interaction were interwoven throughout the elementary writing curriculum used for this study. The weekly lesson plan reflections, organized using the Technology Integration Planning Cycle, highlighted the ways in which these multimodalities were demonstrated in the teachers’ writing workshops. The findings show that teacher self-perception of technology integration tended to align with the teachers’ practice of integrating technology. Two major themes emerged from the data: the teachers understood that technology integration encouraged student engagement and interaction and that the technology could be utilized as a family communication tool. Based on the findings, recommendations are made for future professional development that not only aligns with pedagogical beliefs but also meets the needs of individuals as they work to strengthen their technology integration and multimodal literacy practices. Professional development could focus on fostering a deeper understanding of the Common Core State Standards and the multimodalities found within them. Lastly, teachers should continue to find ways to use online applications for family communication. This study focused on the use of Seesaw and the teachers had success with it, but other applications could be used.

Extent

188 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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