Transforming into an elementary technology specialist: Stories of change

Abstract

The experiences of elementary technology integration specialists in a Midwestern school district were explored through narrative case studies as these educators transitioned from classroom teaching to roles as technology integration specialists. Four specialists participated in the study, two who had recently assumed this position (novices), and two who served in the specialist role for more than ten years (experienced). Including novice and experienced participants allowed the researcher to elicit narratives relative to current as well as historical perceptions of the processes that affected decisions to pursue a role as a technology integration specialist role. Experienced participants’ narratives were explored to uncover perceptions of ways in which their professional identities have changed over time. A mixed methods research design was employed. The primary design was qualitative: case studies incorporated the results of semi-structured interviews as well as teaching observations. Over a five-week period, each participant engaged in a cycle of setting weekly instructional goals (referred to as a “mindset checklist”) and post-instruction journaling about their experiences, then setting new and/or revised instructional goals. These goals were used to construct personalized observation protocols, used by the researcher as the basis for teaching observations. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Quantitative elements were incorporated to provide additional information relative to participants’ self-theories of ability (mindset) and self-efficacy pertaining to instructional technology. Analyses revealed a key technology beliefs pattern: participants who expressed (through their narratives) and subsequently demonstrated (during instructional observations) the belief that their technology integration knowledge and skills would improve through sustained effort scored higher on a quantitative technology perseverance assessment, and also demonstrated greater perseverance while teaching when they encountered instructional challenges or barriers. Participants who expressed and manifested a belief in improvement through sustained effort also appeared to experiment with and implement a greater variety of instructional technologies. Both novice and experienced specialists reported encountering similar challenges and barriers to fulfilling individual as well as role specific goals for technology integration, such as a vague, outdated curriculum, and insufficient time to research and integrate new instructional technology. Participants indicated that professional role commitment, perseverance, and motivation were linked to role clarity, opportunities to engage in continuous, meaningful curriculum monitoring and updating, and sufficient time to study, prepare, and collaborate with classroom teachers in order to implement new instructional technology developments effectively.