Research has shown that teachers' effective use of technology in the classroom is positively related to the amount of administrative support they receive. However, most principals lack the technical background or sufficient training that would help them to provide essential areas of support for those involved with the use of technology in teaching. The purpose of this study was the development of a knowledge base for models of administrative support for teaching with technology in elementary schools, including prescriptions for technology training for principals.
The knowledge base and prescriptions were synthesized from analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected from responses to a survey of elementary school principals in Georgia. The critical factors that contributed to elementary school principals' support for teaching with technology were an above average to high level of computer technology skills, years of computer experience, the training area of productivity and professional practice, and the number of years involved with facilitating support. The level of computer technology skills contributed to the principals' stages of concern regarding facilitating support. Impact concerns associated with collaboration and the level of computer skills were predictors for principal support.
Several prescriptions and recommendations for improving principal support for teaching with technology contributed to the educational knowledge base. School districts need to encourage their principals to collaborate with their colleagues in strong technology schools in order to move them toward the impact level of concern with supporting teaching with technology. Schools should encourage their principals to take training to become proficient in computer technology skills. State and local school systems must restructure their technology certification programs by providing a component for principals that emphasizes content-based skills in administrative areas of responsibility emphasizing the six categories from the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A), developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). University preparatory programs and professional development programs should also emphasize these six content areas from the NETS-A to provide the knowledge and skills needed to comprehensively support the integration of technology into the learning environment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nova.edu/oai:nsuworks.nova.edu:gscis_etd-1791 |
| Date | 01 January 2004 |
| Creators | Rawls, Pamela |
| Publisher | NSUWorks |
| Source Sets | Nova Southeastern University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | CEC Theses and Dissertations |
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