The purpose of this research was to examine the role of instructional technology resource teachers (ITRTs) within Virginia's public school divisions focusing on how ITRTs used their time throughout the school year to integrate technology into the curriculum. Based on data from surveys of current ITRTs, the researcher investigated further to find relationships, if any, among the professional and educational backgrounds and work calendar of these teachers and their responses to their actual role. The study also addressed training that the ITRTs have received to assist them in their job duties and explored the participants' perceptions of their roles as ITRTs.
Data were collected through the administration of an online survey sent to 1,199 ITRTs in 133 school divisions (districts) in Virginia. The response rate was 82% or 983 returns. The data were analyzed and presented using a tabular format along with a brief description.
Based on the findings, 40.9% of the respondents listed Instructional Technology Resource Teacher as their official job title. The majority of respondents held master's degrees and teacher's licenses. Respondents reported that 95% were full-time ITRTs. Most worked on a 10- or 11-month work calendar. The findings showed that instructional technology resource teachers were assisting teachers somewhat with technology integration, but the time spent on solving software (64.8%) and hardware (53.3%) problems remains a concern.
The majority stated that they had received training from their school divisions. The analysis showed that only 1.6% of the respondents had no training. Respondents overwhelmingly agreed that the most effective way to meet each school's instructional technology needs is to have one full-time instructional technology resource teacher in each school. Respondents stated there was not enough time allotted for teachers to plan for technology in the classroom and that there were insufficient funds for hardware and software needed for implementing technology into the classroom. Most agreed that support from school division administrators are assisting teachers in successfully integrating technology into the classroom and the majority of respondents disagreed that Standards of Learning (SOL) prompt teachers to use technology as a daily instructional tool.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-3533 |
| Date | 16 December 2006 |
| Creators | Hooker, Kimberly M. |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Electronic Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | Copyright by the authors. |
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