<p> Though many American educators embrace technology in classrooms, administrators can create policies that inhibit technology such as mobile phone use in classrooms or on district property. These policies range from restrictive with no mobile phone use permitted, to liberal in which unrestricted use of mobile phones is allowed. The purpose of this case study was to explore the divergent and convergent perceptions of mobile phone use and mobile phone policy across multiple groups of stakeholders in one northeastern Pennsylvania public high school. Focus groups of administrators, teachers, students, and parents were formed and group interviews were conducted to understand the perceptions of current mobile phone use, perceptions of the current mobile phone policy, and how the perceptions compare across stakeholder groups. The findings of this study uncovered three main themes: conflicting interpretations of the policy's purpose, inconsistent enforcement of the policy, and support for a more effective policy by bringing your own device to school. Stakeholders had a range of interpretations regarding Mountain Peak High School's mobile phone policy, which could be categorized into two main typologies: restrictive or liberal. The data from this study also showed that due to the range of policy interpretations, staff members at Mountain Peak High School were not enforcing the mobile phone policy consistently. During data collection, it was discovered that a pilot group of Mountain Peak teachers were allowed to have their students bring their own device to school. The findings of this study may help educational leaders evaluate and construct a more appropriate mobile phone policy for their respective school district.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3610219 |
| Date | 06 March 2014 |
| Creators | Thackara, Susan Tomchak |
| Publisher | Wilkes University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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