Running Head: USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

Research Prospectus
Use of Tablets
by Educators in the Classroom
Danielle Brooke Adams
Kasey Hutchinson
Thomas Nykamp
Avery Roberson
Tina Sweet
May 3, 2015
Liberty University
EDUC 639

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

Abstract
Educational Technology is a fluctuating field that sees new innovations annually. With new
technology being introduced in the classrooms, teachers tend to feel overwhelmed. Districts
implement technology strategies into schools with hardly any support, which can lead to minor
teacher buy in. In this study we research the concept of tablets and the impact they have on
instructors in the classroom. This ranges from instructional practices to leadership providing
support through strategies. A qualitative research design was used for this study. The volunteer
instructors were derived from Lives Elementary School, a Title I school located in East Atlanta.
Data will be collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis. The conclusion
of this study will be drawn from generalizations constructed from the data collected.
Keywords: tablets, literacy, education, technology, iPads, self-efficacy

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

Use of Tablets by Educators in the Classroom

Background/Brief Review of the Literature
A number of teachers are fortunate enough to teach in a district in which technological
tools, specifically iPads, are provided free of charge for use in the classroom and other school
related needs. Whether the devices are provided by a grant that was awarded, or the school is
able to fit the tablets into the budget, the availability of devices such as iPads have the potential
to change the way educators teach students. Clearly, technology use in the classroom is booming
in todays educational world.
There are ample amounts of literature being written about technology in education and
plenty of research being conducted in this area. One common theme found in the literature was
technological literacy. Hineman (2015) shares that in a recently conducted study, the most
technologically literate teachers and administrators would communicate the most effective
strategies for using and incorporating the iPads into the curriculum using a mentor/mentee type
approach. Himemans (2015) study found the following:
Teacher self-efficacy is an important part of the learning environment, it is the perception
a teacher has regarding his or her ability to effectively carry out the tasks involved in teaching.
Teachers' technology self-efficacy is a teacher's belief to teach effectively in a technology-based
classroom. These beliefs significantly impact teachers' actual teaching practice and steps taken to
improve teachers' technology self-efficacy. (p. 71)
The themes and issues found in the literature lead to the findings of several issues that are
of concern which give rise to the following problem statement and research questions that will be
focused upon for this particular proposal.

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

Problem Statement
A problem that may exist in some of these classrooms is the lack of teacher knowledge of
how to use these tablets. There is often no training provided to class facilitators who must know
how to use them in order to successfully impact the instructional practice in the classroom.
Because of this fact, one purpose of this research would be to identify certain approaches,
strategies, and tools that would promote proficiency with tablets for teachers in the classroom.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this case study is to examine the impact tablets have on instructional
practices as it relates to teachers device proficiency.
Significance of the Study
The significance of this study is to examine teacher proficiency with the hardware and
build on other research that has shown the impact of tablets in education. As tablets have become
increasingly popular in education, particularly iPads, it is imperative to make sure that the results
are not stunted or slowed because of teachers lack of support from administration or ability to
perform the necessary tasks. Variables will be looked at and studied based on teachers
improvement with professional development and training throughout the research.
Research Question(s)
This study will focus on the following questions during the research:
1. How do tablets impact instructional practices in the classroom?
2. How can administrators provide approaches, strategies and tools that promote
proficiency with tablets for teachers?
3. How does tablet proficiency impact teacher effectiveness?

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

Methodology
Research Design
This study of the impact tablets in the classroom has on instructional practices will
incorporate the collective case study approach to qualitative research. Tablets proficiencies must
be investigated with consideration to each teachers professional experience. For example, one
of the teachers is a first-year teacher recently graduating from a program driven by technological
advancements and online learning. Her experience with tablets in her classroom would
theoretically be different from a veteran teacher with less tablet and online experience.
Participants/ Sampling
Seven teachers from Lives Elementary School will be chosen for the study. All seven
participants include veteran and novice male and female teachers. Participant one is a veteran 4th
grade teacher who holds a bachelors degree and is gifted certified. She is Caucasian.
Participant two is a first year 4th grade teacher holding a bachelors degree. She is also
Caucasian. Participant three is a novice Special Education teacher currently working on a
Masters degree. He was a paraprofessional at Lives Elementary prior to obtaining certification.
He is African American. Participant four is a veteran 1st grade teacher holding a Bachelors,
Masters, Specialist degree and reading endorsement. She is Caucasian. Participant five is a
veteran 5th grade teacher holding a Bachelors and Masters degree. He is Caucasian.
Participant six is a veteran 2nd grade teacher holding a Bachelors degree. He is an African
American. Participant seven is a veteran 3rd grade teacher holding a Bachelors, Masters and
Specialist degree. The average age of the participants is thirty-five years old. All seven
participants stated their commitment to utilizing tablets during the reading and language arts
portion of their instructional day.

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

Setting
The study will be conducted at Lives Elementary School. The school houses grades prekindergarten through five. There are 583 students enrolled of which 57% of the students are
African American; another 36% of the students are African-American, while 4% are either
Asian-American or Hispanic. Seventy-six percent of the student population receives free or
reduced lunch. Lives Elementary School employs forty-one teachers and is the lowest
performing elementary school in the district with a 62.9% state longitudinal performance
percentage. Lives Elementary is also the lowest performing school in the Griffin Regional
Educational Services of East Metro Atlanta.
Instrumentation
Teachers will be given the Teacher Technology Proficiency Instrument (2009) prior to
beginning the study. Teachers will be given the Perceived Learning Instrument (1987) after the
eight week period is completed. The researcher will use documents, interviews, and observations
as other forms of data collection.
Documents. Lesson plans will be examined weekly during the eight week period. All
five teachers plans will be evaluated and viewed to align with the county unit plans designated
scope and sequence framework. Lesson plans will incorporate tablet use in reading and math at
least three times per week.
Interviews. The seven teachers will be interviewed separately prior to beginning the
study to document individual views of tablets supporting instructional practices and their
personal perceived proficiency. The interview will also include professional history questions.
At the conclusion of the study, the seven teachers will be briefed on the findings in order to
gauge accuracy.
Observations. The teachers will be subjected to observation during the instructional
day for an eight-week period. Observations will be conducted at various times and during

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

various subjects for twenty-minute segments. All teachers will be observed a minimum of five
times. Teachers will be expected to follow lesson plans as a framework for the lesson format.
Teachers will have access to tablets throughout the eight week period for reading and math
instruction.
Data Analysis
Describing. Data about the school, the district, and specific demographics will be
explained to inform the reader of the educational setting. Technological insight and accessibility
will be provided to supply the researcher context validating tablet access. This process provides
the researcher background knowledge supporting tablets integration in the classroom.
Categorical aggregation. Data will be collected from all seven participants to
determine the impact tablets have on instructional delivery. Participants documentation will
remain in separate folders and locked in a file cabinet during the study. This will allow the
researcher to differentiate the five participants factors of impact thus providing information to
determine if themes exist. In such case themes emerge, the study will shift accordingly
addressing identified major themes.
Naturalistic generalizations. Data collected from the interview, observations, and
document analysis will be studied to determine if a generalization from this study can be
constructed to support other cases similar in nature. Validity and reliability will also be analyzed
through generalizations.
Assumptions and Limitations
Triangulation. Intelligence and will be collected through former research studies in
order to associate results of this work to other respective studies. Collaborative studies provide a
perspective of the research prospectus of Lives Elementary School. Efforts of this study will
attempt to locate and examine findings from studies exhibiting similar demographics and
technology proficiencies as that of Lives Elementary School.

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

External audit. An external auditor will examine the process to determine if the study
is supported by data and validates reliability. The auditors purpose provides an external voice
focusing on correctness and connectedness to the study. The auditor will be contacted throughout
the study to promote accuracy leading to the final result.
Member checking. The participants will examine the findings to interpret their
views of the datas credibility. This process is extremely important as it positions them as a major
role in the study and research prospectus. The participants personal views of the results directly
impact the studys purpose and usefulness in an academic setting. Strict limitations will be noted
if participants disagree with the results of this study.
It will be very important that the researcher does not allow personal views of technology
to affect how to safeguard the questions from leaning towards the researchers point of view.
Once approved, deviation from the script will not occur. Lastly, one of the participants is
working on a graduate degree in technology; therefore separate interviews will be necessary for
non-bias involvement of this study.

USE OF TABLETS BY EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM

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