The view from here: Elementary teachers’ perspectives on technology in the post-Covid classroom

Technology has impacted and permeated every aspect of our lives, including the classroom. The accelerated use of technology as the main means for learning brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented. The potential affordances that meaningful technology integration can have, have been well researched. And while there is an abundance of research on the factors that impact technology utilization as well as the barriers to its use, there has been very little focus on research of technology integration in the elementary school classroom. This study aims to gain insight into elementary school teachers’ perspectives on technology integration by addressing their implementation practices, attitudes, and the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on these ideas. This is a qualitative study utilizing semi-structured interviews and artifacts to focus on teacher adoption, attitude, and utilization of technology tools in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms. Data was gathered from interviews (face-to-face and virtual) and artifacts provided by the teachers and then coded and analyzed to reveal common themes. The themes revealed trends in technology choices such as using Google Classroom, linking its usage to the technology use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues and trends regarding teacher attitude, the immediacy of data, and the responsibility teachers feel to create technological literacy were also uncovered. This study provides initial insight into gaining a larger understanding of the factors that influence teacher technology implementation, the choices they are making, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced them. Understanding what is going on in the elementary classroom is the first step towards promoting and developing meaningful technology integration as well as aiding pre-service and active teachers to promote technology implementation that is deliberate, student-centered, and strategic.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Wieneke, Tannah

Contributors dc:contributor

• Mercier, Emma
• Sanders-Smith, Stephanie
• Forssell, Karin

• Technology
• Elementary

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Tannah Wieneke

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120447

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F120447