running head: professional development and...

Running head: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION 1

Professional Development and Technology Integration in the Middle School

Jessica L. Cox

Texas A&M University-Commerce

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION 2

Introduction

Computers are an excellent resource tool for teaching students in the digital world of

today. Studies have indicated that integrating technology into the classroom at the middle school

level is a key approach to developing a better understanding of basic concepts for any subject

taught (Alvarez, 1997). Students must have technology training from teachers who can develop

new instructional approaches using advanced technology. It is a digital world now and it’s

producing digital students. Now is the time educators must embrace the benefits that technology

can bring to better prepare students in the job market. It is important that teachers are prepared

and keep up with current educational planning to help their students be successful in the future.

Although instruction has traditionally focused on learning specific content, much of the

curriculum-based essential elements of today concentrate on problem solving, which requires

young learners to derive at facts, principles and conclusions to content material presented by the

teacher. Teachers at the middle school level have a critical role in finding that balance between

higher-order concepts and up-to-date technology. They must teach students how to use this

technology as well as address individual learning needs.

Statement of the Problem

Public schools are faced with budget expenses and must cope with this while working

with technology. Since most schools cannot afford to provide a one-to-one environment for

every student in every classroom, teachers must determine others means in order to provide their

middle school-aged students with up-to-date technology. Relevant technology lessons begin with

teachers who are well prepared and willing to plan these lessons with a clear goal in mind.

Review of Related Literature


Schools are now investing thousands of dollars on technology purchases for the twenty

first century classroom (Kanaya, Light, Katherine, 2005). To get the most out of these purchases,

teachers need to be trained and need to be utilizing the technology in their classrooms. In 2009, it

was noted that 97% of teachers had at least one computer in their classroom but only used the

technology 20 – 40% of the time (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). There is a challenge for

both schools and teachers to integrate technology to its fullest measures. In a study made by

Okojie and Olinzock (2013), they observed that little or no effort was being made by the

administrators to make sure that the technology was being integrated in the classrooms. They

found that in most cases it was ‘assumed’ that the teachers kept themselves up-to-date on the

new technology and when the teachers did not know how to successfully integrate the

technology in their classroom, it just merely didn’t take place. Why did this occur? For the most

part classroom teachers did not feel prepared and/or trained well enough to integrate technology

into their curriculum effectively (Lih-Juan ChanLin. 2007).

The students that we teach today have used technology most of their lives. Students are

learning new technology at an alarming rate and teachers are now faced with the task of not only

learning how to use the technology but how to effectively integrate them into their curriculum

(Huang, 1996). In the past, instruction in the classroom was teacher-centered. Now, when you

incorporate technology, there is a change from teacher-centered to student-centered. The teacher

goes into a facilitator role whereby the students become more responsible for their learning. To

get to the point where learning is more student-centered professional development training also

becomes a key component. Teachers then who are not integrating technology are missing out on

student engagement, positive behavior, and learning twenty-first century skills. (Bond, 2015).


Technology gives both teachers and students advantages that would not otherwise be able to

happen without the use of technology integration (Bond, 2015).

Technology integration is not just having a computer in your classroom, having 30

minute skilled based workshops, or how to use new software. In order for technology to truly be

integrated, it needs to be used with the curriculum and across different platforms, which can help

be used to accomplish everyday tasks (Machado and Chung 2015). Even with the increase in

professional development, the teachers in one case study felt that they were receiving technology

skill training on how to use the software, but yet they were not prepared well enough to integrate

the technology into their classrooms (Liu, Hsien, Yu-Ting, 2015). In a study by MacDonald

(2008), they found that 91% of the teachers thought that in-service training was a waste of time.

They also found that most teachers felt as though they had good intentions to use what they

learned during training but never did. The study also showed that 50% of teachers integrated

technology in their lesson less than 5 times a year. In addition to this, 57% of those teachers

indicated that they felt their technology training was not enough to fully integrate the technology

in their classrooms (MacDonlad, 2008). The implementation of information technology has the

potential to transform education but only if the administration can get teachers to integrate it

effectively (Liu, Hsien, Yu-Ting, 2015).

In a different study by Low (2006), they found five main barriers to integrating

technology: training, time, planning, support, and teacher ownership. Training or professional

development is more focused on how to use the technology but teachers also need to know why

they are to use the technology. The skills of teachers vary greatly from teachers that are not

comfortable to teachers who are professional at using technology in their classroom so training

needs to be tailored to meet individual teacher needs instead of just presenting to all the teachers


in the same way and at the same time (Low, 2006). Teachers must have their administration

support as well as technical support for when something goes wrong there will be someone to

help fix it. If things go wrong and teachers do not have the support to get it working in the right

way they will be more likely to give up and not want to try it again. When teachers have support,

they are better prepared to integrate the technology successfully (Lawless & Pellegrino, 2007). In

the study conducted by Low (2006), she saw that when administration addressed the barriers,

then the teachers started changing their feelings towards technology integration and started to

integrate the technology more.

According to Chen (2013), there were five factors that influence teachers to learn from

the professional development training that they received: duration, learner centered, engaging,

collaborative, and support. Duration of the professional development had the greatest impact.

Teachers liked to be able to learn what they needed to learn and then be dismissed. Support was

the second greatest impact. Teachers were more likely to use the training that they learned if they

knew that after training, they would get the support from administration to try something new as

well as the support from the technology department (Chen, 2013).

A study conducted by Walker (2012) showed that professional development that resulted

in the increase of teachers’ knowledge was active learning and collaboration. In the past, training

focused on lecture and it secluded learning. However, teachers and administrators now need to

focus more on collaborative activities that will help with the content development as well as how

to use technology in the classroom (Walker, Recker, Robershaw, Sellers, Leary 2012).When

teachers start working together during professional development, it improves student

achievement and teachers can overcome obstacles together such as classroom management and

motivation (Bottge, Grant, Stephens, and Rydea 2010).


Another case study by Brinkerhoff (2006) showed professional development that was

based on collaborating only. In this study teachers collaborated their development of instruction.

They integrated technology in their lessons and in their assessments, and they examined student

work to find the learning outcomes and worked collaboratively to find the best learning

opportunity for students who are not mastering the lesson. Brinkerhoff stated that “continuous

group learning focused on defined student learning goals is the ideal way to focus effective

professional development within a school” (p. 23). In this study the teachers collaborated at least

twice per month during school. This helped keep the morale up so that no one had to stay late

after school. When you have professional development in the school day it helps teachers learn

better because they are not worried about going home. In her research, she saw a positive impact

on teacher effectiveness (Brinkerhoff, 2006).

One of the biggest steps of getting teachers comfortable with using technology is having

meaningful professional development. In the past, professional development meant attending

workshops, reading literature alone, or engaging in ongoing coursework. This type of

professional development does not lead to effective implementation in the classroom (Wall &

Ahmed, 2008). According to Wang (2014), “Effective professional development entails the

practice of learning to conceptualize newly gained knowledge, relate it to background

knowledge, and turn it into a conscious working tool in the classroom.” Professional

Development is important for teachers to learn new things that can help them in their classroom,

whether it be strategies or using technology. Professional development has a positive effect on

teachers. It helps improve their knowledge, skills, it helps them make improved changes in

classroom, it also gives them opportunities for active learning, collaboration with other teachers,

time for metacognitive activities, and simply being able to align their learning with the


curriculum. The greatest influence on teacher using technology in their classroom occurred when

teachers participated in professional learning experiences that provided technology enhanced

teaching materials (Wang, 2014). This gave the teacher freedom to implement ideas their way,

and it provided time to converse with their colleagues about their experiences (Claesgens &

Rubino-Hare, 2013). Professional development used to be more of a lecture type or how to use

the new software program but they are never instructed on how to integrate the technology.

Professional development needs to give teachers time to reflect, design, implement and then

evaluate themselves using and integrating technology. Administration needs to give teachers the

time to be able to fully learn how to integrate the technology and then start using it with their

lessons (Bond, 2015). Research showed that teachers who had monthly training and then were

followed up with support as they implemented the technology in their lessons, felt more self-

imposed pressure to actually implement the lessons (Claesgens & Rubino-Hare, 2013).

One way to reach more teachers and make professional development more successful is

to offer a blended learning opportunity. Blended learning combines face-to-face learning with

technology-based learning. With blended learning the facilitator can be in the room, assisting the

teachers with any issue that might ‘pop’ up, but the teachers overall are learning online. They are

working at their own pace and asking for help as needed (Sherman, Sanders, Kwon 2010). When

you have training that combines traditional learning and online learning, you get the advantages

of both which include immediate feedback, motivated learners, learner-centered, self-paced time

and flexible locations (Wall & Ahmed, 2008).

E-learning or online learning gives teachers more flexibility as to when and where they

want to learn. They can learn in the comfort of their own homes, or they can learn during their

conference period. They are also able to self-pace themselves which empowers the teacher to


work on the technology that they are presently learning about as well as decreasing the

frustration level of a slow or fast pace presenter. This is the time when a lot of people stop trying

to learn what is being taught to them (Machado & Chung, 2015). With online learning the

teacher can review what they have learned during the training if they have forgotten or if they are

needing to review the content. With blended learning, they get the best of both worlds (Sherman,

Sanders, Kwon 2010). Research showed that with lecture style staff development it took 6.5

hours of education, whereas the online learning took only on the average 3.3 hours. This is

related to the self-pacing which allows the more experienced people to move at a faster pace

through the material. Letting teachers work at their own pace helps other teachers have a better

attitude with professional development and it brings about a healthier learning environment

(Sherman, Sanders, Kwon 2010). Best teaching practices can be supported through quality

professional development which results in a successful of the school (Karlsson, & Taylor, 2010).

Another way of getting teachers to integrate technology effectively is to have mentoring

as a professional development strategy. Mentoring offers assistance to teachers in regards to a

model, motivator, and supporter. It also helps teachers gain the skills necessary to grow.

Teachers strengthen their skills by working with each other, sharing ideas and evaluating

teaching skills. Research shows that 88% of teachers supported by coaching and mentoring

incorporated the use of technology as compared to 10% of teachers who participated in

professional development without the coaching or mentoring (Kumar and Bristor, 1999).

The last thing that schools need to work on in regard to professional development is the

administration. They need to implement a process, of giving teachers time for self-reflection and

self-evaluation. When a person self-reflects and self-evaluates, they are able to question their

beliefs, values, and feelings. Teachers will go into training with their own beliefs and feelings in


regard to integrating technology in their classroom (Chen, 2013). If teachers are only taught how

to use the technology, then the teacher’s beliefs, values, and feelings are never addressed,

consequently, teacher’s attitude may never change (Bond, 2015). Research showed that teachers

that used self-reflection and self-evaluation after the professional development as well as

collaboration and hands-on learning showed improvement in their use of technology and were

able to integrate it into the curriculum by 124% (Bond, 2015).

Research Questions

Focus of research will include these three essential questions:

1. What do middle school teachers need in professional development regarding technology?

2. How can administration change the way that teachers are trained to use technology

during professional development to improve the outlook on teachers?

3. What prevents teachers from using the technology before and after a professional

development session?

Significance of the Study

While multiple studies have been performed on why teachers are not using technology in

their classroom, little research has been done to examine the effects on professional development

and technology integration (Claesgens & Rubino-Hare, 2013). This study will assist

administrators who are trying to successfully increase teachers’ perceptions of technology

through the use of professional development, as well as offer better strategies for teachers to use

so that they will be able to prepare their students to be successful in life. The study will identify

the challenges of integrating ever-changing technology into the classroom setting. It offers

improved professional strategies to assist with this integration. This research will help discover


factors that could positively influence the effectiveness of technology integration and improve

the negative opinions that still exist with teachers not wanting to use the technology.

Method

The method of research will use a qualitative approach. Qualitative research allows the

researcher the opportunity to explore a problem and develop a detailed understanding (Creswell,

2015). This research method was used to help understand why teachers do not integrate

technology on a more consistent basis. With the ethnographic research and case study design,

this study will help explain these differences and provide possible solutions for improving the

effectiveness of technology integration.

Participants.

The participant sample of educators will be 6th – 8th grade teachers from three different

middle schools in various subject areas. The middle schools will consist from different districts

from east, north, and west Texas. These school districts are different in size and in the area of

Texas that they are located. The second set of participants will be administrators, principals and

assistant principals, from the same three middle schools. The sample will be selected by

randomly sending the survey out to one hundred different 6th - 8th grade teachers and twenty-

five administrators. Students, teachers and administrators will be invited to participate in the

study through email contact. The email will include an explanation of the purpose of the study,

the foundations for data being collected, how the confidentiality will be kept, the approximate

time the survey should take and the survey. After two weeks, a reminder email will be sent for

the students and staff members who have not responded. Students who are chosen to participate

will receive a free ice cream pass to Dairy Queen after the study has concluded as incentive to

participate. Interviews and observations will also be conducted with teachers from two different


middle schools. The teachers will have a short informal interview after they have been observed

to probe more into why or why not they integrate technology into their classrooms. The

researcher will also observe teachers during professional development that pertains to

technology.

Instrumentation

Researchers will observe teachers during the technology showcase on May 2th. The

technology showcase is a day of professional development that is centered on technology. The

researchers will interview the teachers afterwards on what worked, what didn’t and if the

teachers will be integrating the technology learned. The interview questions will be open-ended

and probing questions to help the researcher better understand how professional developments do

or do not have an effect on technology integration.

Surveys will be sent out on Google Drive (a file storage that allows users to store files in

the cloud, share files, and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with collaborators)

with an email asking the teachers and administration to sign into Google and fill out the survey

(Appendix A) by April 25, 2016. Another survey will be sent to the principals and assistant

principals in regards to their thoughts on how they can provide professional development to

better train teachers to integrate the new technology.

The survey, observation, and interview will be done to collect data to determine how

teachers feel about integrating technology, what support they need to help them effectively

integrate it into their classrooms, and if the professional development they are currently receiving

is reaching those needs. The survey is divided into four different parts: background knowledge,

professional development, support, and needs.


The survey consists of three dichotomous questions (yes/no), twenty levels of

measurement questions on a Likert response scale which allows the researcher to measure

attitudes and behaviors using answer choices that range from one extreme to the other, seventeen

multiple choice questions, and five open ended questions. Skip-logic, a feature that changes the

questions based on the answer to a question, will allow one survey to be administered to teachers

and one to principals. Based on the answer each participant provided for the first question, they

will be directed by the survey to the questions more relevant to their job position.

Design/Procedure

This study will be based on the qualitative design. Qualitative design is used for

researchers to be able to understand people's feelings and interactions with an object (Creswell,

2015). Ethnographic research will be used because it is a qualitative design in which the

researcher will attempt to gain a better understanding of the feelings that administrators and

teachers have towards technology integration. To collect data, the researcher will get feedback

from surveys, interviews, and observations. Ethnographic research was chosen because it gives

the researcher an “insider's” perspective of how teachers and administration feel towards

integrating technology (Creswell, 2015). Approximately one hundred teachers and twenty five

administrators will be participants in this study. Data will be collected and will not be shared

with the participants of the study.

In addition to ethnographic research, a case study approach will also be used. Case study

research is used when the research topic needs to cover several variables and not just isolated

ones, or if the research has to rely on multiple sources of evidence (Creswell, 2015). The case

study will help answer the research questions and give the researcher ways to get the views and

beliefs on technology integration (Creswell, 2015). To implement this qualitative study the


researcher will collect data from interviews and observations from both teachers and

administrators from two different school districts in the state of Texas. The data will be collected

from those who focus their classroom on technology integration and those who do not. The

interviews and observations that will be collected will provide responses to how the teachers feel

about professional development and what helps them utilize technology in their classroom and

what does not. This data will be compared to the surveys that are sent out to the different school

districts and their returned responses.

After surveys are sent out, interviews and observations will be scheduled with both

teachers and administrators. The interview and observations will consist of visiting classrooms at

two different middle schools during class time and also interviews during the teacher’s

conference. The researcher will keep a field notebook, take notes on the observations, and then

analyze and interpret their observations trying to find an underlying meaning in the things that

are observed. A series of open-ended and probing questions will be developed for the researcher

for the study. The data will be collected from the interviews, observations, and the surveys and

analyzed. Survey data will be evaluated to learn about the teachers’ perceptions and if their

perceptions factor into how much they used technology in their classroom. The researcher will

go over all data and organize it based on teachers’ viewpoints, administrators’ viewpoints and

the observations.

Data Analysis

The data from the surveys, information from the interviews, and observation showed that

there is a positive relationship between technology related professional development and the use

of the technology in the classroom. Of the one hundred teachers surveyed, 85% felt if they had

more training on how to use the technology then they would be more inclined to do so. The other


15% felt as if training was not enough and there needed to be more done. 95% of the teachers felt

if they had more time to work with the technology and had more of a one-on-one training then

they could better meet their student’s needs. Teachers wanted to be able to use the device after

the training and make a lesson with it while it was still fresh in their mind. They also wanted a

chance to use it during the training so if they had questions then they had someone right there to

help. 98% of the teachers and administration surveyed and interviewed said that it needed to be

more than just learning the hardware/software during professional development, it needed to be

both hardware and how to integrate it into the lessons.

When looking at the administration, 75% of the teachers said that they felt as if the

administration expect them to use technology without proper training whereas 60% of the

administrators saw it as adequate training. In the individual interviews the teachers expressed

their personal feelings and attitude towards technology integration in general. Along with the

results of the survey, the reasons why technology was not used in their classroom are listed.

Besides lack of training on the technology, insufficient time spend on the device during or after

training, inadequate administration support, and lack of opportunities to collaborate were relative

factors. With regards to how the teachers are getting trained this year, 45% said they are not

getting any training on using technology, and 35% said they are just getting trained on how to

use the software/hardware. Out of the fifty teachers that were observed, 15% used no technology

at all, 80% used the technology to present, and only 5% had their students use technology.

After the teachers were observed, they were asked questions in an informal interview.

Three administrators were interviewed and forty teachers were interviewed, twenty from each

school. Table 1 shows comments that teachers had replied during their informal interviews.

TABLE 1


Teachers and Administrators Attitudes regarding technology related professional development.

QUESTION PERCENTAGE

OF YES

PERCENTAGE

OF NO

INTERVIEW COMMENTS

Q1 (Do you feel as though technology related professional development helps to implement

technology?)

Teacher 28% 72% “If the professional development

actually showed us how to apply it

to the subject we are teaching then

it would”

Administration 81% 19% “We wouldn’t waste time with

professional development if it didn’t

work”

Q2 (Do you feel that you have enough time to collaborate about integrating technology into

your lesson?)

Teachers 32% 68% “We could have more time to show

each other what works or what

didn’t work”

Q3 (If you could have a professional development that was at your pace and where you were

able to work with the technology would you be more likely to integrate it you’re your lessons?)

Teacher 98% 2% “I think being able to work on it

while going at your own pace would

help a lot! You are more likely to

remember it that way”

Based on the observations of the data, schools should implement a professional

development schedule that shows teachers how to use technology effectively. It is concluded that


of professional development has a crucial role in the success or failure of teachers who

implement technology.

Research Methods Report #1

There are many different ways that researchers collect and analyze the data that they

receive in their various studies. The research methods and data can be put into two main

categories: quantitative and qualitative. Qualitative research is useful to find out how people

think or feel, whereas quantitative research gathers data in numerical forms and puts the data into

different categories (Kamil, 2004). Closer examination of the quantitative design shows it is

broken up into three designing methods: correlational, causal comparative, and experimental.

Correlational research tries to determine how two or more things are related. The individuals are

already in the groups before the research begins, and the independent variable is not manipulated

with. Causal comparative research tries to find the cause and effect relationship between two or

more things or compares and contrasts the different groups. Experimental research uses the

scientific method where the independent variable is manipulated by the researcher, and the

individuals are randomly assigned to the groups (Lenell, 1996).

The main differences are that causal-comparative involves two or more groups and one

independent variable and makes comparisons whereas the correlational design involves two or

more variables and one group and involves establishing relationships. Causal comparative

analyzes data by comparing averages and correlational design analyzes data by using scatterplots

or correlation coefficients. In causal comparative the individuals are not randomly selected but

selected because they belong to the groups and the researcher does not manipulate the

independent variable because it has already occurred. In experimental studies the individuals are


randomly selected and assigned to the groups, and the researcher manipulates the independent

variable to determine the effects (Creswell, 2015).

Correlational Design

Depending on the results needed the researcher will either use correlational design, causal

comparative design, or experimental design while doing a quantitative study. If a researcher

wanted to find out if a student’s reading lexile level (a measure or numeric representation of an

individual's reading ability or a text's readability or difficulty) (Reid, 1998) has improved over a

specified amount of time then he/she would use correlational design. In this scenario, the

researcher would relate the variables. The variables would be the amount of time spent reading

independently and the increase in the lexile level. They could then track them over a specified

amount of time.

Causal Comparative Research

If a researcher wanted to be able to find if differences exist between things then they

would use a causal comparative study. Causal comparative research is for non-experimental

studies. A researcher could find out if there was a difference between certified math teachers and

non-certified math teachers. To be able to attain certification, teachers must have a bachelor’s

degree, pass a state test, and have a sufficient number of courses in their field (Pogrund &

Wibbenmeyer, 2008). The researcher could identify two different groups: certified math teachers

and non-certified math teachers and then obtain data on their state testing scores while

comparing the two different groups. The dependent variable will focus on the state test scores

and the independent variable would be the teachers.

Experimental Design


When a researcher finds out if an idea or hypothesis directly influences the results they

would use an experimental design. The researcher would use this design when the goal of the

research is not to identify the trends, but to assess cause and effect relationship between the

variables (Creswell, 2015). For this scenario, a group of 7th and 8th graders are given a practice

advanced test. To prepare for this, one group is taught and has reviews with teachers, and the

other group is taught by online modules and has reviews with study tools such as quizlet online.

Both groups are taught the same information. Researchers could use this data to find out if the

way students learn and the way they were taught has an effect on their scores. A pretest should

be administered to determine the equality of students within each group.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Quantitative Research Design

While each research design works, there are some advantages and disadvantages. The

correlation research method allows researchers to determine the strength of a relationship. The

researcher can collect more data than in other studies and analyze any variable that the researcher

wants to. The researcher can also make predictions based off of research that has already been

completed. Some of the problems associated with this research method are that it only

determines the relationship, it does not provide a reason as to why there is a relationship, and it

doesn’t measure a cause. It also does not allow researchers to reach any conclusions about the

cause and effect. On the other hand, causal comparative is less time consuming and allows

researchers to study the cause and effect relationships under conditions where experimental

manipulation is hard. The downside to this is the independent variables cannot be manipulated,

and there is a lack of control over threats to the research, which is a big disadvantage (Creswell,

2015).


Experimental research design can be used for almost any research that has a high level of

control over the variables. The drawback to this design is that it is subject to human error and the

researcher could be biased, which may skew the results. Experimental research design also

creates artificial situations so that data may be skewed. The main differences between these

designs are the purpose, priority of the data, and how the data is collected and compiled

(Creswell, 2015).

Survey Design

Researchers use surveys to find out about trends, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes. To be able

to get the most accurate data, researchers must follow necessary steps to ensure that they have

conducted and designed a quality survey. Creswell (2015) identified four factors that will help

make the sure the researcher will have a higher quality research design. These four factors are:

1) researchers should use a complete list to select participants so that it will reduce the coverage

errors, 2) researchers should use a large sample to have a better representation of the population.

It should be as large as possible so that it will be representative of everyone and include all

beliefs of the population. This will reduce any sampling errors, 3) researchers should use a

survey instrument with clear questions and response options to reduce any measurement errors,

4) researchers should use meticulous procedures when administering the survey to reduce the

nonresponse errors.

According to Creswell (2015), the higher the response rate the stronger or more accurate

the results will be. The researchers need to make sure that they get as many as participants as

they can to respond. To get as many individuals to participate, researchers should follow steps to

ensure higher involvement. Creswell (2015) stated that survey administrators should have a good

follow-up procedure. These procedures include: Researchers need to notify the participants with


an introductory letter that is sent two weeks prior to sending the questionnaire. After the

researcher sends the questionnaire then the researcher should send a second questionnaire two

weeks later to people who have not responded. Then for the people who still have not responded

after the second questionnaire, the researcher should send a postcard giving the participants a

final reminder. The researcher should also make sure the survey interests the individual it is sent

to. The researcher could also provide incentives and use a brief instrument for people to

complete the survey.

Mixed Methods Research Design

Mixed method design is a combination of qualitative and quantitative research. When

researchers use both quantitative and qualitative methods, they get a better understanding of the

problem than they would if they just used one of the methods (Creswell, 2015). According to

Creswell (2015), if qualitative or quantitative data does not provide enough results to give an

explanation to the problem, or if the researcher needs an alternative perspective to get a deeper

understanding then that is why a researcher would use mixed methods as opposed to just

quantitative or qualitative. There are two types of mixed method research, basic and complex.

Creswell (2015) stated that there are six total mixed method design, four being the basic design

and two being complex design. The six mixed method designs are the following: The convergent

parallel design, explanatory sequential design, exploratory sequential design, the embedded

design, the transformative design and the multiphase design (Creswell, 2015).

In convergent parallel design the research gets both the quantitative and qualitative data

at the same time and merges the data together to understand the problem. They give equal

priority to both quantitative and qualitative data, which is collected concurrently during the

study. Explanatory sequential design and exploratory sequential design are very similar. The


only difference is that they are opposite of each other. In explanatory the researcher collects the

information in two phases: quantitative and then qualitative, but in exploratory, qualitative data

and then quantitative data is collected. Both of these collect the information in two parts to try

and provide better or new results. Explanatory research gives more priority on quantitative data

which is collected first where exploratory give priority to qualitative which is collected first

(Creswell, 2015).

Embedded design is the other basic method. In this design researchers collect data

sequentially or simultaneously, but the researcher can collect the data either sequentially or

simultaneously. Either the qualitative data or the quantitative data supports the other data that is

collected. Researchers give priority to the major form of data that is collected. This is usually

quantitative. Transformative and multiphase design are the two complex methods. For

transformative the researcher uses one of the four basic designs and encases the design with a

transformative lens. This mixed method has the researcher request a change by the end of the

study where the multiphase design also builds on the basic designs, but there is a team of

researchers that examines the problems in different studies and then uses all the data in multiple

parts of their studies (Creswell, 2015).

When looking at how the researcher compares the results in the different designs, each

one is different. In convergent parallel design, the researcher compares the results to determine if

the qualitative data and the quantitative data will give similar or different results and the

embedded design researchers uses the secondary data to add to the primary source of data.

Explanatory uses the data from the qualitative research to process the results from the

quantitative data, and exploratory uses the data from the quantitative data to help explain or

increase the results from the qualitative data. In the complex designs, transformative researchers


use an orienting lens in the study that shapes the aspects of the design. In multiphase the

researchers compare the different studies so that they tie together to address the researcher's

objectives (Creswell, 2015).

Research Method Report #2

Compare and Contrast: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

When researchers want to find out a problem, the researcher must decide how they will

find the answer to their problem. In the area of research design their study will be: quantitative,

qualitative or a combination of both. While these research designs are different, Creswell (2015)

stated that sometimes the methods overlap each other in terms of data collection

strategies. Quantitative research uses pre-determined responses and close ended questions. The

study is used to evaluate the problem and to get numerical data. It uses measured data to get the

facts and/or patterns. Qualitative research will focus on the open-ended responses and

statements. It is based on individual or group perspectives and is used to understand the opinions

of people, the motivation, or to give a reason for something. To obtain this data, focus groups

and/or interviews are conducted (Creswell, 2015).

The difference between qualitative and quantitative are that qualitative research is more

about focus groups, and more about in depth interviews (Creswell, 2015). It is subjective and

describes a problem from the point of view of the person. Creswell (2015) states that quantitative

uses surveys, observations, and the researcher reviews the documents for numerical data. It is

used to test concepts and hypothesis; it is objective and provides observable facts. A qualitative

research design is more texted based while quantitative is more numeral based (Creswell, 2015).

Qualitative research can be broken down into three different categories: narrative,

ethnography, and case studies (Creswell, 2015). When looking at which qualitative design a


researcher needs to follow, they need to focus on the type of problem that they have. If they need

to tell stories about individual lives, then they would use narrative. If they are describing and

interpreting the shared patterns of a culture, then they would use ethnography. If the researcher

needs to provide an in-depth insight of cases, then the researcher should use a case study

approach (Creswell, 2015).

Narrative Research Design

Narrative research design allows the researcher to learn about a person (Creswell, 2015).

The researcher gathers information about the individual's life over time, and it's usually over just

one person but it could be more. The narrative approach is a factual timeline of events based off

of an individual's experiences, and is a way of unfolding the events of their life (Creswell,

2015). A researcher might use a narrative design approach to get a personal story of someone

over that person's life and the experiences that they have faced during their life such as a

biography. Ethnographic research design allows the researcher to identify a group to study and

then observe the daily lives of the group as a whole over a long period of time (Creswell, 2015).

The researcher must be able to collect data over interviews and observations to be able to

understand how the people behave, live, work, talk, etcetera. It gives the researcher a deeper

understanding of the problem. If administrators wanted to find out why bullying was prevalent

at their middle school, then he/she would use the ethnographic research design. Administrators

are also concerned with finding out which professional development works and which of the

training does not work. To study this issue, a researcher could use a case study research design

method to provide insight for best ways to implement effective high-quality professional

development. By collecting multiple forms of data, the researcher can use case studies and

analyze the specific individuals and their patterns (Creswell, 2015).


There are significant differences in each qualitative design method. Narrative research

focuses on examining the life of an individual and developing a narrative about their life

(Creswell, 2015). The researcher studies one or more individuals and it is primarily used for

interviews and documents for the research. Ethnographic on the other hand describes and

interprets a culture sharing group. The researcher studies a group that shares the same culture and

it primarily uses observations and interviews but can also collect from other sources. The case

study is more for developing an in-depth description and analysis of the cases that the researcher

is studying such as an event activity or program. They use multiple sources to get their

information such as interviews, observations, and artifacts (Creswell, 2015). Data analysis is also

different in these research designs. Narrative analyzes data for stories and organizes them

chronologically; ethnographic analyzes data through descriptions of culture, and case studies

analyze data through the descriptions of the cases. Narrative and ethnographic are the closest

because they both use anthropology and sociology. Narrative uses literature, history and

psychology. Case study research is the only one that uses law, political science, and medicine,

but like a narrative it also uses psychology (Creswell, 2015).

Researchers should know that there are advantages and disadvantages to each method.

Narrative focuses on one main person, which the researcher will bonds with. It gives a voice to

educators; helps others understand things from someone who actually was there, and it captures

everyday familiar data (Creswell, 2015). Despite the advantages, narrative research could also

have many disadvantages. The person that is being interviewed may fake the story giving the

researcher fake data or the researcher can report stories that they do not have permission to tell or

not be able to because of fear or lack of memory. The story could also have long-lasting effects

that can be negative to the participants.


Ethnographic Research Design

Ethnographic research design gives an in-depth understanding of a culture with a group

of people which gives a voice to that culture to express their views, or could otherwise not be

heard (Creswell, 2015). It also gives an insider's perspective of the group and reveals embedded

cultural values. What researchers should be cautionary about is that ethnographic research can be

time consuming and expensive. During the fieldwork, the researcher must use a variety of ways

to obtain the data. They need to be aware that just by being present, the culture could change

which would give inaccurate data. Because the researcher in an ethnographic study is often

working alone, there is often no one who can check the findings for reliability. There are also

concerns over the invasion of privacy that can ensue the members of the group/culture (Creswell,

2015).

Case Study Research Design

There are some advantages in using a case study as a qualitative research approach. A

case study may offer larger details about a circumstance. It can include a narrative and a specific

description about an activity, relationship or a group. Case studies allow a lot of detail to be

collected that would not normally be easily obtained by other research designs and they tend to

be conducted on rare cases where large samples of similar participants are not available

(Creswell, 2015).

According to Creswell (2015), there are some limitations of a case study approach. If the

researcher is studying more than one case study then the researcher has less time to devote to the

case. The data that is collected cannot be generalized to the wider population. This means that

the data that is collected is not always relevant or particularly useful. Case studies are usually


done only by one experimenter, collecting the data. This can lead to biases in data collection,

which can influence results more than in the other designs.

Action Research vs. Formal Research

Researchers need to decide if they are going to do a formal research or an action research.

They both collect data based on either quantitative, qualitative or a mixed method. However,

according to Creswell (2015), action research allows educators to explore problems that improve

the way they operate their teaching and learning. It is different from other research because it

focuses on an issue and searches for a resolution. After the research is done, the educator will

then take “action” based on the results and apply it to a local situation (Yasmeen, 2008). For this

type of research extensive training is not needed. This is different from formal research because

formal research requires a lot of training. Formal research is more for testing hypotheses and for

understanding the reasons why something happens the way that it does (Creswell, 2015). It is

more general and the researcher usually reports their findings in journals. It takes less time to

complete the action research, and it focuses on practical data that you can share with colleagues

and administration (Creswell, 2015).

Educators can use action research to help with problems in the classroom or in school.

The problems are usually important to the educator so this type of research could help the teacher

use better strategies with their classroom management (Marshall, 2011). It will also help them

improve their own teaching practices, which leads to higher student achievement. Creswell

(2015) stated that it gives the educators an opportunity to reflect on how they teach, and it boosts

a change in the school. He also says that it drives motivation and gives teachers time to

collaborate and test their new ideas.

References


Alvarez, M. C. (1997). Thinking and learning with technology: Helping students construct

meaning. National Association of Secondary School Principals. NASSP Bulletin, 81(592),

66-72.

Brinkerhoff, J. (2006). Effects of a long-duration, professional development academy on

technology skills, computer self-efficacy, and technology integration beliefs and

practices. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 39(1), 22-43

Bottge, B. A., Grant, T. S., Stephens, A. C., & Rueda, E. (2010). Advancing the math skills of

middle school students in technology education classrooms. National Association of

Secondary School Principals.NASSP Bulletin, 94(2), 81-106.

Chen, Y. (2013). The impact of integrating technology and social experience in the college

foreign language classroom. TOJET : The Turkish Online Journal of Educational

Technology, 12(3), 169-179.

Claesgens, J., Rubino-Hare, L., Bloom, N., Fredrickson, K., Henderson-Dahms, C., Menasco, J.,

& Sample, J. (2013). Professional development integrating technology: Does delivery

format matter? Science Educator, 22(1), 10-18.

Creswell, J. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative

and qualitative research (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Huang, S. L., & Waxman, H. C. (1996). Classroom observations of middle school students'

technology use in mathematics. School Science and Mathematics, 96(1), 28-34.

Kamil, M. L. (2004). The current state of quantitative research. Reading Research Quarterly,

39(1), 100-107.


Kanaya, T., Light, D., & Katherine, M. C. (2005). Factors influencing outcomes from A

technology-focused professional development program. Journal of Research on

Technology in Education, 37(3), 313-329.

Kumar, D., & Bristor, V. J. (1999). Integrating science and language arts through technology-

based macrocontexts. Educational Review, 51(1), 41-53.

Karlsson, C., Taylor, M., & Taylor, A. (2010). Integrating new technology in established

organizations. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 30(7),

672-699.

Lawless, K. A., & Pellegrino, J. W. (2007). Professional development in integrating technology

into teaching and learning: Knowns, unknowns, and ways to pursue better questions and

answers. Review of Educational Research, 77(4), 575-614.

Lih-Juan ChanLin. (2007). Perceived importance and manageability of teachers toward the

factors of integrating computer technology into classrooms. Innovations in Education and

Teaching International, 44(1), 45-55.

Liu, S., Hsien-Chang Tsai, & Yu-Ting, H. (2015). Collaborative professional development of

mentor teachers and pre-service teachers in relation to technology integration. Journal of

Educational Technology & Society, 18(3), 161-172.

Low, C. E. (2006). Integrating technology into the K--12 classroom: A study on the impact of

transformational learning in a professional development workshop.

MacDonald, R. J. (2008). Professional development for information communication technology

integration: Identifying and supporting a community of practice through design-based

research. Journal of Research on Technology in Education,40(4), 429-445.


Machado, L. J., & Chung, C. (2015). Integrating technology: The principals' role and effect.

International Education Studies, 8(5), 43-53.

Marshall, J. (2011). Images of changing practice through reflective action research. Journal of

Organizational Change Management, 24(2), 244-256.

Okojie, M., & Olinzock, A. A. (2013). Teachers’ perceived ability to integrate technology into

the instructional settings. The Journal of Research in Business Education, 55(2), 1-18.

Pogrund, R. L., & Wibbenmeyer, K. A. (2008). Interpreting the meaning of the terms certified

and highly qualified for teachers of students with visual impairments. Journal of Visual

Impairment & Blindness, 102(1), 5-15.

Reid, C. (1998). Lexile: Will all books need this reading-level rating? Publishers Weekly,

245(32), 240-241.

Sherman, T. M., Sanders, M., & Kwon, H. (2010). Teaching in middle school technology

education: A review of recent practices. International Journal of Technology and Design

Education, 20(4), 367-379.

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2010). Teachers' Use of

Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: 2009 (NCES 2010-040).

Wall, J., & Ahmed, V. (2008). Lessons learned from a case study in deploying blended learning

continuing professional development. Engineering, Construction and Architectural

Management, 15(2), 185-202.

Walker, A., Recker, M., Ye, L., Robertshaw, M. B., Sellers, L., & Leary, H. (2012). Comparing

technology-related teacher professional development designs: A multilevel study of

teacher and student impacts. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 60(3),

421-444.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010040

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010040


Wang, S., Hsu, H., Campbell, T., Coster, D. C., & Longhurst, M. (2014). An investigation of

middle school science teachers and students use of technology inside and outside of

classrooms: Considering whether digital natives are more technology savvy than their

teachers. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 62(6), 637-662.

Wayne, L., & Boissoneau, R. (1996). Using causal-comparative and correlational designs in

conducting market research. Journal of Professional Services Marketing, 13(2), 59-69.

Yasmeen, G. (2008). Action research: An approach for the teachers in higher education. TOJET :

The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 7(4), 46-54.


APPENDIX A

running head: professional development and...

Documents