Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

The New Normal: Lived Experiences of Teachers’ Educating Students in an Always-on and Connected Middle School Environment

Murray, Alexander R.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1458314482

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Instructional Technology (Education).
Mobile technology has inundated modern society in the form of small always-on and connected devices that can be carried and accessed from nearly everywhere, enabling a wealth of continuous information. As society embraces this norm and technology-driven standards continue to emerge in education, preparing K-12 students for digital media use and information fluency is necessary. Also, finding ways to leverage always-on and connected devices that are already embedded in the lives of school-aged youth, advances opportunities for flexible classroom activities that are not only useful in presenting content, but learner engagement as well. Accordingly, this study explores the lived experiences of teachers’ educating students in a bring your own device (BYOD) middle school setting, by which students’ have access to and use always-on and connected personal technology in class. The inquiry took place at a suburban science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) middle school in Central Ohio. The participants included five teachers of students from grades 5-8 and two facility administrators from the school. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews; classroom and lab observations; and a follow-up teacher interview survey. The findings revealed that teachers were open to using always-on and connected technology to support both personal and classroom activities. Teachers also embraced and leveraged Chromebooks and smartphones for content delivery, student engagement, and to access internet-based applications for learning. It was also found that the teachers attitudes toward educating students in the connected environment was primarily positive. However, they were more pessimistic about middle school students capabilities for self-guided learning by means of their always-on and connected technology.
Teresa Franklin (Advisor)
183 p.
Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Middle School Education; Teaching; Technology
Mobile; STEM; Connected; Middle School; Connected Technology; Always-on and Connected Students; One-to-one; BYOD; bring your own device

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Murray, A. R. (2016). The New Normal: Lived Experiences of Teachers’ Educating Students in an Always-on and Connected Middle School Environment [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1458314482

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Murray, Alexander. The New Normal: Lived Experiences of Teachers’ Educating Students in an Always-on and Connected Middle School Environment. 2016. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1458314482.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Murray, Alexander. "The New Normal: Lived Experiences of Teachers’ Educating Students in an Always-on and Connected Middle School Environment." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1458314482

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1458314482
1,524
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.