Date of Conferral

10-20-2026

Date of Award

October 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Darci Harland

Abstract

Although teachers are increasingly expected to integrate digital technologies into classroom instruction, research showed that many lack the pedagogical and conceptual foundations needed to implement digital game-based learning (DGBL) effectively. There was limited research on middle school math teachers’ perspectives of implementing DGBL for students with learning disabilities (SLDs). Grounded by the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perspectives of middle school math teachers regarding the benefits and challenges as well as how they overcame those challenges when implementing DGBL for SLDs. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with six middle school math teachers who had used DGBL for at least 3 months were conducted. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and resulted in nine themes collapsed into three findings. The first was that DGBL provided track-and-tech support that used SLDs’ strengths while allowing for monitoring and corrective feedback. Second, teachers were challenged by misalignment between curriculum and DGBL and technical difficulties. Third, teachers collaborated with peers to overcome pedagogical and technical challenges not offered in professional development. The results might promote positive social change by providing findings that could enhance teacher preparation, professional development initiatives, educational policy, and the design of accessible digital learning environments for students with SLDs, which might increase student engagement, access, and learning outcomes.

Download

Share

 
COinS