Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Heather Caldwell

Abstract

Selecting text mediums that best support their curriculum needs is a critical task for English Language Arts (ELA) teachers, who also need to choose materials aligned with state standards and district requirements. Because 21st-century learning standards require students to have more technology skills, teachers are increasingly offering digital texts in classrooms. The problem under investigation in this study was the gap in understanding of the curricular choices U.S. teachers make when incorporating digital texts in ELA classrooms for Grades 6-12 to increase literacy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine ELA teachers’ motivation and experiences related to the incorporation of digital texts into the Grades 6-12 curriculum. Rogers’s diffusion of innovation theory was the conceptual framework used for this study. A basic interpretive qualitative research design was selected for this study. Eight current ELA teachers in Grades 6-12 were recruited from two large suburban school districts to participate in an individual semistructured interview. Interview data were analyzed using thematic coding. Seven themes emerged: motivations, experiences with technology, professional development, implementation of digital texts, barriers, teacher preference, and student preference. My findings from this study can promote positive social change by increasing understanding of the curricular choices teachers make, and the barriers that they face, in incorporating digital texts in their classrooms to aid students in developing competencies that support critical literacy skills. With this understanding, administrators may be encouraged to offer ongoing professional development for educators that supports technology integration and student learning.

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