Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Narjis Hyder

Abstract

Globally, a phenomenon has transpired involving the fast-paced growth of mobile technology and the rapid adoption of smart technology. As technology continues to become more mobile, it could be beneficial for educational systems to begin to evaluate how mobile applications impact family, school, and community relationships; however, little research exists on this specific topic. The purpose of this qualitative study was to uncover the experiences of district-level administrators during the implementation of mobile applications for a number of school districts. The diffusion of innovation theory, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, and various school, family, and community partnership frameworks informed this study. Administrators who oversaw the implementation of district mobile apps participated in this study. Data were collected using electronic questionnaires and phone interviews, with supportive information from archival documents. The resulting data were analyzed to uncover the unique experiences of each study participant and compared and contrasted to explore emerging themes. Families were identified as the target stakeholder group intended to be reached through mobile apps and participants recommended engaging diverse stakeholder groups when planning to implement apps. Focusing on the integration of new mobile apps with existing systems and supplying the apps with content emerged as themes. Communicating the availability of mobile apps to families and participant responsibilities associated with the implementation of mobile apps were areas of concern. This study potentially informs school districts regarding how to reach more diverse families.

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