JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
EDUC 5324 Integrating Technology into Education

Name: Mucahit Engin Date: 11/03/2019

Cite the reviewed article in APA format:

Waxman, H., Boriack, A., Yuan-Hsuan, L., & MacNeil, A. (2013). Principals' Perceptions of the
Importance of Technology in Schools. Contemporary Educational Technology, 4(3), 187-196.

INTRODUCTION

Research Questions (if research questions are not specifically mentioned, what
is the theoretical background or overarching theme):
(a) What are principals’ perceptions of the importance of technology? and
(b) Do principals’ perceptions of technology differ by years of experience and gender?

Purpose of the research:

The purpose of study was to examination of principals’ perspectives and 191
orientations toward technology that include an open ended, cognitive interview
question. Furthermore, this study focuses on principal characteristics such as years of
experience and gender. It have examined the influence of gender and experience on
principals’ use of computers.
METHODOLOGY

What is the methodology for the research or approach used to understand the
issue? Provide information regarding the following:
Participants:
310 principals from a large metropolitan area in the southwest region of the
United States. A range of years of experience was present with 104 participants having
0-3 years of experience, 82 participants having 4-7 years, 55 participants having 8-11
years, 32 participants having 12-15 years, and 31 participants having greater than 15
years of experience.
Procedures:
The questionnaire was administered by graduate students in the Educational
Leadership program at a major, urban doctoral-granting university located in the south
central region of the U.S. As part of the principal’s certification course requirements,
students were trained on how to administer the instrument and required to interview a
specific number of current public school principals. The survey instrument was
designed specifically for this purpose and included both qualitative and quantitative
questions.
Data Collection Methods/Data Source:
The survey that designed specifically included both qualitative and quantitative
questions.
Data Analysis:
Analysis of the interview data began with a process of data reduction. The participants’
responses were read several times to become familiar with the data. The data was then
coded into meaningful categories. Once the categories were established, another
researcher independently coded a 10% sample of responses to determine the
consistency of the coding. The inter-coder reliability results revealed a high level of
agreement (Cohen’s kappa = .94).
RESULTS

Findings or Results (or main points of the article):

The principals’ responses for the major functions of technology were grouped into
six categories. About one-third (35%) of the principals indicated that technology was
used as a primary communication tool. Over one-quarter (28%) of principals responded
that 192 technologies were integrated in teachers’ classroom instruction. The third
category was using technology for data sharing and management (14%). Category four
was using technology as a resource to find information (15%). Fifth category was
Technology used for administrative tasks, such as taking attendance (10%). Finally,
technology was used for student learning (10%).
Additionally, the research is focusing major function of technology by sex and
years of experience. When examining the major functions of technology by gender, the
highest percentage of males and females discussed using technology for
communication (33% and 36%, respectively). The next highest percentage of males
and females felt that technology was used for instruction (33% and 25%, respectively).
When examining the major functions of technology by years of experience, the highest
percentage for principals with 0-3, 4-7, and 8-11 years of experience was in
communication (39%, 33%, and 31%, respectively) followed by instruction (24%,
30%, and 24%, respectively). Principals with 12-15 and more than 15 years of
experience had the highest percentage in instruction (31% and 39%, respectively)
followed by communication (28% and 36%, respectively).
DISCUSSIONS
Conclusions/Implications (for your profession):
Due to the development of technology, school principals need to learn how to
support integration technology into education. If they act as technology leader, their
school teachers and student will use and integrate technology in their school more
successfully. According to research, Schmeltzer (2001) state that they need to develop
an understanding of how technology can improve instructional practices and a
repertoire of strategies for supporting teachers’ efforts to use technology in the
classroom. Principals also have to follow new technology for planning to use.
Additionally, they need to keep in mind that technology perceptions differ by years of
experience and gender.
REFLECTIONS
Student’s Reflections (changes to your understanding; implications for your
school/work):
According to research, there are six major categories of functions of technology.
These are: Communication, instruction, data sharing and management, resource,
administrative tasks, student learning. My school is quite big school that elementary,
middle and high school students have a class at the same building. Our principal
communicates us and we communicate each other by using e-mail mostly like research
says school admins' %35 communicate via technology. Furthermore, our school
provides chromebooks that every student can use. I use a little bit for instruction and I
use some app from internet such as quizizz, kahot, etc… but after reading this article, I
convinced that I have to use more. Our students use these chroomebooks for search to
research and also we use the app that called "Aleks" for student learning. They are
practice for their subject and can take a quiz for evaluate their knowledge. Also we
have another app that called "Skyward" for administrative tasks and data sharing.
Teachers can take attendance, write referral, and email to student or parents, make a
seating chart, follow club activity, students and their parents can see all of their grades
on Skyward. In addition, we have "my harmony portal" where can we find a lot of
resource and reach many apps easily. I can say our school and principal is above the
average of Southwest region about integrate technology into education.