JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW TEMPLATE

North American University

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

Name:__Thomas Nguyen___________ Date: ___November 1, 2019________

Cite the reviewed article in APA format:

Dogan, B., & Almus, K. (2014). School Administrators’ Use of iPads: Impact of
Training and Attitudes Toward School Use. Computers in the Schools, 31(3),
233–250.

INTRODUCTION
Research Questions (if research questions are not specifically mentioned, what
is the theoretical background or overarching theme):
1. What is the impact of the training process on school administrators’ use
of iPads for administrative tasks and personal organization in their professional
duties?
2. What is the impact of the training process on school administrators’ beliefs
regarding how teachers should use iPads in the classroom?
3. Are there any differences in school administrators’ survey responses based
on gender, age, years of experience in school administration and education,
highest degree attained, school classification, or school size?

Purpose of the research: There is a lack of research

on how school administrators use iPads for their professional duties and
the potential effects on their work-related tasks and personal organization.

METHODOLOGY

What is the methodology for the research or approach used to understand the
issue? Provide information regarding the following:

Participants: 51 elementary and secondary school administrators.

Procedures: Participants in this study were contacted by email through the

school systems’ central office, after securing approvals from the school district
and the university. The initial communication included information on the
purpose, structure, and schedule of the research study along with information
on training and resources to be provided throughout the spring semester of the
2012–2013 school year. Participants were asked to complete consent forms
prior to the study as required by the school district and the university’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Data Collection Methods/Data Source: Study components included a pre-

survey, a training session on the effective use of iPads for administrative tasks and
personal organization, specially designed resources expanding the topics covered in the
training session, on-going support, and a post-survey. The study was conducted
February through May 2013. As researchers, we developed two survey instruments as
a mechanism to collect data, which were administered online through the survey
submission system hosted at the university’s server. The pre-survey was administered
at the beginning of the spring 2013 semester and the post-survey was given at the end
of the four-month study period. Both instruments were reviewed for face validity by
two education faculty members and then were piloted using a group of school
administrators in a local school district. Surveys were finalized after the feedback on
the pilot versions. Demographic information collected on the pre-survey included age,
years of experience as a school administrator, years of experience in education, highest
degree earned, school classification, and school size. The pre-survey also included
questions measuring if and how school administrators were currently using
their iPads for their daily school-related tasks, their beliefs about the effectiveness
of iPads for administrative tasks, and if and how school teachers should be using iPads
in the classroom.

Data Analysis: The data analysis of this study is categorized into five main groups:
analysis of demographic and contextual data; impacts of the training process on school
administrators’ use of iPad and iPad applications; impacts of the training process on school
administrators’ beliefs regarding how teachers should use iPads in the classroom; differences
in participants’ responses by their demographic and contextual data (gender, age, years of
experience in school administration and education, highest degree attained, school
classification, and school size); and evaluation of training process.

RESULTS

Findings or Results (or main points of the article): School administrators reported
that iPads were effective tools for administrative tasks and personal organization.
Results also suggest that school administrators in this study had positive views
regarding the potential of iPads’ current and future use in the classroom by teachers.
Furthermore, the training process had a positive effect on the school administrators’
development of iPad skills and knowledge.

DISCUSSIONS

Conclusions/Implications (for your profession): School administrators

play a vital role in the implementation of new technologies, and they are
widely regarded as the instructional leaders of their schools (Dawson &
Rakes, 2003; Lashway, 2002; McLeod, 2008). Since school administrators are
the key facilitators in implementing new technologies in their schools, training
for this group should be a priority (Holland & Moore-Steward, 2000). The
challenge, as schools increasingly adopt iPads (Crichton et al., 2011; Dogan,
2012; Murphy, 2011), is in implementing and creating instructional goals for
their use.

REFLECTIONS

Student’s Reflections (changes to your understanding; implications for your

school/work):
Overall, after reading the article, I did not have much change in my general
understanding of the benefits of administrators using iPads as tools to help within their
job roles. I have advocated an increase in technological use and training in my own
school for years. Every school I am at, there seems to be a general lack of knowledge
of effective uses other than the obvious for most of the technology that teachers and
administrators are using. There are some that are adept at using some, but when it
comes to troubleshooting or implementing technology to leverage better instructional
strategies, their skills were lacking. I have even made several training sessions for
professional development and training resources that I regularly send out to help with
training of staff at all levels. The findings in the article also align with what I have seen
with the younger or less experienced teachers and administrators always having
positive outlooks on technology use and positive effects to technology training. With
the need to have further studies on not just how iPad technology but other technology
that will help increase options to administrators and teachers alike is needed. Effects
of emerging technologies and established technologies is also needed to help with
providing equitable education services and highly effective learning practices.