A Case Study: The Relationship between Teaching Style and Attitudes and Teachers’ Responses to Support/Training in New Technology Tools

Abstract

The main purpose of this case study was to determine whether Lower School teachers at a private school in Baltimore, Maryland would continue to use a new technology tool in their instruction after receiving customized training and using the tool once in a lesson after instruction and with collaborative support. Twenty-two participants completed the entire study which took seven academic school weeks to complete. Participants completed a series of surveys, underwent training sessions about a new technology tool, and then were asked to use the technology tool in a lesson. Each participant received training on a specific technology tool that was selected based on the results about his/her use of and comfort with technology and teaching style. While participants’ perceptions of and reactions to the training sessions were positive, only six teachers continued to use the tech tool after their initial lesson and training. Reasons participants did not continue to use the tech tools varied, but the majority of participants felt that they did not have a need to use the tool and preferred other means of teaching content to their students.