Three key factors were addressed in this study: evidence of an instructional design process when teachers write technology-integrated lessons, the role of constraints and barriers for teachers integrating technology into the curriculum, and the role of collaboration and support from both colleagues and administrators for teachers integrating technology into the curriculum.
The population for this study was the teaching faculty at a suburban public secondary school with a student enrollment of approximately 1,700. The participant sample contained three representatives from each academic area and three representatives from elective areas for a total of 15 participants. Volunteer participants were teachers who had written and taught a technologically integrated lesson in the past 12 months.
Two research instruments were developed for this study, a survey and an interview script. The purpose of the survey was to gather demographic information as well as evidence of technology integration training or experience. The interview script was written using open-ended questions as well as more specific questions for the purpose of gathering as much data as possible.
The data suggest that these teachers are using an instructional design process, basing their design decisions upon several factors: curriculum, timing of this lesson, learner characteristics, available technology and their own personal technology skills. This study resulted in a procedural design model of technology integration reflecting current secondary teacher design processes.
The lack of equipment and technology resources was the primary constraint or barrier identified by the participants in this study. None of these teachers, however, mentioned a constraint or barrier that he or she was unable to resolve. The data collected in this study also confirm the importance of support from administration when teachers integrate technology into their lesson writing process.
Implications for professional development stemming from this study include providing ongoing technology training that is convenient and available for all teachers, support from colleagues working within disciplines as well as between disciplines, and providing administrative support such as technology purchases and recognition of lessons written and taught.
