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:___Sumana Kundoor________________________ Date:

9/24/2017___________________________

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), 233250.
doi:10.1080/07380569.2014.932660

INTRODUCTION

Research Questions (if research questions are not specifically mentioned, what is
the theoretical background or overarching theme):

This study intended to answer the following questions:

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 are numerous studies and projects on the implementation of iPads in educational
settings around the world (Crichton, Stuewe, Pegler, & White, Downloaded by
[76.31.198.76] at 18:17 03 November 2014 School Administrators Use of iPads 235
2011; Dogan, 2012; Murphy, 2011). However, 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. In a recent study, iPads were purchased and
implemented in a school system based on the assumption that they would enhance the
productivity of school administrators, thus improving school functionality and promoting
a technology-rich school climate (Winslow, Dickerson, Cheng-Yuan Lee, & Geer, 2012).
Even though Winslow et al. (2012) provided insightful information on how iPads are
used by principals, the literature review conducted for this study revealed that there was
no research examining the impact of receiving specific iPad training on school
administrators attitudes toward iPad use. In order to determine potential impacts in this
area, a research study involving a training process, which included workshops, online
resources, and ongoing support, was designed.

METHODOLOGY

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

Participants:

Elementary and secondary school administrators (i.e., principals and assistant principals)
working in one of the largest public charter school systems in a southwestern state were
the target population for the study. This school system was selected for the study due to
fact that iPads were provided to its administrators for managerial duties. The criteria for
study participation included being employed as a school administrator and having an iPad
provided by the school system. Participation in this study was voluntary.
Fifty-one participants who owned iPads volunteered to complete the pre-survey out of
approximately 120 school administrators in the school system. While 58.8% (n = 30) of
the pre-survey participants were male, 41.2% (n = 21) of the participants were female.
Additionally, 37 of pre-survey respondents completed the post-survey, yielding a
response rate of 72.55%. Twenty-one (56.76%) respondents in post-survey were male,
and 16 (43.24%) were female.
The average age of school administrators who participated was 34.16 years. The average
years of experience in education was 8.45, and the average years of experience as a
school administrator was 2.04. The average school size of participants was calculated as
618.50.

Procedures:

Collectively, 51 subjects were selected through a purposive sampling from the target
population: A specific population was targeted and only its members were included in
this survey (Kelley, Clark, Brown, & Sitzia, 2003). Purposive sampling is most effective
in studying a certain domain where knowledgeable experts are included (Tongco, 2007).
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 20122013 school year. Participants were asked to
complete consent forms prior to the study as required by the school district and the
universitys Institutional Review Board (IRB).

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 universitys 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.

Designed as a closure to the study, the post-survey instrument included questions

intended to measure self-reported improvements in certain tasks after completing the
training, as well as items regarding the evaluation of training session and resources
provided to school administrators during the study. In addition, some of the questions of
the pre-survey were repeated in the post-survey to assess the change in responses during
the study.

Training was designed based on feedback from participants and delivered through an
interactive webinar session.

Technical support regarding the training topics and study was available to participants on
an ongoing basis. Researchers provided technical support to school administrators via e-
mail and telephone.

Data Collection Methods/Data Source:

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 universitys 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.
Designed as a closure to the study, the post-survey instrument included questions
intended to measure self-reported improvements in certain tasks after completing the
training, as well as items regarding the evaluation of training session and resources
provided to school administrators during the study. In addition, some of the questions of
the pre-survey were repeated in the post-survey to assess the change in responses during
the study.

Data Analysis:

Survey instruments included multiple choice and Likert-type scale items. The survey
responses were reported as frequencies. In addition, paired sample t-test data analysis was
conducted to understand the differences in the responses between the pre- and post-
surveys. A one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was conducted to see whether
there were any differences in school administrators responses by gender, age, years of
experience in school administration and education, highest degree attained, school
classification, and school size. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)
software was used to conduct the data analysis.

RESULTS

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

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.
The paired sample t-test analysis indicated that for the 37 subjects, the mean score on the
post-survey (M = 4.27) was significantly greater than the mean score on the pre-survey at
conditions t (36) =2.25, p = 0.03, d = 0.57 (Table 1). These results suggest that the
overall training process in this study had a statistically significant effect on participants
beliefs about the effectiveness of iPads as a tool for administrative tasks and personal
organization.
Impact of Training on School Administrators Beliefs Regarding How Teachers
Should Use iPads in the Classroom
School administrators were asked to report their opinions regarding how teachers should
be using iPads in the classroom. Virtually all participants in both the pre-survey (98.04%)
and the post-survey (97.30%) stated that they would like to see their teachers using iPads
for teaching in the classroom. When school administrators were asked whether they
thought that computers used in courses would be replaced by iPads in the future, 76.47%
of the participants in pre-survey and 86.49% in post-survey responded yes.

School administrators were further solicited to evaluate the training process that they
participated in during the study. A majority (81.08%) responded that they would like to
continue receiving training and resources on the use of iPads for administrative tasks and
teaching. Furthermore, 48.65% of participants found the training session and the
resources provided afterward very useful, followed by 43.24% finding them useful,
and 8.11% finding them somewhat useful.

DISCUSSIONS

Conclusions/Implications (for your profession):

From this study, I came to know, the effect of training and workshops can enhance the
skills as well as the opinion on integrating technology into educational institutions. I,
being a future teacher, known the importance of using iPad in teaching and the
convenience of using them during our teaching, than any other equipment. So,
administrators play a crucial role in encouraging the total school staff in utilizing the
technology for fulfilling the tasks. This will enhance and escalate the school standards.
Both administrators and teachers should enhance their skills in using iPads, which will in
turn effect the school efficiency.

REFLECTIONS

Students Reflections (changes to your understanding; implications for your

school/work):
I being a student, came to know very well the importance of technology as well as
specific equipment`s merits and their added value in the education field. Now my view
towards iPad was completely changed. Till now, I thought of using Digi boards and
laptops in teaching. But, after reading this article I personally was more inclined towards
iPad and curious to know the applications and their utilities in teaching. Yes, iPads are
very handy, easy to search and provide immediate information to the students.
Today onwards I personally focus on iPad applications which are beneficial in school
environment.