Troubles With Transformative Change: Faction Analysis of a 1:1 iPad Initiative

• In Event: Efficacy and Digital Learning in Schools

Abstract

Although educators’ attitudes and beliefs can influence technology integration, researchers have little explored the ways in which organizational patterns and social ties may impact educators’ beliefs and practices involving technology. Therefore, this mixed-methods case study of one Catholic school draws upon interview and survey data to describe one school’s 1:1 iPad initiative. Together, Social Network Analysis (SNA) techniques, inferential statistics, and qualitative data analysis helped to describe: educators’ academic and social justice uses of iPads, as well as the ways in which uses and attitudes were clustered according to factionalized social ties. Thus, the present study highlights challenges in technology integration, including the relationships among organizational structure, educator values, and transformative change.

Authors

• Vincent Cho, Boston College

• Erica R Hamilton, Grand Valley State University

• Kaitlyn F Tuthill, Boston College