Dr. Caitlin Riegel, assistant professor of education at Niagara University, presented her research on “The Reality of Appropriate Technology Implementation in the Classroom” at the Learning, Innovation, and Technology in Education Conference at Riverside Polytechnic High School in Riverside, Calif., July 12-13, 2023.
Her research was performed and presented with Dr. Danielle Weinstein, a biology teacher at Don Antonio Lugo High School in Chino Valley Unified School District, Calif., and is a continuation of research they performed and presented at the Association of Teacher Educators Conference in March 2023.
The two professors investigated the current technology implantation practices in K-12 education and were able to identify factors that influence technology inequities. Based on this information, they proposed a national change with the potential to better ensure high-quality technology education for educators so students are ready to compete in the global economy.
“The research focused on how teachers are doing in the field with effective implementation of technology, and the ways grade level, years of experience, and socioeconomic status contribute to significant differences in teachers’ implementation of technology,” Dr. Riegel explained. “Current findings have implications for both preservice and in-service teachers, as well as policy changes on the national level.”
The two-day LITE conference focused on educational technology that facilitates targeted, relevant, actively engaging, socially connected, and growth-oriented learning experiences and supports K-12 educators in developing technological and pedagogical knowledge for effective teaching and learning.