Xie, K., Nelson, M.J., Cheng, S.L., & Jiang, Z. (2021) Examining changes in teachers’ perceptions of external and internal barriers in their integration of educational digital resources in K-12 classrooms, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, DOI: 10.1080/15391523.2021.1951404 (Open Access Article with Free Downloads)
Abstract
This study examined changes in teachers’ perceptions of external barriers, internal barriers, and their integration of digital educational resources across two years through variable-centered and person-centered approaches. Participants included 301 in-service middle and high school teachers from 18 schools in the United States. The results of variable-centered approaches showed some significant changes in external barriers and teacher behavior but not in internal barriers. However, person-centered approaches revealed that perceived changes in external barriers significantly predicted nuanced changes in the patterns of teachers’ educational digital resource integration and their beliefs about technology. As teachers perceived a stronger technology vision and commitment to professional development in their school environments, their personal practices and beliefs shifted together.
Keywords: External barriers; internal barriers; technology integration; educational digital resource; person-centered approach