Eric.ed.gov – Rural School Math and Science Teachers’ Technology Integration Familiarization

This study explored the significance of technology integration familiarization and the subsequent PD provided to rural middle school teachers with several opportunities to gain technological skills for technology use in rural middle school math and science classrooms. In order to explore the use of technology in rural schools, this study surveyed 63 rural middle school math and science teachers on technology use and PD offered for classroom integration. This study provided perceptions on the effect of personal and previous technology training for rural school teachers towards technology. The results show that there was need for PD to familiarize rural teachers with newer and essential instructional technologies and to gain technological skills experience in instructional technology integration. The results also show that teachers want to use technology to educate their students, but the lack of technology in the classrooms and the teachers’ lack of familiarity and knowledge on some present technologies affects the usage which creates unforeseen future challenges in classrooms.