Date of Award

Fall 12-2011

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Chair

Thelma Roberson

Committee Chair Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Member 2

Gaylynn Parker

Committee Member 2 Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Member 3

J.T. Johnson

Committee Member 3 Department

Educational Studies and Research

Committee Member 4

Rose McNeese

Committee Member 4 Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Abstract

Because of increasing heavy investments in technology during an era of accountability within K-12 public schools, school leaders are expected to be flexible and innovative in order to produce the most effective and efficient use of technology. School leaders in this research study included principals, assistant principals, and technology coordinators from intercoastal elementary, middle, and high public schools in South Mississippi. This causal comparative study examined whether or not a correlation existed among school leaders’ attitude toward technology use and years of technology training, confidence and comfort using technology and school accreditation level, school leaders’ preparation for technology use and administrative experience, and school leaders’ confidence and comfort using technology and age. Finally, this study examined whether there was a more positive attitude of technology among school leaders in schools that received Cisco funding versus Non-Cisco school leaders. Using the School Leader Survey of Technology Use survey instrument, respondent data was analyzed via Pearson Correlation, Spearman Rho Correlation Coefficient, and an independent samples t test.

Principal dissertation findings include: (a) school leaders’ attitude toward technology use was not related to years of technology training (r(67) = .123, p = .320); (b) school leaders’ confidence and comfort using technology was not related to their school accreditation level (r(68) = -.012, p = .921); (c) school leaders’ preparation for technology use was not related to their administrative experience (r(66) = -.081, p = .520); (d) school leaders’ confidence and comfort using technology was less positive as age increases (rho(70 = -.277, p = 0.019); and (e) there was not a more positive correlation between school leaders’ attitude toward technology in Cisco schools versus school leaders’ attitude toward technology in non-Cisco schools. No significant difference was found (t(70) = -.859, p = .393). The mean of the Cisco school leaders’ attitude toward technology (m = 4.31, sd = .42) was not significantly different from the mean of the Non- Cisco school leaders’ attitude towards technology (m = 4.39, sd = .35).

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