JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW TEMPLATE

North American University

Education Department
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership / M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
EDUC 5324 Integrating Technology into Education
Name:_Syed Hasan____________________Date: 10/18/2015___________
Cite the reviewed article in APA format:
Dogan, B., & Almus, K. (2014). School Administrators Use of iPads: Impact of Training and
Attitudes Toward School Use.Computers in the Schools, 31(3), 233250.
doi:10.1080/07380569.2014.932660

INTRODUCTION
Research Questions (if research questions are not specifically mentioned, what is
the theoretical background or overarching theme):

1. What is the impact of the training process on school administrators use of iPads for
administrative tasks and personal organization in their professional duties?
2. What is the impact of the training process on school administrators beliefs regarding
how teachers should use iPads in the classroom?
3. Are there any differences in school administrators survey responses based on gender,
age, years of experience in school administration and education, highest degree attained,
school classification, or school size?

Purpose of the research:

There are numerous studies and projects on the implementation of iPads in educational
settings around the world (Crichton, Stuewe, Pegler, & White, 2011; Dogan, 2012;
Murphy, 2011). However, there is a lack of research on how school administrators use
iPads for their professional duties and the potential effects on their work-related tasks and
personal organization.
METHODOLOGY
What is the methodology for the research or approach used to understand the
issue? Provide information regarding the following:

Participants: Elementary and secondary school administrators (i.e., principals and

assistant principals) working in one of the largest public charter school systems in a
southwestern state were the target population for the study. The criteria for study

participation included being employed as a school administrator and having an iPad

provided by the school system. Participation in this study was voluntary.
Fifty-one participants who owned iPads volunteered to complete the pre-survey out of
approximately 120 school administrators in the school system. While 58.8% (n = 30) of
the pre-survey participants were male, 41.2% (n = 21) of the participants were female.
Additionally, 37 of pre-survey respondents completed the post-survey, yielding a
response rate of 72.55%. Twenty-one (56.76%) respondents in post-survey were male,
and 16 (43.24%) were female.
Procedures: Study components included a pre-survey, a training session on the
effective use of iPads for administrative tasks and personal organization, specially
designed resources expanding the topics covered in the training session, on-going
support, and a post-survey. Participants in this study were contacted by email through the
school systems central office, after securing approvals from the school district and the
university. The initial communication included information on the purpose, structure, and
schedule of the research study along with information on training and resources to be
provided throughout the spring semester of the 20122013 school year. Participants were
asked to complete consent forms prior to the study as required by the school district and
the universitys Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Data Collection Methods/Data Source:
As researchers, we developed two survey instruments as a mechanism to collect data,
which were administered online through the survey submission system hosted at the
universitys server. The pre-survey was administered at the beginning of the spring 2013
semester and the post survey was given at the end of the four-month study period. Both
instruments were reviewed for face validity by two education faculty members and then
were piloted using a group of school administrators in a local school district. Surveys
were finalized after the feedback on the pilot versions. Demographic information
collected on the pre-survey included age, years of experience as a school administrator,
years of experience in education, highest degree earned, school classification, and school
size. The pre-survey also included questions measuring if and how school administrators
were currently using their iPads for their daily school-related tasks, their beliefs about the
effectiveness of iPads for administrative tasks, and if and how school teachers should be
using iPads in the classroom.
Data Analysis: The data analysis of this study is categorized into five main groups:
analysis of demographic and contextual data; impacts of the training process on school
administrators use of iPad and iPad applications; impacts of the training process on
school administrators beliefs regarding how teachers should use iPads in the classroom;
differences in participants responses by their demographic and contextual data (gender,
age, years of experience in school administration and education, highest degree attained,
school classification, and school size); and evaluation of training process.

RESULTS
Findings or Results (or main points of the article):

Results included a majority of school administrators found the training process useful
(92% with combined categories of very useful and useful). School Administrators
Use of iPads 247 also desired ongoing training and resources on using iPads for
administrative tasks and teaching. Overall, these data suggest that providing ongoing
training opportunities may help school administrators success in using iPads for
professional duties as well as implementing iPads in the classroom.
According to results, school administrators believed that iPads were effective tools for
administrative tasks and personal organization. Additionally, administrators were even
more in agreement with this idea after completing the training process. Overall, there
were increases in the frequency of school administrators use of the iPad for
administrative tasks and personal organization in all measured areas.
DISCUSSIONS
Conclusions/Implications (for your profession):

This survey-based quantitative study investigated the impact of receiving iPad training on
school administrators attitudes toward iPad use in their professional duties and in the
classroom by teachers. Specifically examined in this study were how school
administrators used iPad and iPad applications in their professional duties before and
after training, their beliefs on how teachers should use iPads in the classroom, differences
in participants responses by demographic and contextual data, and evaluation of the
training process.
School administrators play a vital role in the implementation of new technologies, and
they are widely regarded as the instructional leaders of their schools (Dawson & Rakes,
2003; Lashway, 2002; McLeod, 2008). Since school administrators are the key
facilitators in implementing new technologies in their schools, training for this group
should be a priority (Holland & Moore-Steward, 2000).
Almost all school administrators prior to or after this study reported that they would like
to see their teachers using iPads for classroom teaching. Specifically, administrators
wanted to see their teachers project and stream lessons or presentations from their iPads,
use specific iPad applications that may help students, and use their iPads for class
communication. In addition, school administrators desired to see teachers using iPads in
the aforementioned areas more after completing the training process.
Educators are often provided with technological tools but are given little instruction on
how these tools can be used meaningfully in the classroom. Even though teachers have
more resources available to them than ever before, they still do not receive sufficient
training on the effective use of technology to enhance learning (U.S. Department of
Education, 2004). Research suggests that professional development programs can help
teachers integrate new technologies into their instruction (Sivin-Kachala & Bialo, 2000).

Similar to teachers, school administrators effective use of technology depends on proper

training.
REFLECTIONS
Students Reflections (changes to your understanding; implications for your
school/work):
This study really portrays the use of iPads for educational purposes, and why it is
necessary for teachers and admins to be knowledgeable with using them. The study
shows an increase in understanding of the use of the iPads after training was given to
the participants. Technology is constantly changing, and in this time and era it is
essential to stay up-to-date on new technological equipment and the iPad is one of
them. This equipment can be of great use in the school setting if it is used effectively for
the purpose of education. As a college counselor, we use iPads and other technology
such as Chromebooks to allow students to search for different colleges and compare
based on what schools they have an interest in. At our campus, the teachers and
counselors receive training on new equipment to make sure we all understand its uses
and how to work the equipment before it is brought into the classroom for teaching
purposes.