Dissertation+Reviews

=**__Dissertation Reviews__**= media type="custom" key="23203516" Nicole Moon Dissertation Reviews ET 780, Maymester 2013 5-29-13

Technology has become a growing part of our world today. With the growth and explosion that we have seen in the technology field educators are adjusting to this change as well. A lot of research has been done in the field of educational technology, but it is often in the upper elementary, middle, or high school grades. There has been a lack this research done in the early childhood field. While looking for dissertations to read and research it was very difficult to find papers that related to both early childhood education and technology. I also wanted to focus on literacy so that made my search even more difficult. In the end, however I did find three wonderful papers.
 * Introduction:**

Kaumbulu, B. M. (2011). //Effective technology integration for digital literacy development in// //kindergarten through second grade. //Walden University). //ProQuest Dissertations and Theses,//, 184. Retrieved from []. (863839685). In this dissertation, the author has noticed that there are many teachers within the school district that are not fully using the technology they have. She states that there is a lack of technology integration especially in the field of literacy. Even when it is integrated it is not effective in current pedagogy. Even though students have changed in response to the technology that they are so often surrounded by, the teachers are not. The purpose of the study was to understand what teacher beliefs are about technology, and how those beliefs affect their use of digital literacy development in the primary grades. It also looks into how technology coordinators perception of the integration of technology is different from those of the teachers that actually use it every day. Finally it looks into how teachers can use the technical support they receive to create effective learning environments for kindergarten through second grade students. I foundthis article to be very interesting, but it really something I already know. There is a big gap between what is possible and what we actually do. Teachers do in fact have their own pedagogies that they base their classroom routines and instructions on, but are we doing what is best for the children. So many teachers would say that they are constructivist teachers, but when we put technology in front of them they use it for directed learning and drill and practice because that is all they know. I think technology coordinators need to be more in tune with the teachers and see their actual needs. I know personally we have been told to not even email our technology person that is supposed to help us with the instruction side of things. He is too busy with other technical difficulties that the instruction part of his job has been pushed to the side. I think this is an injustice to the teachers.
 * Dissertation #1:**
 * Summary:**
 * Review:**

Leslein-Yoshihiro, P. (2008). //Effective K--2 teachers' use of technology to support emergent literacy.// University of Hawai'i at Manoa). //ProQuest Dissertations and Theses,//, 211. Retrieved from []. (304626144). This dissertation was also written about the implementation of technology in the primary grades. This paper was based on a case study done in four classrooms from kindergarten to second grade. The researcher wanted to see if the pedagogies that the teachers used to do instruction in their classroom transferred into how they were using the technology as well. The study actually found that these teachers used technology to reinforce previously taught material. They all allowed restricted internet usage. They used digital cameras to document things that occurred in the classroom and often narrated this. The researcher did find that kindergarten through first grade had a less structured free computer choice time than first through second grade teachers. All of the teachers in this study were very supported by the administration they worked for. I really enjoyed reading this because it has been a concern of mine ever since all of this technology was given to teachers everywhere, with just technical staff development. I believe that when given a piece of technology teachers need to be trained on how to use the piece of equipment effectively that employs our pedagogies. I know I have seen a lot of the same things that are stated in this article in my school as well. I think with all this money that is being used for technology that we need to use in to influence the literacy curriculum in a positive light.
 * Dissertation #2**
 * Summary:**
 * Review:**

Candreva, C. (2011). //Digital storytelling in kindergarten: Merging literacy, technology, and// //multimodality. //Hofstra University). //ProQuest Dissertations and Theses,//, 154. Retrieved from []. (879043118). In this dissertation the researchers discuss a more practical manner of including technology in the early childhood classrooms. It discusses how students’ use of digital literacy’s, multimodal meaning making, and engagement were impacted by creating digital stories. The found that students benefitted for digital storytelling in many different ways. Some of the ways they improved were print concepts, how to use digital technologies (Microphone, camera, and photo story software), understanding of how to create digital text, and were engaged in the classroom in ways that allowed them to go through a writing process. Even students that had difficulties with fine motor control and English became more confident in themselves. It even stated that digital storytelling would be very beneficial to those students we consider “at risk.” I really like how the author goes about describing the tools used in the classroom to create the digital storybooks. I t is very straight-forward and laid out in a way for educators to fully understand. What I like best about this paper is the author’s views. She knows that things like this will prepare students for the 21st century. What we have trouble with in change very often in education. In order to have change we have to develop a culture of learning within the school environments we are in. I feel like this speaks specifically to our principals and teachers. We have to have this support and training within the school building to help teacher become more effective with technology.
 * Dissertation #3**
 * Summary:**
 * Review:**