Running head: IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT 1

The Impact of Technology Integration on Student Engagement in the K-12 Classroom

Stephanie Jernigan

University of Houston

CUIN 7347: Seminar in Learning, Design, & Technology

Introduction

“If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow” (Dewey,

1916). Though this quote is from 1916, it remains relevant, and impactful, today. As educators,

many of us understand that change is constant and inevitable. From pedagogical practices to

technology, very few things in education, if any, remain static. Technology integration has been

an integral part of the educational process for many years now. Today, the students that

educators interact with everyday are digital natives, meaning that they were born into this age of

technology, and we must meet them where they are. We cannot continue with the antiquated

ways of teaching that worked in the past, and integrating technology in the classroom is essential

to reaching today’s students and equipping them with the 21st century skills they need to be

successful. The goal of this research topic is to understand and communicate the correlation

between technology integration and student engagement, which is also believed to increase

student achievement.

This research is significant because student engagement is one of the top issues facing

educators today. After all, in order to teach students and ensure that they master the concepts,

you must first engage them. As stated earlier, today’s students are digital natives so, naturally,

the best way to engage them is through something they use the most—technology; however,

educator attitudes have a direct impact on how much this occurs in the classroom. As the

research will show, while educator attitudes toward technology tend to be positive overall, there

is still a lack of integration in the classroom. The significance of this research is to show how

technology integration has a positive impact on student engagement and, hopefully as a result,

shift not only attitudes, but actions, when it comes to implementing technology integration into

the K-12 classroom.

Key concepts coming from research

Some of the key concepts, or themes, coming from research include technology

integration and student engagement, including the relationship between the two, educator

attitudes toward integrating technology into the classroom, and finally, the correlation between

technology integration and student achievement. Early implications of research conducted thus

far indicate that technology integration has a positive impact on student cognitive engagement

(Wallace-Spurgin, 2020). However, there are other factors mentioned that influence the

integration of technology in the classroom that include teacher attitudes toward incorporating

technology, and access to devices. Another common theme found among the literature is the

correlation between technology integration and student achievement, which can be directly

linked to the fact that students are more cognitively engaged and motivated to learn more. These

themes will be further explored throughout the review.

Technology integration and student engagement

It is important to begin by defining the term technology integration. Technology

integration is defined as “the well-coordinated use of digital devices and cloud computing as

tools for problem-solving, deeper learning, and understanding” (Christensen, 2019). Simply

stated, it is the use of technology to enhance and support the learning environment. “With the

advent of information and communication technology and its increasing affordability, many

terms have emerged that reflect possible ways of integrating technology in educational practices”

(Fagehi, 2013). Terms like learning management system, digital portfolios, blended learning,

cloud-based, and web 2.0 are just the tip of the iceberg when thinking of all the ways technology

can be integrated into the learning environment. One of the most important things to make note

of about technology integration is its ability to expose students to 21st century skills through not
IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENAGEMENT 4

only using it to learn complex concepts, but also creating and presenting to authentic audiences,

using technology. Fagehi (2013) argues that “teachers need to understand that teaching in the 21st

century with its multiple uses of technology requires them to think about teaching with

technology in a more extensive manner than just using presentation tools and electronic

whiteboards.” As imperative as it is for teachers to understand this concept, other studies have

shown that while a large percentage (greater than 90%) of educators believe that technology

should be used in the classroom, a very small percentage (less than 15%) actually integrate it into

the curriculum (Culala, 2016; Wallace-Spurgin, 2020; Fagehi, 2013, Kim et al., 2019).

Moreover, it was also found that, even when students have access to devices and resources,

teachers tend to be the users of technology, mostly to present information, rather than the

students using it, which poses a real problem, especially as it relates to cognitive engagement

(Culala, 2016 and Wallace-Spurgin, 2020). Additionally, as Bozkus (2021) points out, the focus

should be on teaching the students how to utilize the technological tools to solve problems and to

do useful work.

In terms of student engagement, it is important to first understand that there is no

universal definition for it. Germain-Rutherford et al. (2021) states that “student engagement is

not a precisely defined phenomenon, and the complexity of student engagement has been noted

in various definitions”. Student engagement is a complex concept; however, many researchers

can agree that it involves behavioral, cognitive, and social-emotional aspects (Germaine-

Rutherford et al., 2021; Bannitt et al., 2013; Groccia, 2018). According to Groccia (2018),

student engagement involves doing, feeling, and thinking as it relates to other students, faculty,

the community, teaching, learning, and research. Some of the activities identified that engage

students the most include problem-based learning, activities that foster real-world application,
IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENAGEMENT 5

activities that encourage collaboration with peers, and presenting to authentic audiences, like

people from the community (Germain-Rutherford et al., 2021; Groccia, 2018). Moreover, since

there is no concrete definition of student engagement, we can deduce that there is more than one

way to promote student engagement in the classroom. Furthermore, studies have shown that one

of the most effective ways is through the use of technology.

Thus far, the definition of technology integration has been presented, as well as the

aspects of student engagement. This part of the research seeks to make a correlation between the

two based on various studies. The findings of one study conducted by (Ullah and Anwar, 2020)

with university students in a computer science program, indicate that “the use of media

technology and interactive activities has a positive impact on promoting learning and, therefore,

learner engagement”. Another action research project conducted by (Bannitt et al., 2013) with

students in grades 8-12, also concluded that student engagement increased with the use of

technology. In fact, 50% of the 200 students surveyed said they thought technology helped them

learn more, while 47% remained neutral, and 3% felt that it slowed their learning down. A third

study, conducted by Ping Lui with student teachers at an elementary school stated,

Most of the participants in this study integrated technology for the purpose of keeping the

children on task and encouraging appropriate behavior. A number of them were able to

achieve this goal in their teaching with a package of technology skills, familiarity with

equipment, and alignment between selected technology and target subject matter.

(Lui, 2016)

From the studies mentioned here, it is clear that, though there were diverse groups of students

evaluated (elementary, secondary, and university), the conclusions were very similar, if not the

same—technology integration has a positive impact on student engagement. Even with the
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difference in approaches, the outcome is still the same. One study used technology to engage

students with content presented by the teacher and for assessments, while the others focused

more on students using the technology to create and show their mastery of the content. The

interesting thing to note here, is that regardless of how the technology was integrated, it

ultimately had a positive impact by increasing student engagement.

Educator attitudes toward integrating technology

Previous studies, like ones mentioned earlier, have revealed that although educators deem

technology necessary and useful in the classroom, very few are actually integrating it (Culala,

2016; Wallace-Spurgin, 2020; Fagehi, 2013; Kim et al., 2019). This can be largely attributed to

educator attitudes towards the integration of technology into the curriculum and day-to-day

activities. Failure to consider these attitudes can further result in resistance, and even reluctance,

to embrace technology integration as a seamless part of instruction. One study conducted by

(Mustafina, 2016) with secondary students in Kazakhstan, showed that while teacher attitudes

toward the integration of ICT was positive, when interviewing students, they found that the use

of technology in the lessons were rare. There could be a number of reasons for this that point

back to educator attitudes in the area of technology integration. Some of the factors contributing

to educator attitudes examined in Chien Yu’s article on “Teacher’s Attitudes and Pedagogical

Beliefs Toward Emerging Technologies,” include the availability of devices, lack of appropriate

educational software, lack of time, technical support, or resources, and ignorance in the

technological area. In relation to lack of support and resources, there have been many scholarly

debates in this area, and we can see them in the studies conducted here. On one hand, you have

an author who states that teachers lack the proper training and resources to know how to

effectively integrate technology, which contributes to their unwillingness to use it (Yu, 2013).
IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENAGEMENT 7

On the other hand, a different author concluded that even when schools have access to the

necessary devices and provide proficient training for teachers, they still fail to integrate

technology into their teaching, in any significant numbers. (Mustafina, 2016). From the

differences in research, we can conclude that in general, teachers have positive attitudes toward

technology, so factors effecting the actual integration of technology in the classroom have not

been clearly defined and bear further research.

Other studies examined factors like gender and age that influence educator attitudes

toward technology. Interestingly, in earlier studies, researchers found that there was a significant

difference in attitudes of men and women as it relates to the use of technology. However, more

recent studies have found that there is no significant difference between males and females as it

relates to the use of technology (Mustafina, 2016; Yu, 2013). Though there was shown to be no

significant difference in attitudes with reference to gender, in one study “the analysis showed

that gender of the teacher might influence his or her confidence, which in turn, might affect the

knowledge level the teacher had in using ICT” (Mustafina, 2016). Unlike findings related to

gender, age was found to be a significant factor in at least one study. Younger teachers (25 and

under) felt more comfortable with their ability to use technology for personal use and in their

teaching, while older teachers (over 55) were not as confident in their ability and did not have

positive attitudes towards using technology in their own teaching (Yu, 2013). Other studies were

inconclusive as it relates to attitudes due to age, however, this could be a significant factor

influencing teacher attitudes toward technology integration in the classroom.

Another key factor that bears discussing is teacher confidence and knowledge, which can

also attribute to attitudes concerning integration of technology into the classroom. Studies found

that self-confidence and knowledge of the technology had a significant affect on whether or not
IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENAGEMENT 8

educators were willing to integrate technology into their teaching practices (Mustafina, 2016;

Yu, 2013). “Teachers may be terrified because they are asked to implement programs that they

do not have the technological background to implement” (Yu, 2013), which is true for any

person, in any field of study. As humans, if we are not familiar with something, or do not possess

the knowledge deemed necessary, we tend to avoid it altogether. Another significant point made

by Yu is that “it is more important to provide teachers opportunities to collaborate and coach one

another when implementing new technology” (Yu, 2013). This is significant because, while

other studies have discussed providing teachers with proper training when introducing new

technologies, this one mentions taking it a step further with coaching and collaboration with

peers. Future research pertaining to coaching teachers in the area of technology integration, and

whether it will impact usage and implementation in the classroom, should be considered.

Technology integration and student achievement

Thus far, studies on technology integration and its impact on student engagement have

been discussed, in addition to teacher attitudes toward technology integration and how it can

affect classroom implementation. In this part of the research, the correlation between technology

integration and student achievement will be examined. Many studies indicate that technology has

a positive impact on student academic achievement and, in some cases have even helped increase

test scores in math, reading, and science (Bozkus, 2021; Bannitt et al., 2013; Fagehi, 2013). In

fact, “if technology is effectively integrated, then it provides opportunities for students to search

and find available information and apply their academic skills to real world problems” (Bozkus,

2021). In other words, providing students with the opportunity to engage with technology in a

way that will allow them to construct new knowledge can induce skills like critical thinking and

problem solving and, in turn, increase their academic achievement.

Moreover, in addition to increasing student engagement, studies show that integrating

technology on a consistent basis can also serve to increase motivation and positive attitudes in

students, which can also help increase their academic achievement (Bozkus, 2021; Bannitt et al.,

2013; Fagehi, 2013). Something as simple as using a technology application like EdPuzzle to add

interactive questions to videos can increase engagement with the material as well as motivation,

especially when questions are answered correctly (Bozkus, 2021). In another study conducted by

Seitan et al. (2020) with secondary students, it was found that implementing the flipped

classroom model and allowing students to engage with digital content at their own pace, and

time, also increased academic achievement, student performance, and positive attitudes towards

the use of technology.

The research has shown how flipped classroom, a blended learning model, can increase

student engagement and have a positive impact on student achievement. Staying in that vein,

technology integration can also be used to promote another type of blended learning—station

rotation. In at least one study, it was discovered that the use of technology lends itself well to

individual and small group work while providing more opportunities for differentiation, all of

which can help increase student achievement (Bennitt et al., 2013). If a teacher is able to create

lessons, using technology, that allow for asynchronous digital stations, collaborative stations, and

stations where the teacher can work with small groups, implications are that this can increase

achievement simply by providing opportunities for interventions for struggling students. It can

be deduced from the research that technology, used in various capacities—from flipped

classroom to information communication technology to creative projects completed using

technology—can increase student achievement in several areas, including core subjects like

math, science, and reading (Bozkus, 2021; Bannitt et al., 2013; Fagehi, 2013; Seitan, 2020).
IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENAGEMENT 10

Gaps in the literature

Overall, the research presented evidence of an increase in student engagement, and even

achievement, as a result of technology integration, which may look different in various

situations. However, there were a couple of gaps in the research that certainly reveals the need

for future research. One of those gaps includes the types of activities that have been shown to

increase student engagement the most. While the research reveals that problem/project-based

learning, real-world applications, peer collaboration, and authentic audience presentations are all

activities that foster student engagement (Germain-Rutherford et al., 2021; Groccia, 2018), there

were no studies that connect those specific activities to the use of technology to further show

how technology integration fosters student cognitive engagement.

Another gap in the literature can be found around educator attitudes toward technology

integration. Research shows that the majority of educators see the need, and benefit, of

integrating technology, however, there is a lack of implementation in the classroom (Culala,

2016; Wallace-Spurgin, 2020; Fagehi, 2013, Kim et al., 2019). There were also several possible

reasons given for why this may be the case, which ranged from age to lack of devices to the

confidence level of the teacher. However, the root of the problem seems to lie with the latter—

teacher confidence level. Nevertheless, no studies were found that focus explicitly on the

absence of technology integration due to the lack of teacher confidence, and how that issue can

be addressed. Though most of the research focused on educator attitudes, this leaves room for

more research to be performed on the root causes of teacher apprehension as it relates to

integrating technology into the classroom.

Other gaps in the research pertain to the populations that were studied. In most cases, it

was a very small sample size or groups at one particular organization. While the research results
IMPACT OF TECH INTEGRATION ON STUDENT ENAGEMENT 11

were useful, larger populations, or more varied samples, would have produced even more

compelling results in the areas of technology integration and student engagement/achievement as

well as teacher attitudes toward integration technology.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the research shows that technology integration does, in fact, have a

positive impact by increasing student engagement, which logically leads to increasing student

achievement. However, factors like teacher and administrator attitudes toward technology

integration influence the frequency and fidelity with which it is incorporated into the classroom.

Based on the discoveries during this research, further research can be done to address the

disconnect between positive educator attitudes toward technology integration and the lack of

application into the curriculum and everyday classroom interactions. There should also be future

research on specific activities (problem-based learning, blended learning, collaboration, etc.) that

integrate well with technology to help increase student engagement and achievement.

Implications from the main points of research reveal a need for consistent technology

integration not only in the K-12 classroom, but also in higher education. Additionally, there

should also be consideration given to the support and coaching teachers need to increase

confidence levels and ensure that technology is integrated consistently, and with fidelity, in the

classroom. Applications should include developing plans and frameworks that assist school

districts with integrating technology effectively and provide teachers with ongoing coaching and

support to make it a reality and not just theory.

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