Using Technology to Improve Behavior in Elementary Classrooms

Introduction: Changing Roles of Teachers and Technology

The role of teachers in a child's education has fundamentally changed. As Lanier (1997) observed, instruction is no longer primarily about lecturing to students who sit in rows at desks, dutifully listening and recording what they hear; instead, teachers are now expected to "offer each and every child a rich, rewarding and unique learning experience." Because of revolutions in knowledge and information technology and the demand for learning to be more meaningful and lifelong, schools are changing their structures and teachers are changing with them. Teachers' roles now embrace relating to students more personally and individually, integrating social, emotional, and intellectual growth.

Teachers are now paying closer attention to how students learn, prompted in part by Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences, and have therefore had to improve and expand their instructional methods. In order to make students more interested in learning, teachers are adding project-based and participatory activities to their teaching. Material must be relevant to real life and engaging to students in order for them to focus their attention on learning in the classroom.

One of the most useful tools in education today is technology and the use of computers. Computers and the internet can be used to help children develop their ability to think more creatively and have opened a whole new world of global communication. However, the questions of whether computers have fully taken their place in the classroom and to what extent they have truly improved teaching and learning remain somewhat unanswered. Davis and Shade (1994) state that "computers have not revolutionized education overnight," proposing that one reason for this is that schools have not fully integrated computers into the classroom — instead placing them in separate rooms where children have limited access.

As a new teacher of young children (grades 1–3) with a special interest in information technology, this paper investigates the use of computers and the internet in the classroom as a way of increasing motivation and attention to task in young students.

The Problem: Restlessness, Inattention, and Academic Performance

Young children are known for their curiosity, their high levels of energy, and their inability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time. Requiring 6- to 8-year-olds to sit and read printed text or listen to a teacher talk for extended periods is not effectively helping children learn. Restlessness and inattentiveness have been observed as common problems in the classroom. This restlessness frequently leads to behavior problems, as students are prone to walking around and disturbing other children, or talking loudly at inappropriate times during class.

It is also likely that a lack of concentration and interest in traditional reading and writing activities contributes to the poor academic performance of many students. Improving interest and motivation will therefore allow for greater emphasis on curriculum content. Providing stimulating and relevant classroom activities will ease the burden on the teacher and create a more enjoyable atmosphere, leading to increased student engagement in learning.

The questions to be answered by this study are:

1. What effect does the use of technology in the classroom have on students' interest in the curriculum?

Literature Review: Research on Classroom Technology

2. Does engagement in computer activities improve the concentration span of students?

3. Is there a relationship between the use of technology and improved academic performance in elementary school students?

The example of an elementary school spending nearly $1.8 million on equipping itself with computers and related materials, yet showing no significant improvement in student engagement or learning, prompted Kozlowski (2000) to examine the challenges associated with introducing technology in the classroom. He describes four key challenges that are useful to address when implementing a technology program. According to Kozlowski, it is important for the teacher to decide where to set up computers for maximum student access. Before involving students in computer activities, the teacher should take time to become familiar with the technology and develop comfort and competence with both hardware and available software programs. Following this, the teacher should learn how to use these programs creatively in order to select the best options rather than relying solely on assigned programs. Finally, the teacher must know when students are ready to constructively use technology to improve performance and develop interest and skills.

These are useful and worthwhile suggestions for any new teacher wanting to introduce technology into the classroom.

The literature also reveals that feelings of incompetence and anxiety are common among teachers when they begin using computers and the internet in their curriculum. Renwick (2001) offers guidance for teachers who feel daunted by this prospect. She first suggests identifying exactly what equipment is available to the school and then developing one's own computer skills. Taking a professional development course and practicing with several programs is recommended. Renwick also reports how one teacher helped first- and second-grade students become comfortable with computers by having them draw pictures and manipulate on-screen elements, before progressing to adding words to pictures and eventually creating small books about insects.

Another important way for teachers to build competence with classroom technology is by collaborating with colleagues. Koszalka (2001) examined the hypothesis that teachers involved in a listserv discussion about integrating web resources would develop more positive attitudes toward using those resources. The study was conducted with K–12 public school teachers from six states, assigned to either a treatment group — participating in small or large listserv discussion groups — or a control group. All participants completed an attitudinal survey. Results showed that teachers in the treatment groups held more positive attitudes toward technology integration regardless of group size.

These studies indicate that successful integration of technology in the classroom requires more than simply placing students in front of computers and allowing them to explore freely.

Farnsworth (2002) examined the effectiveness of different teaching methods on the learning and attitudes of elementary school students. The study sought to determine which of three instructional approaches — multimedia, internet, or regular paper and pencil — produced the greatest learning and attitudinal gains. In the first phase, 1,352 third- to sixth-grade students in thirty-one classroom groups from nine suburban elementary schools in Utah were instructed by one of thirty-one pairs of pre-service teacher candidates. A pretest and posttest design measuring knowledge and attitude was used. Students were divided into three treatment groups: HyperStudio (multimedia), Internet (technology-based search), or control (no integrated technology). All students were taught the same hands-on science lesson on levers. A similar experiment was conducted with 1,428 third- to sixth-grade students using a lesson on simple machines.

Results showed that all groups improved significantly in knowledge, but the HyperStudio and Internet groups performed significantly better than the control group on posttests. In terms of attitude, the Internet and control groups increased significantly while the HyperStudio group remained the same. Notably, although the Internet group had performed significantly lower on the pretests, the gap had closed by the time of the posttests.

Hutinger and Johanson (2000) reported on the implementation of technology in the classroom and its advantages for children with disabilities. The issues described in that study, however, are relevant to all children. The authors found that "evidence clearly points to the effectiveness of computers or access to technology for young children with disabilities, helping them to interact socially, work cooperatively, control their environment, gain confidence, develop language and communication, and move from concrete to representational thought."

Part of this study involved integrating technology into the classroom curriculum across emergent literacy, art, music, science, social studies, and mathematics. Pre- and posttests were administered, including the Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Development and a Behavior Interaction Tool examining children's behavior at the computer. Results showed positive outcomes for young children with a wide range of disabilities when teachers integrated appropriate computer software and established accessible computer centers in the classroom. Children made progress across all developmental areas, including social-emotional, fine motor, communication, cognition, gross motor, and self-help skills.

These advantages are further supported by Haugland (2000), who outlines the ways in which technology helps kindergarten and primary school students, including "improved motor skills, enhanced mathematical thinking, increased creativity, higher scores on tests of critical thinking and problem solving, higher levels of effectance motivation (the belief that they can change or affect their environment), and increased scores on standardized language assessments." Haugland also notes that "computers enhance children's self-concept, and children demonstrate increasing levels of spoken communication and cooperation. Children share leadership roles more frequently and develop positive attitudes toward learning." However, Haugland cautions that for technology to be most effective, computers "must provide concrete experiences, children have free access and control the learning experience, children and teachers learn together, teachers encourage peer tutoring, and teachers use computers to teach powerful ideas."