Supporting Teachers' Technology Implementation Practices Through Peer-to-Peer Coaching: A Mixed Methods Study

The promise of technology integration to increase student learning and acquisition of academic skills is far from realized, as teacher instructional practices do not reflect meaningful learning with technology. Informed by sociocultural and situated learning theories, a mixed methods study was designed for eight general education and two special education middle school teachers with 6 to 25 years of teaching experience. Two teachers represented each of the following disciplines: English language arts, history, mathematics, science, and special education (N = 10). The 8-month study used surveys, teacher reflections, and a focus group to determine whether participation in a peer-to-peer coaching intervention changed teacher self-efficacy, technology perceptions, and technology knowledge and skills. A Wilcoxon signed rank test did not find statistically significant changes in teacher self-efficacy or perceived ease of use, but a statistically significant change was found for perceived usefulness of technology. Qualitative data from teacher reflections and a focus group revealed that technology knowledge and skills improved, which may be attributed to teachers engaging in conversations with peers from other content areas. Participation in a community of learners supported risk-taking and openness to integrating technology into instructional practices. An implication for practice is that teachers should collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to increase understanding of how technology can support student learning. Teachers need time to develop collegial relationships as well as explore, plan, and play with technology. Future studies should consider examining formal and informal peer support structures and their role in providing real-time assistance to teachers