Secondary School Teachers’ and Principals’ Perceptions of Online Learning to Support Instruction and Student Learning in an Urban School District in New York State

This study investigated secondary school teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of online learning (OL) to support instruction and student learning in an urban school district in New York State The literature is replete with examples that demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of online learning in comparison to high-quality, face-to-face instruction (Watson, 2008). However, in the absence of statewide policy and legislation as an incentive to adopt online learning, the researcher determined that it was important to identify and examine secondary school teachers’ and principals’ perceptions relating to the use of this technology and their motivations to adopt it to support instruction and student learning at the local school district level. To investigate these phenomenon, data were collected from secondary school teachers and principals in a mid-sized, urban upstate New York school district using a self-administered, Web-based, 28-item questionnaire. The study found that most secondary school teachers and principals in this urban school district in New York State perceive the potential of OL to expand teaching and learning opportunities for their students and themselves