Digital Leadership for Online and Hybrid Student Engagement: A Duoethnography With Edtech

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Research papers are a pairing of two 18 minute presentations followed by 18 minutes of Discussion led by a Discussant, with remaining time for Q & A.
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Audience:	Coaches, Technology coordinators/facilitators
Attendee devices:	Devices not needed
Topic:	Leadership
Grade level:	PK-12
ISTE Standards:	For Education Leaders: Visionary Planner Share lessons learned, best practices, challenges and the impact of learning with technology with other education leaders who want to learn from this work. Systems Designer Ensure that resources for supporting the effective use of technology for learning are sufficient and scalable to meet future demand. Connected Learner Develop the skills needed to lead and navigate change, advance systems and promote a mindset of continuous improvement for how technology can improve learning.

Proposal summary

Framework

With engagement as the manifested behavior of being motivated, a few technology integration models were considered, due to their attention to behavioral attitudes in technology usage. Davis’ (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) decodes how users come to accept and use technology. The model suggests that when users are presented with a new technology, two major factors influence their decision about how and when they will use it, perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use. There have been two modifications of this model. The first modification (Davis, Bogozzi and Warshaw, 1989) allows for users’ intent to match actual use. The second modification (Venkatesh & Davis, 1996) as shown in Figure 1, found that external variables (i.e., multiplicity of variables from pandemic life) affect both perceived usefulness (i.e., “Can this help re-engage my learners?”) and perceived ease of use (e.g., “On top of every other pandemic balance, can I learn and maintain this systems use?”) and were found to have a direct influence on behavior intention (i.e., engagement), thus improving upon the first modification of TAM and eliminating the need for the attitude construct.

Methods

Methods for the study include a duoethnography between two K12 Education Technology Specialists of their support over the pandemic school year. Rather than framing the study within normative and oppressive discourses, the two EdTech Specialists engaged in a contextual collaboration (Lei, et al., 2004) of their support for student engagement during ERE. During a duoethnography, abilities, knowledge and experiences are recalled and explored in conversation with another (Sawyer & Norris, 2012). The foundational principles of this method are its polyvocal nature, the examination of life history as curriculum, and the intent not to profess but rather to learn from differences (Sawyer & Norris, 2015).

Results

Discussion of results will surface themes which reveal strategies and digital tools adopted for online student engagement. Through dialogic engagement, we discover answers to the research question, “How can technology help facilitate student engagement in online and hybrid environments?” We will also answer four subquestions:
What resources were provided to educators to help pivot to online and hybrid teaching?
What type of leadership was needed to help educators re-engage their school populations in online and hybrid environments?
What strategies assisted most with student engagement?
Which digital tools assisted most in online and hybrid student engagement?

Importance

This study provides research-based and practitioner-focused promising practice techniques and real-world solutions to educators in building and maintaining a positive digital culture.

References

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Presenters

Alvaro Brito, Compton Unified School District

As a 21st Century Learning Specialist, my role is to support students and teachers in the implementation of STEAM initiatives and innovation in the classroom. This position challenges me to assist educators in developing engaging lessons using educational technology tools and shift their pedagogy to student-centered learning. In this role I also have the great opportunity to support our Compton Unified Esports League (CUEL) and FIRST LEGO League Challenge initiatives working alongside talented and amazing coaches & partners who support friendly competition to support our STEAM initiatives.

Dr. Devery Rodgers, California State University, Long Beach

Dr. Dev has been impacting education for over 20 years. She is engaged in a deep and long-term exploration of the application of the tenets, tools, and methods towards performance improvement in education. She is currently serving her community as a professor of Educational Leadership at California State University, Long Beach. Having taught at all levels of education, her experiences build on her goal to promote a quality education for all students.