Examining Teachers’ Beliefs About the Role of Technology in the Elementary Classroom

Although teachers today recognize the importance of integrating technology into their curricula, successful implementation often is hampered by both external (first-order) and internal (second-order) barriers. This study was designed to examine the relationship between first- and second-order barriers to technology implementation by observing and interviewing several teachers within a single school who had achieved varying levels of integration. Although first-order barriers constrained all teachers’ efforts in this school, teachers responded differently to these constraints based at least in part on their beliefs about what constitutes effective classroom practice. Strategies for technology staff development are discussed.