The Impact of Personal Technology On Students

Running head: THE IMPACT OF PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY 1
The Impact of Personal Technology on Students Engagement and Perceptions of Social Studies
Jon Wilson
University of West Georgia

THE IMPACT OF PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY 2
Abstract
The intent of this paper is to examine the impact of personal technology on high school students
engagement in social studies classrooms as well as how the use of personal technology devices
can affect their perception of the social studies content area. Previous research, as well as
resources from other districts, were explored to find possible solutions to the lack of student
engagement and negative perception of social studies. The findings of this research aided in the
development of surveys distributed to students and social studies teachers at Newton High
School in Covington, Georgia. These investigations were constructed to further explore a
possible correlation between the use of personal technology and engagement. Surveys were
designed and distributed among students and social studies teachers at Newton High School.
Additionally, interviews with students and teachers were conducted to gain further insight into
the climate of perception towards social studies and what can be done to improve it. These
studies yielded results worth discussion and analysis which will help educators in their design of
social studies curriculum.

The Impact of Personal Technology on Students Engagement and Perceptions of Social Studies
One of the most shared sentiments held by high school students today is their lack of
interest in their social studies classes. Common complaints from students typically include that
the information is not relevant to their lives and that they will never use it in their future
endeavors. At Newton High School in Covington, Georgia these grumbles are daily issues faced
by teachers as they sculpt their lesson plans and build the curriculum based on the standards set
by the state and school districts. Newton is a Title I school with 73% of the student population
receiving free and reduced lunch. The demographics of the school comprise of 94% African-
American, four percent Caucasian, and the other 2 percent other. With each passing school year,
new forms of technology and digital resources become available which students always seem to
be on the cutting edge. As students have grown increasingly engaged with technology, school
districts such as Newton County have begun to try and find ways for teachers to incorporate
technology into their daily plans in order to bridge the gap that separates students from their
highest learning potential.
Social studies teachers at Newton have seized on the idea of integrating personal
technology into their lessons as a way of bridging the gap of student interest in their content area.
Student engagement in social studies classes at Newton High School has been a concern of the
administration for the last three school years and each year there has been a new area of
emphasis to improve the issues. This study aims to discover how using technology in social
studies classes at Newton High School could improve student engagement in the classroom as
well as shed the negative perception students have of social studies as useless and dull. It is
hypothesized that implementing technology into social studies classroom will improve student
engagement and the perception of the social studies content. Through the use of surveys,
interviews, and research of previously conducted studies, a plan to approach and solve the issue
has been developed and ready to implement in the upcoming school year.
Literature Review
The issue of using technology to enhance student engagement and learning has been a
well-researched topic for the last two decades. As technology in schools have progressed from
large desktop computers in a single computer lab to iPad carts that can be checked out from a
media center by multiple teachers at the same time, students interests and learning methods have
progressed and evolved at the same time. This learning curve for both teachers and students as
to how to handle the ever-increasing presence of technology in the classroom has led to a depth
of research and studies as to how education has been affected by this revolution and the
guidelines that teachers should operate by in this new world of learning.
As technology has gained an increasing role in everyday society, a need has developed to
create guidelines for integrating technology in the classroom as well as establishing effective
methods and assessments in which to incorporate those guidelines. Mason et al. (2000) sought to
establish such guidelines for teachers to build into their lesson plans. These standards included
taking education past previous limits without technology, present new technology in the context
of the social studies content, introduce opportunities for learners to connect technology and the
world, create an environment which encourages students to engage in democracy, as well as help
in the growth of social studies and technology (Mason et al., 2000). The ability for learning to be
pushed beyond the walls of the school has made technology an essential piece of the modern day
social studies classroom with the capability to reach tools such as interactive guides and primary
sources as well as molding teachers into better and more competent educators (Mason et al.
2000). For true engagement to occur between students and social studies content, technology
must take on a greater role in curriculum and take learning beyond the four traditional walls that
contain the school.
While Mason, et al. (2000) raises these points and attempts to set guidelines for
technological integration of social studies, work done by Crocco (2001) provides counterpoints
to balance the benefits previously mentioned. While the argument that technology expands the
classroom and creates a greater sense of community is appealing to many, it is argued that
minority groups are actually hampered by the further integration of technology in the classroom.
Statistically, minority groups do not have the same readily available access to personal
technology as majority groups, resulting in what is known as a digital divide (Crocco, 2001).
However, as funds become more readily available to low-income school districts such as Newton
County through government grants and distribution programs, the divide can shrink as schools
purchase technology for students to use in the classroom and teachers incorporate in their lessons
(Bennett, 2005). Laptops, iPads, and multiple computer labs are beginning to have more of a
presence in schools for students to utilize via the media center. Additionally in her work, Crocco
(2001) argues that instead of building relationships around the world and helping students engage
in the democratic process, technology actually could push students away from engagement in the
local community and deplete the local areas of organizations and undertakings which have been
the fabric of communities such as Newton County. These are certainly troubling issues that must
be considered on the long-term scale when designing social studies curriculum, which has long
been a content known for promoting citizenship and community engagement through its
teachings of civics.
While Croccos points are worth considering and must be weighed heavily as social
studies teachers attempt to increase engagement with students through the use of technology,
Bennet (2005) in her work refines some guidelines to alleviate such issues. In her work, she
makes the case that the use of technology in a social studies classroom can bridge the diversity
gap while giving students from multiple backgrounds power while supporting their diversity
(Bennet, 2005). As previously mentioned, the technology gap between majority and minority
groups exist away from the classroom, but through the use of the growing presence of school
technology resources, the gap shrinks once a student enters their class. Additionally, diverse
groups of learners can have their backgrounds and experiences affirmed through the integration
of technology in social studies as teachers learn how to incorporate various electronic resources
into their curriculum which provides learners of different backgrounds opportunities to engage
different viewpoints and have an open discussion and dialogue (Bennet, 2005). While there are
potential pitfalls of students using technology in their social studies classes on a frequent basis
(Crocco, 2001), Bennet (2005) points out that with proper planning and research, the
incorporation of personal technology into an educational setting can have tremendous
advantages.
Planning and research have always been a part of the social studies curriculum from both
the teachers and students perspective. As programs are developed and new technological
resources considered, it is important that educators do their due diligence in researching the
ideology of these tools. With the increasing popularity of YouTube and other multimedia outlets
which students immerse themselves in, each resources viewpoint must be analyzed to determine
its message and appropriateness for the classroom and how it impacts students. In a piece
written by Rose and Fernlund (1997) for the National Council for the Social Studies, they noted
the importance of understanding the lens through which electronic resources in the classroom
presents information to students and how consistent the message it demonstrates is with the
content taught in the classroom. For technology to be used appropriately in the classroom, it is
important that students be allowed to see and interact with multiple perspectives of the content
and develop their own opinions. However, the message being delivered by these resources does
need to be ultimately rooted in the standards set forth by the state and local school district. As
Rose and Fernlund (1997) point out in their work, one of the advantages of utilizing multimedia
tools developed by companies such as National Geographic and Scholastic is that these firms
often work in conjunction with educators and districts to build their digital resources for
distribution to schools. These tools allow the teacher to use as much of the programs as they
wish while allowing students to explore different perspectives on issues related to the standard
(Rose and Fernlund, 1997). This is another example of how using technology in the classroom
can affirm cultural diversity, as students interact with different worldviews, and engage the
students on a new level as they interact with new resources and build their opinions.
For students to successfully use personal technology in the classroom to interact with
different worldviews and utilize the full benefits of their diversity, they must first grow familiar
with how to use various types of technology in the classroom, a setting in which they may never
have had the opportunity to use these types of resources. As Crowe (2004) points out in her
work, the teacher must model early on in the school year how to use different modes of
technology in various settings in for students to gain familiarity with the resources and
understand how to use them appropriately. Using her personal experience, she explained how
she incorporated technology from the very first day of the school year in her social studies
classroom order to help students become technologically literate. On the first day of the school
year, she checked out laptop carts from the schools media center and used them to guide
students through the course schedule and expectations while modeling for them how to navigate
the classroom site via a projector screen at the front of the room (Crowe, 2004). Additionally,
she allowed them to use one of the schools computer labs to experience working in a different
setting with technology outside of the traditional classroom and take advantage of the resources
the lab had to offer. Throughout the first months of school, Crowe (2004) used multiple
educational settings throughout the school to allow students to interact with different types of
resources. These digital tools include internet research, online tools, engaging WebQuests, and
electronic presentations to help students develop a level of comfort using resources they may
never had used before as well as engaging them in the social studies content in a manner that was
new and exciting for them. Through her study, Crowe (2004) discovered that for students to
engage the content through the use of technology, it was vital for the teacher to model from a
very early point in the school year how to use technology and the different resources available in
digital formats. Through interviewing her students, she found that learners who were not very
comfortable using technology at the beginning of the semester were able to engage with the
social studies content effectively after early modeling by the teacher (Crowe, 2004). According
to a survey conducted by Crowe (2004), just over 90% of her students indicated that the
modeling of technology by the teacher in the classroom allowed them to feel more comfortable
learning and aided them in engaging the content through the use of technology. Additionally, it
was indicated that student engagement increased because of the greater differentiation that
technology allowed during the survey. Students were able to build a multitude of different tasks
and artifacts, such as PowerPoint presentations, WebQuests, and websites, at their choosing
which allowed them to connect with and engage the content in manners they were enthusiastic
about (Crowe, 2004). This piece of research demonstrates through a firsthand experience as well
as survey results how productive technology in social studies can be in increasing student
engagement and perception of the content area.
However, if teachers are going to integrate and model engaging ways to use technology
in their classrooms to help familiarize students with new learning tools, they must first know
how to incorporate resources in a proficient manner which goes beyond traditional learning
methods and is transformative in nature. Swan and Hicks (2007) interviewed three social studies
instructors as to how they use technology in their lessons and how they view its role in
education. Of the three participants, two had been teaching for over a decade while the third was
in her second year in the profession. What Swan and Hicks (2007) found was that the first two
participants, who each had at least a decade more of experience than the third, readily used
technology in their classes and praised the internets usefulness. However, neither one of the
first two teachers integrated their resources in a manner that expanded student learning or carried
the experience beyond what traditional bound books and overheads had provided for decades
prior. Instead of researching primary sources in the library, they searched for them using search
engines on the internet. Rather than using a slide projector or overhead for students to take
notes, they typed them on PowerPoint slides and projected them on the wall. While a physical
component of education was traded in for a digital presentation of material, nothing changed in
the learning process or student engagement with the content. As Swan and Hicks (2007) point
out, this does nothing to transform or empower education as the National Center for the Social
Studies aims for in their mission. This statement falls in line with research conducted by
Whitworth and Berson (2003) which found that teachers are still using computers as an
information distributor instead of helping facilitate learning and discussion. They are modes of
instruction and dissemination of information rather than engaging learning tools (Whitworth &
Berson, 2003).
The third participant in the survey did take a different approach to technology due to her
more in-depth training during her colleges education program. Instead of using the internet
solely for primary source research, she encouraged her students to explore topics online and
engage in WebQuests to gain a deeper understanding of the content while gaining familiarity
with digital resources (Swan and Hicks, 2007). Additionally, instead of using PowerPoint as
only a method of content delivery, the third participant in the study used it as a tool for students
to create artifacts and presentations to share with the rest of the class which helped them to build
their public speaking and communication skills (Swan and Hicks, 2007). Because the third
participant was more familiar and proficient with technology because of her more extensive
training, she was able to incorporate digital resources such as laptops and computer labs into her
lesson more effectively. Her training allowed her students to engage the content in new and
exciting ways (Swan and Hicks, 2007). Proficiency in technology and the ability to align
educational pedagogical beliefs with technology are crucial in the design of lessons that integrate
digital components which allow students to engage in the content like never before (Zhao, Pugh,
Sheldon, & Byers, 2002). As Zhao, Pugh, Sheldon, and Byers (2002) mention in their research,
the ability for teachers to view technology in the classroom as a means to an end rather than the
goal itself allows for teachers to use the resources to their full extent and students to experience
their full benefits. Educators who simply use technology marginally in their classrooms do not
reap the full benefit that can come from effective integration. So for effective modeling to be
done for the student by the teacher, educators must first understand how to incorporate
technology proficiently in a transformative manner that goes beyond replacing physical

components of the classroom such as books and overheads as well as align their beliefs about
education with the benefits of using technology.
To achieve the goal of social studies education becoming transformative, students must
learn how to evaluate the information they gather via technology and understand how to take this
information from different perspectives to shape their ideas and views. According to Crowe
(2006), this is a manner in which learning transformation can take place and students begin to
engage with the democratic process through their social studies classroom and technology. For
the student to be able to evaluate information and consider multiple viewpoints, it must first be
demonstrated by the teacher just as how to use the technology has to be modeled in the
beginning days of the school year. To model this evaluation, Crowe (2006) uses the example of
creating website validity guidelines for students to use as they search the internet. These
guidelines included searching for authorship of the site, potential biases held by the writers,
where the site got its information, and how current the information is (Crowe, 2006). As with
modeling how to use technology, teachers should model how to test the validity of sites early in
the semester as a class. Crowe (2006) suggests that teachers walk students through sites they use
for instruction and model how they tested those sites for validity. Modeling gives students a way
of seeing how to check for validity as well as helping them distinguish between credible and
unsound sources. Once students have been taught to find sufficient resources, they can then be
taught how to synthesize multiple worldviews and begin to develop their point of view as
encouraged by the National Council for the Social Studies (Crowe, 2006). Through interacting
with different outlooks from around the world, which are engaged in through the use of
technology in the classroom, students can start to assess different ideas for themselves and begin
to formulate their beliefs. As Crowe (2006) mentions, this is a significant step in becoming
involved in the political process of democracy in the United States. Helping to foster
involvement in the democratic process is a cornerstone of social studies education.
Previous research regarding the effects of technology on student engagement and
perceptions of social studies detail the possible benefits and pitfalls of digital integration into the
learning environment. It is important to note that teachers must be ardent in their pursuit of
technological proficiency and development of curriculum that utilizes the full benefit of
technology rather than marginalizing it to an information distribution system. Effective use leads
to students engaging in the content in new and exciting ways which leads to the development of
multiple perspectives and engagement in the democratic process. It takes active modeling to
help students reach this point, but the possibilities which can stem from such work are endless.
Method
Participants
Students. Students of Newton High School were an active part of the survey conducted
for this research. Due to school being out for the summer, members of the football team who
were at the school each day were surveyed for their thoughts regarding the use of personal
technology in the classroom. These students were all male and ranged from rising freshmen to
rising seniors. Their ages ranged from 14 years old to 17 years old. Surveys were distributed to
65 students over the course of June and July with additional copies available for students who
misplaced their original. Of the 65 surveys distributed, only 21 were returned for a response rate
of 32.3%. Demographically, responses came 100% from African-American students with an
average age of 16.

Teachers. Social studies teachers at Newton High School were also surveyed to gauge
their temperament towards the student use of technology in their classrooms and how the
incorporate it into their lesson plans. Surveys were distributed to six teachers in the department
with only three returned for a response rate of 50%. The reason only six teachers were surveyed
was due to the large amount of turnover in the department since the end of the 2015-2016 school
year in May. Since the conclusion of the previous school year, eight teachers have left the
faculty and are no longer in contact with the rest of the department. Demographically, these
teachers are all Caucasian, all female, have been teaching on average for five years, and have a
mean age of 28. The researcher withdrew himself from the survey to eliminate any potential
source of bias.
Measures
A ten question anonymous survey was designed for both teachers and students that
contained multiple choice selections as well as short response questions. An example of the
student survey can be found in Appendix A while an example of the teacher survey is found in
Appendix B. Both surveys were designed to gauge the opinions of educators and students alike
about their outlook regarding technology in social studies as well as how it impacts student
engagement. Teachers were asked about their experience and professional development
regarding technology and how they view its role in the classroom. Additionally, they were asked
about what electronic resources they already use in the classroom and what type of feedback they
receive from the students regarding the utilization of the sources. Interviews were attempted
with teachers but due to the high turnover rate and teachers leaving the area for summer
vacation, no interviews were successfully conducted.

Students were surveyed as to their opinions of the social studies content area and how the
opportunity to use technology such as laptops, iPads, and cellphones would impact their view of
the class. In addition to that, students were also asked what electronic resources their teachers
use the most and how engaging those resources are. Interviews were conducted with four
students and their answers registered. Due to the interviewees being minors, their names were
not recorded and instead are identified as students A, B, C, and D.
Procedure
Surveys were created and distributed to teachers and students on June 23, 2016, for the
initial survey window. Student participants took the surveys home, and if given permission by
their parents or legal guardians, they were to return the completed survey as soon as possible. If
a student lost his survey, he was to request a replacement copy from the researcher at any point
between June 23 and the closing window of July 13. Redistribution dates were set for June 27
and June 30, two of the collection window; however no students requested a replacement survey.
65 surveys were distributed to students as they received their lunch after football workouts and
practice. While surveys could be returned anytime between June 23 and July 13, there were
specific collection dates set for June 27, June 30, July 11, and July 13. The reason for the gap
between June 30 and July 11 was due to the state mandated dead week in which student-athletes
were not allowed to be at the school or have contact with their coaches. Interviews were
conducted with students who volunteered during the day of June 30.
Teacher surveys were sent by e-mail to all teachers in the social studies department on the
same date. As mentioned previously, the amount of turnover in the department coupled with
summer break did not allow for a broad response to the teacher survey. Teachers were to
complete the survey in a Microsoft Word Document and respond back electronically. Reminders
and redistributions of the survey were sent out again on July 1 and July 11. Included in the e-
mails and the reminders were the offer to interview any volunteers regarding their thoughts on
technology in the social studies classrooms. Of the three teachers to respond to the survey, none
were available to interview.
Once the survey collection was closed for both students and teachers on July 13, the data
for both sets of participants were analyzed and results recorded (see Appendix C for student
results of the survey and Appendix D for teacher results). Answers to short response were
summarized while multiple choice responses were tallied and averaged to see the most frequent
responses.
Results
At the beginning of the research, it was hypothesized that the use of personal technology
in social studies classrooms would increase student engagement as well as change the often
negative perception of the subject help be learners. As data was collected, multiple choice
selections were tallied to see the distribution of responses across the selections to see the most
frequent choices. Short answer questions were summarized and grouped into areas of
similarities. Due to the limited returns of the survey, the depth and breadth of responses were not
as high as initially hoped.
Among the 21 students who returned the survey, it was found that on average they had a
less than favorable view of the social studies content area. On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1
representing the least interested and 5 being the most interested, the average reply for students in
this study was a 2.1. When asked to identify factors that led to their opinion of the subject
matter, students commonly referred to the perceived tedious nature of the subject area. In an
interview with Student A (personal communication, June 30, 2016), the interviewee indicated
that the reason he knew most of his colleagues found social studies boring was because they did
not see any future value in their lives for the content as it would not help them secure
employment. This response was a common reply on most of the surveys. Additionally, students
indicated that they did not like the typically heavy reading and writing workload associated with
social studies.
Next, students were asked to identify what types of technology they have access to at
home and how using that technology in the classroom could impact their engagement in social
studies. Students were asked to select from some examples of technology and to circle all that
applied. 19 of the 21 students (or 90%) responded that they had access to cellphones while 15
stated they had laptops or desktop computers with internet access at home. 13 students marked
that they have a video game system at their residence while only 5 of the 21 (24%) possessed
iPads or tablets. No student who returned a survey possessed all forms of listed technology. With
Newton High School being a Title I school and 75% of the student population receiving free or
reduced lunch, it was expected that no student would have access to all of the modes of
technology listed. Even less surprising, when asked if being allowed to use a form of personal
technology as listed above in the classroom would cause their interest in social studies to rise, all
21 students responded yes. On a new scale of 1-5 to rank how interested they would be in social
studies if allowed to use technology, the average climbed from 2.1 to 4.2. This jump represents
an increase of 100% interest in the content area based on the use of technology and gathers
support by the data from the next question which asked if students were more interested in
classes which they were allowed to use technology as opposed to regular classroom settings. All
21 students responded that classes which use technology were more interesting than a class that
does not engage students through digital formats.
All of the students who participated in the survey indicated that at some point in one of
their social studies teachers had used some form of technology to help them learn. The most
commonly used resources were laptop carts and the online review quiz game Kahoot. As found
later in the teacher surveys, Kahoot is a favorite tool used to review for quizzes and assessments
in which teachers can build multiple choice timed reviews in which students compete against
each other to earn points. Students B and C (personal communication, June 30, 2016) reported
that Kahoot was extremely popular among the student body because it was competitive in nature
and teachers often awarded prizes (such as candy or extra credit) to students who won during the
class period.
With this level of excitement surrounding technology in the classroom and games such as
Kahoot, it was not surprising that 100% of students who participated in the study reported that
they look forward to class with more enthusiasm when they know resources such as laptops carts
or digital review games are used during class. Student D (personal communication, June 30,
2016) stated in his interview that he makes sure not to skip class (Student D is a chronic class
skipper) when he knows that the teacher will be using laptops or iPads in class. According to the
survey, 17 of the 21 students felt as though they paid more attention to class and had an easier
time recalling material from days in which technology was incorporated into the lesson. These
statistics demonstrate an increased engagement of the content when technology is introduced as
well as a better perception of social studies. However, due to the small sample size and
homogenous demographic of all males (which is not indicative of the school demographics) the
accuracy of these results may be skewed.

In regards to the teacher survey, only three of the six remaining teachers in the
department responded to the questionnaire. While this 50% return rate is higher than the student
return percentage, the massive difference in quantity creates a deceiving rate. The returned
surveys discovered that the social studies teachers at Newton High School deemed themselves as
quite comfortable using technology in the classroom as they all three rated their comfort level as
a 4 out of 5 on the technology scale. When asked to explain what led to the rating they gave, the
teachers responded that they had undergone extensive training through either their undergraduate
and graduate programs or professional development offered by the Newton County School
System. One was even a member of schools technology team which requires frequently
continued learning programs for members so they may assist the rest of their departments in any
issues ranging from computer and equipment matters to electronic grade book issues.
While being comfortable using technology in the classroom is a major issue, the ability to
use it in transformative manners to engage students is another major matter. As was
demonstrated in the review of previous literature, the style in which technology is implemented
has a large impact on student engagement and growth. Some educators use technology only as a
replacement for physical components of a classroom while others use it to help students engage
the world and become involved in society through new and exciting ways. Teachers were asked
in the survey how they view the role of technology in the classroom. Possible answers they
could choose from ranged from options which were simple replacements of physical materials
(like overheads for the distribution of information) to more advanced transformative methods
such as helping students develop different perspective and worldviews. What the results of the
questionnaire found were that Newton social studies teachers use technology in their classrooms
for a multitude of reasons. While they do use digital formats to distribute information that would
otherwise be done with notes, the teachers also all responded that they integrate technology into
their lessons to help facilitate learning, develop well-rounded learners, and aid students in
developing worldviews based off of multiple perspectives.
Additionally, teachers were asked what modes of technology they most often incorporate
in the lessons. The results were in line with the responses received by students asking which
electronic resources teachers use in their classes. Laptops and Kahoot were the top choices for
both teachers and students while resources such as Quizlet, Weebly, and Quizziz were rarely if
ever used. Also in line with the student results regarding enthusiasm for class periods with
technology, teachers noted an increase in student engagement and excitement on days that they
had planned on using technology. Finally, the survey also yielded that student achievement
increased on assessments for units in which technology was incorporated into the lesson plans.
Discussion
After analyzing the results of the survey, it appears as though the hypothesis that student
use of technology would bolster engagement and the perception of social studies is supported.
However, due to the small sample size, this cannot be accurately determined for the entire
school. Newton High School is a setting of approximately 2500 students and well over 100
teachers. When at full staff, the social studies department contains 14 teachers of varying levels
of experience and education. With only 21 students participating in the study (all of whom were
male) and just three teachers providing responses, the data produced by this study is just a small
snapshot of a gigantic painting. In the future, implementation of a survey of this nature would be
much more effective if done during the school year when the setting would be at full capacity
with all of the students in class and an entire staff hired. Additionally, if the study were to be
conducted during the school year, more interviews could be conducted to allow for follow-up
and clarification. Observations could also be done to see the implementation of technology in
practice and student engagement in different settings with and without technology.
While the sample sizes were small and only provided a snapshot of the school and social
studies department, useful information was gathered that should be considered in the design of
curriculum and lesson plans. One striking observation is the similarity in teacher and student
responses regarding student engagement on days which technology is implemented in the
classroom. Both groups observed a raised level of enthusiasm and engagement in the classroom
when teachers provided opportunities to use digital sources. Students noted they were less likely
to miss classes that used technology and teachers stated that student achievement increased with
the incorporation of technology. One example of this is the use of the internet-based quiz game
Kahoot. All three teachers who responded to the questionnaire indicated that they used Kahoot
in their classrooms. These results match the student survey where 100% of participants indicated
that one of their social studies teachers had implemented the game at some point in time.
Furthermore, interviews conducted with students indicated that Kahoot is a popular choice for
the student body and that the competitive nature of the game enhances their learning experience.
While the data was not a significant enough sample size to draw definitive conclusions, it
does support results gathered from previous researches and studies on similar topics and provides
a glimpse into how technology can be used to better a students learning experience in high
school. Through new avenues and windows that digital resources such as the internet and
WebQuests provide, students can begin engaging the world from their classroom and develop
new perspectives on topics from around the world. This in turn can help them engage in the
democratic process, allowing them to take on new roles in society and be effective members of
their community. The transformative experience that technology in social studies can allow
helps students and teachers to develop the next generation of leaders for their city, state, and
country.
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https://www.learner.org/workshops/socialstudies/pdf/session5/5.UsingTechnologyLearni
ng.pdf
Swan, K. & Hicks, D. (2007). Through the democratic lens: The role of purpose in leveraging
technology to support historical inquiry in the social studies classroom. International
Journal of Social Education, 21 (2). Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ782146.pdf
Whitworth, S. A., & Berson, M. J. (2003). Computer technology in the social studies: An
examination of the effectiveness literature (1996-2001). Contemporary Issues in
Technology and Teacher Education, 2 (4). Retrieved from
http://www.citejournal.org/volume-2/issue-4-02/social-studies/computer-technology-in-
the-social-studies-an-examination-of-the-effectiveness-literature-1996-2001
Zhao, Y., Pugh, K., Sheldon, S., & Byers, J.L. (2002). Conditions for classroom technology
innovations. Teachers College Record, 104 (3). Retrieved from
http://crcsalon.pbworks.com/f/Conditions+for+Classroom+Technology+Innovations.pdf
LiveBinder Link: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=2025684&present=true
Appendix A
Student Survey
1. Age/Race:
2. Grade (2016-2017):
3. On the scale below, please circle your interest level in social studies classes with 1 being the
least interested and 5 being the most interested.
1 2 3 4 5
Least Somewhat Interested Most
4. What factors led to your selection?
5. What forms of technology do you have available to your house? (Circle all that apply)
-Cellphone -iPad/tablet
-Computer/laptop -Video game system
-Internet access
6. Would being able to use personal technology (as listed above) in your social studies class
cause you to change your rating of social studies on the line in question #3? If so, how?
Yes/No
Explain:
7. Are you more interested in classes which you are allowed to use technology? Yes/No
8. Below are some examples of electronic resources used by teachers. Please circle all that you
have used in class.
-iPad carts -Kahoot -ProProfs -Prezi
-Laptops -Quizlet -Quizizz -Weebly
9. On days you know that you will be using a form of technology (like listed in question #8) does
it change your perception of the class that day? In other words, do you look forward to the class
more than you typically would?
10. Does the use of technology help you pay attention in class and remember information you
may otherwise not recall through traditional methods such as notetaking? Why do you feel this is
the case?
Yes/No
Appendix B
Teacher Survey
1. Age:
2. Gender/Race:
3. Years experienced:
4. On a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the least and 5 being the most, how comfortable are you using
technology in the classroom?
1 2 3 4 5
Least Somewhat Most
5. Can you please explain why you gave the answer you did for question #4?
6. Which of the following do you see as the role of technology in your classroom? Circle all that
apply.
-Distribution of information -Research tool
-Facilitate learning -Help students develop perspective and worldviews
-Engage the democratic process -Develop well rounded learners
-Help review material -Introduce students to new ideas and ways of learning
7. Over the course of a school year, how often do you participate in professional development
regarding the use of technology in the classroom?
8. What type of technology do you try to incorporate into your classroom on a regular basis?
Circle all that apply.
-Laptops -Kahoot -ProProfs -Prezi
-iPads -Quizlet -Quizziz -Weebly
9. Do you notice a change in student engagement or enthusiasm on days you incorporate
technology? Yes/No
10. Do you notice a change in student achievement when you incorporate technology in your
lesson plans? Yes/No
Appendix C
Student Survey
1. Age/Race: 16/African-American
2. Grade (2016-2017): 10
3. On the scale below, please circle your interest level in social studies classes with 1 being the
least interested and 5 being the most interested. Average-2.1
1 2 3 4 5
Least Somewhat Interested Most
4. What factors led to your selection?

Common responses:
-Boring subject -No need to learn about the past
-Dont like notes -Dead people do not affect my future
-Wont need it late in life -Cant help me earn money
5. What forms of technology do you have available to your house? (Circle all that apply)
-Cellphone (19) -iPad/tablet (5)
-Computer/laptop (15) -Video game system (13)
-Internet access (15)
6. Would being able to use personal technology (as listed above) in your social studies class
cause you to change your rating of social studies on the line in question #3? If so, how?
Yes/No Yes: 21 No: 0 New Average-4.2
Explain:
Common responses:
-I like getting to use computers and the internet in class
-We can do more interactive things with computer and the internet
-There are a lot of resources online that I cant access anywhere else
-We can play review games with iPads and laptops
-Anything is better than taking notes

7. Are you more interested in classes which you are allowed to use technology? Yes/No
Yes-21 No-0
8. Below are some examples of electronic resources used by teachers. Please circle all that you
have used in class.
-iPad carts (15) -Kahoot (21) -ProProfs (0) -Prezi (9)
-Laptops (21) -Quizlet (12) -Quizizz (2) -Weebly (0)
9. On days you know that you will be using a form of technology (like listed in question #8) does
it change your perception of the class that day? In other words, do you look forward to the class
more than you typically would?
Yes-21 No-0
Common Responses:
-I dont get to use computers or the internet at home so if I know I get to use it at school I
wont miss that day.
-The technology teachers use is more interactive than regular notes-I can do stuff with the
computer
-Its a lot more fun than when we have regular class
-I think the teacher uses it as a reward
10. Does the use of technology help you pay attention in class and remember information you
may otherwise not recall through traditional methods such as notetaking? Why do you feel this is
the case?
Yes/No Yes-17 No-4
Common yes responses:
-Its new and exciting so anything we do with technology Im going to remember
-Im more likely to go back and look at things we did on the computer than read my
notes. I can just e-mail it to myself
-Its not as boring as taking notes
Common no responses:
-Its no big deal to me to use a computer
-I remember better by writing. It helps me learn

-Im not very good using a computer so it is easier for me to write.
-I dont know, it just doesnt help as much.
Appendix D
Teacher Survey
1. Age: 28
2. Gender/Race: Female/Caucasian
3. Years experienced: 5
4. On a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the least and 5 being the most, how comfortable are you using
technology in the classroom?
1 2 3 4X 5
Least Somewhat Most
5. Can you please explain why you gave the answer you did for question #4?
-I went through extensive technology training in my undergrad program
-I am on the technology team here at NHS
-I have always been interested in technology and am always trying out the latest ideas
6. Which of the following do you see as the role of technology in your classroom? Circle all that
apply.
-Distribution of information (3) -Research tool (3)
-Facilitate learning (3) -Help students develop perspective and worldviews (3)
-Engage the democratic process (1) -Develop well rounded learners (3)
-Help review material (3) -Introduce students to new ideas and ways of learning (3)
7. Over the course of a school year, how often do you participate in professional development
regarding the use of technology in the classroom?
-Whenever it is offered by the school
-I attend mandatory meetings every month as a member of the tech team
-Once or twice a year. Typically whenever I can
8. What type of technology do you try to incorporate into your classroom on a regular basis?
Circle all that apply.
-Laptops (3) -Kahoot (3) -ProProfs (0) -Prezi (2)

-iPads (3) -Quizlet (1) -Quizziz (0) -Weebly (0)
9. Do you notice a change in student engagement or enthusiasm on days you incorporate
technology? Yes/No Yes-3 No-0
10. Do you notice a change in student achievement when you incorporate technology in your
lesson plans? Yes/No Yes-3 No-0

The Impact of Personal Technology On Students

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The Impact of Personal Technology On Students

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Running head: THE IMPACT OF PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY 1

University of West Georgia

School in Covington, Georgia. These investigations were constructed to further explore a

social studies curriculum.

highest learning potential.

guidelines that teachers should operate by in this new world of learning.

contain the school.

incorporation of personal technology into an educational setting can have tremendous

engagement and perception of the content area.

technology proficiently in a transformative manner that goes beyond replacing physical

education with the benefits of using technology.

involvement in the democratic process is a cornerstone of social studies education.

Previous research regarding the effects of technology on student engagement and

of 32.3%. Demographically, responses came 100% from African-American students with an

average age of 16.

vacation, no interviews were successfully conducted.

not recorded and instead are identified as students A, B, C, and D.

were available to interview.

as high as initially hoped.

does not engage students through digital formats.

statistics demonstrate an increased engagement of the content when technology is introduced as

accuracy of these results may be skewed.

use it in transformative manners to engage students is another major matter. As was

developing worldviews based off of multiple perspectives.

responses regarding student engagement on days which technology is implemented in the

4. What factors led to your selection?

4. What factors led to your selection?

-Anything is better than taking notes

-I remember better by writing. It helps me learn

-Laptops (3) -Kahoot (3) -ProProfs (0) -Prezi (2)

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