TDNet Discover

The purpose of this quantitative study was to emphasize the importance and urgency of examining the relationship between K–12 teachers’ use of educational technology for lesson interactivity and student active learning outcomes in rural elementary schools. The study utilized the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, providing a reliable link between instructional practice and established theoretical models. The framework offered a strong tool for examining the interplay between teacher knowledge domains and student engagement within technology-enhanced instruction. The study addressed the research question concerning whether teachers’ integration of educational technology for interactive purposes was significantly related to active learning outcomes in rural contexts. The research was quantitative, non-experimental, and correlational in design, and secondary data were collected from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) 2019–2020 dataset. The data collection process involved filtering the dataset to refine variables aligned to the research question, focusing on technology use for interactive instruction and student engagement in active learning. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses were applied using IBM SPSS Statistics 29 to evaluate the data. The findings indicated that teacher use of educational technology for lesson interactivity was positively associated with student active learning outcomes, though the correlation was modest in strength. The research emphasized the need for professional development and policy investments that equipped rural teachers with the skills and resources necessary to embed technology effectively in their classrooms. Recommendations for future research included longitudinal and mixed-method designs to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how technology integration impacted active learning over time and across diverse contexts.