TDNet Discover

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether statistically significant differences in perceived student engagement in technology-based instruction existed across teachers’ levels of technology training and technology support, using data from the National Center for Education Statistics 2020 survey, FRSS 110: “Use of Educational Technology for Instruction: 2019–20 Public-Use Data Files and Documentation”. This research is significant because understanding how teacher preparation and support relate to perceived student engagement can inform professional development and instructional decision-making. The sample included educators from approximately 800 nationally representative elementary and secondary schools across varied geographic regions and community types. Data were drawn from an existing public dataset containing standardized survey items related to instructional technology practices, training, and support. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sample, followed by ANOVA to examine differences in perceived student engagement. Results indicated perceived student engagement differed significantly across levels of instructional integration training (p < .001), while no statistically significant differences were found across levels of technology mechanics training or technology support. These findings suggest instructional integration preparedness is more closely associated with perceived student engagement than technical operation skills or support availability alone. The study contributes to the literature by distinguishing between levels of teacher preparedness and emphasizing the role of pedagogically focused technology integration in K–12 classrooms.