An Examination of the Implementation and Sustainability Practices of Chromebooks

Abstract

The use of technology has permeated both our lives and society. It is nearly impossible to overlook the role that technology plays in our everyday lives. Applying instructional technology in the classroom is a vital facet of enhancing students’ learning. Both independent school sites and school districts have utilized varying types of professional development for their faculty so that faculty can efficiently implement technology in the classroom and ensure that it is both significant and beneficial. Teachers who utilize technology successfully tend to have more effective classrooms and students who are better prepared to succeed.

While most changes in education tend to move slowly: curriculum, standards, certifications, etc. Changes in technology occur quickly. Technology advances and is quickly replaced making it difficult for stakeholders to successfully plan how to properly adapt and adopt new forms of technology that can benefit a classroom before it becomes obsolete. Additionally, teachers can often be an afterthought during any implementation. They frequently do not receive appropriate levels of support and communication leading to a negative culture of change that can stifle the adoption process.

This qualitative case study of a suburban high school utilized a combination of individual teacher interviews with an administrator focus group to examine the implementation process of a Chromebook implementation program. Utilizing the educational change process through the lens of Fullan’s Change Theory, and by examining effective practices, the goal of this study was to inform policy and practice for any technology implementation at the K-12 level with particular emphasis on adoption, outcomes, and sustainability.