Student’s Name: Alexandra Bayne-Greenwood
Dissertation Advisor: Dr. David Wizer
Committee Members: Dr. William Sadera, Dr. Todd Kenriech, and Dr. Scot McNary  

Title of Dissertation: Patterns of Educator Learning Management Systems Use in a Secondary School: A Description of Use and Comparison between Educator Subgroups. 

Date of Defense: 03/28/2017
Time of Defense: 10 a.m.
Location: Hawkins Hall 110  

Abstract: Today, more than ever before, technology is defining the field of education. In fact, technology is growing so quickly that secondary classrooms are finding it difficult to keep up with its rapid changes. Tools such as Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become common in most secondary classrooms, but because of the increase in the quantity of technology flooding the classroom, guidelines have not been set to aid educators in the design and implementation process of technological tools. Furthermore, educators do not know if their educational choices benefit the students. Descriptive research was used to identify the current uses of LMS in secondary classrooms and educator perceptions of their use. Educators were categorized into subgroups by grade level, content area, years of experience, perception of LMS, frequency of use, and course ability levels. Correlational analyses were used to identify associations between educator subgroups and course homework submission and scores. Data was collected for 22 weeks in one middle school. Although LMS are tools used to connect the school environment to home, educator use was found to be associated with time spent in school, not away from it. Grade six educators were the grade level educators who were found to use the LMS most frequently. Mathematics educators were the content area educators who were found to use the LMS most frequently. While there was no correlation between total educator use and course homework submission and scores, content area use, specifically mathematics, displayed LMS use which increased course homework submission and scores. The findings encourage more transparency between educators about classroom technology use. Professional development that is structured, led by educators, held in small groups, and personalized will help educators to use big data in order to design and implement LMS into the secondary classroom.