The relationship between student engagement, teacher proficiency, and technology

Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to see if there are any connections between student engagement and teacher proficiency when digital technology is being used in the elementary classroom. In order to determine if such a connection does exist, scholarly articles were reviewed and an online survey of students in the Bachelor of Education Program was conducted. Through scholarly review, it was determined that there is a direct connection between the proficiency of the teacher using the digital technology and the engagement of the students in the learning activity. If the teacher is highly proficient, then students are more likely to be engaged in the lesson. Through the online survey, teacher candidates answered questions about their own proficiency levels with specific digital technologies. From the findings of this project, it can be concluded that teacher proficiency is very important when it comes to engaging students through the use of digital technologies in the classroom. Professional development in this area would be useful for both teacher candidates and practicing teachers, as the use of digital technology in the elementary classroom is increasing.