Does Technology Elicit Desired Behaviors in Emotionally Disturbed Students?: Perceptions of Elementary Educators

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify the perceptions of educators regarding the potential impact of technology as a motivator to elicit desirable behaviors within students that have been identified with an educational diagnosis of emotional disturbance at the elementary school level. A review of the literature focused on key words such as (a) technology, (b) emotional disturbance, and (c) behavior management. The perceptions of educators were collected through the use of an on-line questionnaire, in addition to individual, face-to-face interviews. The study intended to collect the perceptions of classroom teachers to determine whether or not educators who work closely with elementary-aged students with emotional disturbance are more likely to exhibit desirable behaviors at school when the student is aware that access to technology is an option as a reward or even if the technology is available for general use in the classroom. The implications of the study show that the majority of teachers who participated do perceive that technology plays a role in promoting desirable behaviors within their students. Future studies can look at the role specific types of technology play in behavior management. It can be stated that the implications from this study promote the use of technology in emotional support classrooms at the elementary level. Ensuring that teachers have access to technology is an important factor that school districts will want to examine.