Hawaiʻi public school principals' level of technology use and the meaningful integration of technology in their school

This study sought to understand the level of Hawaiʻi public school principals' technology use and the way principals meaningfully integrate technology into their school. With technology a part of students' lives in the 21st century, educators should understand, and not give a second thought to, the notion that technology plays an integral role in students' learning (Rivard, 2010). ❧ Many principals in Hawaiʻi lack extensive experience in the area of educational technology. As a result, principals have the overwhelming task of leading and managing their schools through a transformation process for which they lack the necessary skills and knowledge as the school attempts to integrate instructional technology (Thomas, 1999). Principals cannot be expected to wholeheartedly support technology if they themselves lack the requisite understanding necessary for successful use, management, and implementation of such systems (Dawson & Rakes, 2003). ❧ Principals attending a fall conference, which was sponsored by an outside provider to the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, completed a survey focusing on Computer Self‐Efficacy (CSE), Technology Acceptance (TAM), Web Users Self‐Efficacy (WUSE), and the School Technology and Readiness (STaR) Campus Chart assessment. In general, results indicated statistically significant findings for two of the three research questions. Overall, principal levels of computer self‐efficacy, technology acceptance, and web use were found to be statistically significant. Significant correlation was also found between the island a school is located on and CSE and TAM as well as correlation between CSE, TAM, and WUSE and principal's age and the number of years he has been principal at his current school. It was also found that the longer a principal has been at his school and the older the principal is, the lower his score in relation to CSE, TAM, and WUSE. Finally, four of the 21 ANOVAs ran showed strong statistical significance while the others ran the gamut of non‐significance to approaching significance. ❧ Results of the study provide a basis for school principals, complex administrators, and the Department of Education to value the impact of technology understanding and integration. There is, however, a need to further study the issues to add to the current body of knowledge regarding technology leadership, and the ability of school principals to understand computer self‐efficacy, technology acceptance, and web use in order to effectively manage technology on campus.