The Relationship Between Teachers' Preparation and Perceived Level of Technology Use in Mathematics With Middle School African American Males

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether African American male students' academic achievement level can be positively impacted by teachers' use of instructional technology. In addition, this study examined teachers' level of preparedness in the use of instructional technology as well as their perceptions regarding their level of use of instructional technology. Finally, this study investigated the relationship between the technological activities and how effective these activities were in teaching mathematics objectives to African American males.

The participants of this study were middle school teachers from six schools in the southwestern portion of the United States. Participants of this study also consisted of the African American male students enrolled in these teachers' classes. The Middle School Students' Mathematics Teacher Survey was developed and administered to a sample of 33 teachers of middle school-aged African American male students.

The results of the study revealed that the level of teachers' preparedness had an influence on the use and implementation of technology use in the classroom. Teachers' preparedness in the use of instructional technology was related to their African American male students' mathematical achievement. Teachers' perceptions of the use of instructional technology was related to their African American male students' mathematics achievement. Results also indicated that teachers' perceptions regarding use of instructional technology were related to their African American male students' mathematics achievement. The level of teachers' preparedness and their perceptions toward the use of instructional technology in the classroom were reliable predictors of their African American male students meeting the standards in mathematics. When analyzing data, inferential statistical techniques were used to determine the differences between observed and expected frequencies.