Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Martin, James T

Titel

Technology Used for Teaching ASL in Higher Education Programs

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The purpose of this research is to explore technology used for teaching American Sign Language (ASL) in higher education programs. To examine this topic, the researcher recruited 12 participants currently teaching ASL in higher education institutions in the United States. The researcher screened participants with a background survey through advertisements on social media and used a qualitative case study guide with six research questions to gather data through open-ended interview questions. Then, the researcher used coding to create themes for the findings. Participants shared how they used various educational technologies, the challenges they experienced, and factors that affect teaching ASL. The researcher identified that the type of technology used depended on the class modality (face-to-face, online, hybrid), the curriculum used, and the cost. How the technology was used was based on content representation, the students’ interactions, assessments, and feedback. How teachers prepared to integrate technology into their classes led to this researcher discovering the need for training and professional development. They rely on colleagues for collaboration and funding from institutions and receive assistance through staffing for educational technology support. The paradigm shifted from face-to-face to online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges encountered were that students were not prepared to use the technology. Some technology obstacles were caused by errors with hardware or software, the choice of media used, or the conversion from 3D (in person) to 2D (on screen). Technology has affected teaching ASL because students can access ASL content 24/7 and consider the diversity of signers through media instead of only one lecturer, which improves inclusiveness. Finally, various students experienced the impact on learning when using the educational technology either positively, if they had the correct equipment, or negatively, if they could not use technology effectively. Teachers need to be aware of and take training to overcome these challenges. There is further research on artificial intelligence and the metaverse that would apply to future research. The researcher has two recommendations: using a fully digital curriculum and improving the training for educational technology.