How art teachers' Internet integration training and confidence levels effect the teachers' perceptions of resulting student performance

Abstract

This study of art teacher perceptions of student educational performance along with art teacher training and confidence levels in relation to Internet integration focused on the following objectives to determine: ! the percentage of art teachers that have received Internet training. ! the percentage of art teachers that have received Internet integration training. ! what percentage of art teachers feel confident in their ability to use Internet technology. ! if integration of the Internet into art classrooms improves teacher satisfaction. ! if art teachers perceive integration of the Internet into art classrooms improves student satisfaction. The surveys were sent to art teachers in the Cooperative Educational Service Agency (C.E.S.A) 10 area of Wisconsin. The teachers consisted of full and part-time educators with teaching levels from kindergarten through grade 12. Participants of the study were given a brief description of the purpose of the questionnaire through an introductory letter. Directions were given to teachers on how to complete the questionnaire and return it using the enclosed self-addressed, stamped envelope. Overall, the survey information showed that Internet training was related to increased positive perceptions of satisfaction levels by C.E.S.A 10 art teachers. Internet training also had a positive impact on teacher confidence levels. The teachers that stated they had received some type of Internet training displayed a higher rate of positive responses than those without training. The survey also showed C.E.S.A. 10 art teachers who were confident in their ability to use the Internet as an instructional tool had higher rates of positive responses in the area of student satisfaction. These teachers also had lower rates of negative responses than those with lower confidence. There was not a positive relationship between how confident teachers perceived student and teacher satisfaction in their classrooms. Many unconfident teachers are still undecided about how they perceived student and teacher satisfaction.