Date of Award

2026

Type

Dissertation

Major

Doctor of Education

Degree Type

Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction

Department

Teacher Education

First Advisor

Dr. Erinn Bentley

Second Advisor

Dr. Jonathan Bush

Third Advisor

Dr. Ann Klinkenborg

Abstract

This qualitative case study examined secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ perceptions of rapid technology integration and its influence on composition instruction and cognitive load in physical, digital, and hybrid spaces. Grounded in theories of boundary crossing and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, the study conceptualized teachers as both boundary crossers, navigating instructional spaces, and boundary objects, serving as the support tools for their students’ transitions into digital composition. Data were collected from five ELA teachers in a rural school district through surveys, individual interviews, and questionnaires, and analyzed using a two-phase coding process. Findings indicate that teachers perceived technology integration as simultaneously enhancing instructional efficiency and increasing cognitive load, particularly when they served as boundary objects responsible for student pre-training and troubleshooting. Participants reported reduced extraneous cognitive load in grading and feedback through digital tools, which increased instructional efficacy and willingness to assign more writing tasks. However, teachers observed increased cognitive load and “digital fatigue” among students when reading and analyzing digital texts, resulting in poorer comprehension compared to print-based materials. As a result, participants consistently adopted hybrid instructional models that leveraged digital tools for composition and collaboration while maintaining analog approaches for reading and analysis. Persistent challenges related to infrastructure reliability, access, and technology policies prevented the crystallization of stable technology-enhanced practices, reinforcing the need for instructional fluidity rather than fixed models. The study highlights the importance of accounting for teacher cognitive load in frameworks of technology integration and suggests that adaptive, hybrid approaches may better support both teachers and students in evolving instructional environments.

Download

Share

COinS