Does it help teaching? Instructors’ perceptions of a technology enhanced standards-based educational program

Abstract

Recent accountability movements in the education world gave rise to standards-based curriculum, which provides a teaching and learning environment with high quality instructional materials. An example to such learning environment is Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) program. This study investigates high school teachers’ perceptions and experiences of CCNA program in their classrooms. 357 high school teachers in the United States who teach in the CCNA program completed an online survey measuring their perceptions about standards-based curriculum and testing. The results show that teachers generally accept standards-based curriculum and testing as a teaching tool, spend less time on student feedback and would like to see some features of the curriculum applied to other regular high school subjects such as mathematics and science.