Exploring Technology Use in Middle Level Education: Dialogues on Social Media, Technology-mediated Learning, and Near-peer Mentorship

This collection presents expert commentary on current research in middle level education on the timely topic of technology use in classrooms.

Featuring four recent studies from leading middle level education research journals, this volume furthers critical conversations on questions about technology use in the middle grades. Asking who technology serves, and how does it transform learning opportunities and outcomes, the studies and commentaries explore topics such as the impact of technology on student learning, the social development of youth in digital learning spaces, and the implementation of rapidly developing technologies such as generative AI.

The contributions to this volume generate new lines of inquiry in areas such as technology use and diverse populations, technology implementation, and design-based studies of technology and career exploration. Together, they help to advance the ongoing dialogue about emerging technologies in education, offering both methodological insights and implications for classroom application.

Recommended reading for researchers, doctoral students, and academics in middle level education, educational technology, and research methodology.

David C. Virtue is the Taft B. Botner Distinguished Professor of Middle Grades Education at Western Carolina University.