Seesaw That! Special Education Teachers' Thoughts About Flexible Digital Tools

Seesaw That! Special Education Teachers' Thoughts About Flexible
Digital Tools
Sue Anderson, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, s.anderson@tcu.edu

Session Description: Learn how elementary special education teachers used Seesaw for active
learning, formative assessment and school-home communication. This study of five teachers
reveals how they developed and used knowledge (TPACK) and adaptive reasoning when
implementing flexible technology tools to meet students' needs before and during the
pandemic.

Keywords: Special education, formative assessment, school-home communication, TPACK,
reasoning

Purpose
When a technology is new or emerging, teachers often spend an extensive amount of time and
effort learning about and thinking about how to use it. Thus, developing technological
pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and reasoning for using that technology is important
for successful implementation. This study sought to trace the development of five elementary
special education teachers’ knowledge and reasoning as they learned to use Seesaw
(app.seesaw.me) and implemented it in their classrooms before and during the COVID-19
pandemic. The purpose of the current study was to determine how the elementary special
education teachers’ developing knowledge of a flexible digital tool was reflected in the
decisions they made while planning for and using that tool instructionally over time. In addition,
it investigated the teachers‘ reasoning with regard to using Seesaw along with other digital
tools to support online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the
research sought to provide varied examples of creative and effective uses of Seesaw to support
the in-person and virtual learning of students with high-incidence disabilities. Understanding
how the teachers' knowledge developed and then shaped their reasoning regarding the use of a
particular digital tool can help inform professional development efforts to promote the
integration of flexible technologies like Seesaw in special education contexts.

Background Information
Flexible digital tools such as Seesaw can support differentiated instruction, provide multiple
modalities for representing content, increase student engagement in learning activities, and
provide data to monitor progress toward learning goals in special education settings. Seesaw is
a web-based tool (with an app for mobile devices) that allows teachers to develop engaging
digital activities that allow students to easily create and share photos, drawings, text, audio
recordings, videos, and links. Seesaw provides a way for students to easily share digital work,
thus building a bridge from school to home as well as a platform for digital portfolios
(Moorhouse, 2019). According to surveys conducted by Seesaw (n.d.), educators agreed that
the tool helped to engage students in learning and to assess progress over time. Teachers in K-2

classrooms have used Seesaw appropriately and efficiently to collect formative assessment
data (Harvey, 2019). Parents also valued using Seesaw to view and comment on their childrens’
work (Willis & Exley, 2018). Elementary language arts teachers have used Seesaw to increase
students’ interest and motivation in reading, make students’ learning process more visible, and
engage families in students’ learning (Buchholz & Riley, 2020; Rou & Yunus, 2020). Educators
have also used Seesaw to provide high-quality video-based math problem solving instruction in
a virtual special education setting during the pandemic (Cox, Root, & Gilley, 2021).

The current study builds on previous research that investigated elementary and/or special
education teachers' knowledge and reasoning processes (Anderson & Putman 2019; Boschman,
McKenny, & Voogt, 2014; Ciampa, 2017; Courduff, Szapkiw, & Wendt, 2016; Heitink, Voogt,
Fisser, Verplanken, & van Braak, 2017). To learn to use a new technology effectively, teachers
not only need to know about and be able to use the digital tool but must also combine that
technological knowledge with their pedagogical and content knowledge (Koehler, Mishra, &
Cain, 2013). This combined knowledge, known as TPACK, provides the basis for teachers'
choices and actions, allowing them to effectively use technology to promote learning in specific
content areas using applicable instructional strategies (Brantley-Dias & Ertmer, 2013; Niess,
2011; Shulman, 1987). Successful teachers monitor the effectiveness of technology-enhanced
learning activities and use their observations to plan future lessons (Kennedy & Deshler, 2010;
King-Sears & Evmenova, 2007). By reflecting on technology-integration experiences, teachers
may further develop related knowledge and reasoning capacity (Shulman, 1987).

Method

Participants
Five female elementary special education teachers at a private laboratory school for students
with high-incidence disabilities volunteered to participate in the study. (We assigned
participants the pseudonyms: Jane, Laura, Nancy, Ranae, and Zoe.) Their teaching experience
ranged from 1-46 years, with an average of 19 years. Four of the teachers had master’s degrees
and one was working on a master’s degree. Their degrees included elementary education,
special education, educational diagnostician, studio art, and learning technologies. The
participants were introduced to the Seesaw program in the summer of 2019 and they used it
during the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020 for in-person and then remote learning during the
Covid-19 pandemic.

Context
The laboratory school is located on the campus of a private university in Texas. The school
provided a high-quality educational program for young children with learning differences and
academic difficulties. The school served 53 students (about half boys and half girls), ranging in
age from 6-13. The school assigned students to one of six grade levels according to their
academic strengths and challenges. Most of the students exhibited characteristics of attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, communication disorders, and/or autism.

The school was well-equipped with technology, with all academic classrooms having an
interactive white board, projector, computer for the teacher, plus three desktop computers for
student use. The art/technology teacher had 12 desktop computers and a large TV monitor
connected to an Apple TV. All students had their own iPad. Prior to the pandemic, the iPads
stayed at school, but the students took their iPads home for remote learning after the
pandemic started. In addition to Seesaw, the teachers and students used comprehensive
programs such as Lexia (www.lexialearning.com) and Mathletics (www.mathletics.com) as well
as variety of apps and websites. Parents could access Seesaw to view and comment on their
child’s work. During the pandemic, the school used Zoom and other forms of communication
(e.g., phone, text message, email) for instruction, interaction, and meetings.

Data Collection
The researcher interviewed each participant three times: once at the beginning of the school
year to collect preliminary information and twice during the 2019-2020 academic year. The first
two interviews occurred in the classroom in the fall 2019 semester and the last interview
occurred on Zoom at the end of the school year, during the pandemic. The second interview
took place within six hours of an observation of a lesson in which the teacher and students used
Seesaw. The researcher used a small digital video camera to record the observation and a
digital audio recorder to capture the first two interviews, which were then transcribed by a
professional transcription service. The researcher, by necessity, conducted and recorded the
third interview via Zoom at the end of the 2020 spring semester and then edited the
automatically-generated transcript for accuracy. Since observations were not possible due to
COVID-19, the researcher selected 3-5 digital artifacts from the students’ Seesaw journals
instead. During the interviews, the researcher questioned the teachers about their knowledge
and reasoning related to planning, conducting, and evaluating the activities associated with
each observation or artifact.

Data Analysis
The researcher used qualitative thematic analysis techniques to identify patterns and themes in
the interview transcripts. She analyzed the interview transcripts and used video recordings,
artifacts, field notes, and research journals for data triangulation. First the researcher and two
graduate students used Dedoose (www.dedoose.com) to segment and code the data. They
started off using codes from previous studies and then generated new codes, as needed. The
researcher created and maintained a coding guide. She reviewed code definitions, noted
disagreements in codes assigned, and discussed them with the graduate students until reaching
consensus. The researcher also coded some transcripts on her own and corrected codes
assigned by the graduate students. Finally, the researcher exported coded excerpts to an Excel
spreadsheet to sort and select them by various coding categories.

Results
Seesaw Uses
Most of the teachers initially felt confident and enthusiastic about using Seesaw and found it to
be reliable and easy to use. They used it regularly, at least once a week and often daily. Some of
the teachers used Seesaw more extensively and in a greater variety of ways than others. Ranae
used the program sparingly, while others used various activities in the Seesaw library or made
up their own Seesaw activities. The variability in the way that teachers and their students used
Seesaw reflects the flexibility of the program as well as differences among the participants.
Table 1 shows some examples of students’ work on Seesaw.

Table 1. Examples of Students’ Work on Seesaw

 Nancy’s students summarized an article and wrote 3   Laura circled spelling errors on a photo of a
 questions to ask classmates. Then they answered      worksheet and then scheduled a Zoom meeting with
 each other’s questions on Zoom.                      the student to provide individualized instruction.

 When reading Charlotte’s Web, Zoe’s students did a   After observing the natural world around them,
 Seesaw Activity in which they selected a character   Jane’s students created an imaginary species using
 from the book and labled it with adjectives.         inspiration from their observations.

Active Learning and Engagement. As shown in Table 1, using Seesaw allowed students to
complete engaging activities, providing them with several ways to express their knowledge.
They could type, draw, take a photo, insert images, and/or record audio or video. Ranae
emphasized the importance of active engagement saying, “I need their interest. If they’re not
engaged, forget it… They’re very engaged in [Seesaw]. They’re very excited to post.” Seesaw
enabled students to work in their preferred mode. For example, Zoe compared using Seesaw to

worksheets: “you’re using so many other skill assets besides a pencil to a worksheet… you’re
drawing things, you’re recording… I think the kids feel more proud of something they do on a
computer.” Several teachers appreciated the way that Seesaw fostered students’ independence
and provided opportunities for reflection. Jane provided instructions on Seesaw for art projects,
leaving them open-ended enough that students could make something that they liked, while
still staying within the boundaries of the project. Students posted pictures of their final
projects and reflected on how well they met the assignment criteria.

Formative Assessment. The Seesaw activities shown in Table 1 also illustrate how Seesaw
provided a way to keep track of students’ performance over time, giving teachers and parents
more insight into students’ progress. Seesaw also gave students an opportunity to reflect on
their work, self-assess their progress, and receive timely feedback from teachers and parents.
Laura and Zoe used Seesaw for periodic reading assessments. The students read a list of words
or a passage using the recording feature on Seesaw, and then the teacher would listen to and
evaluate it. Not only could the teachers document students’ progress, but they also could also
save time, since even the youngest students could record independently. Laura stated, “I sit
down in my free time at the end of the day, and I listen to it and I write down any mistakes that
they have.” Then she used that information to make new reading lists that provided students
with more practice on the words that they had missed.

School-Home Communication. Teachers especially appreciated how Seesaw could be used to
share students’ work and communicate their progress with parents. As Jane stated, “I think that
[in] my class before, it was really hard to communicate what we were doing to parents. But
now that they can see what we're doing on a regular basis… the parents are responding a lot
more to what's going on.” The parents enjoyed seeing their students’ work on Seesaw and the
students liked it when their parents commented on their work. When parents could see their
children’s’ struggles, they sometimes took the initiative to work on the skill at home. Seesaw
kept students work in one place and eliminated the problem of losing work done on paper
when transporting items between school and home. However, during the pandemic, the
parents and teachers found that communicating via Seesaw was difficult and sometimes
frustrating. Therefore, they used other means of communication, such as emails, texts, and
phone calls. Most teachers, however, did use Seesaw to post and receive assignments, assess
students’ work, and provide feedback.

Knowledge Development
The teachers relied on a variety of sources to learn about Seesaw, including a workshop at the
beginning of the year, online support information on the Seesaw website, the Seesaw activity
library, and help from their colleagues. Teachers often experimented with or practiced using
Seesaw before using it with their students. During the pandemic, the teachers also learned to
use Zoom for meetings, whole class synchronous instruction, individual tutorials, and parent
conferences. They met together via Zoom each morning and also held a Zoom meeting for
parents so that they could learn to navigate Seesaw. Jane served as a primary source of
immediate technology help within the school and was described by another participant as a

“godsend.” During the pandemic, she established a “tech corner” on Seesaw for posting how-to
videos and other helpful technology information for teachers, parents, and students.

Table 2 shows examples of different types of technology-related teacher knowledge specified in
the TPACK framework (www.tpack.org). Teachers used their knowledge of Seesaw and other
technologies when selecting digital tools for particular tasks. For example, Jane used her
technology knowledge (TK) when deciding to use Seesaw rather than Google Drive for storing
and sharing work, since it would easily allow students and parents to see progress over time
and eventually could be used to create digital portfolios. When selecting activities from the
Seesaw library, Laura drew on technological content knowledge (TCK) to match the activities
with skills that students needed to practice. Observing that not all her students responded well
to certain types of Seesaw activities, Zoe used her technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK)
when deciding to provide them with choices of several different activities. Finally, Nancy
demonstrated TPACK by choosing to use Seesaw spontaneously to support learning of specific
content. By creating a video of an experiment, her students were able to not only show their
parents what they did at school but could also refer back to it if they needed a review.

Table 2. Definitions and Examples of Technology-Related TPACK
 Domain and Definition                       Example Quote

 Technology Knowledge (TK): Ability to       “I could have put it in Google Drive, but
 use technology for various purposes,        number one, I want the parents to see it, and
 adapt to changes in technology,and          number two, I want to keep it in one localized
 recognize when it can help or impede        spot that they'll maintain going from year to
 attainment of learning goals.               year.” (Jane)
 Technological Content Knowledge            “Wherever I see a hole when I’m doing
 (TCK): Comprehending how content           assessments or when we’re on large carpet and
 and technology relate to each other,       they keep getting [something] wrong, I go back
 including the ability to identify and      through and I look for [Seesaw] activities on
 match technology tools to subject-         this.” (Laura)
 related learning outcomes.
 Technological Pedagogical Knowledge         “So I think a couple of Seesaw activities I’ve
 (TPK): Understanding how to use             been like that’s been kind of a fail for some, so
 technology in conjunction with generally    that’s why I like to give the options, and I want
 applicable teaching and classroom           to give more options in the future just so I can
 management strategies that could be         avoid that.” (Zoe)
 used across content areas.

Technological Pedagogical Content           “You don’t really have to do a lesson with
 Knowledge (TPACK): Combining                Seesaw in mind. You can just pull Seesaw into
 knowledge from multiple subdomains to       your lesson at any point. If we’re doing an
 effectively integrate technology while      experiment on variables, and we just did a test
 guiding students to increase specific       with pendulums, then I can say, now, take your
 content knowledge and skills using          iPad out and take a video of you doing that
 appropriate pedagogical approaches.         experiment, and let’s put it on Seesaw.” (Nancy)

When the pandemic started, the teachers used TPACK, including their prior knowledge of
Seesaw and other technologies, to adapt to the remote-learning situation. As they began
teaching from home, they developed new knowledge of how to use Seesaw and other
technologies. Although some teachers experimented with new tools that temporarily became
free during the beginning of the pandemic, familiarity was an important technology-selection
criterion during the pandemic. While Ranae’s use of Seesaw was limited before and during the
pandemic, other teachers used Seesaw for a greater variety of tasks, along with other familiar
digital tools and some new ones.

Decision-Making and Reasoning
The teachers made planning decisions and spontaneous in-the-moment decisions related to
using Seesaw based upon a variety of information sources including their knowledge of Seesaw
and other technologies, the curriculum, instructional objectives, pedagogical strategies, student
characteristics, student behavior and work, and feedback from students and their parents. The
pandemic required flexibility and provided an opportunity to observe how the teachers used
their knowledge and reasoning processes in light of changing circumstances and challenges.

When instruction shifted to the virtual realm, the teachers adapted their use of Seesaw to the
situation. For example, prior to the pandemic, most teachers used Seesaw as a way of sharing
students’ work with parents. However, during the pandemic, when students were learning from
home, the parents were aware of what their students were doing, so Seesaw became a way for
students to share their work with teachers, rather than with their parents. Seesaw also
provided a means for teachers to post schedules, Zoom links, assignments, and instructions for
the students and their parents to use. Teachers adapted in-person lessons to the online
context. For example, instead of acting out commercials, Nancy’s students created and posted a
virtual billboard on Seesaw to advertise one of the 13 colonies they had studied, thus
accomplishing the goal of the activity, but changing the format.

Teachers used Seesaw when it worked well for a particular task, sometimes using it as
substitute for or enhancement of a task done previously by other means. For example, prior to
the pandemic, Ranae had students take pictures of their math fact quizzes so that their parents
could see them rather than sending home the quizzes for the parents to sign. As the teachers
implemented Seesaw for various purposes, they evaluated how well it worked (or didn’t) and
made decisions about whether to carry on with, modify, or discontinue using Seesaw in that
manner. For example, during the pandemic, Ranae discovered that while Seesaw was a good

place to post information, it wasn’t intended for distance learning, didn’t suit her way of
teaching, and was also confusing for parents. Instead, she assigned Mathletics
(www.mathletics.com) activities and then delivered group lessons via Zoom, using her iPad and
the Notability app (www.gingerlabs.com) as a virtual whiteboard. Other teachers posted videos,
instructions, and activities on Seesaw and used its journal feature to allow students to submit
work and reflect upon their learning. Nancy and Laura both used feedback from students
and/or parents to make modifications to the videos they posted on Seesaw, deciding to shorten
the length or change the format of the videos to better maintain students’ attention.

Discussion
This study provides insight into elementary special education teachers’ knowledge, reasoning,
and action when planning for and implementing flexible and multimodal tools such as Seesaw.
Overall, Seesaw was an effective digital tool for a special education setting and as its name
suggests, was a useful way to convey digital information “back and forth” before and during the
pandemic. However, Seesaw alone was not sufficient for communication during the pandemic.
Teachers used multiple, and sometimes redundant means of communication, to exchange
information with students and their parents. In addition, they conducted live lessons, tutorials,
and meetings via Zoom.

Understanding the thoughts and actions of elementary special education teachers regarding
technology integration will help educators, technology coaches, and leaders better develop,
provide, and engage in effective professional development that enhances teachers’ ability to
use technology to support active learning and engagement, formatively assess students’
progress, and enhance home-school communication in special education settings. Such efforts
should go beyond showing educators how to use a particular technology; teachers need to
know how, when, and why to use digital tools and should be able to reason through and reflect
on how specific technologies can support pedagogical strategies in elementary special
education and inclusive settings (Heitink et al., 2017).

References
Anderson, S. E., & Putman, R. S. (2019). Special education teachers’ experience, confidence,
beliefs, and knowledge about integrating technology. Journal of Special Education Technology.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0162643419836409

Boschman, F., McKenney, S., & Voogt, J. (2014). Understanding decision making in teachers’
curriculum design approaches. Educational Technology Research and Development, 62(4), 393-
416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s 11423-014-9341-x

Brantley-Dias, L., & Ertmer, P. A. (2013). Goldilocks and TPACK: Is the construct “just right?”
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 46(2), 103-127
https://www.iste.org/resources/Product?ID=2973

Buchholz, B. A., & Riley, S. (2020). Mobile documentation: Making the learning process visible
to families. The Reading Teacher, 74(1), 59–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1908

Ciampa, K. (2017). Building bridges between technology and content literacy in special
education: Lessons learned from special educators’ use of integrated technology and perceived
benefits for students. Literacy Research and Instruction, 56(2), 85-113.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19388071.2017.1280863

Courduff, J., Szapkiw, S., & Wendt, J. L. (2016). Grounded in what works: Exemplary practice in
special education teachers’ technology integration. Journal of Special Education Technology,
31(1), 26-38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162643416633333

Cox, S. K., Root, J. R., & Gilley, D. (2021). Let’s see that again: Using instructional
videos to support asynchronous mathematical problem solving instruction for students with
autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Special Education Technology, 36(2) 97-104.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0162643421996327

Harvey, T. (2019). Seesaw, iPads and formative assessment in K-2 classrooms. Paper presented
at ISTE 2019, Philadelphia, PA. https://conference.iste.org/2019/program/search/
detail_session.php?id=112113249

Heitink, M., Voogt, J., Fisser, P., Verplanken, L., & van Braak, J. (2017). Eliciting teachers’
technological pedagogical knowledge. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 33(3),
96-109. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.350

Kennedy, M. J., & Deshler, D. D. (2010). Literacy instruction, technology, and students with
learning disabilities: Research we have, research we need. Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 33,
289-298. https://doi.org/10.1177/073194871003300406

King-Sears, M. E., & Evmenova, A. S. (2007). Premises, principles, and processes for integrating
TECHnology into instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40, 6–14.
https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990704000101

Koehler, M. J., Mishra, P., & Cain, W. (2013). What is technological pedagogical content
knowledge? Journal of Education, 193(3), 13-19. Retrieved from
http://www.bu.edu/journalofeducation/files/2014/02/BUJoE.193.3.Koehleretal.pdf

Moorhouse, B. L. (2019). Seesaw: https://web.seesaw.me. RELC Journal, 50(3) 493–
496. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218781976

Niess, M. L. (2011). Investigating TPACK: Knowledge growth in teaching with technology.
Journal of Educational Computing Research, 44(3), 299-317. https://doi.org/10.2190/EC.44.3.c

Rou, L. Y., & Yunus, M. M. (2020). The use of Seesaw in increasing pupils' reading interest.
Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(6), 2391-2396.
https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2020.080623

Seesaw Learning, Inc. (n.d.). Seesaw for schools efficacy study. https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-
us/articles/115005752703-Seesaw-For-Schools-efficacy-study

Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard
Educational Review, 57(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.57.1.j463w79r56455411

Willis, L., & Exley, B. (2018). Using an online social media space to engage parents in student
learning in the early-years: Enablers and impediments. Digital Education Review, 33, 87-104.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1183672.pdf

© 2021 Sue Anderson - All rights reserved