“Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah

Micah Swartz

doi:10.66815/ajqr/18481

Micah Swartz ¹ ^*

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AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 10, Issue 3, pp. 34-53

https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481

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Abstract

Use of math apps in elementary schools is increasing, with most research focusing on achievement-related outcomes. Given that motivation is an essential mediator of student success, research on the relationship between the use of elementary math apps and motivation is needed. This paper focuses on the case of Sarah, drawn from a 5-month-long, exploratory multiple-case study of a technology-rich third-grade math classroom that routinely used math apps during instruction. Using self-determination theory and expectancy-value theory to guide the operationalization of motivation, the findings suggest that math apps are strongly associated with students’ enjoyment of math and their sense of connection. In Sarah’s case, math apps shifted from an enjoyable technology to one that left her stressed and frustrated. Additionally, findings illustrate that motivation related to math app use can change over a relatively short period of use. This study on math apps shows that implementing new technology in elementary classrooms often yields unintended consequences. This study contributes to understanding how educational technology can both support and undermine elementary students’ motivation, underscoring the importance of examining its full range of impacts.

Keywords: Elementary Education, Mathematics, Motivation, Technology

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Citation

Swartz, M. (2026). “Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 10(3), 34-53. https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481

Swartz, M. (2026). “Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 10(3), pp. 34-53. https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481

Swartz M. “Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2026;10(3), 34-53. https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481

Swartz, Micah. "“Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah". American Journal of Qualitative Research 2026 10 no. 3 (2026): 34-53. https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481

Swartz, Micah "“Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah". American Journal of Qualitative Research, vol. 10, no. 3, 2026, pp. 34-53. https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481

Swartz M. “Sometimes It’s Just Too Much Screen Time”: The Case of Sarah. AM J QUALITATIVE RES. 2026;10(3):34-53. https://doi.org/10.66815/ajqr/18481