Defense Date

3-17-2026

Graduation Date

Spring 5-9-2026

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

EdD

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Amy Olson

Committee Member

Joshua Ellsworth

Committee Member

Reva Mathieu

Keywords

Waldorf, technology integration, Rudolf Steiner, teacher role, 1:1, Waldorf education, educational technology

Abstract

Historically considered a screen-free education, Waldorf pedagogy has gradually begun to integrate digital technology into the middle and upper grades over the last two decades. Research on the implications of extended screen time for children has driven this pedagogical decision alongside foundational commitments to relational practices, experiential learning, and imaginative artistry.

At the same time, recent years have marked an acceleration in digital expansion in education. COVID-19 normalized teaching and learning through remote learning platforms, and digital access is now an expected feature of daily life.  As Waldorf education seeks to offer holistic education in the context of this societal shift, the role of digital technology in the 21st century Waldorf classroom has become a central pedagogical concern. In the absence of standardized guidance, teachers and schools are making pedagogical decisions for technology integration based on their professional judgment and their own interpretation of Rudolf Steiner’s indications for technology use in the classroom.  Without examining the tensions present between rapid digital expansion and developmentally grounded screen-free Waldorf practices, Waldorf education risks compromising its pedagogical values by changing too much or becoming less relevant by changing too little amid shifting digital norms.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the benefits and challenges of digital technology integration in the upper elementary and middle school classrooms from the perspectives of practicing Waldorf teachers. Teachers were also asked to consider how their role was changing within the Waldorf classroom in response to the increased presence of technology in their practice and in their students’ lives. This study was guided by the Pedagogy-Space-Technology-User Framework (Manciaracina, 2022), which presents a balanced approach to the elements of pedagogy, space, and technology in the classroom while centering the user experience. Nine currently practicing Waldorf teachers from two mid-Atlantic Waldorf schools participated in semi-structured interviews, and data were analyzed using descriptive coding, pattern coding, and thematic analysis. The teacher participants represented both urban and suburban school settings, which allowed examination of commonalities and contextual differences across two different regional contexts.

Findings revealed an ongoing dialogue between traditional Waldorf pedagogical practices and the affordances of digital technology in the classroom. Participants utilized digital technology for their individual lesson preparation as well as with their students in the classroom. Benefits described by participants included the ability to incorporate diverse and primary-sourced viewpoints into the curriculum while also preparing students for high school using digital tools. Drawbacks included an observed erosion of student wonder as well as effects on student attention and social awareness. Participants acknowledged that their classroom roles were changing with the need for increased relational work with parents and students. At the same time, they found that they drew on digital resources for their own planning, which raised the question of the role of the teacher’s curricular authorship in the digital age of Waldorf teaching.

The findings suggested that Waldorf teachers are working to maintain a balance among Waldorf pedagogical indications, digital technology, and the relational learning space, which is mirrored in the PSTU framework. By relating these findings to this model, schools can create technology policies that balance pedagogy, space, technology, and user. This study contributes to the emerging scholarship on the role of technology in Waldorf pedagogy by illuminating how teachers negotiate this significant shift in their classrooms while remaining grounded in the original indications of Waldorf education.

Language

English

Download

Share

COinS