Expanding the classroom with educational technology: A case study of a Cuban polytechnic high school Najia Sabir, Department of Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Anne Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Department of Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Abstract Polytechnic instruction has a common place in the Cuban education system (Gasperini, 2000). In polytechnic institutions, teachers leverage technological tools to prepare students for labor market competences. This case study examined a polytechnic institution in Cuba to consider how teachers defined educational technology. Based on teacher questionnaire responses, site-based teacher interviews, and field observations, technology was primarily viewed as a method for student preparation. In other words, teachers used technology to prepare students for their future careers and the technology they will need to be successful in that career. The study found that teachers highly valued their technical pedagogical training, believed that the growing spaces were an integral part of their technology based instruction, and claimed that the limited resources was their greatest barrier to integrating ICT in the classroom. Keywords: Educational technology, Cuba, Polytechnic education, classroom expansion Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank Roxana Alvarado & Jackson Howard for their assistance in translating interviews, the Búsquedas Investigativas program and Asociación de Pedagogos Cubanos for their in- country support. Without the assistance of these amazing individuals this research would not have been possible. INTRODUCTION Educational technology has the potential to shape educational practices (Cohen, 187; Winn, 2002). However, it often depends on how the teachers and administrators define and use technology tools (Harris, 2005). This study intended to investigate how Cuban teachers and administrators defined and used technology within a polytechnic high school. In particular, Cuba was selected because it offers a unique perspective on an educational system that consistently performs better than its Latin American counterparts. Polytechnic high schools were selected because of their strong emphasis in combining academic instruction with work-study applications, especially agricultural activities. Many scholars have indicated that educational guidelines and trends illuminate how schooling mechanisms have been shaped to accommodate economic, political and social needs (Corssley & Broadfoot, 1992; Crossley, 2002; Nóvoa & Yariv-Mashal, 2003). Additionally, it is important to evaluate the perspectives of teachers as they relate to leveraging technology in instruction. Without a clear understanding of teacher values and perspectives, interventions will not be as successful (Misha & Koehler, 2006; Mumtaz, 2000), and therefore a clear understanding of context is invaluable (Baxter & Jack, 2008; Carnoy, 2007). According to Carnoy (2007), the post-revolution Cuban educational systems are primarily a state-controlled, centralized system that is responsible for the development of society and educator perspectives. These educational policies and top-down approaches have impacted teacher perceptions on how to prepare Cuban citizens. Over time, school-level administrators and teachers have adopted this centralized vision of educating students, in an effort to better meet productivity goals. To better meet the needs of instructors it is important to first understand their value systems (Pajares, 1992). As political and economic problems accelerated the drive for reform, Cuba turned to its education ministry as an efficient mechanism for addressing societal concerns. In particular, Cuba