Evaluating Research Methods

Scenario 1: Ten students are available for in-depth interviews. Participants will be selected based on their involvement with the peer mediation program. They will be observed over three weeks. Anaysis will attempt to determine issues concerning peer mediation.

This scenario lends itself to qualitative research. Phenomenology interactive method seeks to describe a lived experience and collects data to make sense out of a particular experience or situation (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008). The use of in-depth interviews fits well with the phenomenological study. The three week period of observation is not long enough to be considered as a case study.

Scenario 2: Two classrooms of students are selected. There are 30 students in each class; each group will have similar demographics—age, sex, race, socio-economic background, etc. Classes will be randomly divided into two groups of 15 students. Of these two groups, one randomly selected group will get training on peer mediation and the other group will not. Thus in each classroom there will be one group that is trained in peer mediation and one that is not. Analysis will occur on which groups have the fewest office referrals.

The research method that is appropriate for this scenario is quantitative quasi experimental. The researcher wants to determine the cause and effect relationship between the peer mediation training and the number of office referrals. The quasi-experimental design fits because of the reason that the two classes originally selected were not randomly selected. This is an example of direct manipulation of condition.

Scenario 3: A school counselor is interested in knowing how student attitudes affect the value of peer mediation to decrease the number of office referrals that are being filed for inappropriate interactions.

This scenario includes both the interest in student attitudes (qualitative) and number of office visits (quantitative). Using both research methods in this order qualitative followed by quantitative, is an example of mixed method exploratory design. McMillan and Schumacher state that "qualitative date are gathered first and the quantitative phase follows" (p. 28).

Scenario 4: Peer mediation has become widely used in many schools. The feelings of those involved in the process are little known—either from those doing the mediation or those receiving it. The ZASK-R Acceptance Preference Survey will be given as pre- and post-tests to 40 students participating in mediation. Follow-up interviews will be conducted on a bi-monthly basis.


This scenario also lends itself to mixed-method research design. In this case the quantitative date in the form of the ZASK-R Acceptance Preference Survey. The pre and post-test will attempt to show any cause and effect with any participation in mediation The follow-up interviews will provide the qualitative component of the research. The fact that the interviews will be conducted of over a longer period of time point to the use of a case study during the qualitative part of the research.

References

McMillian, J.H. & Schumacher, S. (2008), Research in Education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson

Which way do I go?

That is the question that I had to ask myself as I began to dig deeper into my problem statement. What would be the most effective way to gain the information that would help clarify this problem statement?

My problem statement is:

I plan to determine the impact, of the integration of Web 2.0 tools, in particular blogs and wikis in classroom instruction, on standardized writing test scores of 3rd-5th grade students.

To be more specific:
Who?: 3rd-5th grade students
What?: integration of Web 2.0 tools particularly blogs and wikis in classroom instruction
Why?: impact.... on standardized writing test scores

The research questions that I developed are the following:

Does the integration of Web 2.0 tools, particularly blogs and wikis, improve standardized writing test scores?
(Quantitative, nonexperimental-secondary data analysis)

Given immediate feedback on writing, is there a difference in writing achievement between students that use Web 2.0 tools and those who do not? (Quantitative, nonexperimental-comparative)

Which Web 2.0 tools do students prefer to use as learning tools? (Quantitative, nonexperimental-survey)

Does having an online writing audience increase writing interest? (Quantitative, nonexperimental-correlational)

Does integration of Web 2.0 tools increase motivation to write? (Quantitative, nonexperimental-survey)

Does participation in collaborative writing on wikis increase writing achievement? (Qualitative, noninteractive- analytical research[concept analysis])

How does the integration of Web 2.0 tools affect students’ grammar skills? (Quantitative, nonexperimental-descriptive)

After going over the research questions that I posed, I noticed that they were mostly quantitative in nature. I feel that the overall approach for my research sould be quantitative, though, a mixed approach(explanatory) would help explain, why Web 2.0 tools impact writing scores for the group of students in question (McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, 2008).

That takes care of that fork in the road or does it?

References

McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2008). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson

What should we do to improve writing?

I teach in a K-5 school in New Jersey. Every year at our school district's convocation, we hear about the achievement of our students on standardized test. Each year writing is an area of concern. Students are having difficulty writing proficiently on these state mandated tests and in the classroom. Some see texting and participation on social networking websites as a cause for the decline of writing among students today. I tend to focus on the benefits of the integration of technology in the classroom. Students truly enjoy technology, why not use it as a tool.

I usually see students who show a lack of interest in writing or do not see a reason to write. I think that by incorporating the use blogs and wikis in classroom instruction students will have an audience to write to other than just the teacher. Students will take pride in seeing their work "published". They will also get feedback from others that, is not as threatening as a teacher's corrections. Students can also help each other and learn from others mistakes. Cooperative and collaborative learning are seen as truly beneficial for today's students. With this in mind, I move forward with my plan. We can't just keep doing things the same old way because it is not working.

I plan to determine the impact, of the integration of Web 2.0 tools, in particular blogs and wikis in classroom instruction, on standardized writing test scores of 3rd-5th grade students.

To be more specific:
Who?:  3rd-5th grade students
What?:  integration of Web 2.0 tools particularly blogs and wikis in classroom instruction
Why?:   impact.... on standardized writing test scores

I look forward to the journey that I will embark upon. I may be surprised at what I learn, but it will be new knowledge that can only help me become a better educator.

Reflection on EDUC-6711

Eight weeks have come and gone in a flash. What I thought I knew or didn't know is no longer the same, yet some things remain the same. I now move forward with a new set of tools at my disposal. I also leave with a better understanding of some strategies that in the past just made sense to me, such as Paivio's Dual Coding Theory. It only made sense to me to use any tools available that would give a student exposure to images that would strengthen connections made during the learning the experience (Laureate Education Inc., 2008). I did not get to this chapter of my life in the direct route of going to college to study to be an educator, so my experiences have been more of on the job training rather than a classroom setting.

I still feel that I want to focus on helping students build their knowledge through construction of artifacts and concrete experiences. Project-based learning is a strategy that I want to incorporate into my everyday instructional practice. Project=-based learning emphasizes a student-centered learning environment and artifact creation as part of the learning outcome (Orey, 2001). The technology tool that I have learned about during this course, that has inspired me the most is VoiceThread. I can think of some ways to use this tool in the classroom to guide, inspire, educate my students. One of the clear benefits is the ability for struggling writers to share their ideas about a picture prompt verbally. This will help those struggling writers to build confidence in their story telling. This confidence will then lead to confidence writing stories. I first need to explain the benefits of the service to the technology department within my school district, because the site is block by a district wide web filter. The next tool that I will incorporate into my instructional practice is Kidspiration software. The software can bu used by my students to create concept maps to demonstrate knowledge that they have acquire during the learning process.

Two long-term goals that I would like to make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration are the use of cooperative learning through the use of technology with students from around the world and creation and maintenance of a classroom website by my students. First I must learn how to best prepare my students to work with others in the virtual world. This is a skill that they will need to succeed in the fast-paced virtual workplace  (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007).  The skills that are necessary to work cooperatively within a classroom would have to be extended to working with a person or persons in the virtual world. Social skills and communication skills must be developed to interact in an positive and appropriate manner with people that you may never meet physically. My second long term goal would require the creation of an after school or lunchtime program where I could teach students how to create and maintain a website. Students would take ownership of their website and see the need to improve their own writing. When they realize that others will be visiting the classroom website that they are in charge of, they will be more careful to make sure that it is great. After the first group completes their own classroom website they could help to teach the other students that show an interest in web design. The students will become the teachers an truly understand the process of website creation.

All in all I look forward to guiding my students further into the 21st century by engaging them in activities that will help them develop their critical thinking skills, while bringing their own style and creativity to the classroom. 

References

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theory [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Orey, M.(Ed.). Emerging Perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K.(2007) Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, Va. ASCD

Voicethread

Here is the url to my voicethread


http://voicethread.com/share/657813/

Let's Learn From Each Other

How many times have you had to work or play a sport with others. In order for the a project to be successful, those involved must cooperate. Groups or teams must work together with each member responsible for his/her job. The group's success is dependent on the each individual's contribution. Our world today has become smaller because of the ease of communication between geographically far away places. So much work today involves cooperation between groups or individuals that are located in different prts of the world.

The instructional strategy of cooperative learning groups gives students the chance to develop the ability to learn and create cooperatively. One component of cooperative learning that correlates to social learning theory is the building of interpersonal and small group skills such as encouragement and conflict resolution (Pitler, et al, 2007). Dr. Orey also states in this week's media resources, that cooperative learning groups provide encouragement, validation and immediate feedback as ideas bounce back and forth (Laureate,2008). The jigsaw learning strategy motivated learners to become teachers within the group. To be able to teach you must understand the content very well. This is supported by the idea, that the best way to learn is to teach. Technology plays crucial role in facilitating cooperative learning (Pitler, et al,2007). Facebook, blogs, wikis, webquests, voice threads, Google Docs, and Skype allow students to communicate, collaborate, receive and give feedback, even though members of the group are not face-to-face. As educators we must model the social skills necessary for cooperative learning groups to succeed. This something is a fact that is not always the case in our schools today.

As stated in the book, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, in order to be prepared for the fast-paced global workplace, students need to be able to learn and produce cooperatively (2007).


References
 
Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program eight. Social Learning Theories [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K.(2007) Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, Va. ASCD

Take control of Learning

There are some students willing to just listen to a teacher lecture and then robotically repeat the information that was taught but not learned. They think let me just remember just long enough for the test. After that it won't be needed anymore. Their are also teachers who would prefer this scenario over children asking too many questions. What if they don't the answer to a very good question.

Educators can take a cue from coaches. Coaches can draw plays up, model the execution of a play, but they can't do it for them. Also the other team isn't just going to do what you want them to do. Great coaches teach their players to think. They also give options and pose further questions. Players then try out their ideas and learn form their experiences.

Constructivism/constructionism learning theory states that the learner creates his/her own knowledge. The educator then becomes a mentor/facilitator. In the book Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works, an instructional strategy is presented that relates directly to constuctivist/constuctionist learning theory; generating and testing hypotheses is an integral part of project-based and problem-based learning. The authors believe that when students generate and test hypotheses, they engage in complex mental processes (higher order thinking skills), therefore enhancing understanding (Pitler, et al, 2007). As Dr. Orey stated in the this week's video constructionism states that people learn best when they build an artifact (Laureate, 2008). Learners first come up with ideas (generate hypotheses), then they test them. The next step would be to gather and then analyze data. Technology makes these processes less tedious and time consuming. This in turn lets the learner spend more time analyzing what they have learned and compare the hypothesis. Finally the learner can create an artifact, with the help of technology, that will support the hypothesis and allow the learner to make meaningful connections to the content related to the project or problem that is being worked on. By taking control of the learning, the concepts gain more relevance. The learner can finally see how the concepts relate to them and the real world.

References
 
Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Constructionist and Constructivist Learning Theories [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K.(2007) Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, Va. ASCD

Cognitivism in Practice

Educators have many tools at their disposal that can enhance learning theory and provide meaningful experience. In this week's resources we looked at cues, questions and advance organizers along with summarizing and note taking. the use of computers as a cognitive tool gives the learner the opportunity to think about instead of reproducing and/or recalling it (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007).

The use of cues and questions correlates with the principals of cognitive learning theory by helping students focus on learning. Cues and questions help students make connections to prior knowledge and use higher order thinking skills. Advance organizers such as rubrics prepare students to apply their abilities and develop critical thinking skills (Pitler, et al 2007).

The use of multimedia helps to integrate multiple senses therefore improve learning by supporting dual coding where images are stored along with accompanying text. By incorporating technology in this manner students learn with computers instead of from computers. Students use the computer to research, present, organize, integrate, and generate knowledge.

Note taking such as combination notes which employ outlining webbing and pictographs in addition to words. Students therefore make more connection to concepts taking advantage of the network model of memory. Another interesting use technology is the use of an auto summarizing tool in Microsoft Word. This tool can be used to teach students how to summarize effectively by highlighting key points nad eliminating unnecessary or redundant information. Students can first create their own summaries and then compare to the summaries created by the auto summarizing tool. Students can organize their information anf effectively make meaningful connections.

The last of the tools that we were asked to look at, were virtual field trips and concept mapping. Both tools support dual coding and help the learner organize and visualize information. With all the budget concerns that educational districts are experiencing, these tools are perfect for today's classroom. Some place are way to far to visit or just to expensive too visit for student s and their families. Virtual field trips allow students to create episodic memories by giving them the "experience" of being there by "going" where they can't physically go (Laureate, 2008b). Concept mapping tools model the network model of memory by visually creating the connections between ideas (Laureate, 2008a). 

All of the tools presented take advantage of the way that people think and learn to make learning meaningful. By incorporating these tools along with many others in our bag of tricks our students will make connections to their learning that will last a lifetime.

References

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008a). Program five. Cognitive Learning Theory [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2008b). Program six.Spotlight on Technology: Virtual Field Trips [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Novak, J. D. & Cañas, A. J. (2008). The theory underling concept maps and how to construct and use them, Technical Report IHMC CmapTools 2006-01 Rev 01-2008. Retrieved from the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Website:  http://cmap.ihmc.us/Publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.pdf

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K.(2007) Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, Va. ASCD

Others in the same boat

After reading the comments, I see that others hear the same negative comments from students. What is the problem behind so many students have these defeatist attitudes? Is it lack of support at home? Is it negativity that follows them or is it just another way to avoid taking chances?

What do you do to build up your students confidence and negate those defeatist attitudes?

Behaviorism In Practice

There are so many learning theories that are talked about and debated on the exist in the classroom today. Behaviorism is one of them. It is seen in the classroom in areas such classroom management and homework among others. In this week's resources we see some examples of technology, that correlate with behaviorist learning theory and instructional strategies that relate to behaviorist theory.

One strategy is reinforcing effort(PItler, 2007). Reinforcement is a key element in behaviorist theory. Many students have a difficult time beleiveing that they can achieve by increasing their effort. They find reasons outside their control for way they can't succeed or why their peers can succeed. The use of spreadsheets to provide visual representation of how effort truly does have an affect achievement is one example of ebedding technology. The use of rubrics give clearly defined expectation. Incorporating them into the spreadsheet reinforces that connection between effort and achievement. Students can have this information readily available. This gives them concrete proof that effort and achievement are related. Dr Orey stated that reinforcement is one of the main components of operant conditioning, it has a more positive affect on the learner.

Another aspect of behaviorism is repetition or practice. It is clear that to really learn certain skills practice is essential. At the elementary school level this more evident. Concepts are presented in the classroom. Then practice is provided through homework or activities such as games, puzzles, manipulatives or web resources, that can reinforce the concepts using visuals with immediate feedback an or rewards, which as key to aspect of behaviorism. Students can also access these web resource at home or at a library away from the school setting. One particular website is the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. In a classroom a student has access to various manipulatives that can help them make better connection between the concept and learning. By accessing these resources they continue their learning while at home.

Behaviorism plays a bigger role than one might think or even like to see in the classroom, but it does have it benefits.


References
Laureate Education, Inc.(Producer). (2008).Program Four. Behaviorist Learning Theory [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore; Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007) Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, Va. ASCD

A new school year

We are back for a new year. I am looking forward to using many of the tools that I have learned while completing my graduate work. I have already tried a few things such as sending welcome letters that I worked on at the end of summer. I have been pleasantly surprised with some of the responses.
I also want to let my fellow classmates know that I'm excited to work with them.

Final Reflection on ITC Class

As I look back at my time during this class I can say that the 8 weeks have actually flown by since the beginning of this class. I am glad to say that I have learned much during that time. I knew before this class began that I had a good knowledge of technology and its uses in the world and in school. I am always the person that people come to to ask questions about technology. I can train others how to use certain applications or websites that are available within in our school. I did soon realize how much I did not know, but was about to learn. Wikis, blogs and podcasts were introduced into my world. The ways that these tools can enhance my teaching and my students' learning is amazing. The comfort level with creating content such as blogs to share information and thoughts with a larger community is empowering. Finally having experienced the process of creating a wiki and a podcasts, there is an excitement to jump right in with my students. Actually we have already creating a wiki on endangered animals. The kids are a little nervous yet excited.

The ability to incorporate technology in my classroom and address the different learning styles of all of my students energizes me and pushes me to learn more and teach even more. I know that some students have a hard time seeing how what they are being taught is beneficial to them. They feel that whatever the teacher wants them to learn, they don't need or they just are not interested. The integrating of technology, helps me, as a teacher to make more connections between the content and the students lives. The more connections that are made, the more chances for real learning that exist. With the exposure to media that today's students have, why not use these tools to reach them as much as possible.

This class has also allowed to become more comfortable with the idea of a learner centered environment. I enjoy the possibilities that this environment brings to the educational setting. The use of technology, is a place that I am very comfortable with in school and within my personal life. Obviously incorporating it into the classroom in order to become a guide/facilitator is the logical next step. Technology is also a tools that will help me teach my students 21st century skills. I want to be the guide that shows them how to read critically as they research on the topics on the internet. I want them experience collaborative projects, which is how they will probably groups in the future. The desire that the students have to learn something that involves technology is wonderful to watch. It drives me to teach them more than they think they can learn. I always have a goal, whether in the classroom or the gym, to have my students or players grow as learners and as individuals. Technology will allow them to reach even higher.

I know that this only a step toward becoming a better teacher. The knowledge that I have acquired will only help increase my students achievement. In order to continue my personal improvements, I must stay on top of new breakthroughs in technology, especially as it concerns education. The chance that someone will create a tool that was not originally intended for the educational setting, but that can be molded for the use, by teachers is very exciting.

As I look toward the future I have set two goals for transforming my classroom environment.
First I want to integrate the use of blogs as a tool which students can share their writing and learn from others. I remember my coach telling me once that players tend to listen to their teammates more than there coach because they are their peers. Students often see the teacher as someone who is there to criticize their writing. By allowing them to use blogs they can get feedback from children just like them. They will take the suggestions more openly than when it comes from the teacher. There will be the obstacle that many of my students do not have computers or internet access at home. I plan to overcome this by make blogs part of the daily rituals within the classroom learning environment. This way all the students will have the experience of learning from one another. This collaborative learning, is an essential skill for them to have as they join the global economy in the future.
My second goal is to become a leader within my school, in the integration of technology. Even though our school is rather well equipped as far as computers are concerned, there still are man teachers that are afraid to integrate them into their own classrooms. I hope to show other teachers by example. If they see what my second grade students are capable of, by using technology as a tool for learning, my hope is that they will take the chance and jump on board themselves. I can be their guide also in that process.

This class has been a fantastic learning experience, from the instructor to the activities and most importantly my fellow teachers/students. They have given me feedback and ideas that will become part of my teaching toolbox.

Onto my future classroom!

First Podcast

Now I have ventured into the world of podcasting. I share my analysis of my students' exposure and access to technology. The more that I learn the more that I want to share this knowledge with my students.

Here is the link

http://www.gcast.com/u/xkalibur13steeler/main

you can also click on the title of the post or you can listen right here on my blog.

Hasta luego!

21st Century Skills?

Before visiting the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website for my class this week, I had some questions as to why they exist. Is the partnership necessary? Who is supporting it and why? I had never heard of it until this class. Should I have heard of it? What was I missing?

After reading their mission statement, I had a feeling that they might be onto something positive that might lead education in the right direction. As Thomas Friedman, wrote in his New York Times article, "The World is Flat After All," globalization 3.0 is shrinking the world from size small to size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time. Our students need to be prepared to compete with a global talent pool in order to get a job or get accepted into a great university. At the heart of this issue lie these 21st century skills.

At first. the companies that are on board, supporting this movement, and the number of states that have initiatives to reach its goals, surprised me. Only 10 states, 20% of the states feel that there is a pressing need to prepare our students for the future global and technologically driven workplace. I was very glad to see that New Jersey was one of the states with an initiative. Taking into consideration that 21st century skills will help produce technologically literate students/citizens that can contribute and lead these very same companies into the future, it made sense in the world.

The only concern that I have is with the partnership is its support of NCLB as is. I really do not agree with the current form of NCLB. I guess that NCLB is not going away anytime soon, so supporting it is the only thing that they can do.

The implications of these 21st century skills in my classroom are numerous. My students need to be prepared, if they are going to be productive contributing citizens in this global society. All types of media bombard them at every turn. They need to be able to evaluate critically all this information. I must stay on top of all these new technologies if I am going to be able to help them. If they are not prepared to do their best because I have not prepared myself, then I have failed them. Our students and this country need, our educational system to change, to meet the demands of the global workplace.

Wikis

Well, this week in ITC class, our groups had to create a wiki for online educational resources. It has giving us a chance to work with this new technology. Now that I had had the chance to collaborate with my peers on this wiki. I know have a better understanding of how to handle wikis with my students. I look forward to having my students create a wiki, possibly on endangered animals. I believe it will be a great learning experience.

Blogs in the Classroom

How might I use a blog within my classroom? I teach 2nd grade and I have asked myself this question recently. I have previously discussed with a fellow 2nd grade teacher about possibly sharing writing pieces with each others class. The students from each class could read the other students' writing and then provide feedback, what they liked or disliked or any questions that the reader would like answered.

The idea of using a blog for this purpose, opens up more possibilities. The students can showcase their work and feel proud about what they have accomplished. They will see themselves as published authors. They can see that their is a point to their writing beyond having the teacher grade it. This will motivate them to become better writers. This is key to their development as writers. They will also have the opportunity to have an audience to write for. After reading the feedback, they can then go back and reflect upon their writing and develop it further. They can get new ideas from their audience to make changes to their pieces or create new ones.

The opportunities for learning do not stop there. The students will have a chance to read and learn from the other students' writing also. This will improve their own reading skills and they will learn to read critically. They can see what their peers are writing about, the different styles or the similarities that they may share with others. They can see that they are not the only ones that feel the way they do.

The students could work independently or with partners. By writing with partners they will learn through collaborative experiences. I would start this blog initially within the school, due to safety concerns, with the hope of connecting with 2nd graders in other schools.

Please let me know what you think of this idea. How could I make it better? What other things could I do to make it more challenging for my students? Also please share any of your own ideas for using blogs in your classrooms.

RSS Feeds

Already in week 1 of my master's course, The Impact of Technology in Education, Work and, Society and I have begun to use a great tool (RSS), through Google reader. It saves so much time, to be able to receive updates of all the blogs or news that I am following, instead of having to visit each one individually. I look forward to learning as we go along.

Welcome

Hello to all.
I'm ready to take another step forward in the use of technology within my own teaching and learning. I look forward to a fun ride. I hope that you will join me.