EDUC-6712I-4 Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom

The most striking revelation I had about teaching new literacy skills as a result of this class is the one sentence that keeps coming back to haunt me. "We are preparing our students for jobs that don't exist, using technologies that haven't been invented, to solve problems we haven't begun to think about." That is such an overwhelming revelation. I always knew, in the back of my mind, that it was true; however, to see it spelled out so completely is a bit intimidating.

That revelation, along with the knowledge and experience gained in this course, will drive how I teach technology and other subjects. Knowing that there is no way to specifically prepare students for what awaits them tells me that it is even more necessary to make them “generally” prepared. Students need to be comfortable with technology to such an extent that they are able to generalize their skills onto the new skills to come. Teaching them the basics (and ethics) of researching on the internet and how to synthesize the information they find will always be a worthwhile skill. This course has also shown me how necessary it is to integrate the new literacy skills across the curriculum. These skills are not simply meant for “Computer Time.” They need to be used in all subject areas.

While it is easier said than done to say that I will integrate new literacy skills into all subjects, I know it is necessary to make that a reality. Let’s face it, we are in hard times and nobody will argue that the schools across our nation seem to be a few steps behind the rest of the country when it comes to technology. My state, California, is in the midst of a budget disaster that is very quickly turning technology in the schools into an afterthought. While it would be so easy to hide behind this reality, this class has taught me that if I do that I am failing my students. I need to be creative in discovering ways I can move these students along into the 21st Century literacy skills with what I have available to me now. I would love to say that I will be taking all kinds of Professional Development seminars, etc. to help me along with the goal of “making do with what I have,” but really, it is unrealistic. Any “professional development” will come from this Masters program and research I do on my own. I think we are in uncharted territory. To move the students along I will need to have help. This help may come from parent volunteers, student volunteers, or simply from behavior management plans that enable me to give students technology time with just a few computers. I am fortunate in that there are four of us going along this Masters journey together. We are all at the same school and can support each other and push each other to continue along this route with our students. I think it would be so beneficial to have a Master Plan along grade levels. For instance, 1st grade can introduce key concepts such as Search Engines. By third grade, we can work on evaluating the websites and introduce synthesizing the information. Fourth grade can continue where we left off. The ultimate goal would be to send our elementary students on to Middle School (grades 6-8) with the new literacy skills necessary to carry them through high school and beyond. Elementary schools should give them enough time and create enough comfort level within our students that when the new technology and skills come at them they won’t blink an eye, but instead, dive right in with the enthusiasm that we have helped to create in them.

References:


Eagleton, M. B., & Dobler, E. (2007). Reading the web: Strategies for internet inquiry. New York: The Guilford Press.

Jukes, I. (2007). 21st century fluency skills: Attributes of a 21st century learner. Retrieved from: http://www.committedsardine.com/handouts/twca.pdf.

Evaluating Research Methods

This week we brought together the learning of the different types of research methods. Four different scenarios were given where we had to determine the best method of research.

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. Analysis will attempt to determine issues concerning peer mediation.

For this study, I would conduct a qualitative study. The scenario includes a small sample and face to face interviews. Qualitative research data is "in the form of words rather than numbers, and in general, the researcher must search and explore with a variety of methods until a deep understanding is achieved." (McMillan & Shumacher, 2006, pp. 26) This situation is looking for "issues", not numbers. In addition, qualitative research involves interaction among subjects and the researcher takes an active role. In this situation, the researcher will be conducting in-depth interviews which requires an active involvement. While other types of research could be applied, I feel lqualitative is the best fit.

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.

This scenario includes specific information and numbers. I believe quantitative research will be the best method for this situation. Within quantitative research, Experimental Design seems the most appropriate. In this type of study the "researcher manipulates what the subjects will experience." (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p. 23) In this case the researcher will manipulate which group receives training and which group will not. In addition, this is a quantitative study because the population is very specific including similar demographics. This is what is referred to as "delimiting variables" (p. 103). This more specific research, population and data collection, this scenario best fits the quantitative method.

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 is looking for a systematic change in office referrals. The best method for this type of change is Action Research. Action research "is the process of using research principals to provide information that educational professionals use to improve aspects of day-to-day practice." (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p. 174). It is looking for a way to reduce the daily office referrals. According to Dr. Canipe, immediate application to a problem is best solved by this type of research. (Laureate Inc., 2008). Because this scenario is not looking for a long, drawn out study, but rather relatively quick information, I believe Action Research is the best solution.

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 includes both quantitative and qualitative aspects; therefore, I believe the Mixed Method research is best. Within the mixed method research, Explanatory Design meets the criteria needed. It begins with a quantitative analysis of the ZASK-R Survey and concludes with interviews. It is looking to assess feelings, a qualitative aspect. The purpose of Explanatory Design Mixed Method research is where "quantitative data are collected first and, depending upon the results, qualitative data are gathered second to elucidate, elaborate on, or explain the quantitative findings." The pre-and post-tests will use quantitative data; however the subsequent interview to determine feelings will be qualitative, definitely using both types of methods.

References:

McMillan, J.H., & Schumacher, S. (2006). Research in education: Evidence-Based Inquiry.
(Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program seven. Additional Research Methods
[Motion Picture]. Introduction to educational research. Baltimore: Author.

Research Questions Week 3

This week I have had to develop research questions that will guide my problem statement. The input from discussions have been very helpful. In many ways the research I will be doing is quantitative as there will be concrete numbers for reading comprehension. Where it becomes a bit blurred is in the assumption that the determining factor for the increase in numbers is, in fact, the reading comprehension programs I am researching. As such, it becomes a bit more of a mixed-methodology approach. I would love any input that would help me narrow those assumptions down.

My Problem Statement:
I plan to determine if there is a significant increase in the reading comprehension of elementary school students who use internet or software reading comprehension programs.

Who: Elementary School Students

What: Internet reading comprehension programs

Why: Increase in reading comprehension performance

Questions:
Do programs such as Accelerated Reader and Reading Counts increase students' comprehension?

Do internet reading comprehension programs increase student interest in reading; thus, impacting their learning?

Are all of these programs promoting individual use or do some of them include collaboration?

Is there a point where the students will plateau or will their comprehension steadily climb throughout the program?

Methodology: Quantitative, then Qualitative...Mixed Methodology

Problem Statement for Educational Research

For my current Master's class we are to research a topic that relates to our program. Because I am enrolled in the Integrating Technology into the Classroom, I needed to find a topic that included technology. I have used Internet Reading Comprehension programs at both schools where I have taught. One used Accelerated Reader and my current school uses Reading Counts. Essentially, they are almost identical. I have definitely noticed an increase in the students' interest in reading through this program. On a personal level, this year I have noticed my own son, a second grader, really take off in his reading comprehension. When I really analyzed it, I could directly correlate it to the Reading Counts program. I am interested in seeing what I find out on a more formal level.

My Problem Statement:

I plan to determine if there is a significant increase in the reading comprehension of elementary school students who use point-based internet reading comprehension programs.

Who: Elementary School Students
What: Internet reading comprehension programs
Why: Increase in reading comprehension performance

If you have any advice, I would love to hear it! Also, I know of Reading Counts and Accelerated Reader, but do any of you know of any other type of program?

Reflection

As this class comes to a close, I am amazed and a bit overwhelmed at the things I have learned. Essentially, my personal learning theory has not changed from Week 1; however, the tools I use to implement these theories have changed. I have always been one to disagree with the thought of subscribing to just one theory. Most teachers, if they are honest, use a mixture of all the theories. Yes, I do use Behaviorism at times. Personally, I learn best by Cognitive strategies. This generation will be better reached using Social and Constructionist theories; however, it does not mean that the rest of the theories need to be disregarded. Students are all very different and unique and to reach them all we must be willing to integrate and overlap all theories. In a nutshell...whatever works.

The overwhelming feeling I have as we reach the end of the class is how to make the adjustments I need to make in order to integrate the new technological tools that I have learned. My initial impulse it to add it all at once. I am so excited about the new tools I have learned that I want to teach it ALL...NOW. I have to resist that urge and integrate slowly. To begin with I will definitely be using virtual field trips and VoiceThreads. I have made a list of the virtual field trips that meet the standards in my class and cannot wait to use them. I need to pace myself so as not to overuse them. VoiceThreads are also a new tool I will be using. We will be using these in many different ways. We can use them as a type of flow map for story summaries or as a problem solving tool. The virtual field trips will give students a visual representation and experience they may never be able to have otherwise. VoiceThreads enable students to collaborate and work together to create their own meaningful artifacts.

The two long term goal chages I would like to make to my instructional practice go hand in hand. I would like to integrate the technology into all subjects. Realizing, as I've said, that I need to pace myself, I will look unit by unit and add to what I already have in place. The lesson we created was good practice for this. I know I am not looking to reinvent the wheel, just seeking to make the wheel move smoother and more effectively. I have to be careful not to use technology for technology sake but to discover ways to integrate it into the curriculum that is already in place; thus, making it more successful and able to reach more students. The other goal I have is to use Social Learning techniques more frequently. I realize I need to give the students more time to work with each other and build their own learning. In the past, and depending upon the makeup of the particular class, this may be intimidating. To "let them loose" sometimes creates management issues. Realizing the importance of this is forcing me to make a goal in which I focus on this more.

This class provided tools that I think are necessary for the students of today. I'm excited to put them all in place.
Tonya

Voice Thread

Here's my voicethread. It is meant as an introduction on a problem solving unit based upon how to help with beach pollution:
http://www.voicethread.com/share/657477

Connectivism and Social Learning

I truly believe that Social Learning theories are excellent tools for the classroom. I put it in use as much as is possible. This year we use blogging and small cooperative groups often. I have future plans for group multimedia projects such as Flipvideo camera productions and, now that I've learned them myself, voicethreads.

There's a part of me that thinks that the ultimate benefit of social learning occurs most in the higher grades. It's not that I don't think it isn't valuable in third grade, it is. However, the Social learning must be very controlled. While I have some students who are fully capable of practicing self control, the truth is, most are not. Using technology in such situations may be chaotic, not to mention expensive. I almost think that the job of the lower grade teachers is to introduce the Social Learning in bits with the ultimate goal of having students able to fully participate and benefit by 5th grade and up. My 4th graders were capable, but again, only in small doses. This school year has been challenging, and my hope is that I can get my 3rd graders involved in more small groups as maturity allows.