I have had a couple of revelations while teaching new literacy skills to my students. The one that is most striking is that I need to change the way that I am teaching my students the new literacy skills to help prepare them for the future. Technology is changing so fast that every year I feel that I need to teach my students how to obtain valid information from all the different resources that are out there. The other revelation that I had was there are a vast amount of skills necessary for our students to be competitive in a world-wide work force. Up until this point in our society students were only responsible for reading, writing, and remembering. In today’s society the students must be able to solve advanced problems and must have technical and self motivational skills.
The knowledge that I have gained over these past eight weeks has made me realize that I need to become more fluent in the new literacy skills. The new literacy skills were something that I had never heard of before this class so I need to become well versed in them so that I can convey those skills onto my students. The more versed that I am in the skills the more likely I will be able to convey them to my students so that they can become more technologically advanced.
Some professional goals that I have are to learn more about different technology skills and model different ways to connect with other people. The way that I plan on learning about different literacy skills is through reading up on the internet on the new technology that is out there. The way that I would like to connect with other people is by having mu students share information on a class blog. I would like to be able to find a class that is studying the same things that I am in another school that my classes would be able to communicate with. I think that the students would be able to learn more from students that are doing the same things.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
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. Analysis will attempt to determine issues concerning peer mediation.
For the first scenario the qualitative method would be the most suitable. The participants in the scenario are subjects in a case study that examines the students over a period of time and describes personal experiences and detailed interviews.
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 second scenario has an experimental make up that makes it the quantitative research design. In this scenario “the researcher manipulates what the subjects will experience” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p. 23). The students in the study have been divided into groups that will be manipulated by either receiving or not receiving peer mediation. This scenario also uses the true experimental method with “random assignments” because “every subject used in the study has an equal chance of being in each group” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.24).
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.
I believe that this scenario is mixed method. The research in this scenario is conducted in the natural environment of the subjects so that makes it quantitative. The number of referrals is also looked at in the study so that makes it qualitative.
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.
The last scenario also is mixed-method design. The pre- and post- tests in the scenario fall under the quantitative design surveys. The scenario is qualitative because it has face to face interviews on a bi-monthly basis which falls under “case study (which) examines a bounded system, or a case, over time in detail, employing multiple sources of data found in a setting” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.26).
As an educator I need to use the best method of research to get the best result possible when it comes to my students and their learning. I have learned through this class that I need to examine my educational practices and see which ones work well and which ones need tweaking. Through the research that I conduct in my class either quantitative, qualitative, or mix-method, I need to make sure that I use it proper and accurately so that the results are not skewed. I do not want to be that educator that delivers misleading statistics.
Reference
McMillian, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2006). Research in Education: Evidence-based inquiry(6th Ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.
For the first scenario the qualitative method would be the most suitable. The participants in the scenario are subjects in a case study that examines the students over a period of time and describes personal experiences and detailed interviews.
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 second scenario has an experimental make up that makes it the quantitative research design. In this scenario “the researcher manipulates what the subjects will experience” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p. 23). The students in the study have been divided into groups that will be manipulated by either receiving or not receiving peer mediation. This scenario also uses the true experimental method with “random assignments” because “every subject used in the study has an equal chance of being in each group” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.24).
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.
I believe that this scenario is mixed method. The research in this scenario is conducted in the natural environment of the subjects so that makes it quantitative. The number of referrals is also looked at in the study so that makes it qualitative.
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.
The last scenario also is mixed-method design. The pre- and post- tests in the scenario fall under the quantitative design surveys. The scenario is qualitative because it has face to face interviews on a bi-monthly basis which falls under “case study (which) examines a bounded system, or a case, over time in detail, employing multiple sources of data found in a setting” (McMillan & Schumacher, 2008, p.26).
As an educator I need to use the best method of research to get the best result possible when it comes to my students and their learning. I have learned through this class that I need to examine my educational practices and see which ones work well and which ones need tweaking. Through the research that I conduct in my class either quantitative, qualitative, or mix-method, I need to make sure that I use it proper and accurately so that the results are not skewed. I do not want to be that educator that delivers misleading statistics.
Reference
McMillian, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2006). Research in Education: Evidence-based inquiry(6th Ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Writing Research Questions
Week 3: Research Question
EDUC-6653I-2 Introduction to Educational Research
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
I made a couple of changes to my original problem statement After doing the research for this week I believe that my questions are all qualitative. I hope that from the research that I am conducting here that I will be able to take some of the data back to my school and maybe we will be able to implement some of the techniques in our district. I know that for our school the special education students are the ones that do not grasp the concepts as quickly as the regular education students. I would like to know a way that we will be able to get those students that struggle in math to be successful. I know that it is not just the special education students, but I think that this is a great place to start.
My problem statement:
I plan to determine if skill and drill practice with technology programs and online tutorials help middle school special education students with their standard based test scores differently than those special education students taught through traditional class examples.
The questions I would like to address are:
1. What types of tutorial sites are available to help students with math concepts? (Qualitative)
2. Will students who use only the online skill and drill practice have better scores then those students who are taught traditionally? (Qualitative)
3. What types of technology based programs work better for the special education students? (Qualitative)
4. How are standard based tests scores affected? (
5. How much background knowledge is needed for use of the online programs? (Qualitative)
6. How will I assess the students to know that they are progressing? (Quantitative)
7. What impact does not using the textbook have on the students better grasping a concept? (Qualitative)
Any help that I could get on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for all your support.
Desiree
EDUC-6653I-2 Introduction to Educational Research
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
I made a couple of changes to my original problem statement After doing the research for this week I believe that my questions are all qualitative. I hope that from the research that I am conducting here that I will be able to take some of the data back to my school and maybe we will be able to implement some of the techniques in our district. I know that for our school the special education students are the ones that do not grasp the concepts as quickly as the regular education students. I would like to know a way that we will be able to get those students that struggle in math to be successful. I know that it is not just the special education students, but I think that this is a great place to start.
My problem statement:
I plan to determine if skill and drill practice with technology programs and online tutorials help middle school special education students with their standard based test scores differently than those special education students taught through traditional class examples.
The questions I would like to address are:
1. What types of tutorial sites are available to help students with math concepts? (Qualitative)
2. Will students who use only the online skill and drill practice have better scores then those students who are taught traditionally? (Qualitative)
3. What types of technology based programs work better for the special education students? (Qualitative)
4. How are standard based tests scores affected? (
5. How much background knowledge is needed for use of the online programs? (Qualitative)
6. How will I assess the students to know that they are progressing? (Quantitative)
7. What impact does not using the textbook have on the students better grasping a concept? (Qualitative)
Any help that I could get on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for all your support.
Desiree
Saturday, July 11, 2009
General Problem Statement
Week 2: Purpose/Problem Statements
EDUC-6653I-2 Introduction to Educational Research
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
I plan to determine how skill and drill practice with technology programs and online tutorials will help middle school special education students with their standardized math scores differently than those special education students taught through class examples and book work.
Who: middle school special education math students
What: use technology for skill and drill websites and programs
Why: to increase test scores on the state standardized test
EDUC-6653I-2 Introduction to Educational Research
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
I plan to determine how skill and drill practice with technology programs and online tutorials will help middle school special education students with their standardized math scores differently than those special education students taught through class examples and book work.
Who: middle school special education math students
What: use technology for skill and drill websites and programs
Why: to increase test scores on the state standardized test
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology Reflection
This will be my fourth year of teaching this next year and in this short time some of the ways that I do things have changed. In the three years that I have been teaching the students have had many different learning styles. So I think that as a teacher I need to examine where my students are and what learning theory best fits the learning styles of the students that I am teaching. My personal theory of learning is one in which I am able to understand all the differing views that are present in my students that helps to design an “instructional event to transfer knowledge and skills to (my) students” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). I try to incorporate all of the multiple intelligences into my lessons so that I am able to reach more students. Be it kinesthetic, visual, or auditory. I cannot think of any modifications that I would make to my personal learning theory.
The adjustments that I would like to make to my instructional practice in regards to technology integration as a result of this class is immense. The first technology tool that I would like to incorporate more into my classroom is PowerPoint presentations. Dr. Orey talks about PowerPoint presentations and how they are rarely used and how they can be very useful to engage the students and create a student based learning environment (Orey, 2001). The other technology tool that I would like to use in my class would be a voice thread. I think that the voice thread would be able to be used when I am absent from school. The voice thread may be used if I have a sub or for more clarification for the students when they get home from school. It is important though to remember that the strategies are only effective when “students become proficient at using them” (Laureate Education Inc., 2008).
The long-term goals that I would like to make in my classroom are to incorporate more technology into my lessons that are more aligned with social constructivism in which “learning is considered a result of the collaboration of a group of learners in an effort to construct a common core of knowledge” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). I would also like to implement more non-linguistic representation in my classroom. The use of non-linguistic representation allows for the students to get a visual image of what I am teaching so that later on the students will be able to use the connections that they made to remember what I had taught. This is a skill that is hard for many of the students but is very beneficial for them. I can have the students create visual images of some of the math words that we use on a daily basis. I also think that it will help the students with their math vocabulary. Another strategy that I would like to incorporate into my classroom is a web page for the team that I teach on. I think that having a place where the students can feel free to ask questions in a safe environment. There are so many possibilities out there to create and incorporate technology into my class that I am so excited for next year and all the things that I can do in my class. I want to talk to my principal to see if I can create a team or class web page so that the students will have access outside of school.
This course has taught me so much in the world of integrating technology into my class that the sky is the limit as to what I can do. I wish I knew about these things earlier, but as they say, better late than never. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to learn all the different types of technology that is out there. I think that the students would be really excited to use the new technology out there and they would become experts in the world of using technology. This little bit that I am doing will help them when they get out into the real world.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program eleven. Instructional Strategies, Part One [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/.
The adjustments that I would like to make to my instructional practice in regards to technology integration as a result of this class is immense. The first technology tool that I would like to incorporate more into my classroom is PowerPoint presentations. Dr. Orey talks about PowerPoint presentations and how they are rarely used and how they can be very useful to engage the students and create a student based learning environment (Orey, 2001). The other technology tool that I would like to use in my class would be a voice thread. I think that the voice thread would be able to be used when I am absent from school. The voice thread may be used if I have a sub or for more clarification for the students when they get home from school. It is important though to remember that the strategies are only effective when “students become proficient at using them” (Laureate Education Inc., 2008).
The long-term goals that I would like to make in my classroom are to incorporate more technology into my lessons that are more aligned with social constructivism in which “learning is considered a result of the collaboration of a group of learners in an effort to construct a common core of knowledge” (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). I would also like to implement more non-linguistic representation in my classroom. The use of non-linguistic representation allows for the students to get a visual image of what I am teaching so that later on the students will be able to use the connections that they made to remember what I had taught. This is a skill that is hard for many of the students but is very beneficial for them. I can have the students create visual images of some of the math words that we use on a daily basis. I also think that it will help the students with their math vocabulary. Another strategy that I would like to incorporate into my classroom is a web page for the team that I teach on. I think that having a place where the students can feel free to ask questions in a safe environment. There are so many possibilities out there to create and incorporate technology into my class that I am so excited for next year and all the things that I can do in my class. I want to talk to my principal to see if I can create a team or class web page so that the students will have access outside of school.
This course has taught me so much in the world of integrating technology into my class that the sky is the limit as to what I can do. I wish I knew about these things earlier, but as they say, better late than never. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to learn all the different types of technology that is out there. I think that the students would be really excited to use the new technology out there and they would become experts in the world of using technology. This little bit that I am doing will help them when they get out into the real world.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Program eleven. Instructional Strategies, Part One [Motion picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Cooperative Learning
I think that the social learning theory is a great way to learn and I think the majority of people not only students learn this way. It is hard for students to learn when they are not actively engaged. I know personally if I am not actively engaged in something that I do not really pay attention. I know that I have ADHD and it is hard for me to focus for more than five minutes. So there are a lot of students that have ADHD and I know that they need something that is engaging in order for them to remember what is being taught.
The resource that I think is very useful is web quests. In using technology with classroom instruction that works they talk about web quests and their uses (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoksi, 2007). Web quests are able to be used by individual students in classes and they are able to be used by people from all over the country if not world. I think this is a great thing to do in teaching and this allows for lifelong skills of collaboration. Students will have to collaborate when they get into the real world in every profession whether it is to brain storm an idea or come up with a solution to a problem.
The communication software that I believe is useful in communication and collaboration is Skype. It is a great way to communicate through visual conferencing with someone else. There are a lot of business that use this technology so that they are able to communicate with people from all over the world.
I am so impressed with all the technology that is out there. The students that I teach today will never know the more simplistic things in life. I am already starting to see how a lot of things that I thought were so advanced when I was growing up become ancient. It is just so amazing how much the world of technology has changed. At the age of 28 I feel that I am really out of touch with technology and all the advances that are coming out each and every day. School just ended for me today and after doing the voice thread I am thinking about when I have a sub that I can leave the voice feed with the sub and the sub can teach what I want him/her to teach. I am taken back from all the technological advances.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
The resource that I think is very useful is web quests. In using technology with classroom instruction that works they talk about web quests and their uses (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoksi, 2007). Web quests are able to be used by individual students in classes and they are able to be used by people from all over the country if not world. I think this is a great thing to do in teaching and this allows for lifelong skills of collaboration. Students will have to collaborate when they get into the real world in every profession whether it is to brain storm an idea or come up with a solution to a problem.
The communication software that I believe is useful in communication and collaboration is Skype. It is a great way to communicate through visual conferencing with someone else. There are a lot of business that use this technology so that they are able to communicate with people from all over the world.
I am so impressed with all the technology that is out there. The students that I teach today will never know the more simplistic things in life. I am already starting to see how a lot of things that I thought were so advanced when I was growing up become ancient. It is just so amazing how much the world of technology has changed. At the age of 28 I feel that I am really out of touch with technology and all the advances that are coming out each and every day. School just ended for me today and after doing the voice thread I am thinking about when I have a sub that I can leave the voice feed with the sub and the sub can teach what I want him/her to teach. I am taken back from all the technological advances.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Voice Thread URL
Hope you enjoy this short math lesson :-)
All you have to do to access my voice thread is click on the title.
All you have to do to access my voice thread is click on the title.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
