Unit 1: Educational Research
I believe educational research is an understanding of the many aspects of teaching. There are various research topics that could be used in the field of education. Research could be done on classroom management, pedagogical strategies, technology in the classroom, various student factors, etc. There are many different types of research methods that could be used in an educational setting as well. I think I tend to favor more of the qualitative method or mixed method.
I cannot think of any professional experiences from my current organization but I do have one in particular from my previous organization. For the first two years we used an old, outdated reading program that we were having to adjust to meet Common Core standards. Student performance was low and students were not engaged in the content. It was brought up at a staff meeting with our new principal. She decided to send out a staff survey to get everyone’s opinion as well as creating a committee to review the data from previous years. “A survey of teachers could reveal their attitudes toward a number of reforms recommended by the school superintendent” (Ary & Jacobs, 2019, p. 12). This committee was asked to present the information at a Board of Education meeting to request new reading curriculum. The BOE approved a pilot program for two of the five grade levels. The committee collected data to compare from previous years with the old curriculum. The principal and members of the committee observed lessons, talked to students about what they were doing in reading, and surveyed those teachers about their thoughts on the implementation, student growth, and student engagement. It worked! The school ended up purchasing the curriculum for all grade levels the following year, providing PD for all, and the teachers who piloted the program acted as mentors to others.
Ary, D. & Jacobs, C. (2019). Introduction to Educational Research, 10th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, Inc. Retrieved from https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781337671316/cfi/31!/4/4@0.00:58.4
Unit 2: Funnel Activity
Unit 3: What is a literature review?
Alber (2011) explains the three main purposes for literature review are to “demonstrate understanding of the field of study, inform and shape your action research project, and to prepare future readers to better understand the intellectual context of the study” (p. 25). A literature review helps to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. “Researchers need the background in the literature in their discipline to know what is going on in their field of study” (libncsu, 2009, 3:01). As you go through the literature you may start to notice the connections between previous research, how it has advanced over the years, or even disagreements between researchers. This helps to narrow down the literature that will be used and can also help begin to organize the research. Lastly, the literature review will update readers on the topic.
References
Alber, S. M. (2011). A Toolkit for Action Research. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.postu.idm.oclc.org/eds/ebookviewer/ebook?sid=6b228969-d387-4a97-8960-3b435ee74455%40sessionmgr4008&ppid=pp_Cover&vid=0&format=EB
libncsu. (July 30, 2009). Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2d7y_r65HU
Unit 4: Literature
How can technology be embedded in the curriculum to enhance learning in a third-grade classroom? Technology is not being utilized effectively, therefore; students are not prepared for the future. The three major points of this research are teacher preparedness through training and support, accessibility to various devices for both teachers and students, and student interest/engagement.
The focus of this research was limited to the technology use in the United States at the elementary level. With the rapid development of new technology, websites, and apps the research on this topic is constantly evolving. Most sources concluded that implementing the use of technology positively impacted student academic achievement and motivation. However, sources are lacking in discussing professional development and support for implementation.
Unit 5: 8 steps to action research.
- Focus on a relevant issue (Amos, 2012). Despite the advances in technology it is still not being utilized effectively in elementary classrooms.
- Identify the problem, this provides the purpose for the study (Amos, 2012). The lack of technology use in the third-grade curriculum is not supporting 21st century learners.
- Locate resources (Amos 2012). “According to Plough (2017) it is a matter of social justice for educators to incorporate technology in the curriculum and prepare students to compete for career opportunities grounded in technology” (Tarbutton, 2018, p. 4).
- Identify the information needed (Amos, 2012). How can technology be embedded in curriculum to enhance learning in a third-grade classroom?
- Data collection (Amos, 2012). Interviews with students, teachers, and administrators will be conducted to identify the effectiveness of the implementation of technology to support student learning, feelings toward the use of the technology, and academic achievement. Surveys for students and teachers will identify the feelings toward the implementation of technology in the classroom.
- Analyze the data (Amos, 2012). Compare this data to previous studies. Did the technology have an impact on student academic achievement? Did the technology increase student engagement? Was the technology more of a distraction/difficult to use at times?
- Develop a plan of action (Amos, 2012). Determine the best type of technology to use and when. Determine which websites, apps, or programs are most effective for student learning. Determine what training would be needed for teachers to implement the technology effectively.
- Implement the plan and reflect (Amos, 2012). Incorporate the technology into the curriculum and follow up on the implementation.
References
Amos, J. (2012, February 20). Action Research Design. . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuU6-BHRmNM
Tarbutton, T. (2018). Leveraging 21st Century Learning & Technology to Create Caring Diverse Classroom Cultures. Multicultural Education, 25 (2), p. 4-6. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.postu.idm.oclc.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=33&sid=10818f50-a243-43a5-a5ea-6f1670eb0ed6%40pdc-v-sessmgr05&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=edb&AN=130011881
Unit 6: Brainstorm
Problem Statement: Despite the advances in technology it is still not being utilized effectively in elementary classrooms. This may have a negative impact on students as they are not properly prepared to be 21st century learners. How can technology be embedded in curriculum to enhance learning in a third-grade classroom?
Potential Solutions: 1. Use weekly computer lab time, 50-minute period, to teach computational skills (professional development/training would be required to determine focus areas or programs to implement). 2. Implement a math workshop model that allows students to use the online component of the math curriculum. This helps reinforce the skills from the lesson of the day, provides additional practice, and allows the teacher to provide additional support to struggling students. 3. To give students more access to technology devices apply for grants that would help the district purchase more devices.
Unit 7: Proposal
Problem: In my organization student use technology primarily during computer lab, one 50-minute block per week, but do not utilize technology while teaching the curriculum. I think it is important not only to provide students with access to various technology devices but also to teach students that technology is an important tool for learning. We need to provide a learning environment that develops the skills for students to be 21st century learners.
The Literature: When providing professional development that includes new technology or new programs to integrate into the classroom it is important to provide follow ups to support teachers. “Based on the findings in this study, schools should consider implementing periodical professional learning communities where teachers are coached on and assisted with best practices in technology integration into their lessons. Follow up and assistance is key to increasing teacher confidence in using technology” (Hendrith, 2017, p. 48).
Students should have regular access to devices to develop typing skills, to learn on various platforms, and to become 21st century learners. “Access to technology tools and resources is a necessary condition for effective technology-enhanced learning experiences” (Francom, 2016, p. 3).
Teachers can use technology to differentiate to meet various student needs and to help students develop a sense of ownership in their learning. “Engagement occurs when students take responsibility for their learning, feel invested in learning tasks, and see the value of school learning in the real world” (Varier, et al, 2017, p. 968).
There are some reports that indicate that technology can be distracting and have negative impacts on student engagement. In the study by Varier, et al, (2017) “Teachers described that using the devices increased motivation and engagement but acknowledged that novelty may have contributed to these perceptions” (p. 982).
Solution: Our current math program has an online component that walks students through the skills they are learning in an interactive way. This supports student learning of the skills being introduced during the classroom lesson. First, teachers would need professional development to understand how to use the online component and manage the workshop model. Follow up meetings to collaborate, develop learning activities, and problem solve would be needed as well. This online component could be integrated into the classroom using a workshop model and only a handful of chromebooks/laptops are needed. While some students are using the technology, the teacher can meet with small groups to reteach/support students, and others can complete another learning activity. This workshop model would be applied to half of the third- grade classes (4 classrooms) to compare the data to the classrooms that are not integrating the online component. Student daily assignments, mid-chapter checkpoints, and end of chapter assessment data will be used to determine the effectiveness of the technology.
References
Francom, G. (2016). Educational Technology use Among K-12 Teachers: What Technologies are Available and What Barriers are Present? Retrieved from https://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=969675df-6d54-430b-b44b-cdaf38300241%40sessionmgr4006&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1jc2wmc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=ED582680&db=eric
Hendrith, S. Q. (2017). Professional Development of Research Based Technology Strategies: The Effectiveness of Implementation in the Elementary Classroom. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.postu.idm.oclc.org/docview/1916558581?accountid=39363
Varier, D, et al. (2017). Potential of One-to-One Technologies in the Classroom: Teachers and Student Weigh in. Educational Technology Research and Development, 65 (4), p. 967-992. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.postu.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=1f09d243-24cb-4712-bb3f-71483e0708dc%40pdc-v-sessmgr04&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=eue&AN=124132217
Unit 8: Capstone and Career
This Capstone project has helped me identify a problem within my organization that I can address. I have researched the impact of technology on student achievement, I have identified a solution, and I have a plan to put into action. Using what I have learned throughout the M.Ed. program I am confident that this plan will enhance student learning and enhance the curriculum as well. I have gained an incredible amount of knowledge on curriculum, instruction, and technology to be a better teacher for my students, a valuable colleague, and a leader within my organization.
Personally, I feel as though I have become more of a role model for my children and my students. I have shared with them when I have struggled with learning a new concept or completing a task and explained to them how I persevered. This has helped me build connections with some of my students when they are struggling in the classroom. I have learned how to manage being wife, mom, teacher, and student all at the same time. I have a sense of pride in knowing that I have accomplished something that may have been difficult at times, but my determination pushed me through.
Professionally, I feel as though I have become a better teacher. I have learned new strategies that I have already begun to implement in the classroom. I have shared some of my learning and resources with administration and colleagues within my organization. I believe I am in a better position to help move my organization toward student-centered learning and be a team leader/coach to others. I am more confident in my teaching abilities with the knowledge I have gained through the M.Ed. program at Post University.
Action Research Project
To view the full Action Research Project please download the document.
Mrs. Jackson 