For this class we had to evaluate a website. I choose a website entitled "Britian for Americans". Below find the link to my screencast. I really enjoyed doing this assignment and using both Jing and Screentoaster to record my thoughts and screen movements. Enjoy!
http://screencast.com/t/jJnZo2iVy535
Friday, October 2, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Research Scenarios
Education is one of the careers that is ever changing. Times change, people change, technology changes and because of this, education needs to change. Teachers need to keep up with the times and in order to do this, they must learn. In order to learn and change, research needs to be done to make education better. It is imperative that when this research is done, it is done in a fair ethical way that does not effect the students, but only effects the way we run our classrooms. In this class we have learned about several different ways to conduct ethical research. Below are four scenarios. In each one, I will identify the form of research I think best fits the scenario and explain my reasoning.
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.
I believe that this fits into the qualitative method of research. Qualitative research looks at the words of students and conducts research that way. This scenario calls for in-depth interviews that aid the researcher in finding results. Phenomenology is used, as it is the study of lived experiences, which is clearly what is being used to collect data in this scenario.
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.
I believe that this scenario fits best into the quantitative research method, and deeper into this method, into the experimental method. Students are split into both a control group and an experimental group. These groups are not formed for any reason in particular and are quite random. They receive different interventions which provide different results in the end.
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, I believe, fits into the mixed method of research. I believe this because while the research calls for no manipulation or control groups, and for the subjects to be observed in their natural environments (quantitative), the number of referrals is also looked at (qualitative). The connection between the number of referrals and the students attitudes fits perfectly into the correlation method, which finds a connection between pieces of data.
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 last scenario, in my mind, also fits into the mixed method category. It is quantitative due to the formal testing, but qualitative due to the face to face interviews. Both the true numbers, and the students opinions and feelings are addressed and taken into account in this scenario.
It is very important to use the best research method possible when working with children. It is our job to keep them safe and their privacy needs to be our priority. Another thing we need to strive for is true results. As I have learned in this class, research results can be swayed to be the way you wish for them to be. This makes the research totally invalid. We need to use proper research methods to ensure correct results. It is up to us as teachers to do the best for our students and work with the data to run more effective and engaging classrooms.
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2008). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson
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.
I believe that this fits into the qualitative method of research. Qualitative research looks at the words of students and conducts research that way. This scenario calls for in-depth interviews that aid the researcher in finding results. Phenomenology is used, as it is the study of lived experiences, which is clearly what is being used to collect data in this scenario.
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.
I believe that this scenario fits best into the quantitative research method, and deeper into this method, into the experimental method. Students are split into both a control group and an experimental group. These groups are not formed for any reason in particular and are quite random. They receive different interventions which provide different results in the end.
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, I believe, fits into the mixed method of research. I believe this because while the research calls for no manipulation or control groups, and for the subjects to be observed in their natural environments (quantitative), the number of referrals is also looked at (qualitative). The connection between the number of referrals and the students attitudes fits perfectly into the correlation method, which finds a connection between pieces of data.
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 last scenario, in my mind, also fits into the mixed method category. It is quantitative due to the formal testing, but qualitative due to the face to face interviews. Both the true numbers, and the students opinions and feelings are addressed and taken into account in this scenario.
It is very important to use the best research method possible when working with children. It is our job to keep them safe and their privacy needs to be our priority. Another thing we need to strive for is true results. As I have learned in this class, research results can be swayed to be the way you wish for them to be. This makes the research totally invalid. We need to use proper research methods to ensure correct results. It is up to us as teachers to do the best for our students and work with the data to run more effective and engaging classrooms.
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2008). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Redefined Research Question
I have done some modification to my previous problem statement and really feel that it will continue to change as I continue to research the material. Through this weeks readings, I have learned that this question is quantitative. Quantitative research questions "use numbers, statistics, structure and control" (McMillan, Schumacher, 2006). This research question would be a bit qualitative because it looks at how the students react to the lessons (and all but one of the below questions are qualitative), but in end product would see to show what the GPAs of the students are and how these have changed. Deeper into the quantitative title, this question would fall into the "true experimental" type of research question. Students are split into different groups in order to get true results. This could easily be done in a middle school classroom by treating each academic period differently.
The questions I have come up with really got me thinking about ways to change my statement or even different ways to approach it. I look forward to learning more about this topic and feel that I will truly be able to use whatever results I find in my classroom.
My Problem Statement is as follows:
I plan to determine if Social Studies lessons taught to 7th grade social studies students with technology will increase student’s GPA more than those taught through basic teaching including lectures and book work.
1. What technology would work best to create lessons? (qualitative)
2. How effective is Power Point in teaching ideas? (qualitative)
3. How is GPA effected by different types of teaching? (quantative)
4. What benefits do lecture lessons hold? (qualitative)
5. What impact does not using a textbook have on a lesson? (qualitative)
6. How does a teachers level of comfort with technology impact their students scores after a lesson taught with technology? (qualitative)
7. How do students previous understanding of technology benefit them in a technology rich lesson? (qualitative)
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2008). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson
The questions I have come up with really got me thinking about ways to change my statement or even different ways to approach it. I look forward to learning more about this topic and feel that I will truly be able to use whatever results I find in my classroom.
My Problem Statement is as follows:
I plan to determine if Social Studies lessons taught to 7th grade social studies students with technology will increase student’s GPA more than those taught through basic teaching including lectures and book work.
1. What technology would work best to create lessons? (qualitative)
2. How effective is Power Point in teaching ideas? (qualitative)
3. How is GPA effected by different types of teaching? (quantative)
4. What benefits do lecture lessons hold? (qualitative)
5. What impact does not using a textbook have on a lesson? (qualitative)
6. How does a teachers level of comfort with technology impact their students scores after a lesson taught with technology? (qualitative)
7. How do students previous understanding of technology benefit them in a technology rich lesson? (qualitative)
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2008). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (Laureate custom edition). Boston: Pearson
Friday, July 10, 2009
General Problem Statement
Week 2: Purpose/Problem Statements
EDUC-6653I-2 Introduction to Educational Research
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
While thinking of the issues that arise in my classroom and which ones would be of most interest the one I kept coming back to was the issue of technology use in my classroom and how it effects my students. From experience, I know that students almost always react well to lessons that include technology, but I have never compared grades to those of classes who didn't have the use of technology. Students use computers constantly at home and I believe that in order to catch their interest, we need to give them something to relate to. Studying the government and culture of Ancient Egypt is not always relateable, so why not teach it through technology, which is? I look forward to diving deeper into this topic, even when this class is over, to explore all I can offer my students. In doing this, I would like to share my results with my peers and perhaps change the way we look at teaching!
My problem statement is as follows:
I plan to determine how map skills lessons taught with technology such as power point and interactive map sites, such as maps101, will effect students assessment scores differently then those those taught through basic teaching including lectures and book work.
Who: 7th grade SS students
What: use technology such as power points and map websites
Why: have higher scores on end of the unit projects and tests
EDUC-6653I-2 Introduction to Educational Research
Instructor: Kathryn Arnold
While thinking of the issues that arise in my classroom and which ones would be of most interest the one I kept coming back to was the issue of technology use in my classroom and how it effects my students. From experience, I know that students almost always react well to lessons that include technology, but I have never compared grades to those of classes who didn't have the use of technology. Students use computers constantly at home and I believe that in order to catch their interest, we need to give them something to relate to. Studying the government and culture of Ancient Egypt is not always relateable, so why not teach it through technology, which is? I look forward to diving deeper into this topic, even when this class is over, to explore all I can offer my students. In doing this, I would like to share my results with my peers and perhaps change the way we look at teaching!
My problem statement is as follows:
I plan to determine how map skills lessons taught with technology such as power point and interactive map sites, such as maps101, will effect students assessment scores differently then those those taught through basic teaching including lectures and book work.
Who: 7th grade SS students
What: use technology such as power points and map websites
Why: have higher scores on end of the unit projects and tests
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Reflection
In week one I addressed my "Personal Learning Theory". While most of this has stayed the same through this class, some of it has changed. I still believe that reinforcing effort is very important, but now know that I can do this through use of technology. Students love to use the computer and I can reward the effort students put into assignments by allowing them to use technology to complete projects or assignments. I feel like this reinforcement will benefit both the students in many ways by allowing them to enjoy the material they are learning. The topic of homework was also brought up. As I said before, homework should not be "busy work" but work that allows the students to review what they have learned for that day or lesson. This allows the student to prove to themselves and the teacher that they know the material. I would like to create a blog or wiki that would allow students to post questions, thoughts, or ideas about homework and which would maybe create a classroom community that would be there for the students. Support is always critical.
Because of this class, once school starts, I would like make a lot of technological adjustments to my lessons. I feel that this class has been the most influential class I have taken so far at Walden. This class has shared SO many things that I would like to use in my classroom. I will use Voicethreads, hopefully on a weekly basis. This should get the students so used to seeing them that they are able to create their own and share them with their classmates. Students always learn better when they do the teaching themselves! Another tool I will be using come August is Skype. As a Social Studies teacher, I would like to be able to hook up with students from the areas of the world that we study. My students can learn so much more from having actual conversations with students just like them. I think that Skype would be able to show my students that children all over the world are just like them and create more tolerant, knowledgeable students.
There are two long term goals I would like to reach in my instructional practices. The first one would be to get my county to allow more online social websites. While this will most likely not include Facebook or Myspace, I would like to have access to Skype and Wikis. In order to have access to Wikis, I will create my own and share it with my school technology leader. My hopes is that she will share it with administration and then the county and this can show how beneficial Wikis can be. I am not sure how long this will take, but I am willing to work on in until I get a definite answer.
The next goal I have is to integrate much more technology into my classroom. While this goal seems basic, there are important reasons behind it. The technology class at my school has been cancelled due to budgeting. This happened during my time in this class. During this class I also realized how important technology truly is and how I can take the loss of this class and help my students. I would like to teach my normal course of studies, but also teach technology. I can integrate the two and the students will truly benefit. I will create lessons that include basic technology programs such as Word and Power Point, but also have lessons that have newer technology programs like Voicethread and Blogs. Hopefully this will guide my students in the right direction and prepare them for a world that relies heavily on technology.
I have loved this class. At first I was scared of all I didn't know, but now I embrace it. As in all of my technology classes so far, I look forward to taking all I have learned and sharing it with my students and peers. I think they will both benefit so much from all I can now share. School is still a month and a half away, but I am already planning lessons in my head. Thank you so much for this!!!
Because of this class, once school starts, I would like make a lot of technological adjustments to my lessons. I feel that this class has been the most influential class I have taken so far at Walden. This class has shared SO many things that I would like to use in my classroom. I will use Voicethreads, hopefully on a weekly basis. This should get the students so used to seeing them that they are able to create their own and share them with their classmates. Students always learn better when they do the teaching themselves! Another tool I will be using come August is Skype. As a Social Studies teacher, I would like to be able to hook up with students from the areas of the world that we study. My students can learn so much more from having actual conversations with students just like them. I think that Skype would be able to show my students that children all over the world are just like them and create more tolerant, knowledgeable students.
There are two long term goals I would like to reach in my instructional practices. The first one would be to get my county to allow more online social websites. While this will most likely not include Facebook or Myspace, I would like to have access to Skype and Wikis. In order to have access to Wikis, I will create my own and share it with my school technology leader. My hopes is that she will share it with administration and then the county and this can show how beneficial Wikis can be. I am not sure how long this will take, but I am willing to work on in until I get a definite answer.
The next goal I have is to integrate much more technology into my classroom. While this goal seems basic, there are important reasons behind it. The technology class at my school has been cancelled due to budgeting. This happened during my time in this class. During this class I also realized how important technology truly is and how I can take the loss of this class and help my students. I would like to teach my normal course of studies, but also teach technology. I can integrate the two and the students will truly benefit. I will create lessons that include basic technology programs such as Word and Power Point, but also have lessons that have newer technology programs like Voicethread and Blogs. Hopefully this will guide my students in the right direction and prepare them for a world that relies heavily on technology.
I have loved this class. At first I was scared of all I didn't know, but now I embrace it. As in all of my technology classes so far, I look forward to taking all I have learned and sharing it with my students and peers. I think they will both benefit so much from all I can now share. School is still a month and a half away, but I am already planning lessons in my head. Thank you so much for this!!!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Cooperative Learning
Social learning is the idea that people learn best when actively engaged with others. You cannot expect a student to learn while sitting at a desk, reading a book silently. Think about all the times you have sat with a book that was not interesting and read 10 pages only to find out that you do not remember anything that you read? This is because you were not engaged. Read the book with a partner or friend and you'll better remember what was said!
This week we discussed instructional strategies that will help the teacher and the student incorporate more social learning techniques into the classroom. To me, these are very interesting and I look forward to trying some of them when school starts again in the fall.
The first strategy that was discussed in this weeks readings was multimedia. In using this technique, students create a project that includes "many roles and responsibilities" (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn and Malenoski, 2007). These type of activities naturally lead to group work. When doing these types of activities, it is important to stay organized and provide the students with exactly what you want from them. In doing this, you cut down on some of the mayhem that tends to arise with cooperative learning. Organization can include rubrics, job duties, and responsibilities. This allows students to take on ownership of the assignment which will lead to higher quality work.
The next instructional strategy discussed in this weeks resources is the use of web resources. This is an awesome strategy, yet one my school is slow to pick up on. Web resources, such as Epals and Keypals (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoksi, 2007) are ways to connect with students all over the globe. If students learn best from others, imagine how much they can learn by interacting with the many different cultures and beliefs on the web. Sadly, my school believes this is unsafe. I believe that if we can teach our students the correct way to use the Internet then good things will happen! It is up to us!
Going along with the use of web resources are web quests. In web quest "students in a class or from multiple locations work together to learn about a particular subject or to tackle a particular project or problem" (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). Once again students can work with other students from all around the world to create one project. The amount of input and imagination that could be put into a project like that is amazing!
The last web resource that I really like is the use of communication software. Programs like Skype allow students to talk, chat and even communicate face to face at no cost. What used to happen in slow pen pal letters now happens instantainously over the web. Students can combine the use of communication software with one of the previously mentioned stragies and create a seem less project. The web is an amazing place.
To end this post I must say that while I do not look forward to going back to school yet (summer just started!!!), I do keep thinking of cool lessons that I can teach using all I have learned. I believe that my students will be more engaged, as I will be a better teacher and guide. Can't wait to see all this may bring!
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
This week we discussed instructional strategies that will help the teacher and the student incorporate more social learning techniques into the classroom. To me, these are very interesting and I look forward to trying some of them when school starts again in the fall.
The first strategy that was discussed in this weeks readings was multimedia. In using this technique, students create a project that includes "many roles and responsibilities" (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn and Malenoski, 2007). These type of activities naturally lead to group work. When doing these types of activities, it is important to stay organized and provide the students with exactly what you want from them. In doing this, you cut down on some of the mayhem that tends to arise with cooperative learning. Organization can include rubrics, job duties, and responsibilities. This allows students to take on ownership of the assignment which will lead to higher quality work.
The next instructional strategy discussed in this weeks resources is the use of web resources. This is an awesome strategy, yet one my school is slow to pick up on. Web resources, such as Epals and Keypals (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn, Malenoksi, 2007) are ways to connect with students all over the globe. If students learn best from others, imagine how much they can learn by interacting with the many different cultures and beliefs on the web. Sadly, my school believes this is unsafe. I believe that if we can teach our students the correct way to use the Internet then good things will happen! It is up to us!
Going along with the use of web resources are web quests. In web quest "students in a class or from multiple locations work together to learn about a particular subject or to tackle a particular project or problem" (Pitter, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). Once again students can work with other students from all around the world to create one project. The amount of input and imagination that could be put into a project like that is amazing!
The last web resource that I really like is the use of communication software. Programs like Skype allow students to talk, chat and even communicate face to face at no cost. What used to happen in slow pen pal letters now happens instantainously over the web. Students can combine the use of communication software with one of the previously mentioned stragies and create a seem less project. The web is an amazing place.
To end this post I must say that while I do not look forward to going back to school yet (summer just started!!!), I do keep thinking of cool lessons that I can teach using all I have learned. I believe that my students will be more engaged, as I will be a better teacher and guide. Can't wait to see all this may bring!
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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