Living the Process of Inquiry with a Real Teacher-Researcher: A Case Study Journal

Prompt #1

The literature provided her with further insight into the issues of both classroom management and engaging 21^st century students in learning. One particular book helped May describe problem behaviors in a clear and concise way.

May was able to clearly state observable behaviors rather than making vague, emotional judgments about students. The PBS conference gave May knowledge about how to deal with low-level misbehaviors that interfere with the learning process. May also learned about positive psychology, or the theory that no human being wants to fail or be difficult to love. Therefore, teachers can learn to appreciate the strategies developed by students to survive difficult situations. May was able to imagine the experiences some of her students may have had that likely influenced their behavioral choices.

May also learned about the idea of collaborating with her difficult-to-teach students by developing research teams. In this scenario, students help their teachers collect data and are an active part of the decision-making process in terms of what could improve the learning environment. May decided to incorporate this strategy into the design of her inquiry.

Prompt #2

May was overwhelmed with the prospect of collecting data on five different class periods. Her team suggested focusing on one class period, rather than five, to make her first foray into research more manageable. May also experienced difficulty in determining which class period should be the focus of her inquiry. Through discussion with her colleagues in which she described each of her class periods, she decided that her fourth period class would be the best period to focus on.

As May completed her research, she discovered that two of her students exhibited problem behaviors not only in her class, but in the classes of her colleagues as well. A great benefit of her research was that it would help her colleagues determine how to best work with these students in their own classrooms.

May shared her idea for implementing a Positive Behavior Support system on a smaller scale in her fourth period class. In discussing the PBS model, her teammates became interested in the concept and Darby, the RtI coach on the team, realized the PBS model closely mirrored the RtI model. May’s team became excited about the implementation of the PBS system in May’s classroom, and hoped they would gain insights that would help them to share the benefits of such a model with the entire school. This is an example of the positive and far-reaching impact that action research can have. It not only helps one teacher or even one team of teachers, but it can potentially impact an entire school building.

As a result of their collaboration and discussions about PBS and RtI, May’s team became the PBS/RtI intervention team. May used their input and guidance to determine key outcomes and developed an action plan that included implementing strategies, monitoring students’ progress, and assessing data. She was then able to determine which of her students fit into the various levels of the tier model.

Collaboration in the action research process is invaluable. Research is difficult and draining, but by collaborating with others, teachers are able to build on the work of each other (Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2009). May had some ideas of her own, but her team’s input was of great importance to her research from the beginning. For example, when May was having difficulty determining which classes to focus on for her research, it was her team who helped her decide that her fourth period class would be ideal. Furthermore, May’s collaboration with Darby, the RtI coach, allowed May to successfully incorporate her knowledge of PBS into her classroom. Collaboration provides the opportunity to improve ideas by accepting the advice and input of others.

Prompt #3

I feel that the most meaningful part of May’s data collection plan will be her journal with reflections about Sienna’s response to her role as inquirer’s assistant. The students that May’s research is truly targeting are those who need tier 2 and tier 3 interventions. While it is important to see if the rest of the class can complete their beginning of class routine in a timely manner, it is even more critical to see what kind of progress students such as Sienna make.

The most practical form of data collection will be time-on-task graphs that the students will complete. I like that this idea blends a math concept with self-monitoring, and it is a form of data collection that can easily be integrated into the classroom. It will not take much extra time, yet will provide a great deal of data to inform May of the progress of her students.

It would be difficult to rely on a student to collect data and truly be an assistant to the research process in a typical classroom. In May’s case, with Darby’s help in working with Sienna to teach her what she will be observing, this form of data collection might be possible. In a typical situation, however, this would be impractical because it would require extra time on the part of the teacher. This is yet another example of the importance of collaboration, however. Without the support of her team, and Darby in particular, May’s research would be more difficult and likely not as successful.

One additional form of data collection that might benefit May’s research is student surveys. This idea is similar to that of the student interview, although it might be more practical. May could still ask students what they envision a high-performing classroom to look like, but with a survey, she would receive more responses in less time. Surveys allow students the opportunity to share their thoughts about various topics, including teaching techniques, classroom structure, lessons, and units (Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2009). This form of data collection might also allow her to ask more questions than an interview would allow for, and, if done with a website such as Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com), it would be easy to analyze the responses.

Prompt #4

As I read through the responses to May’s request for “Wish List” items, it was very clear that groups of students in her class viewed the class differently and had different priorities. It seemed that the majority of her students wanted structure and for the class to be run smoothly. On the other hand, there were some students who did not provide serious, realistic answers. I developed three categories based on patterns I noticed in the responses: “Students Looking for Structure,” “Students Frustrated by Classmate Behavior,” and “Students with Unrealistic and/or Unrelated Requests.” 

“Students Looking for Structure” responded that they wanted a clear routine in their classroom. One student provided this suggestion: “Have our agenda done when the teacher comes into the classroom. We can have out our paper and pencil, be ready to learn, and have our homework out.” Another sample response from this category was “Class would be good if it started on time every day.” The students with these types of responses obviously care about learning and want to get the most out of each class period.

There were many students whose responses indicated their frustration. A response that fit into the category of “Students Frustrated by Classmate Behavior” was “I wish people would stop being loud in this class. It is loud sometimes.” This response made it clear that the noise level was interrupting this student’s learning. I found it interesting that one response named particular students and showed that their behavior was making it difficult for others to learn: “I wish L and T wouldn’t bring in so much of their drama into class so we could get going on time.”

Some responses stood out very clearly from the rest, as they seemed to focus less on the structure of the class itself but more on what would make particular students happy. It also seemed that these responses showed a lack of seriousness about this topic. One response in the “Students with Unrealistic and/or Unrelated Requests” was “To give me an A for no reason and to just be kind to people. Having a little bit of fun and not having all this homework. To be Friday every day!” There were a couple of other responses very similar to this, such as “Saying there is no homework! Saying we don’t have to do nothing to pass!” Students who answered in this way likely do not view learning as a priority.

If I were May, I would be encouraged that many students do want to learn and understand the importance of structure, cooperation, and respect. I would also be frustrated that some students obviously do not consider learning to be important. The positive thing, however, is that these responses would inform my next step by illustrating that many students were seeking structure. Developing a strong classroom routine would be my immediate goal. There will always be students who have a strong desire to learn, while there will be some who are uninterested in school and do not take their jobs as students seriously. By creating a structure and setting high expectations for all students within her classroom, though, May might be able to increase the cooperation of some of her more challenging students. Therefore, my first goal would be to increase the productivity of the class in general, particularly at the beginning of the class period. I would also focus on the students who were getting the class off track and try to implement tier 2 and tier 3 interventions with them. Often, a small number of students can upset the dynamic of an entire class. By working to improve their behavior, May would likely notice a positive change in her entire class.

References

Dana, N., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2009). The reflective educator’s guide to classroom research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Final Reflection

Personal Learning Theory Reflection

My personal learning theory has not changed dramatically throughout since the beginning of the course. I now have a better understanding of major learning theories, however, and have discovered that each of them has a place in my classroom. When I first developed my personal learning theory, I believed strongly in aspects of both the constructionist and social constructivist theories. Looking back, I still believe in the constructionist concept that “ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others” (Orey, 2001). I also feel that students must interact and collaborate with others, thereby supporting the social constructivist notion that learning is a social process (Orey, 2001).

While my belief in both the constructionist and social constructivist theories has remained strong throughout this course, I have become much more familiar with both the behaviorist and cognitivist learning theories. I was surprised to find that I support aspects of these learning theories as well. For example, I have always believed it to be important to provide students with frequent positive reinforcement, but did not realize that this practice is actually a form of behaviorism. In addition, many of my lessons involve graphic organizers and visual explanations of concepts to help students make connections with material. These support the theory of cognitivism, which I was relatively unfamiliar with. All students learn differently, and it is important to incorporate ideas from a variety of learning theories in order to reach all students.

I have used technology in my lessons since I began teaching a few years ago, but I continue to learn more about the wide variety of resources available to enhance learning. This course gave me the opportunity to explore new technologies, such as Voice Thread and Webspiration, and also helped me understand how these technologies support various learning theories. I have found myself thinking more about how the use of technology in my lessons will support my learners based on the various learning theories.

Technology Tools and Instructional Practice

I have already incorporated new technologies into my classroom as a result of this course. My students just completed an assignment using Webspiration, and the lesson was very successful. They enjoyed working with the technology and did a terrific job presenting their graphic organizers to the class using the interactive white board. My goal is to continue to find ways to incorporate new technologies discussed in this course. Although my students use Microsoft Word frequently and are very proficient with the technology, I have not yet utilized the graphic organizers available within the software. I would like to use these graphic organizers to help students make connections between concepts we learn in social studies. One area we focus on frequently is cause and effect, and how the events of one civilization impacted others. My students could easily use Microsoft Word’s cause/effect pattern organizer to illustrate this concept.

I would also like to use Microsoft PowerPoint in a different way. This is another tool that my students are very familiar with, but generally, the slideshows they create are filled with text. I plan on having students create presentations regarding an upcoming topic using only visuals in their slideshows. Then, while they present their visuals, they will explain to the class the connections between the images they chose and the content, thereby focusing on nonlinguistic representations of the material. I feel I now have a much better understanding of the reasoning behind the implementation of learning activities and technologies, and am eager to incorporate new and creative ways for students to interact with the social studies content.

Long-term Goals

One goal I have is to have students create nonlinguistic representations of material on a more regular basis, and then present these to the class. There are so many different ways to approach the idea of nonlinguistic representation. Students can use Webspiration, Microsoft Word graphic organizers, and Microsoft PowerPoint, just to name a few. This will allow for greater creativity on their part and will also facilitate more hands-on learning. Meanwhile, students will be working to create products more frequently, which will help them to better understand concepts. Doing so will accomplish the same goals as teacher-centered lecture, but will be more meaningful and have a greater impact on my students since helping students to use nonlinguistic representation has strong effects on achievement (Pitler et al., 2007).

A second goal of mine is to establish communication between my students and students in another area of the world, using a program such as ePals. This will broaden my students’ perspectives and help them to learn about other cultures and languages in an entirely new way (Pitler et al., 2007). As we learn about various ancient civilizations, my students become very fascinated with other cultures and intrigued by the vast differences amongst these cultures. I strongly believe that partnering with another classroom in a different part of the world would open their eyes to another culture in a way not possible just by studying the culture in the classroom. Today’s technology tools provide opportunities for unique learning experiences that may not have been possible even ten years ago, and “keypals” is a perfect example of that.

References

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 5, 2010 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.

More Computers, Please

http://voicethread.com/share/1565311/

Using Technology to Learn Cooperatively

Social learning theories place great emphasis on not only on the prior knowledge that learners bring to their learning environment, but also the context in which learning takes place and the interactions learners have with others (Kim, 2001). Cooperative learning requires that students interact with others; in doing so, they construct meaning for new knowledge (Pitler et al., 2007). There are innumerable ways in which cooperative learning can be implemented, as there are many factors to consider when establishing cooperative groups. Groups can consist of only two members for some activities, while for others they might be comprised of four or five students. Duration of assignment is another consideration; partner work is ideal for quick in-class assignments, while carefully constructed, larger groups are often better for long-term assignments. Cooperative learning offers teachers great flexibility and creativity when developing meaningful learning activities for students.

Just as size and duration of activity are factors in cooperative learning, so are the types of activities students participate in. Technology has opened up an entirely new facet of group work. One possibility for cooperative learning is student-created multimedia. Creating a video supports the constructivist theory by allowing students to create a product. Meanwhile, they are also collaborating with other students, thereby supporting social learning theories. It is critical that teachers properly prepare students for a task such as student-created multimedia, however, by setting forth clear expectations, explaining rubrics, and clearly outlining student roles and responsibilities (Pitler et al., 2007). An extension of this activity is to require that groups teach their classmates about a particular topic. As Dr. Orey mentioned, the best way for students to learn a concept is to teach it to others (Laureate, 2010).

There are wonderful and varied web resources available for cooperative learning as well. Internet access has truly opened the world up to classrooms. An interesting type resource on the internet is “Ask an Expert” websites, which allow for correspondence between students and university and industry experts (Pitler et al., 2007). This type of communication would most likely not have occurred prior to the widespread availability of the internet. Another option for communication with others across the country, and even the world, is to have students become “keypals,” or e-mail pen pals, with other students from far away (Pitler et al., 2007). Students can even work on projects with students living across the globe, which is an incredible example of cooperative learning.

Communication software makes cooperative learning even more practical for regular classroom use, particularly on extended assignments. In the past, it was difficult for groups to communicate without physically meeting together. Now, with the advent of wikis, blogs, and shared bookmarking, students can communicate easily to continue their collaborative work. Wikis are a simple way for groups to keep track of researched information, allowing all students to contribute, whether they are at school or home. Shared bookmarking allows for the sharing of resources amongst group members. All of these technologies allow students to learn from one another and to cooperate together to learn new concepts.

References

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism.. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 30, 2010 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Social learning theories. [DVD]. In Walden University: 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.

Constructionist Learning Theories

When people think about generating and testing hypotheses, many might automatically think of how this idea applies to science. Generating and testing hypotheses, however, is something that can be done in any content area, and refers to students “engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content” (Pitler et al., 2007). Meanwhile, constructionist theory suggests that students must have hands-on experience to understand new material and revolves around students creating a product. These activities, according to Pitler et al. (2007), include:

1. Systems analysis-Students study the parts of a system and predict what might happen if certain aspects were changed or removed.
2. Problem solving-Students examine possible solutions to a problem.
3. Historical investigation-Students brainstorm theories about historical events which remain open to interpretation and discussion.
4. Invention-Students develop a solution to satisfy a need.
5. Experimental inquiry-Students make observations, theorize about why something occurred, and participate in an experiment to test their hypothesis.
6. Decision making-Students develop possible answers or solutions, and analyze those solutions to determine which one is the best.

Each of these tasks which involve generating and testing hypotheses support the theory of constructionism by involving students in hands-on learning activities. Furthermore, technology allows teachers to develop engaging learning activities which reinforce the idea of generating and testing hypotheses. For example, there are webquests available for all subject areas. Some terrific history webquests pose questions, then require students to “investigate” and develop their own hypotheses about what happened, based on the facts collected during their internet investigation.

Many of these activities are ideal for partner or group work, which helps develop critical 21^st the century skills of collaboration and communication. And while some tasks do not necessitate technology use, technology can easily be incorporated in some way. As Orey (2001) stated, PowerPoint software is a tremendous tool that supports the theory of constructionism. Students can actively participate in learning by creating a PowerPoint presentation. This process can be tied to an activity which requires generating and testing hypotheses, such as problem solving. Students can examine possible solutions to a problem, and then present their possible solutions, along with explanations and multimedia, to their classmates in a PowerPoint presentation.

Constructionism encourages hands-on learning experiences for students. Constructionism “suggests that new ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others” (Han & Bhattacharya, 2001). My experience with my students supports this—they are most excited about learning when they have the opportunity to actively participate and create a product. Therefore, I will continue to incorporate problem-based and project-based learning activities in my classroom.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories. [DVD]. In Walden University: Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 24, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

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

Technology Tools to Support Cognitivism

While behaviorism centers around the effects that outside influences have on learning, the cognitive learning theory focuses on the mental processes involved in learning information. Orey (2010) explained the information processing model as consisting of the receipt of information by the brain’s sensory registers, the movement of this information to short-term/working memory, and, if information is rehearsed enough, the retention of information in long-term memory. The dual coding hypothesis states that images (or even scents) are stored in the brain along with the word or concept itself. If we want our students to remember a concept, then it is beneficial to provide as many opportunities for connections to be made to that concept as possible.

As asserted by Pitler et al. (2007), “graphic representations serve as mnemonic devices that facilitate the classification, organization, storage, and recollection of information into and out of long-term memory.” There are many technologies available to help support cognition. Concept mapping has great potential to help students organize key information visually in an easily understandable manner. One particular example of concept mapping that I can use with my social studies students is a time-sequence pattern organizer. Microsoft Word has the option of using drawing tools to create such an organizer; my students can also search for clip art, insert it into their organizer, and explain the significance of each event included on it. I often have my students complete similar activities by hand, but using technology to complete the task will provide students with more options and easier access to information they can include a timeline. I can also have my students create cause and effect organizers using Microsoft Word. Cause and effect is a theme we discuss quite frequently. The visual component of a concept map would allow for greater understanding cause and effect relationships, and, consequently, better retention of information.

One of my favorite tools for making strong connections between my students and ancient history is a virtual field trip. Virtual field trips allow us to create episodic memories and rich experiences for our students (Laureate, 2010). These memories become part of a student’s network of connections relating to a particular topic, and help to serve as a basis for further learning about that topic. I incorporate virtual field trips as often as possible, and, just yesterday, took my class to visit the Great Wall of China. Since we had been learning about Ancient China for a couple of weeks and already discussed the Great Wall at length, visiting the Great Wall allowed students to make connections between what they saw and experienced and what they already knew. The discussions that took place as we “walked” along the Great Wall impressed me and showed me that students were able to recall information we had already discussed about the Great Wall of China. Now, when it comes time for them to tell me what they know about this topic, they will be more likely to recall the information discussed during our virtual field trip because they will have a strong episodic memory of it. Based on student feedback I have received, virtual field trips are one of the most effective tools we can use to engage our students in the learning process.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Cogitive learning theory with Michael Orey. [DVD]. In Walden University: 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.

Behaviorism: How Does it Relate to Technology?

The theory of behaviorism emphasizes that behaviors and knowledge are acquired through reinforced responses to behaviors, both positive (rewards) and negative (punishments) (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Behaviorists believe that all behavior is a response to external incentives. When a person is given a reward, whether it is positive or negative, in correlation to a behavior, that behavior is likely to either be repeated or abandoned.

The instructional strategies of reinforcing effort and homework and practice both correlate to the core principles of behaviorism. Pitler et al. (2007) asserted that “reinforcing effort” enhances students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning.” Some students are intrinsically motivated; they consistently give their best effort. Many students, however, do not naturally understand the importance of effort, and therefore give little to no effort in relation to academics. In addition, they connect their lack of success with factors other than effort, such as a natural weakness in a particular subject area. Students can be taught the significance of effort, though, and technology provides teachers and students tools which easily illustrate the correlation between effort and success (Pitler et al., 2007).

One such tool is spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel. The teacher can create a spreadsheet which allows students to track their effort. Categories addressed in the spreadsheet might include attention, participation, and homework completion. After assigning themselves scores in each area of the spreadsheet for a given week, they could then enter a test score for that particular week. At the end, they would see a correlation between their effort score and test score. If done on a weekly basis, however, this strategy would only work in classroom that gives weekly assessments. In my classroom, where assessments are not necessarily given weekly, this would not be a successful tool.  I could have students complete the spreadsheet after each chapter assessment, though. Another possibility for data collection is an online survey from a site such as Survey Monkey. Teachers can develop a survey based on an effort rubric, administer the survey, and analyze the results. These results can then be shared with students to emphasize the correlation between effort and achievement.

According to Pitler et al., (2007) the purpose of homework and practice is to “give students a chance to review and apply what they have learned.” Homework is meant to provide practice on a particular concept, and should reinforce desired skills. To be truly meaningful, teachers should provide feedback to students in a timely matter in order to address any mistakes students make while practicing a skill (Pitler et al., 2007). Technology can help make homework truly meaningful. One example that many might not automatically think of is Microsoft Word. Rather than using it simply as typing software, it can be used as a tool for research. Students can use Microsoft Word’s research tool to search for definitions and synonyms to provide support while completing an assignment.

Another tremendous benefit of technology is the ability to create multimedia products, since, as Pitler et al. (2007) explained, “multimedia homework is an opportunity to deepen understanding and gain proficiency.” One benefit that I have witnessed is the ability of multimedia technology to engage students and increase their excitement. In general, students enjoy utilizing technology to create multimedia presentations and are extremely creative in their use of technology. Finally, students can also use web technology for practice with important concepts. There are tremendous web resources available that reinforce content. One of my favorite web resources is BrainPOP, which includes movies on many of the social studies topics we study. Students enjoy viewing the videos, and have the option to take a quiz at the end to gauge their understanding of the topic. Homework does not mean using pencil and paper to complete a worksheet; there are so many possibilities that involve technology, yet still reinforce the content that students need to know. In the end, students not only practice concepts, but also become more proficient in 21^st century skills.

Resources

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

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