Action Research in Educational Settings

Improving my instruction for the benefit of my students is something I strive for everyday. As the year was ending last year I was already thinking of ways in which I could be better in the 2010-2011 school year. Fortunately, I also had the opportunity to teach summer school where I was able to practice some of these new techniques. As Dr. Marjorie C. Ringler discussed, intstruction, and delivery of that instruction, is a great area for principal inquiry (2007). Wondering how to motivate teachers and instill a desire for improvement is essential to meeting ever increasing standards and accountability.

Along these same lines is the leadership team which is “instituted by principals and usually include[s] any assistant administrators and at least three teachers who also have classroom responsibilities,” (Dana, 2009). Increasing accountability transcends position or title. Everyone involved in public education has a vested interested in these increasing standards, and therefore involving action research through a leadership team is going to positively impact all players on the education stage.

A third example of action research in educational settings would be through professional learning communities. Contrary to Paul Simon’s, “I am a rock, I am an island” the education profession does not allow us to be lone rangers. Collaboration and community development within the school system are essential to meeting improved standards. Doubtless we continue to come back to this same phrase of improving or increased standards because they are not going away and improvement is what we need, if not also what we want. Action research carried out in community through PLCs is an outstanding way to provide and receive instantaneous feedback from colleagues about what is working and what is not on your own particular campus.

Blogs in Education

Blogging can serve many purposes in education. In a profession like ours the pace of day-to-day tasks can be frantic so knowing where to find and share information is incredibly important. Blogging can serve as an outlet for inquiry and at the same time a place of feedback from others following your research. Additionally, following educational blogs can provide teachers, administrators, and researchers with information that is pertinent to their respective fields.

Action Research

Prior to starting this course I assumed all research was basically the same: you pick a topic, find some sources, write a paper, and then you are done. Having been introduced to the concept of action research my opinion has rightfully changed. Even breaking down the term “action research” implies something different from normal research. Action indicates something that is ongoing, perpetual, and engaging. Action research, or academic inquiry, is a dynamic skill set that allows the researcher the opportunity to maximize his research and develop a more full understanding of a desired topic.
As an advantage, action research also permits the inquirer to engage in meaningful staff development and produce solutions that are campus and/or district specific instead of theoretical assessments produced by college and university specialists.
I am hoping to use action research to improve my own teaching strategies and impact other teachers around me. As is the case on many campuses and in many districts Math and Science tend to have the greatest difficulty of any content area on standardized tests like TAKS. My goal is to see how the infusion of project-based, or problem-based, learning with an emphasis on the integration of Web 2.0 tools will impact student achievement on standardized tests.

Course Reflection #5

Working at a rapid pace can be very challenging! Only having five weeks to accomplish what would normally be done over the course of several months is dizzying, but at the same time is also very exciting. I have to be very diligent about time management. So many of my issues in this course could have been alleviated had I been better about completing assignments earlier.

I also learned that I am a high goal setter. I do not want to merely do what someone else has done. I want to create something fresh, to test boundaries. I want to exceed even my own expectations. As a leader, I hope to embody the ability to put into action that which is theory. While I thought I was very advanced in my technology leadership I have since learned that I truly have a long way to go. I am naturally comfortable using technology, but I feel that I have much room for improvement.

Finally, my attitudes toward learning and achieving have never been stronger. Simply passing is no longer okay for me. I want to not only pass, but I want to be the best. This is a strong competitive desire that has been developing in me over the past few years, and I think will serve me well in completing this program.

Course Reflection #4

On the whole I was able to complete the course assignments successfully. Week one I had some trouble for a few reasons. Primarily, I will assume the majority of credit, or lack thereof, for my performance during the first week. Poor time management skills certainly contributed to less than thorough analysis and response to questions. Beyond just this, not taking this course as seriously as necessary inhibited my success during the initial week.

Having accepted my share of responsibility I have to give credit where credit is due. The lack of clearly defined expectations and conflicting instructions made success a somewhat relative term. From not knowing exactly what was expected during the first week to not elaborating on what is expected for the internship plan the assignments could be maddening. This being said, emails and discussion posts WERE answered offering further clarification allowing me to overcome the obstacles I was facing.

Course Reflection #3

Two objectives I do not feel that I adequately mastered during this course are identifying privacy and legal issues as well as providing support for school infrastructure. I think both of these learning objectives overwhelmed with the amount of technical language that was involved in understanding. In addition to this, if something is not engaging to me, or seems irrelevant, I tend to tune out. Do not misunderstand my intention here. Privacy and legal issues are by no means irrelevant. However, the degree of difficulty in understanding these topics caused me to feel frustrated at times, and therefore disengaged. It is no fault of the instructor, facilitator, or authors of the article for my lack of understanding. It was difficult for me to transition from the normal course readings to the highly technical language required to comprehend the fullness of the issue at hand.

Course Reflection #2

Of all the courses that I have taken in my life (and it feels like there have been more than enough) I cannot think of one that has been more relevant and had more an impact on my philosophy of education than this course. As a teacher leader I feel it is absolutely vital that I stay current on technology trends and leadership theory. Even learning about what the typical Millennial, my generation, wants in a leader and a career for that matter is exceptionally beneficial. With this knowledge I will be able to potentially help bridge gaps between older teachers and administrators and a new generation of teachers who seek to effect positive change in education.

Course Reflection #1

Coming in to this first course I wanted to broaden my knowledge of Web 2.0 tools and how to apply them in my classroom. Additionally, I was hoping to gain leadership skills, or at the very least, theoretical information I could take and apply with the hope of integrating these new found traits into my everyday life. Finally, I wanted to discover greater insight in regards to legal, copyright, and privacy issues.

While I achieved many of the learning outcomes I had beginning this course I did not accomplish all I set out to do. The Web 2.0 tools I have learned about during this course are remarkable. Trying to discover ways to utilize all of these tools, while not exhaustive, could take all year, if not longer. I am of the persuasion that I do not have to implement everything all at once. I read a story of a US History teacher who taught four sections. He divided his students into groups with one student from each class per group. The students were then assigned a particular topic regarding an historical figure and required to submit their findings via a wiki. The project ended up looking like a Wikipedia page! I have met with two of my colleagues and we are planning on implementing this particular project this year! I would never have been able to pull something like this off before, but now having learned about wikis and their usefulness along with the leadership skills to mobilize plans into motion this dream will become a reality.

The course certainly helped me conquer the goals I had set. The layout, readings, and assignments for the most part contributed to my being able to meet these expectations. I will discuss in a later post the shortcomings of my learning.

Betsy Price - you're wrong.

"Technology will raise fundamental questions about instruction. Students can direct the pace and level of thier learning by using electronic resources and content-delivery systems. This can facilitate MORE students and class sizes could INCREASE. This could lower the cost and increase the quality of education." (Price, 2005.)

There is no doubt that the increased use of technology is going to and is already causing educators to reevaluate instructional practices. However, the changes that are suggested by Betsy Price in her article "Who's in Control of the Technology-Integrated School" is hardly even worthy mentioning. Arguing that increasing class size will increase the quality of education or that textbooks, which become outdated almost as soon as they leave the print shop, with curriculum based software is the most illogical and counter-intuitive arguments I have seen during this entire course. Why would further overcrowding classrooms, decreasing the amount of personal attention, and limiting individualized instruction have a positive impact on education? How would something that is packaged on a disc and remains static possibly be better than something that is packaged on paper and bound together that also remains static? They both become outdated for the exact same reasons, it is just the one looks "flashy" and the other smells bad after being kept in storage all summer.

Price also contends that we no longer need large computer labs because they are mostly used for keyboarding and basic computer literacy, things she states are "mastered before a student comes to school" (p.53, 2005). While many of my high school students do know how to do basic functions on a computer, few of them know how to type with any kind of fluency. They employ the "hunt-and-peck" method that MY high school keyboarding teacher broke me of after roughly one week. Our students are much more technologically proficient than many of us, however, they simply know how to consume technology. Few truly know how to master creating products.

Finally, "as the teachers' dependence on the Internet decreases, the need for student computers to be connected will disappear or at least lighten" (p. 55, 2005.) It is laughable that this article is given credibility. Everything we have learned and discussed throughout this course has centered around the free Web 2.0 tools that are available to assist and enhance teachers' instructional strategies. Our "dependence" on the Internet is not decreasing, it is increasing. Internet accessibility is allowing educators to provide 24/7 access to education for their learners. Decreasing Internet usage in the classroom would be counterproductive and a waste of time.

Price, Betsy (2005). Who's in Control of the Technology-Integrated School?

Book Review: Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement

Lynne Schrum and Barbara B. Levin put together a wonderful resource that is valuable to anyone that is or will be involved in 21^st century education. Leading 21^st Century Schools is well structured with a strong balance of theoretical insight and practical, tested applications from which readers are likely to gain great knowledge. Further, the general style of the book is one that allows readers the ability to understand. This stands to reason due to the authors of the book being educators.

Leading 21^st Century Schools is formatted into three sections. The first section, titled "21^st Century Schools: A New World for Administrators, Teachers, and Students" sets the tone for the rest of the book. In it, Schrum and Levin underscore the need for administrators to understand not only who their students are today, but also who their young teachers are – a generation that is hungry for the use of technology and the ability to create. The authors wrote, "They are a generation that will grow up creating, using, and distributing text, images, audio, and video everyday during their life" (p. 33). If school leaders want to move their organizations forward they have to understand the group they are trying to reach.

"New Tools and Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the 21^st Century," the second section of the book is the most informative and helpful section for non-administrative school leaders. This would include teacher-leaders who are trailblazers for their campus. Four chapters are devoted to instructional strategies, introductions to various Web 2.0 tools, and practical applications on how to incorporate these tools in to the classroom. From blogs and wikis to webquests and virtual field trips, this second section was perhaps the most beneficial section in the entire book.

Beyond just the classroom, Schrum and Levin seek to involve community stakeholders like – parents – in the discussion of 21^st century education. "School leader blogs are also being used, mainly to communicate with parents, family members, and others in the community." (p. 124). The idea of trying to sell something in which you do not buy does not work. The authors of this book did a great job identifying and clarifying their perspective in Part III of this book, "Leading the Way," that leading change is multifaceted and must be ultimately led by example.

Generally speaking Leading 21^st Century Schools communicates a high priority for administrators. While a teacher-leader would find this to be an excellent resource it seems that administrators are the target audience of this work. This is not a shortcoming of the book by any means, merely a statement of fact. Overall, the book is an inspiration for anyone involved in educating 21^st century learners.

Online Safety

Hallee Adelman said, "A recent study showed that one in five youths (between ages 10 and 17) 'received a sexual solicitation or approach [over the internet] in the past year' and 'one in seventeen [youths] were threatened or harassed' online (Finkelhor, Mitchell, & Wolak, 2000, p. ix) (2004). It is of utmost priority that we protect our students from online predators. The dangers that today's students face is unmatched in our history. As summer draws to a close and we begin planning our lessons and incorporating all of the wonderful ideas we have gained just in the last few weeks it is imperative that we monitor what our students are looking at and to whom they are "talking" online. All of this week's readings seemed to tie together one major theme: BE CAREFUL!

Keeping parents involved and informed could be our greatest asset in providing a safe, online learning environment for our students. It would be especially helpful to offer suggestions to parents that would allow them to monitor what it their child is doing on the internet. For example, setting up definite parameters, time frames, and situations in which their child may do their work could prove to be very beneficial. J.A. Hitchcock offered several practical suggestions culminating in the idea that "if you wouldn't say it to a complete stranger on the street, then do not 'say' it online" (2007). If meeting face to face with all of your parents is impractical (and when you have 250 students I would say that it is) perhaps setting up a blog to which they could subscribe would be a highly efficient way of communicating with the masses to make them aware of what will be going on in your classroom as well as steps they can take to protect their children in the process.

Adelman, Hallee. Voices From the Middle, "Teaching Online Safety." March 2004.

Hitchcock, J.A. MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools, "Cyberbullies, Online Predators, and What to do About Them." May/June 2007.

Webconference

Last Tuesday evening I had the opportunity to participate in my first ever webconference. It was an exciting experience for me being able to communicate with multiple people simultaneously all in different places. It further demonstrated for me the power and importance of harnessing technology for educational purposes.
Despite my excitement there were a few technical glitches that left me feeling frustrated. When new people would join the room late our professor would rehash all that previously been discussed. There were audio issues, most likely caused by participants not muting their microphones and having their speakers turned up too loud at the same time. Lastly, at times Dr. Borel would sound as if she was being fast-forwarded. This left me feeling confused and at times frustrated.
Despite the difficulties, my overall impression of the webconference was very positive. In an online based setting you wonder if you will ever have the opportunity to put a name with a face. For a social creature such as myself, the webconference is a great way to connect with people you may never have the opportunity to meet in person.

21st century education

Marc Pensky said

"For one thing, school is usually about the past - what we've learned up until this point (or some point a while ago) about math, science, language, and social studies - with, occassionally a bit of current events thrown in (2008).

The entire gist of the article "Turning on the Lights" (Pensky 2008) dealt with the issue of advancing education in the 21st century. On the whole, I have enjoyed Pensky's writing the most so far in this course. Additionally, I do not disagree in principle with what Pensky is trying to communicate. However, as an historian, I could not have disagreed more with the approach offered in the article and the overall defiance for honored, factual truth being taught.

To begin with, suggesting that somehow teaching algebraic equations is faulty merely because they are two or three thousand years old is ludacrous. Also, the same holds true for science. Finally, trying to eradicate teaching history because it is not current is the most damning assumption Pensky could have possibly made. Again, there is no debating our students need to be prepared for 21st century jobs, opportunities, challenges, and life skills. However, assuming that by teaching our children how to program a computer or exchanging biology for astronautics will somehow magically transform our students into 21st century intellectual giants is fallacious at best. My contention as an historian, and as an educator, is that we cannot move beyond where we are until we understand why we are here. To blaze ahead blindly into the 21st century could be disastrous as we would likely repeat the blunders of our past not learning what we need to know from that past. This is a very Marxist viewpoint to which Pensky holds. "Who begot the first man," says Marx, "and nature as a whole? I can only answer you: Your question is itself an abstraction...Give up your abstraction...Don't think, don't ask me" (1844).

Please understand, I am desperate to see change in our education system. I AM A TECHIE! I am part of the technological generation. I grew up with Nintendo, Play Station, and X-Box. I am a digital native. But to suggest that we can somehow ignore the past because it is outdated is the most basic problem of our society. No one seems to care, nor wants to know about our past. Where I do agree with Pensky on this issue is that we need to teach our students 21st century SKILLS, not just 21 century tools.

Allow me to clarify my point further. I can teach Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, or the Aztecs in a way that would be completely "old school." Here is your worksheet. Here is your TAKS packet. Or, I could do what it is that I do - why did these civilizations fall? What about their society led to their deterioration? How does that compare with OUR culture, and OUR experience today? Now we are thinking critically. Now our students are having to use problem solving skills to answer questions like how the watering down of Roman culture coincided with the immersion of non-Roman citizens gaining prominence and influence in their society or how the spread of Christianity led to the devaluing of Roman customs in exchanging for those of the Christian faith. Do we see this happening in America and could we stop it? Would we want to? I do not have to teach my kids computer programming to teach them to think critically.

What I will say is I can use technology to ENHANCE the critical thinking my students are doing. Again, I will be the first in line drinking the 21st century technology "cool-aid." However, I will not do so at the expense of teaching historical fact and truth. I welcome any and all feedback.

Mesquite ISD Technology Plan

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National Education Technology Plan

The current administration has No Child Left Behind and gone into warp speed. With the goal of changing how we teach and learn in the 21st century technology is the vehicle that will drive the progress.

As we learn how to incorporate more technology, things like blogs, wikis, and podcasts in the classroom, students will have on-demand type educational experiences. This will enrich their learning in multiple ways. First and foremost, my ability to get students to do homework is negligible. However, if I can tap into my students' world and meet them where they are, my homework will no long be homework in the traditional sense, but rather an extension of a lifestyle they already have.

We have to redesign the process and the structure of our educational settings, or as one article said this week, "we will become extinct." I think the statement in the national plan that stated this administration is not seeking "evolutionary tinkering" but instead is looking for "radical change" may be the most important statement in the entire 114 pages. We are too far behind the curve to just slowly and incrementally change what we're doing. We have to change, and we have to change now. Our students are already a decade ahead of us, even someone like me who grew up with technology at my finger tips.

The only concern I have with the plan is that there is a national plan. The government/Constitutional teacher in me believes there are clear lines between what is federal and what is state. Education is one that I believe falls on the shoulders of state governments. The nationalization of education is something that bothers me only because education cannot, or perhaps should not, be uniform. Yes, this sounds almost heretical in education today; however, the cultural, economical, and vocational goals and opportunities are going to be completely different from Texas to California to Maryland. Why should someone in Bellvue, WA be able to tell someone in Ann Arbor, MI what academic programs they need to be focused on? Wouldn't the people in Michigan know what is best suited for their context?

District Technology Plan

"MISD Technology Goal
Infuse 21st Century skills throughout the District integrating technology as a tool for problem-solving and creativity."

The Mesquite ISD seeks to fulfill the goal of infusing 21st century skills through the availability of student computers, projectors, interactive whiteboards, and various other technological devices. In addition to this, our district offers a plethora of staff development opportunities (one of which I will be co-teaching beginning this fall). To encourage teachers to participate in these opportunities teachers are offered a small stipend paid twice yearly.

Throughout the year surveys are conducted to make sure that technology inclusion is having its intended effect - increased student productivity and achievement. In addition to this our district relies heavily on the results of the STaR Chart to evaluate where our district is improving and how we can do better. In fact, just this evening I had the wonderful opportunity to have a conversation with our superintendent about our district's technology plan. She reaffirmed our commitment to reaching the state plan as quickly as possible and how the STaR Chart is helping us accomplish this goal. Beyond just this we are using the information from the STaR Charts to write our campus improvement plans.

Technology Assessments

Evaluations are critical to improvement. I've always heard, and even said myself, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The problem is, if we are not evaluating our programs how are we supposed to know if they "ain't broke"?

By evaluating the technology we are using and HOW we are using it, we are affording our educators and our students the opportunity to compete at the highest possible level in the 21st century. For example, in a two year project where teachers participated in staff development that pushed them to involve technology in the classroom "47% of project classrooms were originally classified as 'low' in learner-centered approached" but "by projects end, just 15% remained in the low category" (Burns 2002). Without an evaluative standard teachers would never have known how to improve performance in the classroom.

Where I think technology evaluations fall short is in their generalities and impersonal assessments. For example, one survey I took last week assessed that I MIGHT be comfortable using email and occassionally use products like Microsoft Word. Really? I didn't realize I was so advanced! Of course, there are several other surveys that are much more useful and more accurate. Despite the flaws, having the ability to guage where we are technologically is vitally important to our success as educators and to the success of our students.

Thing #2

Personally, you cannot have enough technology in the classroom. Today's students not only want to create, they NEED to create! It is part of their identity as people...they are creators. I have talked with several people about ideas for next year that I'm hoping now I will be able to actually implement. First, implementing a blogging site and allowing students to turn their work in via the blog, or some other type of shared media where they may receive constructive feedback and argumentative discussions will be outstanding! I tell my students all the time, "We learn best when we learn together." This will allow for a new avenue of shared learning.

By reaching in to their world, I hope to increase the performance of my students both in class and in life. We can assign homework, but odds are they will forget by the time they leave my room. If they have subscribed to my blog they will receive a daily reminder of readings, homework, and other assignments they will need to have completed prior to coming back to my classroom.

Thing #1

Learning never ends. This statement is simple, but holds tremendous weight. When we become so entrenched and rooted in our routines we cheat ourselves and more importantly, our students.

In regards to the 7 1/2 habits of effective lifelong learners, I feel like setting goals is going to be the greatest challenge I face. Planning with the end goal in mind is often difficult for me. I tend to be more a laissez-faire, go with the flow kind of person. If I can master this habit, I feel like my students will benefit greatly (and so will I!!) This will also be the most important habit that I develop over the course of 23 things.

What I lack in planning, I feel like I make up in several of the other habits. First, technology is something that is part of my every day life. I am at the beginning of the "techie" generation. While I am nowhere nearly as technically savvy as the kids that I teach, I am striving to reach their level in the classroom so as to reach them where they are.