Creating a Focus with 21st Century Skills.

The problem with conducting research on 21st century skills, is that it can be to general. There are so many avenues a teacher, schools, and a researcher can explore. But how can you narrow a focus to one element? This seems to be the issue within my class and my research. I am too spread out. I am throwing to many new skills at my students instead of having them master one or few 21st century skills.  In addition, as a teacher, I am trying to many new ideas, instead of creating a platform of instruction. Therefore, over the past few days, I have reevaluated what may focus should be.  I am going to create a centralized focus on what it means to have a 21st century classroom. My research should help identify a few strategies should that exemplify this classroom and the impact in can have on teaching and learning.  Therefore, I see this research as two fold.  

• What teaching and learning skills create a 21st century classroom?
• What everyday technology can be used and infused within a 21st century classroom?

I do not want to say its back to the drawing board, but an attempt to refine.  

This video does a great job showing a true 21st century classroom.

Grappling with Research Design

For my research design, I will use a quantitative approach. I will use a survey to examine the effect that personalized learning has on student motivation. I will use quasi-experimental research with the one group pretest and posttest design to examine the effect that personalized learning has on math proficiency. My concern with this design is its flaws. The findings could show an increase in math proficiency, but there is no way to be certain that the increase would be a consequence of personalized learning. While this research design is commonly used in action research, I’m still debating on whether one of the other designs will allow me to meet my research aims.

New Research Engines

As I am working on my Action Research I become familiar with Questia and ERIC as a research tool.   It has helped me find educational journals.  I need to work on narrowing my topic as I research my Action Plan.  I have found journals on various topics not necessarily my topic which has caused me to re-evaluate the topic in which I am researching.  I was talking to the STAT teacher at my school concerning my topic and how technology on the achievement gap but she felt I needed to narrow my topic.  She was going to send me additional research engines to use.  I will blog more later after I check out her sources she sends me. 

Writing, Re-writing and then Writing Again

One of the most arduous and tedious aspects of this endeavor is revisions. I know how important accuracy is in action planning and I get that researching and revising is the process by which one becomes more accurate. But,for first timers, like myself, being accurate is an acquired skill. One that comes from much painful work. Not to sound cheesy but I have a better understanding of the dictum "no pain, no gain," As I drill down through the literature and gain new insights, I find myself gently nudging my plan in ever slightly different directions, refocusing my plan while expanding my scope of understanding on the topic.  It is a journey akin to mining for gold. The deeper you dig, either the more gold you discover or the more you question whether or not you are digging in the right place, Just like gold rush miners, the dream of finding that one giant nugget propels you to carry on your dig. I am currently in the process of revising my action plan but I will continue researching until I feel confident that the literature accurately reflects current thinking on the topic of the plan. I will keep you posted as I progress along.  

Technology not integrated with curriculum is just furniture

In my experience as a teacher I have all but toll often walked into a classroom to see a smartboard sitting unused in the back of the room or an Elmo covered in books and paper. Often times this is because teachers don't see a connect between the technology and what they do to accomplish there curriculum. Many teachers see the software and hardware as not aligning to their textbooks and thus lose interest in its employment. The way to get teachers on board is to change our viewpoint from infusing technology into the classroom and instead infuse technology into our curriculum. This will require us as professionals to find connection points between appropriate technologies and curriculum.

Literature review and attitudes toward technology. A student and teacher perspective.

I have found several important themes in doing my literature review. In regards to student achievement, researchers have found a positive correlation between student achievement increases and the use of instructional technology. This achievement increase relates to the students view of the instruction as being more meaningful, engaging and employs methods they see as more current.  Additionally, the literature has indicated that in-service teachers are less likely than pre-service teachers to view instructional technology as worthwhile. Lastly, in-service teachers are more likely than pre-service teachers to only use instructional technology to support out dated methods of instruction. Research shows that attitudes towards employment of instructional technology is tied to prior experience with digital technology.

Video - Learning Styles

Here is a video clip of basic learning styles and its relation to one's preference:

Literature Review

As a result of class tonight I have a clearer understanding of the Literature Review process.   Next week's blog will focus on the Methodology.

Different Instruction with Media

During my literature search to write my review, I read an interesting study about the use of media in instruction. The study discusses that even with electronic delivery, students with differing learning styles can still be engaged and make progress. Examples of electronic presentation can include images, diagrams, videos and simulations. Examples of classwork surrounding this type of presentation can include practice with electronic discussions and virtual meetings for group work. Students that may not think they can be captivated by electronic learning may realize they can enjoy this type of learning.

Relating Team Focus and Problem Statement

The Tech Leaders’ focus is to use technology to enhance lessons and student engagement. Our mission is to help teachers use technology as an accelerator of learning. This can be done by implementing technology-based personalized learning approaches in classrooms. The objective is not to let technology drive learning, but to have it serve as support while students’ individual needs are met. There are multiple ways this can be done such as, providing students with options to demonstrate their learning using a variety of tech tools.

Literature Review and my Problem Statement

Since my last post, I have been working on integrating more and more technology in my classroom. I have worked in Edmodo and a flipped classroom in one controlled groups and more traditional classroom to create a wide sample size. My literature review would push my classroom more towards a 21st century learning style. These are the skills that will create the global learner and worker. But how does this prepare my students now? My problem statement is as follows:

How does the infusion of 21st century learning skills and emerging technology affect the student’s ability to pass and or perform well on local and state-wide standardized assessments?

The infusion of the 21st century learning skills, first introduces a definition problem. How do you define these skills and to what point are they used? How can you know that these are the skills that would be needed in the future with a world that changes on a daily basis? This question can lead and will lead to years of research. Given that this will only be done in a few weeks, a small sample size will be used and data analysis will have to be conducted on pre and post tests questions.

To help sort some of this out, this article has a chart does a great job explaining the differences between 20th and 21st century learning.

Chart describing the differences between 20th and 21st Century Learning

Looking at this chart and identifying what 21st century skills that are needed, you can begin to identity what technology tools to use. For example, I use Edmodo as a great collaborative tool. Good docs to maintain online portfolio of work, quizlet to help study and other Web 2.0 tools that are being developed to fuse skills and technology.

To futhur infuse these skills, the common core and PAARC tests are being written to these skill sets.  Therefore, it stands to reason, that if teachers and students can master these skills and infusing technology, test scores will go up.

Looking ahead: As I dive deeper into my research, I plan on incorporating these skills and more technology into test taking abilities and study skills to prepare for upcoming tests.

My Action Research

I am working on my Action Research.  I am addressing the issue of the achievement gap in my school between whites and students of color.  I am not having trouble defining the problem but I am having trouble coming up with research questions and tying technology into this topic. 

My Literature Review & Technology

Electronic Instruction Considering Learning Styles

One study I am using in my literature review discusses electronic media and its use in instruction. Even with one method of presentation - electronically - learning styles can still be considered. Researchers used a theory with seven learning styles and examined their correlation with a teaching strategy and type of electronic media. Students in the Visual Learning Style category were taught with images, diagrams, and simulations, and their understanding of the material was to be presented in a similar fashion. Students that prefer Active Learning were taught with role play, and homework included practicing the information with electronic methods of discussion and group work. Whether with electronic media or in front of a classroom, it is important that the teacher “organize activities that take into account individual learning style, that assessments are designed taking into account the variety of learning styles of students …”.