Next Steps

Before continuing with my search for relevant literature and deciding on a research approach, I feel it necessary to spend some time developing my topic further so that my action research plan’s purpose and the value of its undertaking it is clear. I’ll need to consider what my goals and objectives are, how data will be collected, analyzed, and reported. The answers to those questions will allow me to better frame my plan, find the needed literature, and identify appropriate research methods.

Quote

"Give instruction to the wise, and they will become wiser still; teach the righteous and they will gain in learning."

This quote exemplifies action research. Learning should actively involve students. Use collaboration and find ways to make learning meaningful - which may include understand the different learning styles among those in your classroom. Create an environment that supports such a variety and teach with different methods of instruction to help engage students.

Starting a Literature Review

The purpose of my action research plan is to study the effects of technology-based personalized instruction in math on student motivation, and on local and state assessments. Now that I have a problem statement and research questions, I have moved on to my search for related literature. First, I conducted searches to identify the top experts in this topic. I performed Google searches, and used LinkedIn , Scoop.it!, and Twitter. I’ve also began to look for useful articles and books using Google Scholar and ERIC. What I found so far is that the literature discusses either personalized learning, technology, or math, but not the combination of the three.  

Measuring Perfomance Outcomes for instructional Technology

Instructional technology has provided opportunities for educators to infuse tools that bring new levels of interaction to their instruction. The question that looms in the minds of most teachers and administrators is "does instructional technology produce meaningful enough gains in achievement to justify the investment".  In a sense an educational and technological cost / benefit analysis. To properly address this I have set out to construct an action plan that measures performance outcomes in students who have utilized specific technologies to learn content. As this process  I will review authoritative sources of literature to find connections to the findings of my action plan.

Learning Styles & Technology

Here is a great video and article that integrates technology with individual learning styles:

Learning Styles in Technology Use

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework that specifies the knowledge teachers must possess in order to effectively teach with technology. The three main forms of knowledge are Content (CK), Pedagogy (PK), and Technology (TK). Content knowledge is teachers’ knowledge about specific subject areas to be learned. Pedagogical knowledge is teachers’ knowledge about the methods of teaching. Technology knowledge is about working with technology, tools and resources. The three main three forms of knowledge form intersections. The intersection of all of three is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). It is defined as understanding of the way teaching and learning can change as technologies are used in certain ways. It is said that TPACK is “is the basis of effective teaching with technology, requiring an understanding of the representation of concepts using technologies; pedagogical techniques that use technologies in constructive ways to teach content; knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn and how technology can help redress some of the problems that students face; knowledge of students’ prior knowledge and theories of epistemology; and knowledge of how technologies can be used to build on existing knowledge to develop new epistemologies or strengthen old ones” (Koehler & Mishra, 2009).

What does mean to to use technology to "Accelerate" learning?

I spent the week reflecting on my last blog and realized that I need to clarify a statement. I previously mentioned that technology can be used as an accelerator of education.  I find that statement to be true, but vague. What does and “accelerated” mean? On that note, what do you actually “accelerate”? Does it refer to skills, topics, lessons, agenda, or information? Reflecting on this, I began to discover that technology is an accelerator towards 21^st century skills. Technology becomes a medium to enhance these skills. It does not matter what the subject or the lesson is. Technology helps students communicate, collaborate, be creative, and use critical thinking skills in any setting. More blog posts will be conducted on how technology is used as an accelerator towards those skills.