Is it Worth the Time and Effort? T eachers’ Perceptions of 4MAT in the Southern Union

1. Is it Worth the Time and Effort? Teachers’ Perceptions of 4MAT in the Southern Union Myrna Colon, Ph.D. Professor of Education Ruth WilliamsMorris, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology

2. Introduction • In 2003, a transformed curriculum, Journey to Excellence, was established for the North American Division Seventh-day Adventist Schools • In agreement with the educational initiative of the NAD, in 2004, the Southern Union decided to continue the modification with their own project called the Adventist EDGE from which 4MAT is derived. • The focus of Adventist EDGE is to use ideal practices that aid in the learning process to assist students in obtaining their highest ability of learning. • Adventist EDGE has proved successful and has grown to be a viable foundation for educators in the Southern Union. • Each year Adventists EDGE educators express satisfaction with the program .

3. Statement of the Problem Since the implementation of 4MAT as part of Adventist Edge initiative, there has been no systematic, empirical inquiry into what teachers think and feel about 4MAT. • This cross-sectional descriptive design using survey methodology was guided by six research questions.

4. Purpose of the Study • To measure and describe quantitatively and qualitatively the perceptions of teachers currently working in the Southern Union of Seventh-day Adventist about 4MAT. • This cross-sectional descriptive design using survey methodology was guided by seven research questions.

5. The Research Questions • How effective do teachers perceive 4MAT to be? • How much are teachers using 4MAT? • What types of strategies are teachers using to enhance learning? • What types of assessments are teachers using to measure student learning? • How do teachers feel about 4MAT? • How much support from school administrators do teachers perceive? • How much do teachers know about 4MAT?

6. Method Participants 152 teachers, elementary, secondary, from 8 conferences in the Southern Union 38 men, 109 women Average Teaching experience = 18 years (SD = 10.8)

7. Figure 1

8. Figure 2

9. The Instrument The 4MAT Indicator Survey (4MATIS) 34 items, 4 sections (3Quantitative, 1 Qualitative) Section 1 Beliefs and Actions (27) Likert scale Section 2 Assessment and Strategies Checklist Section 3 Feelings About 4MAT Open-ended Section 4 Demographic (4) Chronbach’s alpha = .86

10. Sample Section 1 Items

11. Section 2 Assessment and Strategies • Which of these assessments do you use during a school year? Check as many as apply. • Daily • Frequent • Seldom • Never • Multiple choice questions, Demonstrations •  Matching questions, Presentations •  True/false questions, Portfolios •  Short answers questions, Peer Assessments •  Essay questions

12. Section 3. Feelings About 4MAT (Qualitative) • Sample items: • 1. How have your thoughts and feelings about C/I changed as a result of using 4MAT? • 2. What do you see as the potential weaknesses of 4MAT? • 3. Please give us any suggestions that you have about 4MAT.

13. Procedure Southern Union 2007 ↓ Superintendents /Principals 2008 ↓ All Schools in Southern Union 2008 ↓ 899 surveys 2008 ↓ 152 Received November 2008

14. Data Analysis • QUANTITATIVE: Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics • SPSS 17.0 software • Means, SDs, Percentages • Independent Samples t-tests, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficients

15. Data Analysis cont’d • QUALITATIVE: Content Analysis on Section 3 items • Positive comments • Negative comments • Emotional climate • Weaknesses of 4MAT

16. Research Question #1 1. How effective do teachers perceive 4MAT to be? 4MAT contributes to increased student achievement M = 14, SD = 3.6, n = 152 Range of effectiveness =5-25

18. Research Question#2 How much are teachers using 4MAT? I pose essential questions in the 4MAT unit M = 32.86, SD 6.97 Use scores range = 11-55

20. Research Question #3 What types of strategies are teachers using to enhance learning? Which strategies do you use? Check as many as apply (case studies, problem-based learning) Amount and frequency-Daily Frequently, Seldom, Never M = 105, SD = 31, n = 151 Range = 21 -200

22. Research Question #4 What types of assessments are teachers using to measure student learning? Amount and frequency M = 17.64, SD = 3.10, n = 152 Range = 3-20

24. Research Questions #5 How do teachers feel about 4MAT? M = 17.62, SD = 4.62, n = 150 Range 5-27 Higher values = more positive feelings

26. Research Question #6 How much support from school administrators do teachers perceive? M = 3.77, SD = 1.79, n = 147 Range = 1-5 Higher values = more perceived support

28. Research Question #7 How much do teachers know about 4MAT? I have had in-depth format training; I know my 4MAT type M = 14.84 SD = 3.86, n = 150 Range of knowledge scores = 4 - 20

35. Interesting Relationships The more experienced the teacher the greater perceived effectiveness of 4MAT reported r(126) = .30, p = .001, r squared = 9% The more experienced the teacher the greater the use of different assessments used r(128) = .31, p < .01, r squared ~9%

36. What the quantitative analysis tells, and does not tell us…

37. So, What did the teachers actually say?

38. Qualitative Analysis of Comments

39. A. How have your thoughts and feelings about curriculum and instruction changed as a result of using 4MAT?65% of the comments were positive

40. Teachers address different learning styles: “I’m more aware of the needs of the different types of learners and how to reach them.” “Think more about how each one learns.” “More aware of learning styles in daily lessons.” “I think more about the fact that the learner may not learn in the same way I do – that affects the strategies I choose.”

41. Students enjoy the lesson and learn: “I love to include 4MAT and curriculum and instruction. It takes more time to prepare but I know my students are connected and learning.” “Student can learn more through 4MAT.” “When I do teach a 4MAT lesson I feel good about it and my students enjoy the lessons.”

42. Some negative comments “My feelings are ambivalent. In our conference it has poor implementation and relevance. Is extremely impractical.” “I don’t enjoy 4MAT.” “There’s got to be a simpler way to I prove the quality of education!”

43. Teachers do not use 4MAT or have had little or no training “I’ve been told to use it, but have had zero exposure or training.” “For 4MAT training I have few materials. It would take more time to prep a 4MAT unit. I don’t use it in my classroom.” “I need more training.” “I don’t use 4MAT. I have 8 students in 6 grades!” “I’m not using 4MAT at this time.”

44. B. How have your thoughts and feelings about assessment changed as a result of using 4MAT?

45. The majority of the respondents expressed positive change “The necessity of assessment has heightened.” “I am able to use a variety of assessment for my students. They also have the choice to show what they have learned.” “Increased the variety of assessment.” “I use far less testing & more authentic assessment.” “Using different methods.”

46. 40% of the respondents express little or no change “Very little.” ‘No, not at all.” “No ,still the same.” “Still assess basically the same.” “Somewhat. It leads itself to more forms of assessment.”

47. C. How has the emotional classroom climate been affected by 4MAT?

48. The majority express a positive change “Students look forward to learning new things.” “It has been good because most of the time the students are connected and want to learn what is being taught.” “Kids enjoy the lessons more.” “Students are happy.” “Kids love the 4MAT units. They tend to work together better.”

49. Some express no change and negative feelings “None noticed” ‘I don’t use it enough to sense a difference. 4MAT is similar to my ‘regular’ way of teaching so really no change.” ‘No difference.” “No change. I already plan around multiple intelligences.” “It seems that the class gets disruptive and disorganized.” “Students feel the lessons are disjointed-‘What’s the point?’ They have very little patience the traveling the wheel.”

50. D. What do you see as strengths of 4MAT?