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Continuing the journey…

Continuing the journey…. Researching networked technologies as a means to promote student and teacher understanding. Christine Power. Boston College powerce@bc.edu. Christine… What are you doing these days?. I’m a teacher. How can I encourage student learning?. What am I teaching?.

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Continuing the journey…

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  1. Continuing the journey… Researching networked technologies as a means to promote student and teacher understanding Christine Power Boston College powerce@bc.edu

  2. Christine… What are you doing these days? I’m a teacher How can I encourage student learning? What am I teaching? The Journey Begins…Class of 1988 10th year reunion Am I adequately preparing my students for life? Am I an effective teacher?

  3. 21st Century Skills:NCREL/Metiri EnGuage 21st Century Skills for 21st Century Learners report (2003) • Digital Age Literacies:Including language, mathematics, scientific, economic, technology, visual, informational and multicultural • Inventive Thinking:Including adaptability, self direction, curiosity, creativity, risk-taking and higher order reasoning + - x / Reading and Comprehension

  4. Effective Communication: Including collaboration, interpersonal skills, personal responsibility, civic responsibility and interactive communication • High Productivity: Including prioritizing, using real world tools, and producing high quality products.

  5. Beginning to focus… Higher Order Reasoning Creativity INTERNET ENHANCED INSTRUCTION Collaboration Writing Computer Skills

  6. Can this be done? • Time is a factor: • Mom • Long work hours • Insane commute • Personal knowledge of computers intermediate…not afraid to learn, but lots to learn • Most kids have computer and internet access at home

  7. Testing The Waters…

  8. First attempt: December 2003 • First incarnation: www.historypower.com • Unit Webpage…implemented for two weeks in 12/03 • Various elements: WebQuest, Station Activity, Asynchronous Postings, Information for students and parents.

  9. + According to pre and post test data student homework rate and interest in the subject matter increased - Test scores showed no marked improvement - The unit took longer to prep and deliver than a traditional unit The results…

  10. The journey continues… • Next incarnation: www.powerofhistory.com • Class Webpage. Utilized on a daily basis from 8/04-6/07 • Initial elements: WebQuests, Powerpoints, Primary source activities, Asynchronous postings, Rss Feeds, Podcasts, Information for students and parents

  11. + STUDENT POLL- SEPT 2004: 90% of students like this way of learning + STUDENT POLL- NOV 2004: 93%- “Like using website” 81%- “helps with understanding” 43% “complete their homework more regularly” because it is online + Homework is returned at a higher rate than previous class years (anecdotal evidence) + Current events find their way more regularly in the classroom (94% agree!) The results…

  12. + Students have been exposed to a greater number of primary source documents, visuals and maps + Online intermixing between my freshmen and seniors; lower level students and honor level students + Captures and preserves student work + Less time at the photocopier! + “Shy” students have been more active online + Allows for transparency within the classroom. Parents, the community and the administration are fully aware of the goings on in the classroom + Parent feedback has been overwhelmingly positive…more regular communication as well as more parental responsibility

  13. - Initially time consuming to create but less than an hour a week to update and maintain. - Creative accommodations have to be made for LD students. - Moderate ramp up. Students have to be taught how to navigate within site and how to participate. - ‘Window’ the classroom opens up possible criticism. - Have to be flexible with computer problems, etc.

  14. Exploring a new direction…Online Professional Development • 2004-2007: Shift of research interest from secondary instruction to teacher development • Fall 2007- Matriculated in Boston College’s Curriculum and Instruction PhD program • Research Focus: Online Teacher Development (Teacher collaboration, communities of practice, teacher reflection, etc.)

  15. A short history of Online Professional Development

  16. The Result?

  17. When the dust settled… • By 2004, 43.6% of university based Master’s programs offered online courses • Approximately 33% of these were in the field of teacher education • Critiques of the period: • No Dream Denied: A Pledge to America’s Children (2003) • Online Professional Development for Teachers: Emerging Models and Methods by Chris Dede (2006)

  18. Online Professional Development for Teachers: Emerging Models and Methods (2006) • Extensive review of the literature between 1990-2005 • Five themes • What is the effectiveness of online professional development (OPD)? • How can the design of OPD be improved? • How can technology be used to support OPD? • What is the role of communication within OPD environments? • How to capture and report OPD findings?

  19. Research Question: What does the literature say about online professional development between 2005-2007? • Initial difficulties identifying articles: • Lack of universal terms to describe OPD • “online professional development, web-based professional development, internet-based professional development” • Online access of most recent articles was difficult • Result: 29 journal articles

  20. Questions guiding contemporary research • HOW does online professional development work? • What is the impact of the framework, structure, and/or pedagogy on OPD? • What is the impact of external forces on OPD? i.e. time, technology problems? • What is the impact of internal forces on OPD? Teacher personality, teacher motivation, etc. • WHY does online professional development work? • What is the role of reflection in OPD? • What is the role of collaboration in OPD? • WHAT is the impact of online professional development? • What was the change in teacher practice after experiencing OPD?

  21. Research in OPD continues to rapidly evolve. Research questions have moved beyond “Does OPD work?” to more complex lines of inquiry. Some final thoughts…

  22. OLD Research still continues on the topics of the role of technology support, time, and pedagogical methodologies NEW Researchers are now interested in the role of the teacher in OPD. Teacher centered forces Teacher reflection and collaboration Old and New Lines of Inquiry Continue

  23. Critique of the Literature • Research theme: How to best research OPD has been abandoned • Research quality is still largely lacking • Questions of validity- sample size, sample population • Questionable instruments and interpretations • Likert scale, simple interviews used as only instrument • # of words used in a post = effectiveness

  24. Critique of the Literature • Assumptions: universality of networked computers, questions of access for those who are disabled • New Lines of Inquiry needed: retention in OPD programs, privacy/ethics, and emerging technologies… AERA 2008

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