Literature Review Research Experience

As of right now, it is about 9:00 in the evening here if in the metropolis of Atlanta in Georgia. The temperature this November evening is 46 degrees. For the month of November, it is not out of ordinary to have temperatures to fluctuate between 32 to 70 degrees. Therefore, I can say that the weather here can be unpredictable. This year it has been a cool and soggy month down here, but the last few days proved to be drier. Meterologists predict the “forecast” for Thanksgiving to be sunny and Dry. My fingers are crossed. Being the southern I am I can say that I take the gravy; especially, the homemade giblet gravy my grandmother use to make. Unfortunately, she passed away about 5 years ago and I cannot make it the way she could. Nevertheless, with or without gravy, everyone have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.
Now, as I focus on research, I do recall using computerized card files that lead me to journals, articles, abstracts, and books for my undergraduate senior research project. These resources were located in the West Georgia College and Georgia Tech’s libraries during 1994. Since then, I experienced a limited amount of research for article reviews during my teacher’s certification course. I found the majority of the various types of article in GALILEO Scholar, a world wide web –based library. GALILEO stands for GeorgiA LIbraries LEarning Online. To access it, the try the following link http://www.galileo.usg.edu/welcome/.
For the literature review, I look forward to exploring the additional resources presented in this week’s resources such as ERIC, ERIC’s Thesaurus, and Google Scholar. Today, I briefly explored ERIC’s Thesaurus for additional key word for my research problem. Once I get the chance to spend a significant amount of time with these resources am sure I will find many more options that leads to more questions or specific information pertaining to some of my questions.
Date Modified: 24 Nov 09 7:34 PM MST

Research Questions

This week’s task includes developing research questions around by problem statement. I intend to deepen my of my problem by seek answers to the questions. Furthermore, the foundation of my exploration derives sfrom these questions. I believe these questions are descriptive, and show relationships. Overall, these questions are quantitative in nature.

The problem statement: I plan to determine whether or not the use of computerized concept mapping tools verses non-use of this tools increase standardized test scores for 8th grade students.

Who: 8th grade student

What: Computerized concept mapping tools

Why: To appraise the increase of standardized test scores

Here are my research questions:

1. Does the use of technological concept mapping tool increase standardized test scores for 8th grade students?

2. Is there a relationship between increased standardized test scores and student use of technological concept mapping tools?
3. Is there a measurable difference in the standardized test scores of students who use computerized concept mapping tools for concept mastery and the standardized test scores of students who do not?
4. To what degree does student content mastery as measured by standardized scores depend on computerized concept mapping tools are used?

These are some of the questions that I intent to explore in more depth. I appreciate your suggestions. Please feel free to scrutinize as necessary.

EDUC 6653: Research Problem

For the next several weeks, I plan to research a problem that related to my concentration of integrating technology in the classroom and student’s achievement on standardized test. I teach Physical Science to middle school students. Therefore, my research interest must include a problem that relates to my Master's in Education with the concentration in Integrating Technology into the Classroom. Therefore, I plan investigation using concept mapping software technological tools makes a significant improvement in scores on standardized tests.
Therefore,here’s my problem:

I plan to appraise whether or not student’s use of concept mapping technological tools verses non use of technological tools by students significantly increase standardized test scores for 8th grade students?

Who: 8th grade student

What: Technological concept mapping tools

Why: To appraise the increase of standardized test scores

I am open for any suggestions that you may have. Please feel free to provide advice on how I may further develop my research problem.

Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology Reflection

Over the pasts several weeks, this course has made me consider my personal learning theory of how learning takes place as well as on how I teach. Not much have change when considering how I believe students learning best. To me, the social learning theory matches my beliefs closely in that it involves cooperative learning. For my science class, collaborative group activities prove to work better for my students. With this said, my personal theory of learning stays the basically the same. Nevertheless, I my personal theory of learning now includes a constructionist approach as well. When I consider project based assignments I give my students once each nine weeks, the constructivism seems more prominent. This theory of learning also shapes my teaching as well as my student's learning. Needless to say, other theories such as the behaviorist theory play a small role in teaching and learning in my classroom especially when considering classroom procedures and routines.

With regards to instructional practice that involves technology, I use technology to do the same things in different ways. This course has introduced me to other ways of using technology. I discovered ways to integrate technology as learning tools rather than as teaching tools. For example, although I was intimidated at first by using it, Voice Threads may become hit with my easily disengaged student. Voice Threads enhance cooperative learning. Other uses of technology as learning tool include student created power point presentations from the curriculum they learn. Furthermore, classroom blogs on key concepts and use the teaching strategy of reciprocal teaching to help students with skills such as summarizing, and predicting are great. These are a few ways to use technology in my instructional practices; but, I plan to explore the other technological integrations as I grow as a teacher.

Considering the swiftness of the technological revolution, it is imperative for me to make a conscious effort to use the resources that are available for me and my students. Therefore, I pledge to continue to explore the endless possibilities of these technological resources and instructional strategies as learning and teaching tools.

Voice Thread

Wow! What a wonderful technological tool. By for this is my favorite new technology yet. I plan to use this many time in my Science classroom to document students authentically engaged in the scientific process. I believe that my students' engagement will immediately be impacted by this new tool. This seems to be easier to create for each of my classes than wiki or a podcast. Fun social learning tool. So here is my voice thread, I hope that you can help me get a fresh insight on my situation.http://voicethread.com/share/661788/

Cognitivism in Practice

Virtual field trips impressed me the most of all the cognitive instructional tools. According to Orey's video, virtual field trips incorporate both constructionist and cognitive learning theories. Cognitively, virtual field trips induce what Orey described episodic learning where learning takes place through experience. With virtual field trips, students experience "traveling" to places that they physically can not go. In addition to the virtual field trip, he suggests having the students to create a type of artifact, model or report associated with the experience of the trip. I've used virtual field trips in the past, but I did not think of adding an additional project such as having the kids create artifacts, make a model, complete a concept map, or write a report associated with the experience. This weeks activity demonstrates to me that concept mapping after a virtual field trip provides a way of connecting ideas that I experienced. I found that these tools can be used along with other teaching strategies as extensions to learning. Visual learners can appreciate text place in a format work for them as well.

Furthermore, according to Using Technology with Classroom Instructions that Works, authors recommends teachers use strategies such as Advanced Organizers help ability to recall, use as well as organize information about what they learn. Using and creating spreadsheets, word processing, and brainstorming are deeply rooted in the cognitive process. Using these technologies help me get students responses and organize their responses. With each new lesson, I try to focus my student on the concept by offering them a higher-level" as well.

Homework and Practice

Parents and teachers sometimes have opposing views about homework. Parents sometime see homework as punishment; whereas, teachers view it as practice to develop skills. This brings me to a conversation I had with one of my student’s parents. During open house at the beginning of the school, a parent asked me how I feel about homework. Without giving me an opportunity to explain, he proceeded to tell me what he felt about it. He viewed homework as “homework for parents” not for students. He voiced his concern about the amount of time it took out of his evening. He suggested that there must be some type of deficit on the teacher’s behalf if she has to assign homework in addition to what she does in class. Basically, he did not understand “why a student would need homework if the teacher was effective” during the school hour. I listened to what he had to say; then added my thoughts. I explained to him that students need practice to obtain new skills proficiently. In subject such as mathematics and language, I feel that practice and remediation is particularly important in order for students to acquire new skill that will be built upon as the year progress. Even after explaining my view on this matter, he stood firm on his belief that “no logical reason for assigning homework.” He viewed homework as punishment for parents. What do you think?

Reflection of Comprehensive Classroom Management

Preparing and designing suitable classroom situations and organization circumstances to promote problem solving, conflict resolution, sense of community, and societal development tend to be the basis of classroom management. In order to have the most successful classroom environment, each of these areas must be considered as a part on designing the classroom management system that I design. After examining my classroom management inventory from the beginning of this course, I found that the most significant changes in my classroom management skills were problem solving and social development. Interventions in bullying outside the classroom and cultivating as sense of community in the classroom as regions in which I plan to seek additional specialized growth. Therefore, the remainder of the reflection will be dedicated to explaining the impact of theses transformations on my students, their behavior and my self-efficacy of these changes. Additionally, I will explain how I plan to obtain supplementary knowledge in areas that I identified as needing more professional growth. To conclude, discussion of how I should revise my summary of my classroom management will be given.
Jones and Jones (2007) noted that considering social skills training, “a responsible response to serious and persistent unproductive student behavior will almost always include efforts to assist the student in developing behaviors to replace those that have been the cause of concern”(p. 417). The best way for me to promote appropriate social skills is to model this ability in a variety for setting. I model appropriate skill as the come up. For instance, if a student show bad behavior towards accepting a reasonable request from me (an adult), I view this as his or her lacking the appropriate social skill to handle correction or directions. Therefore, I teach him or her as well as class, positive and productive responses to such requests. Furthermore, the student is asked to identify the ineffective behavior and reason for changing the behavior. Although the listed above is meant for social skills development, they are also included in the plans for conflict resolution. (Jones and Jones, 2007). Through conflict resolution student learn that it is alright to disagree with other; however, when problem occur, they further understand that differences can be handled in an organized and thought-engaging manner.
Although it is still a little early in the school year to effectively evaluate the long time results of problem solving and conflict resolution for my students, I realize that the strategies learned in this course has had a positive impact on my students as well as my efficacy as an educator. I feel more in control and equipped to deal with situations in a more effective way.
As noted by Jones and Jones (2007), bullying is a common problem in several schools today. Although teachers are often instructed to and trained on the surveillance of student movement and activities, incidences of bullying still occur. Even though I understanding the importance setting clear limits and swift consequences of unacceptable behavior, I still feel a need to learn more about the intervention of bullying away from the classroom environment. I know that when I am confident in dealing with bullying inside and outside of the classroom, I will also be providing an environment that is characterized by positive, caring, and supportive environment.
Another area that I hope to obtain more professional development is creating an atmosphere of community in the classroom. According to Jones and Jones (2007) school are to prepare students for a society characterized by interdependence and cooperative effort (p.126). I’ve found that one of the toughest things to accomplish involves developing an atmosphere in classroom that works and feels learners. Therefore, in order to take step to grow more in the area of bullying intervention and fostering a feel of community in the classroom, I am preparing to commit to reading professional journals and becoming involved in professional development opportunities or courses specific for bullying and classroom community. Additionally, I plan to observed classroom if other teacher’s who has demonstrated knowledge in putting together such a classroom environment. Finally, I’ll stay abreast of new and innovative trends in these two areas of concern by reading my monthly and quarterly subscription of my professional teacher organization publications In conclusion, I am providing an explanation of how I would revise my initially reflection of classroom management. Although many other the items in my reflection would remain the same, I would update this to include my plans to obtain professional grow in the some of my areas of weakness such as peer mediation, bullying as well as fostering community in the classroom.
Jones, V., & Jones, L. (2007). Comprehensive classroom management: Creating communities of support and solving problems (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom 8th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Similarity:

My Course Reflection -- Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society (EDUC - 6710I - 4)

Reflection
By Valery W. Poythress
June 27, 2009
Students are immersed in technology daily. It is inevitable for use to get around this as a society. Although most school district now have policies developed to prohibit use of technological devices such as mp3 players, cell phones, iphones, ipods, blackberries, and etc. Most of our kids are nearly experts using the various applications that such technologies have to offer. The technologies that our students are adept to prove to be for more advanced and sophisticated than what many of today’s schools are willing to allow. Yes, we have document cameras, digital cameras, computers, graphing calculators, and digital codes that are linked to each individual student that give them a unique way of checking out book from media center, paying for lunch, and so forth; but what are we doing as classroom teachers to facilitate students becoming accustomed to using technology for more than just researching information. I truly believe that the focus should be on bringing our classrooms into this new technological savvy era as well. Our kids are already there; however, they are often using a gold mine of gadgets for social purposes. We need to catch up. Educator as well as policy makers must seek to better prepare students of today for how our world now operates. Needless to say, if students are not being reached by the traditional paper, pencil, and textbook, and blackboard/whiteboard tools that are used: the time has come for schools, and school boards, and state departments of education to make significant effort in “leveling the playing ground” in the classrooms so that our kids can be successful in learning in a technology rich curriculum. Educators must allow in their curriculum or lessons for the bona fide use of technology that in turn equips our future generations with higher thought processing and collaborative skills that are transferable into society as well.
Nevertheless, when considering how this course helped me develop my technology skills as a professional, I find a few key things that come into my mind. First, I learned 21stht century technology skill must reach far beyond the wall of the classroom. The skills I attained are rooted in the aspect of building connections and as well as constructing networks rather than acquiring skills used to produce and enhance documents or presentations. Next, this course allows me to transform my personal learning about the Web 2.0 technology. Once I understand how to this technology can facilitate worldwide connections for my personal interests. I’ll become able to implement learning communities learning and how to integrate these new skills into the curriculum I teach. Therefore, through developing my own personal technology skills, I can thoroughly understand the educational implications for as professional teacher.
My perspective of the teaching and learning process deepened in several ways throughout this course. I’ve learned that teaching and learning can take place as I serve as a guide to my students. Coaching or guiding my students allows me to facilitate of the learning process. Using web 2.0 that explored in this course, I learn how to that collaboration and communication in a cooperative environment is one of the most important aspects of the 21st century classroom. Furthermore, I am aware of the importance of taking great care in designing technology lesson for my students that integrate blogs, wikis, podcasts as well as other new technological tools. Ultimately, I have strengthened my knowledge of how to model the skills I’ve learned well as help or coach my student’s learning process.
Continuing to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and leading with technology includes practicing the skills I’ve learned, researching and innovative technologies as well as seeking professional development opportunities in technology. When I am confident in the 21st century technological tools, my student’s achievement will reflect an increase as well.
Over the next couple of years, I plan to transform my classroom environment into a collaborative community filled with evidences of student-center learning. To do this, I am including a technological rich lesson that incorporates blogs, wikis, podcasts as well as other powerful web tools for my classroom for each standard I am required to teach for my students. This transformation does not come without overcoming some systemic obstacles. I believe the key to accomplishing this goal is building a support system that involves parent-teacher organization, community organization as well as administrative support. Furthermore, I will thoroughly investigate the legal ramifications of such technology use from the local, statewide, and federal levels of education.
In conclusion, I hope to use what I learned during this course and take advantage of all the opportunities the Web 2.0 tools provide. For my students, I anticipate that my students actively engage and have fun while reading, reflecting, writing and participating in real learning.

Technology use interview of a 3rd, a 6th, and an 8th grade students

Interview of students about their exposure to technology on a daily basis, their access to different kinds of technology in both their home and school environment, their interest in using different technologies for social and academic purposes and their experience in using different technologies for social and academic purposes.

Please copy and pastes the following link into you browser.

http://vlwpoy35.podomatic.com/entry/2009-06-26T20_52_00-07_00

My 8th Grade Physical Science Classroom Blog

Using a blog in my 8th grade Physical Science classroom would be a great way to allow my students a way of connecting with their classmates outside of the wall of the classroom itself. Here, students are encouraged to post original blog before, during and after lessons.

To begin, prior to the start of new content, I’ll urge students to use the classroom blog to post comment about what they already know or think they know about the content to be talked. Therefore, the blog initially serve as a “hooking” strategy to get the students thinking about reflecting upon their prior knowledge of the subject matter. Also, a blog serves as a way of allowing the students to ask questions about what they don’t know or would like to find learn about the new lesson. Finally, a classroom blog would serve as an “open” journal that would provide a way for pupils to reflect upon what they’ve learned at the end of the lesson.

Consequently, students may showcase and/or share their authentic work not only to other in their classroom, but also to classrooms studying the same type of lesson world-wide. Ultimately, I believe that a blog is a good to for instructional context since the lesson that the class works on is enhanced by facilitating a student centered or student lead approach to learning using the technology of blogs.