Post date: Sep 21, 2014 8:15:31 PM
Finding research related to my subject area hasn't been too difficult. There is quite a bit of information out there about technology use and teaching. With the fast past of technological innovations I feel challenged to find the latest research. Or, should I say, the latest technologies included in their research. I think I need to remember that this isn't about the coolest and most amazing new gadget. This is about focusing on the learning that happens from technology rather than a specific technology. I think that when I create my staff development this year I should keep this in mind. No matter what awesome technologies are out there- we can use them for sure -but how can we teach and learn using them? What are the most important things to remember when using technology? How can this be related to the most effective methods of teaching and the best means for learning? This will focus my research as I begin my project.
Here is the Action Research Project I analyzed for this assignment
JOURNEY AND METAMORPHOSIS-TRAINING TO INDUCTION: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT IN TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATION OF A TEACHER INDUCTION PROGRAM
An Action Research Project By CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM BIGENHO ( submitted to Pepperdine 2005)
Here is my examination of an Action Research paper:
1) Summarize the focus or problem that the action researcher is tackling in a few sentences.
The background in this study appears to be that teachers at this researcher’s school are struggling with effective “implementation” of technology in their teaching. The school has a technology plan in which technology training is a requirement which helped to train teachers in the 90’s about using technologies like email and Microsoft Office. Later (early 2000’s) the technology trainings were incorporating power point and other basic use trainings. The stated problem is that there has never been an analysis done of the technology experience of the faculty and staff and so trainings are conducted based on calls to the help desk. The number of staff that takes advantage of the trainings is small and the numbers participating in staff development is decreasing.
2) Describe the structure of the review of literature-
The review of literature supports where the research question leads the reader. The sections are listed in this order:
Section Researcher’s Headings
Statement of need Need for Teacher Technology Training
Problem Teacher Retention
Solution Teacher Induction Program
Support for solution Induction as a Community of Practice
Obstacles Prior Experience and Learning
-----all of the above have quotes included from literature reviewed.
Section Researcher's Headings
Summary of research needed Summary
Statement of Solution Possible Solution to the Problem
Research Question Research Question
I like the organization of the content. I think there could have been more detail added about how the research studied solved their problems. I could have used a good comparison of some literature’s solution for comparing to the researcher’s solution/Action Research. But, perhaps no research was available for comparison.
3) List the research questions. Do they make sense given the problem? Can you improve on them?
The research question:
“How will the development of a formal professional development program addressing specific technology needs of employees of the school affect change in the use of technology in classrooms, offices, and the exchange of dialogue related to pedagogy or technology integration?”
It appears that the research question pertains to an overall formal professional development program when the researcher discusses" new teacher induction" in the summary and abstract. The question doesn't mention new teachers versus veterans, but the lit review section does mention the attitudes and experiences of both new teachers and veterans. But the overall affect of the research would have been schoolwide so I can see the benefit in the author's choice of wording for the question.