EDET 636 Impact of
Technology on Student Learning
Week 5 Blog
Essential
Question: How will data collection
‘look’ for me? What challenges am I anticipating?
Post your Research
Proposal for peer feedback.
I propose
an action research to be implemented in my first period Algebra 1A class. The
class consists of mainly freshman but there is also one senior and one eighth
grader. The research will test the effectiveness of using IXL, an adaptive
learning computer system, to improve basic skills of mathematics that are
typically lower than an algebra course. The practice of basic skills is a way
for me to provide RTI for students who are below the 35th percentile
in mathematics, which is the majority of the students in this class. I would
like to use the research to test the fact whether or not students are more
engaged and have better retention of their learning compared to another method of
RTI I have been using in class.
The current
method consists of finding five skills that the students need to work on
according to their district-level standardized test called MAP. Then the
students are given these five problems to do everyday for two weeks and then
have an assessment at the end of the third week. This takes about ten to
fifteen minutes every class period. Before I begin the new method, I will ask
students to fill out a survey that will gage their level of interest and
engagement on Math Review. The new method I would like to implement with this
research is using the IXL computer-based program. I will chose five skills
using the same MAP scores and assign the activities that align to these skills
on IXL. After two weeks of practice on the five skills, I will assess the
students to test retention. I will need to do this at least two rounds of
assessment. After two to three rounds of the RTI on IXL, I will ask students to
fill out a survey that will gage their level of interest and engagement on IXL.
My data
collection will consist of two types of data, quantitative and qualitative. The
quantitative data will look at the retention of what is learned by comparing
the two methods’ assessments. Also I will have quantitative data on engagement
of the methods. In the first method, I will look at the amount of completed
problems during the RTI practice. In the second method, I will look at the
amount of time on task during the RTI practice. The qualitative data will be
acquired through the survey of each method. Questions will be asked that will
assess the students’ thoughts towards engagement and participation of the two
methods.
The
challenges I anticipate consist of finding the best questions to ask for the
qualitative data. I find it difficult to seek out this type of data but I am
going to use the research that I found last week to support me in finding the
best questions for this action research. Some other challenge that might come
up is having enough data. I find that this action research would be most
effective if I collect data for longer than a few months but rather a whole
month. I plan to keep collecting data after this course so that I can find true
comparisons between the two types of RTI.
That's funny that you anticipate making qualitative questions for a survey cause that is my issue too! We must be math teachers with no feelings, right?! I wonder if you are going to allow calculators of some sort in your research. I have decided to go full board with tech use. Not only have immediate feedback, but allow my students to use graphing calculators. So far, so good for me. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMariah,
ReplyDeleteI like your approach with using both quantitative and qualitative methods. I am also collecting data with both methods. I think it is good to look at the data from different angles. I helps ensure that we are providing sensible and useable data.
Josie
I think this might give you some information you can use. The problem with most educational settings for research is the lack of control of variables. There are so many things that can impact student achievement; the number of students, the weather on the day of the assessment, what happened in the school the days leading up to the assessment, whether the teacher doing the assessment has a stake in the outcome, whether the students have any stake in the outcome, and so on. Still, you might find out something.
ReplyDelete