Journal #4

Twitter this week was very helpful. I think it was very helpful to learn how others were finding resources. I was familiar with Google Scholar so I was only using that combined with the references listed at the end of each article. I was running into problems finding full articles though. Someone posted on Twitter that they were using Egan library and I hadn’t even thought to use it. I found that this was an invaluable resource and would not have been able to find the resources I needed without it.

This week I was very intrigued by all of the literature reviews I read. They really got me to think about my classroom and how I teach and run the classroom. I found myself wanting to know more about each topic. I wanted to know how people chose their topic and how they planned to implement it. I always find that these are some of the hardest parts in choosing to do something new.

Overall, I learned a lot this week. I find it very helpful to read and see examples of what others are doing. It lets me know if I am on the right track or not. I also really like have the Twitter chats on Tuesday. I am still trying to get used to all of the functions in Twitter but it is getting easier each week and I am excited to help my students use it in class. This last week I finally got all of my students connected with a Twitter account and their posts are showing up! This week I hope to experiment with it in my classes so that I can write my research proposal.

Literature Review-Using Twitter in the Classroom

Twitter, when intentionally integrated into the classroom, can promote higher engagement of students in the classroom. In a study done by Junco, Heiberger, & Loken (2010) they found that using Twitter heightened engagement, and that the average GPA of those who used Twitter was about 0.5 points higher. They concluded that, “using Twitter in educationally relevant ways can increase student engagement and improve grades.” Another study done 2 years later by Junco, Elavsky, & Heiberger (2012) concluded 3 main ideas from the use of Twitter. The first, is that when students are required to use Twitter there is an increase in student engagement, compared to students who were allowed to make a to choice on whether to use Twitter or not. They also concluded that faculty who engaged their students on Twitter saw a higher level of academic gains in their students. Finally they found “having a theoretical reason to use Twitter and implementing that reason into the course pedagogy will maximize the benefits achieved.” Another study done by Birnholtz, Hancock, & Retelny (2013), found that students were engaged when lecture contained slides with their tweets and 90% recommended it should be used again.

There is not a lot of research completed, right not, because the use of Twitter in education is a fairly new idea. “There is a growing body of scholarly research suggesting that, when used properly, social media can boost both learning outcomes and student engagement. The key phrase in that sentence is ‘when used properly.’ The problem is that research in this area is still relatively limited, and most of what is being done in classrooms is experimental. No one has figured out definitively what does and does not work” (Copeland 2012). It is important to note that not all students are at the same level of understanding in using Twitter. Therefore, one way to effectively use Twitter is to “instruct students in using social media critically and intentionally to optimize learning outcomes” (Abe & Jordan, 2013). In the study done by Copeland (2012), it was noted that students who were reluctant to use Twitter tended to struggle more than those who adopted the use of Twitter.

There are many concerns about using Twitter. A top concern about Twitter, or other social media sites, is that is could distract students from content. (Novak & Cowling, 2010). Another concern is that there could be some disconnect between Twitter and the class itself. “They almost act as two separate parts of class and don’t always connect, it can be confusing at times” (Miami Student, 2013). Instructors could also fear that Twitter might “encourage bad grammar as a result of its 140-character limit, or that it could become time-consuming and addictive (Dunlap, 2009).

There are also many positives noted when Twitter is used effectively. According to Dunlap and Lowenthal, you can get instant answers or feedback (Tweeting, 2009). In another article by Dunlap and Lowenthal, they conclude that interactions on Twitter are more natural and occur quicker than using discussion boards (Instructional, 2009). Something that really intrigues me is that “students are getting the idea that their community of learners can extend outside of the classroom” (Messner, 2009). In the study done by Birnholtz, Hancock, & Retelny (2013), that I mentioned earlier, “students applied course concepts to examples from their lives (2009: 57%; 2010: 68.6%; 2011: 62.6%).” Classroom shyness can be a huge issue, but Twitter may help with that. “Students in another Twitter-friendly classroom at Purdue University agree that digital communication helps overcome the shyness barrier. Studies frequently discover that greater participation translates into better academic performance, motivation, and a likelihood of adopting different points of view, which is why it is so striking that Twitter can foster that type of communication’” (Fernstein 2010).

The intended purpose of my study is to see how Twitter impacts quiet students.  The question I will base my study around is will Twitter would help shy students to find their voice in the classroom? I plan to use Twitter in my Biology class and compare it to my Physical science class. I have about 10 students who are in both classes and I would like to target these students. Some of these 10 are quiet, and some tend to be louder. I would like to see how the quiet students contribute to biology class, and see if they add more to our class than in physical science. To further promote discussion I plan to use the Twitter discussion to create wordles as suggested by Costa, Beham, Reinhard, and Sillaots (2008). According to their research they found that wordles helped provide a quick visualization of the tweets to figure out what was missing from the conversation. It can also be a quick reference for what seemed to be the most important topic for discussion online.

References

Abe, P., & Jordan, N. (2013). Integrating Social Media Into the Classroom Curriculum. About Campus, 18(1), 16-20.

Birnholtz, J., Hancock, J., & Retelny, D. (2013). Tweeting for Class: Co-Construction as a Means for Engaging Students in Lectures. Retrieved September 23, 2015, from http://socialmedia.northwestern.edu/files/2012/09/twitternote_revision_CHI13_130123_camready_a3.pdf

Copeland, D. (2012, May 2). For Social Media In The Classroom To Work, Instructors Need Best Practices. ReadWriteWeb.com (USA). Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/142FE842413B5A78?p=AWNB

Costa, C., Beham, G., Reinhardt, W., & Sillaots, M. (2008, December). Microblogging in technology enhanced learning: A use-case inspection of PPE summer school 2008. In Proceedings of the 2nd SIRTEL’08 Workshop on Social Information Retrieval for Technology Enhanced Learning Maastricht, Netherlands.

Dunlap, J. C., & Lowenthal, P. R. (2009). Instructional uses of Twitter. The CU online handbook, 45.

Dunlap, J. C., & Lowenthal, P. R. (2009). Tweeting the night away: Using Twitter to enhance social presence. Journal of Information Systems Education,20(2), 129-135.

Ferenstein, G. (2010, Mar 1). How Twitter in the Classroom is Boosting Student Engagement. Mashable.com. Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/136E18096E162FF0?p=AWNB

Junco, R., Elavsky, C., & Heiberger, G. (2012). Putting twitter to the test: Assessing outcomes for student collaboration, engagement and success. Br J Educ Technol British Journal of Educational Technology,44(2), 273-287.

Junco, R., Heiberger, G., & Loken, E. (2010). The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 119-132. Retrieved September 5, 2015, from http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/adm

Messner, K. (2009). Making a case for Twitter in the classroom. School Library Journal.

Miami Student. (2013, Nov 5). A new way to have #class: Professors incorporate social media in curriculum. The: Miami University (Oxford, OH). Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/149E3B7FE7567328?p=AWNB

Novak, J., & Cowling, M. (2011). The implementation of social networking as a tool for improving student participation in the classroom. In ISANA International Academy Association Conference Proceedings (Vol. 22, pp. 1-10). Auckland, NZ: ISANA International Education, Inc.

Journal #3

This week I was really struggling to wrap my head around all that we had been assigned to read. It is really hard to remember that this doesn't need to be quantitate, as a few others have also pointed out. I am a science teacher and I always feel the need to get data whenever possible. I think this week really helped to point out that I don't necessarily need numbers.

I was also kind of able to wrap my head around what a theoretical framework is. However, it is still a little fuzzy. I think connectivsm is most likely the best fit. I hope to see how online discussion impacts students who tend to be quieter. I want to see if this helps them to connect to the class, so that they can share their learning.

I really liked reading about other projects. I think it is very interesting that everyone plans to research something totally different. It just really pointed out to me how much technology really is available to us today. I am very eager to hear about everyone's results, and maybe learn something that would work in my classes as well.

This week I was struggling to really figure out what I wanted to study for my action research. The question I have come to is: how does Twitter impact students who rarely talk versus those who talk all the time in class? I would like to target about 10 students who are in my biology class, in which I will use Twitter, and are also in my physical science class, in which I won't use Twitter this semester. I know at least a couple of the students tend to be quieter and a couple are very talkative, the rest fall somewhere in the middle, so this should work well.

Week #3

Essential Question: How will you use Action Research to evaluate technology in your classroom?  

Action research tries to make meaning out of the world by involving participants and researchers together to solve problems. (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015, pp. 49) In this way I hope to see if Twitter will help to engage my students both in the classroom and beyond. I’m not quite sure exactly how I will study this right now. I am working to get all of my students accounts set up. As with most technology it has not been smooth sailing. I hope to try to use Twitter as more of an exit ticket at the end of class. I think once I get all of my students working accounts I might be able to play around a little and see how my students respond. From the reading I realize this is part of action research where “the research design continues to unfold as researcher and participants collect and analyze data and make decisions for the next phase of the study.” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015, pp. 50) I think this will be a key step in determining where to start my research and data collection. I need to see how this technology will work in my classroom and figure out the best strategy for incorporating it into the classroom. By doing this it should help to ensure that what I am studying will actually lead to helpful data.

I really need to do some more research of my own to determine how exactly I want to use Twitter and what data I hope to collect. So far, I have come accross a couple of articles that outline some areas I am interesting in learning more about. In one article Legaspi, a teacher, talks about using twitter in his classroom. “Legaspi said shy students are benefiting the most. For ‘a lot of them, what it did is help find their voice,’ he said. ‘I have many students that do not participate in my classes or share what's on their mind, so Twitter became that vehicle.’” (Simon, 2011) This is something I have been curious about as well and would fit right in with my desire to study engagement. In another article Mrs. Caviness, a teacher, used twitter to ask questions of her students outside of class. She tweeted about things going on in her life, and related them to her math classes. “What Mrs. Caviness found most exciting was the fact that students dropped everything they were doing at home so that they could connect with her around these short math blasts.” (November & Mull, 2012) This is another area that I find intriguing. Students can see real-world connections more easily. I also like how students are engaged in learning even when class is out of session. I am eager to research more and to research in my classroom. I am also eager to hear the opinions of my students.

References

Merriam, Sharan B.; Tisdell, Elizabeth J. (2015, July 6). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation (JOSSEY-BASS HIGHER & ADULT EDUCATION SERIES). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

November, A., & Mull, B. (2012, October 18). How Twitter Can Be Used as a Powerful Educational Tool. Retrieved September 18, 2015, from http://novemberlearning.com/educational-resources-for-educators/teaching-and-learning-articles/how-twitter-can-be-used-as-a-powerful-educational-tool/

Simon, D. (2011, June 9). Twitter finds a place in the classroom. Retrieved September 18, 2015, from http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/06/08/twitter.school/

Jounal #2

I learned a lot about the differences between qualitative and quantitative research. In science I know qualitative means that you will be describe what you see, and quantitative implies numbers are involved. This was a very basic definition and now I can see how the 2 types of research can give 2 very different perspectives.

I love the idea of using qualitative research to assess my classes, but I can see that it is time intensive. The data it could potentially give could be invaluable, but it could also be biased. Even considering the pros and cons I still think qualitative research could be crucial in helping me evolve as a teacher. My main takeaway is that qualitative research considers the situation, and can give you results that fit that situation. Qualitative research requires you, as a teacher, to build relationships. This is much better than just giving a test because it gives the student a chance to explain their answer. Students are also more invested in something that they feel they are connected to. I really liked Peter’s example of the cookies. The student knew the right answer, and any teacher would be able to tell that if they had just asked the student why. But if you only ask the student to give an answer you may be missing something. This proves why qualitative research can be invaluable.

After our Twitter chat I realized I was getting my 2 classes mixed up. I was wondering if I had fallen asleep while reading, because I did not remember reading about any of the questions. I read the assignment for my other class, but did not get to the reading for this class. I was thinking I had until Friday when I posted my blog to complete the reading. I was so confused. I am still getting used to taking classes all online. It seems more difficult to keep the classes separate, because I do the classes in the same settings.

Week #2: Qualitative Research

Essential Question: How is Qualitative Research a good lens through which to view classroom research?

Teachers are concerned about providing the best education they can to the students they teach. We are concerned about how we can best help our students learn. We know our students and usually have many ideas on ways to try to help them. Qualitative research allows a teacher or any person to collect data in a way that fits the needs they see. According to Merriam in Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation, “Basically, qualitative researchers are interested in understanding the meaning people have constructed; that is, how people make sense of their world and the experiences they have in the world” (Merrian, pp. 15). This allows teachers to be more subjective than they would be in quantitative research. As teachers we care about what is happening in the classroom so we can’t completely be objective anyway. This makes qualitative research an ideal way to collect data on students.

A key point of qualitative research according to Woods (2006) is that “researchers are interested in life as it is lived in real situations.” I think this is a key reason why qualitative research is a good lens for classroom research. There is no magic bullet that fits every situation, so every situation will be different. This allows teachers to research according to their needs, and to change their research if they find it to be necessary. I find this to be a huge advantage because I am constantly changing the way I do things in my classroom. With living in bush Alaska, I frequently get to travel to other villages for sports or other activities. This allows me to connect with other teachers, and to see how things work in their classrooms. I am always getting new ideas or expanding on current practices, as well as, sharing my ideas with other teachers.

The main problem that I see, and was discussed in the reading, is that because we can change what or how we research we may not be very objective. This could make our data not as reliable as if we had done the research otherwise. I found it very interesting to read about perspectives. It was hard at first for me to decipher where I might fit. I think a post positivist perspective may fit my world views the best. According to Trochim’s (2006) discussion of positivism and postpositivism, I find that we can study more than what we can see, and that knowledge is not absolute.

From reading all of the perspectives and trying to determine my own, I find that how we view the world may influence our research. Because we determine what data to collect and how to collect it, our own views may determine what we look for. This may not always be a bad thing, but it could be hard to sort out how reliable our data is without an outside perspective. I think it will be very important to ask for outside knowledge when conducting my own research.

References

Merriam, Sharan B.; Tisdell, Elizabeth J. (2015). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation (JOSSEY-BASS HIGHER & ADULT EDUCATION SERIES) (p. 15). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

Trochim, W. (2006). Positivism & Post-Positivism. Retrieved September 12, 2015, from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/positvsm.php

Woods, P., & Pratt, N. (2006). Qualitative Research. Retrieved September 11, 2015, from http://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/resined/qualitative methods 2/qualrshm.htm

Journal #1

I like the phasing that I read on other blogs about how to incorporate technology into the classroom. When using technology it should be intentionally planned and not the goal. It should be a way to reach a goal not the goal itself. When planning to use technology I think I really need to evaluate why I am using it. If it isn’t the goal and I have intentionally planned it then I could look into doing classroom research on it. So many times, I find a cool resource and just want to use it, but I don’t consider how it fits into the larger picture. I just think about the level of engagement it might provide. Engagement is important to consider, but it must be considered in the context of the goals of the class.

I have been contemplating using Twitter in my classes for a while now. When I was thinking about using it, I only thought about the engagement it might provide. Now I can see its purpose in promoting an understanding, and providing the real world connections that might motivate students just a little more. I had never considered that my students learning might be able to travel outside of the school. It could also be used simply to keep students informed. They are very connected to the online world, and a homework reminder might help them to get their work done on time.

I think in my classroom I could use Twitter to serve 2 purposes in my classroom at this point: homework reminders and exit tickets. I have a problem getting work turned in on time and I wonder if Twitter could help with this. I find it hard to do exit tickets because I don’t always get to the place I hope to stop. I also find it hard to collect more papers because I already have so many. Twitter would help solve the paper problem and it could help me to see if students learned what I had planned for them to learn. Instead of asking a question, I could simply ask students to write down what they think was the highlight of their learning for that class period. Then we could go over this to start class the next day.

Week #1

Essential Question: What is classroom research and how can it improve technology integration in my classroom?

According to McNiff (2002), classroom research “involves identifying a problematic issue, imagining a possible solution, trying it out, evaluating it (did it work?), and changing practice in the light of the evaluation.” I teach science, and for me, this definition makes me think of doing an experiment. I have been teaching my students about the scientific method over the past few weeks, and I was thinking about how similar it is to action research. In class we aren’t focused on changing anything but it teaches students how to conduct research. I see this as a great place to start in explaining to kids what I plan on doing, when I start to conduct my own research for this class.

I have been very curious about the use of Twitter in a school setting. I am excited to see how it works in this class, and am looking to incorporate it into my teaching. I recently came across a video titled Social Media: Making Connections Through Twitter (2015). They made a very good point. “What if you don't think about the boundaries of your school district as being a limiter. What if you want your teachers, your Principals, your Central Office staff, even your kids to have opportunities to cross-pollinate across the boundaries of school districts, then all of a sudden social media makes learning come alive in incredibly powerful ways.” This is something that I haven’t really considered. Technology can bring learning outside of just your school. According to this, it would encourage kids to keep learning even when school is out.

There has not been a lot of research on the effectiveness of Twitter, as it has recently gained popularity. The research that has been done shows that using Twitter in the classroom has mostly been positive. Most research has been done at the college level. Junco (2010) looked at the GPAs of college students using Twitter compared with a control group, and found that the Twitter group had a higher GPA, by about 0.5. They also found evidence of a higher engagement recorded by the students using Twitter. I may not teach college, but my goal as a high school teacher is to prepare my students for college. With these results, it encourages me to look into effective uses of Twitter in a classroom.

I am very eager to add technology to my lessons in any capacity that might make a positive impact on my students’ learning. Twitter is just one example of a new technology I plan to try. I can’t wait to see the knowledge I gain throughout the course of this semester by taking this class, and by doing my own research.

References

Junco, R., Heiberger, G., & Loken, E. (2010). The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 119-132. Retrieved September 5, 2015, from http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/administration/president/sparc/meetings/docs/StudentEngagementArticle.pdf

McNiff, J. (2002). Concise advice for new action researchers. In Action research for professional development (3rd ed.).

Social Media: Making Connections Through Twitter. (2015, August 7). Retrieved September 5, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/practice/social-media-making-connections-through-twitter