The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation emphasizes the importance of leveraging the power of technology in all areas of K- 12 education. As plans are developed to effectively employ technology to enhance learning and increase student achievement, accurate, up-to-date information about how to use technology to improve curriculum, assessment, and teaching is vital to inform educational leaders. (http://www.neirtec.org/products/techbriefs/index_html.asp )
Technology has the greatest impact on student learning when integrated into the curriculum to achieve clear, measurable educational objectives (Hawkins, Panush, & Spielvogel, 1996). It is clear that technology tools and resources must become an integral part of both the teaching and learning process if they are to have an impact on student achievement.
(http://www.neirtec.org/products/techbriefs/1.htm )
We are working in the age of accountability, as a result when a district receives Federal or State grant funding for technology projects the evaluators and administrators are looking for indications that there is a direct positive correlation on student
achievement as a result of the technology use. Research studies have found technology improves motivation, attitude, and interest when students use technology applications to produce, demonstrate, and share their work with peers, teachers, and parents.
(http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=evidence&answerID=11) . Yet, technology's direct impact on student achievement has
been difficult to measure. There has been no "magic formula that educators and policymakers can use to determine if this 'return' is actually worth the ‘investment’ (http://www.edweek.org/rc/issues/technology-in-education/ )
However, Classroom Action Research can provide a glimpse of the impact of technology integration on student learning and achievement. Classroom Action Research is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams or as part of a "community of practice" to improve the way they address issues and solve problems
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_research). A group of Springfield, MA Public Schools’ District and School-based
Instructional Technology Specialists undertook the task of completing several multi-discipline action research projects during the 08-09 school year.
They defined the steps to Classroom Action Research as:
Step 1 Determine research questions. Our question was: When utilizing technology tools to teach content is there an increase in the acquisition of content knowledge? of technology skills?
Step 2. Define a solution. Our solution was: a new instructional
technique/strategy and new technology resources combined to improve teaching and learning in both content and technology skill. (i.e., Using MS PowerPoint to convey students’ knowledge of Romeo
and Juliet plot and character)
Step 3. Apply the solution and collect data. See below
Step 4. Analyze findings. See below
Step 5. Take action. This can be either in the form of revising your intervention and returning to Step 2 to test another intervention, or by changing your practice to reflect a successful new technique.
Level Content
teacher Technology teacher School Subject Date Description Pre-test Content Class average % correct Content Post-test Class average % correct Change
Content Technology Pre-test Class average % correct Technology Post-test Class average % correct Change Technology ELEM Grade 4 teacher School-based Instructional Technology Specialist Talmadge Social Studies
Feb-09 Multi-media presentation on West and Southwest states
12% 89% 77% 54% 79% 25%
ELEM Grade 5
teacher School-based Instructional Technology Specialist
Talmadge Science Sep-08 Fifth graders worked on a unit on the skeletal system and bones, which included an online pre-post test for matching the bones to their place on the body. In addition, the students created Excel spreadsheets to group the bones of the body. Calculations checked that all 206 bones were itemized in the list,
http://www.anatomia.learning together.net/
25% 75% 50% 40% 75% 35%
ELEM Grade 5
teacher District Instructional Technology Specialist
Harris Science Mar-09 Using a new tool , PB Wiki, the students collaborated on creating wiki pages to deepen their knowledge on Solar System.
65% 92% 27% 20% 89% 69%
ELEM Grade 4
teacher School-based Instructional Technology Specialist
Gerena Mathemat
ics Oct-08 Students were learning place value to thousands, expanded notation, reading numbers as words. Students utilized the mobile carts, TrackStar and internet to support their learning.
ELEM Grade 5
teacher District Instructional Technology Specialist
Lincoln Social
Studies Nov-08 In order for students to expand their knowledge of the Silk Road and Explorers topic from the social Studies Curriculum guide, students completed internet research and create a ppt in teams for a classroom presentation. 25% 85% 60% 45% 95% 50% MS Grade 6 teacher District Instructional Technology Specialist FPMS Math/ ELL
Feb-09 Students were given the task of developing a PowerPoint on polygons and also given the opportunity to use TrackStar to find their information. They had to create the ten slides: gather information about the polygons, number of sides, the area, and the shapes of the polygon and how they related to real life by finding a photograph that depicted the shape. Students presented their PowerPoint to the class.
20% 85% 65% 20% 90% 70%
MS Grade 6
teacher District Instructional Technology Specialist
FPMS Art May-09 As a culminating activity in
Art students were given the task to create a storybook for elementary school children. The students utilized
publisher to create the books. They also scanned in pictures and compile a booklet for students. Students were taught how to create an authentic book, how to sew it and create a cover. Students also got the opportunity to share their booklets with elementary students.
MS Grade 6
teacher School-based Instructional Technology Specialist
Kiley ELA Feb-09 Students created a 6 slide presentation forming a digital travel brochure to entice people to visit the Ozark Mountain region. This was done while students were reading the book "Where the Red Fern Grows", which is set in that area.
Students used the Internet to conduct online research for their brochure. They also learned how to insert pictures from the Internet into their PPT presentations and proper citation format. They learned how to determine whether a web site was reputable or not.
0% 80% 80% 35% 80% 45% MS Grade 6 teacher School-based Instructional Technology Specialist
SAFE ELA Apr-09 Students created a children's picture book in the form of a PPT presentation. This was an activity that was found on the Read, Write, Think website. Students first received instruction in the area of what makes up a children's book. Students read popular children's books for examples. They then received instruction in PPT, and learned how to create a presentation, add clip art, as well as pictures of their own, animation, transitions, etc.