Action Research

What are the benefits of action research? What experiences do you have conducting research that could help you in this process? What questions do you have?

Action research in education is basically the action research on a self-selected issue within your own classroom. With action research you will able to see effective ways to change teaching in order to increase student achievement. The purpose of action research in education is to develop effective ways to improve ways in teaching.  In order to understand action research you have to conduct an action research, and draws lines on the benefits of an action research.

In every experiment there are procedure that you need to follow. The steps are as follows: 1) Selecting a focus 2) Clarifying Theories 3)Identify Research Questions 4) Correcting Data 5) Analyzing Data 6)Reporting Data 7) Taking Informed Action ( Sagor, 2000).  It is the same with Ferrance Action Research cycle which is stated as follows identification of a problem area, collection and organization of data, interpretation of data, action based on data, and reflection ( 2000). One of the most important step is the initial step in which you have to identify or selecting a concern. If there is no concern/problem then there is no means to research.  Once the concern or problem is identified then a step of planning the course of action is next.  In which Ferrance ( 2000) calls this “problem-solving, not in the sense of trying to find our what is wrong but rather a quest for knowledge about how to improve”.  The idea of finding improvement is more rigorous in which identifying alternatives for the given concern/problem. 

There are various benefits of action research. One of the most intriguing benefit of an action research it provides a systematic framework of your own practice. According to Ferrance the benefits of an action research tend to focuses on school issue, problem or area of collective interest, form of teacher professional development, collegial interaction, potential to impact school change, reflect on own practice, reflect on own practice and improved communication ( Ferrance, 2000). These benefits tend to broaden alternatives in order to improve what is been already been stated as the concern. 

 Since action research tend to emphasize on the benefit of professional development, we do have a various groups on professional development in Fagaitua High School.  We tend to share ideas, collect data and find ways to improve a certain problem that is been constant within our academic learning. We form a professional development group called "ACHIEVE-3000" which focus on the students reading comprehension. Department of Education in American Samoa adopted the Achieve 3000 as a main source in improving reading comprehension. Here in Fagaitua High School, we use the program as our main source. We went through data of student's SAT performance and we came up with the idea of using all content areas except for Math to utilize Achieve-3000. We launched this program last-year and so far the test-results on reading comprehension is improving to 15% increase . We were overwhelm by the results . Technology plays a part within Achieve 3000. In which the internet as well as i-pads were utilize to conduct this program.  The picture below are some of the teachers that are involved with "ACHIEVE-3000" professional development.  This is a solid evidence of how action research is beneficial within the education system. 

    Yet, I still have few question concerning action research. Is is possible to draw any outside agency in helping with finding results of a certain problem? Are there any program available in helping collecting data? And how rigorous is the action research? These are few question on action research. Overall, this approach is very useful in terms of finding alternative and improvements based on the given concern...

Integrating Technology in Classroom!

How can we purposefully integrate technology and design learning experiences to engage young adolescents?

Technology in classroom within the 21^st century is a whole new way of getting students to college and career ready. Majority of educators are now integrating technology to enhance student achievement and preparing them on the fast-pacing society that we lived in.  There are many ways that we can incorporate technology within our lessons. One of the models that was coined by Dr. Rueben Puentedura that I believed that could pinpoint the advantages of technology within classroom is called “SAMR Model”.   According to the Adobe Educational Leaders, SAMR Model is a guideline on successful technology integration (2012). The layout of the Model was mentioned within the article.  I will only address the last element of the model, which is Redefinition because it one the effective levels within technology integration.  

One of the highly element of the  “SAMR Model” is the Redefinition. Redefinition level is where the redesign tasks using technology (Adobe Educational Leaders, 2012).  This level is where students are utilizing technology with the notion of having the skills of redesigning a given task. An example can be “Google Docs”.  I encourage my students to use “Google Docs “when they do their group work assignment.  They were able to edit, add any missing information within their presentation or group paper.  This allows them to utilize the given tools and execute there given assignment.  By using  “Google Docs” this allows them to edit on the same document while at home or any place that have Internet access.  Which I believe makes learning more fun and productive.

Another element that I believe that relates to Redefinition is “online-forum posting”. Edmodo allows students to post on online forum, which leads to student collaboration.  For my US Government class, I utilized Edmodo since I have military training; this is one of the tools that I connect with my students.  I post assignments as well as activities for my students to work on while I am away for a short amount of time. These kinds of technology ideas can trigger a 21^st century student into learning.

With all the latest technology, we should find ways for students to engage within lesson by using technology. These gadgets are part of students learning and it is our job to integrate within our lesson plans.

Digitial Citizenship

    "Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use" (Ribble, 2013).  Within today’s society technology has play a significant role within  our daily routines. The target elements of technology are business owners and young adolescents. Young adolescents are facing a lot of dilemma on social media. Social media such as Facebook, Skype, Instragram and Twitter. These websites allows instant communication, sharing photos and posting status that express how they feel. With that being stated, we should teach young adolescents on the appropriate manners when using social media.  It is important to educate young adolescents about digital citizenship because it helps them realize on how some of their acts might affect them in the digital world
     According to Clark on an online article, “ How to tackle Digital Citizenship in five days”, we should teach our students that nothing online is private. All the messages, posting, photos sharing can be easily be access by anyone. Even if the Facebook website came up with the idea of privacy setting, all users should be aware of who they are friends with.  Majority of young adolescents has about 1,000 plus friends on Facebook and half of the friends’ list he/she does not know who they are. Which lead to the question is it safe to have that many friends? And that is why we need to educate out young adolescent on information shared on websites. One of the activities that were coined from Clark classroom activity, which I find it helpful, is asking students to delete any friends that they do not know of from their Facebook (2013).  This will help protect private information such as identity. Young adolescents are fully aware of how important to protect your identify and that is why we should teach within the classroom.
     Another emphasize concept within digital citizenship is digital etiquette. The appropriate behaviors that are shown on social media websites should be advocate by teachers within classroom.  These behaviors consist of posting pictures on social media websites. According to Clark, there are a lot of devices that inserted cameras in which some them can be in trouble because of posting pictures without the person consent. We should stress out on the daily basis that there are pictures that you can post and other pictures that cannot. 
     There are various activities that we can conduct in order for students to learn about  Digital Citizenship .For instance, sign-up your students on Edmodo.  You can post assignments and activities on the website and allow student to practice the appropriate behavior. You can overseen any acts that are unnecessary and correct them.
    We should start teaching appropriate behavior ( Digital Citizenship ) to our students. So that we can practice and draw any lines to any inappropriate acts online.

Reflection : Digital Native versus Digital Immigrants

In today’s classroom, a lot of teachers are adopting the concept of using technology in classroom. I am one of them teachers that advocate the usage of technology in lessons.  My name is Alititai L. Sagapolutele and I am High School teacher teaching History. 

I believe that technology is an essential tool in the classroom.  My goal as a teacher is to get students fully equip with the knowledge based with the 21^st century skills.  To achieve this goal, I have to utilize the tools available in today’s generation within my classroom. For instance, computers, cell-phone, tablets and other assorted devices.   

According to Presky in “ Digital  Natives- Digital Immigrants”,   Digital Immigrant instructors are struggling in teaching students (Digital Natives) because of  a whole different language they are speaking. I agree with Presky, you can never succeed in teaching a group of students that were born during the age of digital. I also can relate to this stage because during my high school years we tend to have teachers that are Digital immigrant where they are comfortable just only the textbook but not seeking to these new devices available. Now that I am teacher, I tend utilize means of technology so that my students are well equip for the outside world.

   The author also draws the differences between “Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives. An example of a Digital Native is an individual using of the email for sharing ideas then physically meet.  In contrary with Digital Immigrant an individual that is more into physically meet with everyone and share ideas. Since our students are Digital Natives we should conduct trainings for Digital Immigrants so that the students are engage within the lessons that are taught.  So we can prepare them for college and to obtain a job.

In the article, Partnership for 21^st century skills , it emphasizes on the skills that students should acquire in order to face the outside world (2009). The skills that were mentioned are critical thinking, problem solving and communication. In today's society these skills are highly recommend within your resume in order to get a job and a hold a college degree. 

The You tubes videos provided , “ Teaching in High Tech and Teaching in the 21^st century skills” shows dynamics of how we should go about in teaching students.  Like it stated in one of the youtube videos we are no longer the source of knowledge, we are the filter ( Teaching in the 21^st century-Video).  In which I support the concept because there are limitless information that are provided by using technology. Our job is to show them on to search good quality information and use it for reference. 

We as teachers should have that mind frame that the world is moving forward. In order for us to be effective and have students succeed in life, we should teach them the skills of the 21^st century by using the available technology gadgets.