Major Assignment 2 Template

Attached Files:

 ED 504 Overview, Directions, Outline for Signature Project Stage SP20 OL1 x (35.509 KB)
 Major Assignment 2 Template Blank and Rubric SP20 OL1 x (157.404 KB)
 Good Example Signature Project Final Submission FA19 x (186.762 KB)
 Good Example Major Assignment 2 FA19 x (169.435 KB)
Major Assignment 2 Template

Assignment Instructions:

 

• Download the file entitled, Major Assignment 2 Template and complete the assignment based on your selected educational research topic.
• PLEASE NOTE —  The assignment is rather lengthy, therefore; it is strongly suggested that you do not wait to start this assignment on the day it is due. 
• Good examples are provided for each of the assignments in ED 504. These examples did not score a perfect score and each has particular errors or issues; however, each example did receive a high score. ED 504 is not a course where you can simply fill in the blanks. You can use the examples as a guide, but you must invest in the process to question, compare, and critique while learning the many facets of writing, researching, and reporting. 

 

Signature Project Stage 1 Chapter 1 (edited) Plus Chapter 2

Attached Files:
 ED 504 Overview, Directions, Outline for Signature Project Stage SP20 OL1 x (35.509 KB)
 Rubric for Chapter 2 of Signature Project ED 504 SP20 OL1 40 points x (19.504 KB)
 Good Example Signature Project Final Submission FA19 x (186.762 KB)

Signature Project Stage 1 Chapters 1 and 2 

Assignment Instructions:

• Use Microsoft Word to type Chapter 2 of your Signature Project Stage 1. Make sure you format it using APA rules, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, and double spaced.
• PLEASE NOTE — The assignment is rather lengthy, therefore; it is strongly suggested that you do not wait to start this assignment on the day it is due.

Good examples are provided for each of the assignments in ED 504. These examples did not score a perfect score and each has particular errors or issues; however, each example did receive a high score. ED 504 is not a course where you can simply fill in the blanks. You can use the examples as a guide, but you must invest in the process to question, compare, and critique while learning the many facets of writing, researching, and reporting. 

 

Major Assignment 3 Template

Attached Files:
 ED 504 Overview, Directions, Outline for Signature Project Stage SP20 OL1 x (35.509 KB)
 Major Assignment 3 Template Blank and Rubric SP20 OL1 x (25.22 KB)
 Good Example Major Assignment 3 FA19 x (29.908 KB)
 Good Example Signature Project Final Submission FA19 x (186.762 KB)
Major Assignment 3 Template

Assignment Instructions: 

• Download the file entitled, Major Assignment 3 Template and complete the assignment based on your selected educational research topic.

PLEASE NOTE —  The assignment is rather lengthy, therefore; it is strongly suggested that you do not wait to start this assignment on the day it is due. 
Good examples are provided for each of the assignments in ED 504. These examples did not score a perfect score and each has particular errors or issues; however, each example did receive a high score. ED 504 is not a course where you can simply fill in the blanks. You can use the examples as a guide, but you must invest in the process to question, compare, and critique while learning the many facets of writing, researching, and reporting. 

 

Signarture Project Stage 1 Chapters 1 and 2 (edited) Plus Chapter 3

Attached Files:
 ED 504 Overview, Directions, Outline for Signature Project Stage SP20 OL1 x (35.509 KB)
 Rubric for Chapter 3 of Signature Project ED 504 SP20 OL1 75 points x (23.947 KB)
 Good Example Signature Project Final Submission FA19 x (186.762 KB)

Signature Project Stage 1 Chapter 1, 2, and 3 

Assignment Instructions:

• Use Microsoft Word to type Chapter 3 of your Signature Project Stage 1. Make sure you format it using APA rules, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, and double spaced.

PLEASE NOTE — The assignment is rather lengthy, therefore; it is strongly suggested that you do not wait to start this assignment on the day it is due.
Good examples are provided for each of the assignments in ED 504. These examples did not score a perfect score and each has particular errors or issues; however, each example did receive a high score. ED 504 is not a course where you can simply fill in the blanks. You can use the examples as a guide, but you must invest in the process to question, compare, and critique while learning the many facets of writing, researching, and reporting. 

 

Signature Project Stage 1 Final Submission

ED 504 Overview, Directions, Outline for Signature Project Stage SP20 OL1 x
Rubric Signature Project Stage 1 Final Submission SP20 OL1 200 points x
Good Example Signature Project Final Submission FA19 x

Includes Chapters 1, 2, 3, References and Appendices. 

Assignment Instructions:  

• Carefully review the Grading Rubric located in this folder that will be used to evaluate your work.
• Before submitting your final work, you must have made corrections and improvements on each section based on the feedback that was provided throughout the semester.  All edits made since last grading must be made in red. 
• The Signature Project Stage 1 must be submitted in the Turnitin link that follows. Turnitin is a system set to analyze your paper for plagiarism. This includes self-plagiarism. For the purpose of this assignment, please do not submit a paper you’ve previously submitted in another class or even a different educational institution. In addition, do not submit anyone else’s paper that has been submitted in previous years. The system will flag these types of papers, and your actions could cost you your academic career.
• You may resubmit your Signature Project Stage 1 as many times as you would like prior to the DUE DATE. This would be in an attempt to reduce your similarity index. 
• Signature Projects with a similarity score over 25% will have points deducted. A Signature Project scoring higher than 45% similarity will not be graded and a grade of 0 will be recorded.
• Suggestions for reducing the similarity index include: adding more of your own verbiage to the justification, procedures, and review of the literature.  Do not use direct quotes.  Paraphrase and cite the sources. Be aware that after the first Turnitin submission, it takes 24 hours for a similarity report to be available. 

Good examples are provided for each of the assignments in ED 504. These examples did not score a perfect score and each has particular errors or issues; however, each example did receive a high score. ED 504 is not a course where you can simply fill in the blanks. You can use the examples as a guide, but you must invest in the process to question, compare, and critique while learning the many facets of writing, researching, and reporting. 

COLLEGEOF EDUCATION SIGNATURE PROJECT CONTEXT STATEMENT

Overview

The Signature Project is designed to guide candidates through the steps for planning and conducting an in- depth school improvement project focused on improving teaching and learning. The project involves an opportunity for candidates to apply the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they gain from their respective programs. The Signature Project is structured and implemented in a way to improve identified needs within a school community. Candidates will document the mastery of a substantial number of program standards with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of their projects.

Candidates in all advanced programs will receive proper instruction, support, and feedback to guide them through the completion of the three stages of the Signature Project. Candidates must work collaboratively with course instructors, P12 practitioners, and other school stakeholders on the Signature Project to develop the skills required to successfully complete each stage of the Signature Project and to ensure the products for each stage meet minimum requirements to represent proficiency at the appropriate level on the evaluation continuum. Candidates will prepare only the Signature Project Stage 1 in ED 504. The Signature Project Stage 1 is a research proposal for an experimental or quasi-experimental research proposal. Candidates in the Master’s program will be required in a subsequent course to submit the final iteration of the research proposal as an 8-10 minute presentation explaining the project, including details about the identified problem, background investigation, proposed action plan, and impact on teaching and learning to an outside evaluation team. Ultimately, candidates will be expected to earn a minimum of 80% of the possible points by the outside evaluation for each stage in the Signature Project before they are eligible to receive an advanced degree.

The Signature Project concept was developed by a committee of unit faculty and P12 partners in Summer 201

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. Further development of the project stages’ descriptions and evaluation rubrics was put on hold while the unit worked to complete a successful NCATE re-visit in Fall 2016. Project development resumed in Fall 2017. The entire unit faculty had an opportunity to provide feedback with respect to stage drafts created by the committee, in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018. Adjustments to the original products and the development of an assessment platform in Blackboard followed in Summer 2018 and Fall 2018. Adjustments were made based on the recommendations of a committee of university faculty and a P-12 partners. Pilot administration of the Signature Project stages will begin in Spring 2019 but completed projects will not begin to be evaluated outside of courses until candidates advance through the project stages. Focus group interviews with candidates and faculty involved in the pilot will begin after implementation. Afterward, revisions to the project descriptions, rubrics, and evaluation process will be completed. The unit anticipates implementing the Signature Project with all advanced programs by Fall 2020, with full candidate accountability becoming compulsory at that time.

THE SIGNATURE PROJECT

The Signature Project is designed to guide candidates through the steps for planning and conducting an in-depth school improvement project focused on improving teaching and learning. The Signature Project has three stages. Stage 1 is the only stage addressed in ED 504. In Stage 1, candidates will design an experimental or quasi-experimental research proposal. This stage includes the following three major assignments: Research Problem, Literature Review, and Methodology. The three major assignments will be expanded and become the three chapters for a research proposal. This research proposal is the culminating product in ED 504 and is called the Signature Project Stage 1. Signature Project Stages 2 and 3 are embedded in follow-up courses.

Major Assignment 1: Research Problem

Candidates gather
existing
data from their classroom, school, district or work setting. They will construct a graphical representation that allows for easy analysis of the compiled data and assess the data to identify a problem or weakness that can be addressed in an experimental or quasi-experimental study. In a short narrative essay, candidates identify the problem/weakness, connect the problem or weakness to trends or patterns represented in the data, and explain how the problem or weakness might have impacted student achievement. The required scope of the problem/weakness depends on the level of advanced degree being sought.

· Master level – classroom level or school level problem

· Specialist level – multiple classrooms or school level problem

Major Assignment 2: Literature Review

Candidates discuss the background of the identified problem, conduct a literature review following APA format (most recently published edition), and become familiar with the scholarly debate surrounding the topic or problem identified in the existing data. The scope and expectations for the literature review depend on the level of advanced degree being sought. The problem or weakness must be suitable for an experimental or quasi-experimental study.

· Master level – Candidates must describe a best practice or a trend/theory and justify its use and connection with the identified problem; use a minimum of 10 sources (largely representative of the most recent five years); describe/justify the best practice and/or theory based on each of the sources; and provide a synthesis of the related literature. (10 sources required, but a minimum of 15 sources are required to receive all points.)

· Specialist level – Candidates must describe a best practice or a trend/theory and justify its use and connection with the identified problem; include a minimum of three best practice options AND a theory/trend; clear descriptions and justifications; and provide a synthesis of the related literature from the past 5 years. (15 sources are required, but a minimum of 20 sources are required to receive all points.)

Major Assignment 3: Methodology

Candidates construct a measurable and executable action plan that includes a description of collaborative resources, description of the plan, and the scope and expectations required to complete an experimental or quasi-experimental study. The collaborative resources include evidence of collaboration with appropriate stakeholders (who, what role do they play, what impact do they have on the plan). The description of the plan includes a descriptive timeline, participants, variables, definitions of key terms in the study, data, resources, leverage plan, pertinent documents, and justification. The scope and expectations for the action plan depend on the level of advanced degree being sought.

· Master’s level – represents a plan to address a problem identified across multiple classrooms (i.e. teacher leader looking at data from multiple classrooms on the same grade level).

· Specialist level – represents a plan to address a problem identified across an entire school, multiple schools, or throughout a district (i.e. an instructional leader addressing a problem across elementary schools in a district)

Signature Project Stage 1 SP1 OL1

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MAJOR ASSIGNMENT 1: Research Problem

(Use this as a template. Copy and download. Do not delete any portions of the template. Respond to each prompt with essay style answers within the template. Save and submit in Blackboard.)

Candidates will gather existing data collected at the classroom, school, or district level to justify identification of a topic/problem for study. Review the grading rubric while completing Major Assignment 1.

OBJECTIVE: Analyzing existing data and identifying an educational problem or weakness currently found in student’s classroom or school for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1. Summarize an introduction to your topic.

2. Identify the problem/weakness to investigate (statement of the research problem).

3. Identify your hypothesis.

4. Describe how you determined that a problem or weakness might exist?

5. Construct a graphical representation that allows for easy interpretation of your compiled data that highlights your problem or weakness. Identify the source of the data and discuss its credibility.

6. Discuss your analysis of the data to confirm that a problem or weakness can be addressed that is appropriate to the scope of the required program.

7. Connect the problem or weakness to trends or patterns represented in the data.

8. Explain how the problem or weakness might have impacted student achievement.

9. Identify the research methodology that you are planning to use with an explanation of why.

MAJOR ASSIGNMENT 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

(Use this as a template. Copy and download. Do not delete any portions of the template. Respond to each prompt with essay style answers within the template. Save and submit in Blackboard.)

Candidates conduct a literature review, following APA format (most recently published edition), and become familiar with the scholarly debate surrounding the topic, and what scholars and practitioners say about the best way to address the particular need or problem identified through the data analysis. Review the grading rubric while completing Major Assignment 2.

OBJECTIVE: Reviewing and writing a Review of Literature on your chosen topic/problem for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1 assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1. Provide a brief overview of the problem and need discussed in Major Assignment 1.

2. Provide a developed problem statement that demonstrates a sound and focused understanding of the chosen topic/problem.

3. Identify the hypothesis.

4. Identify best practice(s) that will be used to address the problem or weakness.

5. Describe a trend/theory that will be used to justify the use of the identified best practice(s) and clearly highlight the connection with the identified trend/theory to address problem.

6. Include content from the literature reviewed that supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified.

7. Describe how the literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices.

8. Include summaries of the sources reviewed.

9. Include only sources in the review of literature that show clear connections with the best practice(s) and/or theory/trend identified as viable responses to the problem/weakness presented.

10. Include a minimum of 10 sources (largely representative of the most recent five years). All 15 references must be included to receive all possible points.

11.

Conclude the chapter with a synthesis of the literature and how it justifies the need for study.

MAJOR ASSIGNMENT 3: METHODOLOGY

(Use this as a template. Copy and download. Do not delete any portions of the template. Respond to each prompt with essay style answers within the template. Save and submit in Blackboard.)

Candidates write a measurable and executable action plan on their chosen topic/problem for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1 assignment. The action plan must be APA formatted (most recently published edition). Collaborative resources must be included. Evidence of collaboration with appropriate stakeholders is required. Review the grading rubric while completing Major Assignment 3.

OBJECTIVE:
Writing a measurable and executable action plan on an identified topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1. Provide a brief overview of Major Assignment 1 followed by a brief synthesis of the literature review.

2. Identify the population.

3. Provide a full description of the participant sample and the sampling technique.

4. Justify the sampling technique and the sample chosen.

5. Describe the role of all participants and the plan to prevent harm to them, including the plan for protecting student confidentiality and data.

6. Explain the impact all participants will have on the study.

7. Provide a detailed description of steps and sequence of steps required to complete a successful study.

8. Justify the plan with respect to the identified problem.

9. Justify the connection between the plan with the expected impact on student achievement.

10. Define constitutive and operational definitions of key terms.

11. Identify the variables in the study and define how each will be measured.

12. Describe the data that is needed for the study and how it will be collected.

13. Include a description of the timeline for the data collection.

14. Identify any instrument that will be used in the study and its validity and reliability measures.

15. Describe any threats to internal validity of the study and measures for control.

16. Identify the collaborated resources and explain the value and role of each.

17. Identify the connection between the collaborative resources and the identified problem.

18. Identify the plan to leverage resources to complete the action plan.

19. Describe the limitations or outside interferences that might interfere with improved student achievement.

20. A list of all sources cited in Major Assignments 1, 2, and 3 must be compiled. It must be included in your Major Assignment 3 submission.

21. Compile documents for the appendices. These do not have to be included in your Major Assignment 3 submission. But, they are required in the final submission of the Signature Project Stage 1.

THE SIGNATURE PROJECT

The culminating requirement in ED 504 is the final iteration of your Signature Project Stage 1. The Signature Project Stage 1 is your research proposal. It is designed to guide candidates through the steps for planning an experimental or quasi-experimental study to examine an in-depth school improvement project focused on improving teaching and learning. The project involves an opportunity for candidates to apply the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they gain from their respective programs.

To complete the Signature Project Stage 1, candidates extract information from their Major Assignments 1, 2, and 3 to create the Signature Project Stage 1 which includes Chapters 1, 2, and 3,

References

, and Appendices. The Signature Project Stage 1 should include the following:

Cover Page

Abstract

Chapter 1: Research Problem

Introduction

Statement of the Research Problem (include hypothesis)

Data Graphic and Discussion

Impact on Student Achievement

Research Methodology

Summary (of chapter 1)

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

Sub-headings (according to the organization of your study)

Synthesis of Literature Review

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

Population

Sample

Sample Technique (with justification)

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants (with explanation)

Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

Variables

Timeline (with sequence of steps and timeline for data collection)

\ Constitutive and Operation Definitions

Description of Data (data needed)

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

Collaborative Resources

Leverage Plan

Limitations

References

Appendix A: Consent Form

Appendix B: Permission to Study

Appendix C: Copy of the instrument or survey if one is used.

General Guidelines

· APA format.

· Double-space using Times New Roman 12 pt. font size. Follow the example found in the Course Resource section of this course.

· Top, bottom and side margins must be 1 inch.

· Pages must be numbered, top flushed right.

· Organize the literature review according themes important to the study.

· Direct quoting of other authors is not permitted. All written text should be in your own words.

· Appropriately cite all information sources using APA.

· Include a minimum of ten scholarly sources, five of these sources should come from the primary literature. (ED 504 requirement) All ten sources should primarily be from the past five years.

· References should be in APA format and on a separate page in the document.

· If you’re scholarly literature sources were obtained from an Internet site (e.g., online journal article), include the URL and the date downloaded as part of the bibliographic details presented. Check APA on formatting.

· Grammar and spelling must be correct.

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL (completion of the IRB approval does not occur in ED 504):

· Candidates at both the Master’s and Specialist Levels are required to complete the Responsible Conduct of Research Program offered through Citi Training. (

https://www.citiprogram.org/

) The course candidates are expected to complete the Social, Behavioral and Education Sciences section. The modules that must be completed are Introduction to RCR, Research Involving Human Subjects, Collaborative Research, Conflicts of Interest, Data Management, Mentoring, Peer Review, Research Misconduct, and Plagiarism. This training is free.

· Candidates must complete the Citi Training in ED 504.

· Candidates must submit the certificate of completion and the other required documents for IRB approval prior to conducting their research in one of their future program courses.

· Formal IRB submission can occur any time prior to beginning the research. The IRB form will be provided by the instructor or can be obtained from UWA’s Office of Sponsored Programs, Ms. Carmen Giles (cgiles@uwa.edu).

· Failure to complete the IRB process will nullify the proposal requiring the candidate to revise the project before completion of the program.

ED 504

Techniques of Educational Research

Major Assignment 2 Template

SP20 OL1

Major Assignment 2 Template: Review of Literature

Candidates will use this form as a template. Copy and download. Do not delete any portion of this template. Respond to each prompt with essay style answers within the template. Save and submit through the assignments tab in the Course Content section.

You will conduct a literature review, following APA format (most recent published editions), and become familiar with the scholarly debate surrounding your topic, and what scholars and practitioners say about the best way to address the particular need or problem identified through the data analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Reviewing and writing a Review of Literature on your chosen topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1 assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1. Provide a brief overview of the problem and need that was presented in Major Assignment 1.

2. Restate your problem statement and purpose statement. Provide a developed statement of the research problem that demonstrates a sound and focused understanding of the identified problem.

3. Identify best practice(s) that will be used to address the problem or weakness. This should be a theorist or theory that is known and documented in the research literature.

4.

Describe a trend/theory that will be used to justify the use of the identified best practice(s) and clearly highlight the connection with the identified trend/theory to address the problem.

5. Include content from the literature reviewed that supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified.

6. Describe how the literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices.

7. Justify a theory or trend that is related to the problem or weakness.

8. Include summaries of the sources reviewed.

9. Include a minimum of 10 sources (largely representative of the most recent five years) to describe/justify the best practice and/or theory identified.

10.Include only sources in the review of literature that show clear connections with the best practice(s) and/or theory/trend identified as viable responses to the problem/weakness presented.

11.Conclude the chapter with a synthesis of the literature and how it justifies the need for study.

Runninghead:

THE EFFECTS OF MULTISENSORY TEACHING

1

THE EFFECTS OF MULTISENSORY TEACHING

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The Effects of Multisensory Teaching Techniques on Student Proficiency in Mathematics

name

University of West Alabama

Author Note

Name, School of Graduate Studies, Student in Master’s Degree in Collaborative Special Education K-6, University of West Alabama

This proposal was written as part of the graduate course ED 504, Techniques of Educational Research, under the guidance of Name.

Abstract

All students have unique learning styles and should be provided with opportunities that engage, motivate, and allow them to be accountable for their learning. Multisensory teaching techniques provide students with multiple ways of learning. This proposal intends to determine if multisensory teaching techniques are effective when applied in math classrooms. This project will conduct student observations and review data from STAR assessment reports for both fourth and fifth-grade students with disabilities at RT Elementary School. This project predicts that adding multisensory techniques in the math classrooms will enable students to be able to recall and retain the information they are taught more effectively. Data will be collected during the second 9 weeks of the school year. This project will test the importance of implementing multisensory techniques within the math classrooms.

Chapter 1: Research Problem

Introduction

Students learn in many ways. Some learn best when they hear information. Other students may find it easier to learn by seeing or touching something. Multisensory instruction engages students with more than one sense at a time. Over the years, multisensory teaching has received much attention in the area of reading, and there have been many programs developed to help struggling readers (Morin, 2019). This proposal hopes to adequately demonstrate that multisensory instruction can also improve student motivation and engagement in the area of mathematics and ultimately increase student proficiency in mathematics.

Statement of the Research Problem

In the last several years, there has been a substantial push to increase reading proficiency within the school district. This push from administrators has led to many schools, including RT Elementary, to decrease their attention in math proficiency and focus more on reading. Most math teachers have not implemented any multisensory instructional techniques in their classrooms. Students verbalize frustrations with math and discouragement with math assessment results. This proposal will focus on students identified for special education services in the fourth and fifth grades. These students are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in low math proficiency rates. The purpose of this study is to determine if implementing multisensory teaching techniques in mathematics classes will improve student proficiency rates in mathematics. It is crucial to determine what methods help students retain and recall information taught in their classrooms. Math proficiency is critical for students and will directly impact them long term, not only in the area of academics but also in everyday life.

Data and Identification of the Problem

The data from the Alabama Department of Education (2019), State Report Card Results for the 2018-2019 School year in math proficiency noted only 8.3% of students with disabilities in third through fifth grades were proficient in the area of mathematics. The data provided information from the students who participated in the Scantron Performance test in April 2019. The data appeared to suggest that students with disabilities demonstrated a weakness in mathematics proficiency.
The fourth-grade STAR Math Screening Report provided data based on testing scores from August 2019. There were 28 students tested in fourth grade. Nineteen students did not meet their benchmark, and all were below grade level. Currently, there are four students with disabilities in the 4th grade, and all four students were categorized as urgent intervention. The data confirmed that those students who are not at or above their benchmark are demonstrating a weakness with mathematics proficiency, and this problem needs attention.
The fifth-grade STAR Math Screening Report also provided information based on testing scores for August 2019. There were 21 total students tested in fifth grade. Nine students did not meet their benchmark and were all considered to be below grade level. Currently, there are six students with disabilities in the 5th grade. There were two students with disabilities out of three total students classified as urgent intervention. There were two students with disabilities out of four total students classified as intervention. Finally, two students with disabilities out of 12 total students ranked at or above their benchmark. The data confirmed, those students who are not at or above their benchmark demonstrated weakness with mathematics proficiency, and this problem needs to be addressed.
Scantron Performance standardized tests are used to obtain information on student proficiency in several subject areas. Scantron Performance assessments provide immediate feedback on student performance for teachers to review data and determine the strengths and weaknesses within the classroom. Scantron Performance data was factored into the overall score of individual schools recently released by the Alabama State Board of Education. STAR is used not only for screening students but also for progress monitoring at RT Elementary School. STAR is noted to be a reliable testing source to provide data to aid in identifying students who are at risk, thus resulting in the interventions being put into place to increase student success.
This data would suggest there is a need for teachers to implement multisensory methods into their math instruction. Students need opportunities to expand on their senses and find areas that engage and motivate them in mathematics. The data represents low proficiency rates in mathematics. Multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand critical mathematical concepts (Rains, Kelly, & Durham, 2008).
For this study, the following question was addressed: Will multisensory teaching techniques increase math proficiency for students with disabilities in the fourth and fifth grades? As part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis: When multisensory teaching techniques are incorporated into math classrooms, students with disabilities will demonstrate an improvement in their ability to recall and retain information, thus increasing math proficiency rates.
Impact on Student Achievement
Students who are not proficient in the area of mathematics will also demonstrate lower achievement rates. Proficiency has been linked to affecting not only current academics but also any future academic success. Mathematical skills build upon each other, and students need to have a good foundation in mathematics. Math is used every day, and all students need opportunities to build upon their previous knowledge and skills while also being able to relate them to real-life (Vigdor, 2013).

Multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand critical mathematical concepts (Rains, Kelly, & Durham, 2008). There is a need for teachers to implement multisensory methods into their math instruction. Students also need opportunities to expand on their senses and find areas that engage and motivate them in mathematics.

Research Methods

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from STAR progress monitoring assessments. Teachers will implement multisensory instruction during their mathematics classes. Teachers will model multisensory techniques and allow students to have opportunities to participate in their learning while involving all their senses actively. Teachers will observe students during the multisensory lessons and progress monitor students using the STAR assessment tool to determine if they can recall and retain the information taught.

Summary

The data reflects a problem in the area of math proficiency. This study will focus on students with disabilities in the fourth and fifth grades at RT Elementary school. Multisensory teaching techniques provide students with multiple ways of learning. This study proposes that implementing multisensory teaching techniques in math classrooms will help students retain and recall information being taught, thus increasing math proficiency. This project will conduct student observations and review data from STAR assessment reports for both fourth and fifth-grade students with disabilities at RT Elementary School.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

Multisensory learning has been a topic of discussion and research for many years. Over the years, it has been determined that there are several benefits of implementing multisensory learning strategies in the classroom. Howard Gardner theorized that everyone has their individualized learning style that affects overall achievement. The literature resources reviewed show a clear connection between multiple intelligence theory and multisensory instruction. Both the theory and instructional strategies can be applied in mathematics classes to increase students’ abilities to recall and retain the information taught. As students improve their skills to recall and retain information, their academic achievement and proficiency rates will increase.

Best Practices for Increasing Proficiency

Multisensory learning strategies align with the Multiple Intelligences theory. According to Eissa (2013), teachers who implemented the multiple intelligences model, and acknowledged the various learning styles within the classroom saw an improvement in achievement in math. Students with disabilities need to make progress in the general education curriculum; therefore, they must be provided multiple methods for learning. Kot, Terzioglu, Aktas, & Tikmus (2018), researched the benefits of touch math. They concluded that multisensory learning techniques, such as touch math, are essential to help students with disabilities be able to understand, apply, and increase their skills to complete addition problems.

From at least five years of age, multisensory strategies can be beneficial for students. According to Broadbent, Osborne, Mareschal, Kirkham (2018.), the benefits of multisensory learning strategies resulted in higher retention rates. Other research has been conducted to determine the effects of multisensory technologies in STEAM classes on student learning outcomes and engagement. Taljaard (2016), concluded that multisensory technologies positively impact student motivation and interest. Research implied for an increase in proficiency to happen that multisensory learning strategies should be implemented based on individual student preferences. Therefore, multisensory strategies allow students to participate in learning based on their individual needs.

Multiple Intelligence Theory

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles relate to the various senses. Therefore, when multisensory instruction is implemented, retention in academic areas improves, increasing proficiency. Multisensory learning strategies correlate with Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Multiple intelligences theory encourages teachers to respect individual intellectual abilities. As teachers incorporate various methods for learning and differentiate instruction in the classroom, they realize how it benefits each students’ understanding. Incorporating multiple techniques for learning also increases the ability to apply knowledge to the real world. Howard Gardner believed that students develop a passion for deeper thinking and exploring when their intelligence is acknowledged and fostered in the classroom.

As teachers adopt the multiple intelligences theory into instruction, it can positively impact the quality of learning for students. Eissa (2013), researched the effectiveness of multiple intelligence theory and multisensory learning styles with students who have learning disabilities. It was determined when the multiple intelligence theory and various learning styles are implemented; it has a positive effect on students. Bas (2016) concluded that as multiple intelligences theory was applied during academic instruction, it had a significant impact on student achievement.

Additional research has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of multiple intelligences learning opportunities. Pratiwi, Rochintaniawati, & Agustin (2018), concluded that multiple intelligence learning opportunities increase skill mastery and increase overall interest in academics. Sener & Cokcaliskan (2018) completed a study to determine the connection between multiple intelligences and learning styles. Students took intelligence questionnaires, and then they were able to identify their areas of need. The findings of the study concluded that; students were able to become more proficient in academic areas when multiple learning styles were implemented. Therefore, it is vital for students to know their strengths and weaknesses, so they learn how to approach learning with various styles. Also, Wilson (2018) concluded that there was a relationship between co-creation practices and multiple intelligences. The researcher emphasized the importance for students to take responsibility for their learning and teachers to encourage collaboration in the classroom. As multiple intelligences were acknowledged, and strategies implemented to support individualized student learning needs, knowledge and understanding occurred.

Synthesis of Literature Review

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, by implementing multisensory instruction in the classroom, it can increase retention in academic areas, which leads to an increase in proficiency. All students can benefit from an individualized learning environment where their preferences are taken into consideration, respected, and where they can expand and grow their knowledge and skills. Math is an essential area for everyone, and students must increase their mathematics skills and proficiency. Multisensory instruction provides opportunities for students to participate in learning experiences that motivate them to be able to retain and recall information taught in the classroom.

Technical Terms and Language

Multisensory- involving several senses

The Multiple Intelligences Theory- the theory suggests that intelligence exists in several styles and abilities and not just as a single ability.

Proficiency-a high level of skill or competence

Co-creating- working together to obtain a common goal.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grades are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency. The plan is for teachers to implement multisensory methods in their math instruction. Participants will be provided with opportunities that enhance their learning and take into consideration their various learning styles. Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their own learning style and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, participants will be exposed to learning strategies that incorporate multiple senses. Teachers will conduct observations to find areas that engage and motivate participants in the area of mathematics. As the teachers incorporate daily multisensory techniques into their classroom, students will demonstrate a better knowledge and understanding of the skills being taught in the classroom. Through the implementation of multisensory instruction in the classroom, participants will increase retention of mathematical skills, resulting in an increase in proficiency.

Population

RT Elementary is a PreK through fifth grade inner-city school. The school’s enrollment and population have declined considerably over the last ten years and currently enrollment is at approximately two hundred students. The student population is currently seventy four percent African American. Most of the students reside in various apartment complexes. The percentage of free and reduced lunch is about ninety-six percent. There are eleven general education homeroom teachers. Each grade level consists of two classes, except for fourth grade. Of the two hundred students currently enrolled, approximately twenty-one percent fall under the special education umbrella for services. The students who receive special education services from the special education teacher make up approximately ten percent of the population.

Sample

The sample includes all fourth and fifth grade students at RT Elementary School who are receiving special education services. The sample represents 53 percent of the students who receive special education services at RT Elementary School. The sample consists of one female Caucasian participant, two African American female participants, one Caucasian male participant, and five African American male participants. The participants’ ages vary from 10 to 13 years old.

Sample Technique

The sample technique will be purposive sampling because the students have demonstrated a need for additional data to be gathered and analyzed based on prior information. This will be a quasi-experimental research study using mixed methods for data collection. The data collection methods will be student observations and data collected from STAR progress monitoring assessments. Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency. Therefore, by selecting a purposive sample of students receiving special education services for the quasi-experimental research study would allow the researcher to obtain data that is an accurate representation of the students receiving special education services at RT Elementary School.

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants

The role of the participants is to participate in daily classroom instructional opportunities and assessments. The participants will be provided with multisensory learning opportunities throughout the research study. Participants are to be present and engaged during these instructional times and willing to be open to incorporating various techniques to promote academic growth. Participants will also complete STAR progress monitoring assessments every two weeks. As multisensory techniques are implemented, used, and applied by the participants, their overall proficiency should increase. The impact of the study on participants should include an increase in motivation, engagement, and understanding of skills being taught.

Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

Ethics should always be considered and taken seriously when completing research. The researcher of this study plans to ensure that all participants are protected from harm. The researcher will take into consideration if harm can be caused to participants, can the research be conducted in a safe way, and if the information sought warrants harm. Participants and their parents will be informed of their rights and informed consent will be received from parents or guardians of the participants. STAR assessment data will be used to collect data; however, participant information will be kept confidential. Student observation forms will also be kept confidential and there will not be any identifying information placed on any forms. Numbers will be used to represent participants instead of their actual names. Once data has been collected, access will be limited to the researcher. All participants will be notified of their right to withdraw or to request their data not be used in the study.

Variables

There are two primary variables in this research study. First, multisensory learning techniques will be implemented in fourth and fifth grade mathematics classrooms. Multisensory learning techniques contain several different variations, depending on individualized needs. Multisensory learning techniques is the independent variable in this study. The dependent variable is participant math proficiency rates. It is presumed that by implementing multisensory learning techniques within the fourth and fifth grade math classrooms, that math proficiency rates will be positively affected.

Timeline

The course of the research study will take place over a nine-week time frame. At the beginning of the third nine weeks of school, teachers will implement multisensory instruction during their mathematics classes. As teachers implement these strategies, they will also model multisensory techniques. Participants will actively participate in their learning while involving all their senses. Teachers will observe participants during the multisensory lessons daily and complete the student observation forms. Participants will be progressed monitored every two weeks to determine if they are able to recall and retain the information being taught. Data will then be reviewed from the student observation forms and from the information received from STAR progress monitoring assessments completed by the participants. At the end of the nine weeks’ school semester, all data will be reviewed and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of multisensory learning techniques.

Constitutive and Operation Definitions

Multisensory- involving several senses; multisensory is a term used to describe instructional techniques implemented to help students use all their senses to increase student engagement in learning and academic proficiency.

The Multiple Intelligences Theory- the theory suggests that intelligence exists in several styles and abilities and not just as a single ability; Multiple Intelligences Theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles are enhanced and promote knowledge and understanding when various senses are targeted.

Proficiency-a high level of skill or competence; Participants will demonstrate competence in an academic area when they master skills taught. This can be demonstrated as participants are able to recall and retain information.

Co-creating- working together to obtain a common goal; Co-creating happens when teachers and students collaborate about academic goals.

Description of Data

Data will be collected from STAR computer generated score reports after students have completed their progress monitoring and from student observation forms. Participants will complete progress monitoring assessments every two weeks during a nine-week semester. STAR math assessments are interactive and consist of 34 questions per test. The assessments will evaluate students’ mathematical abilities. STAR progress monitoring allows for immediate results; therefore, data can be reviewed to determine if the teaching methods are being effective.

Student observation forms are a resource used by teachers to conduct observations within the math classroom. The goal of conducting observations is to gain a clearer picture of what participants have learned, the way they learned it, and how they apply what has been learned. Observations of participants working alone, in groups, one-on-one, or during whole-group instruction can provide important information about participants’ progress, understanding, strengths and weaknesses, and attitudes. Data from both progress monitoring assessments and student observations within the classroom will be collected. Every source of data will be used to determine appropriate instruction all participants, as well as, determining the effectiveness of multisensory learning techniques.

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

STAR is a computer adaptive test that provides a skills-based assessment of math achievement. Computer adaptive tests are adjusted based on the history of each participant’s previous performance. STAR assessments have been reviewed as reliable, valid, and efficient. STAR will not only be used for measuring progress towards student goals but also mastery of mathematical skills. The STAR program has a report generator component that will allow data to be summarized once assessments are completed. STAR is noted to be a reliable testing source to provide data to aid in identifying students who are at risk, thus resulting in the interventions being put into place to increase student success. The STAR program will be used to obtain data for this study.

Student observation forms will have standard terms that are easy to understand to prevent any confusion or misinterpretation. Direct observations in the participants’ natural environment will be completed. Since the study will be completed over an extended time, observations should provide accurate data of each participant’s natural behavior and will often overcome the problem of external validity. Observations will be conducted during math instructional times only. Teachers will be instructed to implement multisensory learning techniques within their classroom, and this will be monitored to ensure they are implemented. In order to control any threats to internal validity the same instrument for data collection will be used with all participants.

Collaborative Resources

Collaborative resources include several different components. First, the primary resource used will be the teachers. The teachers are responsible for implementing multisensory learning techniques, completing observation forms, ensuring participants complete STAR progress monitoring assessments, and analyzing data collected to drive instruction. Second, the school district provides access to the STAR assessment online program. This resource will be used by the students to complete their progress monitoring assessments. Then data will be collected from the program assessment reports. Next, observation forms will be used to document student observations within the classroom environment. Student observation forms will be created and printed using school computers and printers. There will be no cost for creating or printing teacher observation forms. The primary function of all the resources is to be able to effectively implement multisensory learning techniques and increase student engagement, resulting in an increase in math proficiency based on the data collected.

Leverage Plan

Resources will be acquired for multisensory learning techniques from within the school that promote multisensory learning. Multisensory resources such as manipulatives, online games, visual aids, charts, sand trays, play dough, and videos are all easily accessible within the school. Should other multisensory items need to be purchased for the study, there are options that include donations from outside stakeholders, teacher allocation monies, or other school funds depending on the needed items. Collaboration with other teachers is important since most teachers have some multisensory items that can be borrowed to use for the study. Recently, the special education classroom added a significant amount of resources that incorporate multisensory learning. The plan is to be able to use as many resources available within the school to reduce any additional costs.

Limitations

There are a few limitations that could occur during this study. First, the main limitation to be taken into consideration includes participant engagement and absences. Participant engagement is a vital part of learning and retaining information. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers observe the participants, get to know their learning styles, and implement individualized learning strategies that will promote participant engagement. Second, it is vital for participants to be present at school every day and in the classroom where they can learn. Student absenteeism has been an issue in the past but has shown improvement in the last year. Participant absenteeism could negatively affect results of this study. Lastly, since students are required to complete the STAR progress monitoring assessments online, it is important for participants to have adequate internet connections. All participants are provided with school issued Chromebooks and headphones to complete their schoolwork and assessments. Inadequate internet connections could interfere with testing and cause unnecessary stress, resulting in frustration. Participants who become frustrated may not perform at their best on assessments. These limitations could all negatively impact testing results and overall data collection. The impact of this study should result in a deeper understanding of multisensory learning techniques and encourage further research in the area of mathematics.

References
Alabama Department of Education (2019). Education report card. Retrieved from https://www.alsde.edu/dept/erc/Pages/home.aspx
Baş, G. (2016). The effect of multiple intelligences theory-based education on academic achievement: A meta-analytic review. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16(6), 1833–1864. doi: 10.12738/estp.2016.6.0015
Broadbent, H. J., Osborne, T., Mareschal, D., & Kirkham, N. Z. (2018). Withstanding the test of time: Multisensory cues improve the delayed retention of incidental learning. Developmental Science, 22(1), 1–7. doi: 10.1111/desc.12726
Eissa, M. A., & Mostafa, A. A. (2013). Integrating multiple intelligences and learning styles on solving problems, achievement in, and attitudes towards math in six graders with learning disabilities in cooperative groups. International Journal of Psycho-EducationalSciences, 2(2), 32–45. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565626
Kot, M., Terzioglu, N. K., & Yikmis, A. (2018). Effectiveness of touch math technique: Meta-analysis study. European Journal of Special Education Research, 3(4), 100–111. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1326894
Morin, A. (2019). Multisensory instruction: What you need to know. Retrieved from
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/multisensory-instruction-what-you-need-to-know
Pratiwi, W. N. W., Rochintaniawati, D., & Agustin, R. R. (2018). The effect of multiple intelligence-based learning towards students’ concept mastery and interest in matter. Journal of Science Learning, 1(2), 49–52. doi: 10.17509/jsl.v1i2.8739
Rains, J. R., Kelly, C. A., & Durham, R. L. (2008). The evolution of the importance of multisensory teaching techniques in elementary mathematics: Theory and practice. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 4(2), 239–252. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26522728_The_evolution_of_the_importance_of_multisensory_teaching_techniques_in_elementary_mathematics_theory_and_practice
Şener, S., & Çokçalışkan, A. (2018). An investigation between multiple intelligences and
learning styles. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(2), 125–132. doi: 10.11114/jets.v6i2.2643
Taljaard, J. (2016). A review of multisensory technologies in a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (steam) classroom. Journal of Learning Design, 9(2), 46–55. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1117662
Vigdor, J. L. (2013). Solving America’s Math Problem: Tailor Instruction to the Varying Needs of the Students. Retrieved from
https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-313012647/solving-america-s-math-problem-tailor-instruction
Wilson, S. D. (2018). Implementing co-creation and multiple intelligence practices to transform the classroom experience. Contemporary Issues in Education Research (CIER), 11(4), 127–132. doi: 10.19030/cier.v11i4.10206

Appendix A

Consent Form

Amy Lewis, M.Ed.

The University of West Alabama

Research Proposal Title: The Effects of Multisensory Teaching Techniques on Student Proficiency in Mathematics

1. What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a multisensory teaching techniques on student proficiency in mathematics.

2. How was I chosen?

You are currently a student at RT Elementary School, receiving special education services.

3. What will be involved in participating?

The study will be conducted amongst all fourth and fifth grade students receiving special education services, requesting your participation in classroom instruction that includes multisensory teaching techniques to determine the level of effectiveness of the multisensory teaching techniques on mathematics proficiency rates.

4. Who will know what I say?

The content of any observations and assessments will be kept confidential, and only the researcher and research committee will review the raw data.

5. What risks and benefits are associated with participation?

There are no foreseen risk or deceptions associated with participation.

6. What are my rights as a respondent?

You may ask any questions regarding the research, and they will be answered fully.  Your participation in the study is voluntary; you may withdraw at any time.

7. What will be published? 

Following the completion of this research proposal, the general findings will be published for documents within the school district.

8. If I want more information, who can I contact about the study?

This study has been approved by the University of West Alabama’s Internal Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. 

____________________________________             ___________________________________

Amy Lewis, M.Ed., Project Director          Participant/parent signature       date

Appendix B

Permission to Conduct Research

December 1, 2019

Amy Lewis, M. Ed,

The University of West Alabama

PO Box 1

Livingston, AL 35470

Dear Parent,

I would like to conduct a study utilizing the fourth and fifth grade students that currently attend RT Elementary School, who are also receiving special education services. This study proposes to review the effectiveness multisensory teaching techniques on mathematics proficiency. The results of this study will improve the effectiveness of teaching techniques, provide a deeper understanding of multisensory learning techniques, and encourage further multisensory learning research in the area of mathematics. The study will take place towards the second nine weeks in school and continue until the nine weeks is over. The instruments used will be a student observation form and the STAR program for progress monitoring. The study will be conducted by myself. I believe that this research endeavor will help to inform and influence the teaching practices of educators at RT Elementary School. Please review the enclosed information in order to make a decision about (your child’s) ability and willingness to participate in the study.

Thank you,

Amy Lewis, M.Ed.

Appendix C

Student Observation Form

Student Observed:__________________________

Teacher: _________________________________

Date:_____________________________________

Time Entered:_________ Time Exited:_________

Delivery of Instruction:

· Whole group

· Small group

· One to one

· Learning stations

Learning style observed:

· Verbal / Linguistic

· Visual / Spatial

· Bodily / Kinesthetic

· Musical / Rhythmic

· Interpersonal

· Intrapersonal

· Natural

· Logical / Mathematical

Student Behaviors observed:

Compared to his/her peers in the classroom, indicate the frequency of the behaviors listed below using the following scale: N= Not Observed S=Sometimes O=Often

Student Attention:

Student Attention:

Listens to instructions

N S O

Plays with materials

N S O

Understands directions

N S O

Talks out of turn

N S O

Does not understand directions

N S O

Out of seat without permission

N S O

Stays on task

N S O

Looking around room

N S O

Easily distracted

N S O

Makes noises

N S O

Begins work independently

N S O

Doodles

N S O

Volunteers to answer questions

N S O

Engaged in lesson

N S O

Fidgeting in seat

N S O

Understands concepts presented

N S O

Student Effort / Motivation:

Student Temperament:

Responds to praise

N S O

Happy

N S O

Tries hard

N S O

Angry / Hostile

N S O

Gives up easily

N S O

Anxious

N S O

Careless in work

N S O

Confused

N S O

Eager to please

N S O

Depressed

N S O

Works at reasonable pace

N S O

Easily upset

N S O

Works slowly

N S O

Daydreams

N S O

Work is accurate

N S O

Hyperactive

N S O

Hesitant to begin work

N S O

Lethargic / tired

N S O

Student / Teacher Interactions:

Student / Peer Interactions:

Cooperative

N S O

Participates in group

N S O

Noncompliant

N S O

Argues with peers

N S O

Seeks attention

N S O

Interacts well with others

N S O

Withdrawn / stares blankly

N S O

Hitting or poking peers

N S O

When called upon, attempts to answer

N S O

Avoids peer interactions

N S O

Careless /quick response

N S O

Distracts peers

N S O

Additional Comments:

ED504

Techniques of Educational Research

SP

2

0 OL1

MAJOR ASSIGNMENT 3: METHODOLOGY/ACTION PLAN

Candidates write a measurable and executable action plan on their chosen topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1 assignment. The action plan must be APA formatted (most recently published edition). Collaborative resources must be included and each category in the grading rubric must be addressed. Evidence of collaboration with appropriate stakeholders is required.

OBJECTIVE: Writing a measurable and executable action plan on an identified topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1. Identify the population.

2. Provide a full description of the participant sample and the sampling technique.

3. Justify the sampling technique and the sample chosen.

4. Describe the role of all participants and the plan to prevent harm to them, including the plan for protecting student confidentiality and data.

5. Explain the impact all participants will have on the study.

6. Provide a detailed description of steps and sequence of steps required to complete a successful study.

7. Repeat the problem statement and purpose statement and thoroughly justify the plan of action with respect to the identified problem and purpose.

8.

Justify the connection between the plan with the expected impact on student achievement.

9. Define constitutive and operational definitions of key terms.

10. Identify the variables in the study and define how each will be measured.

11. Describe the data that is needed for the study and how it will be collected. Include a description of the timeline for the data collection.

12. Identify any instrument that will be used in the study and its validity and reliability measures.

13. Describe any threats to internal validity of the study and measures for control.

14. Identify the collaborated resources and explain the value and role of each.

15. Identify the connection between the collaborative resources and the identified problem and the leverage plan for acquiring resources.

16. Describe the limitations or outside interferences that might interfere with improved student achievement.

17. Include any pertinent documents in Appendix.

Major Assignment 3 Methodology

Methodology/ Narrative Writing Rubric

Writing Components

CATEGORY

Unacceptable (0 points)

Revisions Required (3 point)

Target (5 points)

Is correct sentence structure and proper mechanics utilized?

Contains multiple and serious errors of sentence structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons; unable to write simple sentences; numerous errors in spelling and capitalization; intrusive and/or inaccurate punctuation; communication is hindered

Formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of simple sentences; errors in sentence structure; contains several punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization errors (up to 6); errors may or may not interfere with meaning.

Effective and varied sentences; errors (if present) due to lack of careful proofreading; virtually free of punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no more than 3); errors do not interfere with meaning.

Collaborative resources are identified,

explained and supported

(InTASC 1, 5, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Collaborative resources are ambiguous or not identified; resources may be identified, but no explanation related to their value or role is provided; the connection between the collaborative resource and the identified problem is not clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided, but the connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is not clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified;
explanation of value and role is provided; connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is clear

Description of plan is clear and easy to follow

(InTASC 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Action plan is not described; description is not clear; steps in plan are not in a logical order

Action plan description is provided, but additional detail may be warranted; steps in plan are outlined, but additional steps may be needed or the order could be altered for better efficiency

Action plan description is provided, and sufficient detail is included; steps in plan are outlined; exhaustive list of steps and sequence of steps allows for optimal efficiency and outcome.

Project timeline accounts for all elements in the plan and allocates appropriate amounts of time for each element

(InTASC 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Project timeline is missing or incomplete; time allocation is inadequate or too extensive for one or more elements included in the plan

Project timeline is provided; all elements identified in the plan are included, but additional elements might be needed for an improved outcome; timing and/or time allocation could be improved

Project timeline is provided; all necessary elements are included for optimal outcome

Variables are identified and defined

(CAEP A1.1)

Variables are misidentified

Variables are identified correctly, but with no clear definitions or explanations as to how they will be measured

Variables are identified correctly, with clear definitions and explanations as to how they will be measured

Required data needs are identified and plans for retrieving and protecting that data are clear (i.e. methods)

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

Data needs are not identified or do not align with the problem; data retrieval plans are missing or inappropriate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included, but plans for protecting the data and/or student confidentiality are not provided or are inadequate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included; adequate plans for protecting student confidentiality and/or data are provided

Description of the sample and

sampling techniques are provided

(CAEP A1.1)

Detailed descriptions of the participants are not given and/or sampling technique is not provided

Brief overview of the sample is given and sampling technique may or may not be included

Full descriptions of the participant sample, sampling technique and justifications for both the sample chosen and the sampling technique are given

Needed resources are identified, justified, and a leverage plan for acquiring resources is clear and

supported

(InTASC 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Resources are not identified or are inadequate; no justification for the resources is provided; unclear how identified resources might be acquired; plan for acquiring resources is inadequate or ill conceived

Resources are identified, but additional resources may be needed; justification for the resources is provided, but leverage plan for acquiring resources is not clear

Exhaustive list of resources is identified; justification for the resources is provided; leverage plan for acquiring resources is outlined

Justification for how the action plan will address the identified problem is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided

Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided

Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided; justification of that connection is included

Connection between action plan and impact on student achievement is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided

Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection may or may not be included

Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection is included; limitations or outside interferences to improved student achievement are identified

2

ED 504

Techniques of Educational Research

FA19

MAJOR ASSIGNMENT 3: METHODOLOGY/ACTION PLAN

Candidates write a measurable and executable action plan on their chosen topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1 assignment. The action plan must be APA formatted (most recently published edition). Collaborative resources must be included and each category in the grading rubric must be addressed. Evidence of collaboration with appropriate stakeholders is required.

OBJECTIVE: Writing a measurable and executable action plan on an identified topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1. Identify the population.

The population will be all students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade at RT Elementary School.

2

. Provide a full description of the participant sample and the sampling technique.

The sample will be all 4th and 5th grade students who complete the STAR progress monitoring assessments.

3. Justify the sampling technique and the sample chosen.

This will be a quasi-experimental research study using mixed methods for data collection (student observations and data collected from STAR progress monitoring assessments). Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency

4. Describe the role of all participants and the plan to prevent harm to them, including the plan for protecting student confidentiality and data.

Participants and their parents will be informed of their rights and consent will be received. Participants will actively participate in their math classroom and engage in multisensory learning techniques, to help increase their proficiency rates. STAR assessment data will be used to collect data; however, participant information will be kept confidential. There will not be any names on data reports.

5. Explain the impact all participants will have on the study.

The participants’ data will help guide the ways teachers implement instruction in their classrooms, with a goal of increasing academic proficiency.

6. Provide a detailed description of steps and sequence of steps required to complete a successful study.

· Teachers will implement multisensory instruction during their mathematics classes.

· Teachers will model multisensory opportunities

· Students will actively participate in their learning while involving all their senses.

· Teachers will observe students during the multisensory lessons.

· Students will be progressed monitored to determine if they are able to recall and retain the information being taught.

· Data will be reviewed from the teacher observations made within the classroom and from data received from STAR progress monitoring assessments that the participants take.

7. Justify the plan with respect to the identified problem.

Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency. The plan is for teachers to implement multisensory methods in their math instruction. Students will be provided with opportunities to expand on their senses and find areas that engage and motivate them in the area of mathematics.

8. Justify the connection between the plan with the expected impact on student achievement.

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their own learning style and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, by implementing multisensory instruction in the classroom, it can increase retention in academic areas which leads to an increase in proficiency.

9. Define constitutive and operational definitions of key terms.

Multisensory- involving several senses; multisensory is a term used to describe instructional techniques implemented to help students use all their senses to increase student engagement in learning and academic proficiency.

The Multiple Intelligences Theory- the theory suggests that intelligence exists in several styles and abilities and not just as a single ability; Multiple Intelligences Theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles are enhanced and promote knowledge and understanding when various senses are targeted.

Proficiency-a high level of skill or competence; Participants will demonstrate competence in an academic area when they master skills taught. This can be demonstrated as participants are able to recall and retain information.

Co-creating- working together to obtain a common goal; Co-creating happens when teachers and students collaborate about academic goals.

10. Identify the variables in the study and define how each will be measured.

· Multisensory learning techniques will be implemented in the classroom, and students will actively participate in classroom techniques based on teacher observations.

· Participate math proficiency rates will be measured by STAR progress monitoring assessments.

11. Describe the data that is needed for the study and how it will be collected. Include a description of the timeline for the data collection.

Data will be collected from all STAR progress monitoring assessments and teacher observations. Data will be collected from teacher observations forms and from computer generated score reports after student have completed their progress monitoring. Participants will participate in progress monitoring every two weeks during a nine-week semester.

12. Identify any instrument that will be used in the study and its validity and reliability measures.

STAR progress monitoring will be used in the study to allow students to complete assessments. The STAR program has a report generator component that will allow data to be summarized once assessments are completed. STAR is noted to be a reliable testing source to provide data to aid in identifying students who are at risk, thus resulting in the interventions being put into place to increase student success.

13. Describe any threats to internal validity of the study and measures for control.

The STAR program will used to obtain assessment data. In order to control any threats to internal validity the same instrument for data collection will be used with all participants. Any teacher observation forms will have standard terms that are easy to understand to prevent any confusion or misinterpretation. Teachers will be instructed to implement multisensory learning techniques within their classroom, and this will be monitored to ensure they are implemented.

14. Identify the collaborated resources and explain the value and role of each.

Teachers- those who are responsible for implementing multisensory learning techniques, completing teacher observation forms, ensuring participants complete STAR progress monitoring assessments, and analyzing data collected.

15. Identify the connection between the collaborative resources and the identified problem and the leverage plan for acquiring resources.

The function of the resource is to implement multisensory learning techniques, to increase student engagement in their learning thus resulting in an increase in proficiency. Resources will be acquired for multisensory learning techniques from within the school that promote multisensory learning.

16. Describe the limitations or outside interferences that might interfere with improved student achievement.

Participant absences from school could be an interference. Also, internet connection issues due to the STAR assessment being an online tool for progress monitoring could interfere with improved student achievement.

17. Include any pertinent documents in Appendix.

· Consent form

Major Assignment 3 Methodology

Methodology/ Narrative Writing Rubric

Writing Components

CATEGORY

Unacceptable (0 points)

Revisions Required (3 point)

Target (5 points)

Is correct sentence structure and proper mechanics utilized?

Contains multiple and serious errors of sentence structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons; unable to write simple sentences; numerous errors in spelling and capitalization; intrusive and/or inaccurate punctuation; communication is hindered

Formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of simple sentences; errors in sentence structure; contains several punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization errors (up to 6); errors may or may not interfere with meaning.

Effective and varied sentences; errors (if present) due to lack of careful proofreading; virtually free of punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no more than 3); errors do not interfere with meaning.

Collaborative resources are identified,

explained and supported

(InTASC 1, 5, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Collaborative resources are ambiguous or not identified; resources may be identified, but no explanation related to their value or role is provided; the connection between the collaborative resource and the identified problem is not clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided, but the connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is not clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified;
explanation of value and role is provided; connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is clear

Description of plan is clear and easy to follow

(InTASC 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Action plan is not described; description is not clear; steps in plan are not in a logical order

Action plan description is provided, but additional detail may be warranted; steps in plan are outlined, but additional steps may be needed or the order could be altered for better efficiency

Action plan description is provided, and sufficient detail is included; steps in plan are outlined; exhaustive list of steps and sequence of steps allows for optimal efficiency and outcome.

Project timeline accounts for all elements in the plan and allocates appropriate amounts of time for each element

(InTASC 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Project timeline is missing or incomplete; time allocation is inadequate or too extensive for one or more elements included in the plan

Project timeline is provided; all elements identified in the plan are included, but additional elements might be needed for an improved outcome; timing and/or time allocation could be improved

Project timeline is provided; all necessary elements are included for optimal outcome

Variables are identified and defined

(CAEP A1.1)

Variables are misidentified

Variables are identified correctly, but with no clear definitions or explanations as to how they will be measured

Variables are identified correctly, with clear definitions and explanations as to how they will be measured

Required data needs are identified and plans for retrieving and protecting that data are clear (i.e. methods)

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

Data needs are not identified or do not align with the problem; data retrieval plans are missing or inappropriate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included, but plans for protecting the data and/or student confidentiality are not provided or are inadequate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included; adequate plans for protecting student confidentiality and/or data are provided

Description of the sample and

sampling techniques are provided

(CAEP A1.1)

Detailed descriptions of the participants are not given and/or sampling technique is not provided

Brief overview of the sample is given and sampling technique may or may not be included

Full descriptions of the participant sample, sampling technique and justifications for both the sample chosen and the sampling technique are given

Needed resources are identified, justified, and a leverage plan for acquiring resources is clear and

supported

(InTASC 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Resources are not identified or are inadequate; no justification for the resources is provided; unclear how identified resources might be acquired; plan for acquiring resources is inadequate or ill conceived

Resources are identified, but additional resources may be needed; justification for the resources is provided, but leverage plan for acquiring resources is not clear

Exhaustive list of resources is identified; justification for the resources is provided; leverage plan for acquiring resources is outlined

Justification for how the action plan will address the identified problem is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided

Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided

Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided; justification of that connection is included

Connection between action plan and impact on student achievement is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided

Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection may or may not be included

Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection is included; limitations or outside interferences to improved student achievement are identified

2

·

ED 504 Rubric for Signature Assessment Chapter 3 (75 points)

· Your Name:

· Name of Classmate Who Wrote This Signature Project Stage 1:

· Date:

Criteria

Unacceptable

Revisions Required

Target

Your Feedback

1. Signature Project Stage 1: Are the focus and purpose clear?

1 Points
Missing thesis; confusion about or misunderstanding of topic; no sense of purpose

2 Points
Simplistic and unfocused ideas; limited sense of purpose

3 Points
Developed thesis; represents sound understanding of the assigned topic; focused

2. Signature Project Stage 1: Are ideas clear and well supported?

1 Points
Absence of support for main points

2 Points
Support is provided, but is not specific; support is only loosely relevant to the main points

3 Points
Ideas sufficiently supported; support is sound, valid, and logical

3. Signature Project Stage 1: Is the writing structured and well organized?

1 Points
No paragraph structure; or single, rambling paragraph; or series of isolated paragraphs

2 Points
Organization is confusing or disjointed; weak paragraph structure; transitions are missing or inappropriate

3 Points
Clear organizational structure; easily followed; includes transitions; structured format

4. Signature Project Stage 1: Did the writer consider audience and tone?

1 Points
No awareness of appropriate audience for assignment; tone is inappropriate

2 Points
Lacks awareness of appropriate audience for the assignment; tone is inconsistent

3 Points
Effective and accurate awareness of audience; tone is appropriate for audience and assignment

5. Signature Project Stage 1: Do appendices include necessary documentation?

1 Points
Most items required in the appendices are not presented in the appendices; the plan and necessary steps to protect human subjects in research are not clear.

2 Points
Most required items are presented in the appendices; items and a plan somewhat demonstrate ethical practices in protection of human subjects.

3 Points
All required items are presented in the appendices; items clearly demonstrate ethical practices in protection of human subjects.

6. Signature Project Stage 1: Are proper mechanics utilized? Is correct sentence structure utilized?

1 Points
Frequent errors in spelling and capitalization; intrusive and/or inaccurate punctuation; communication is hindered. Contains multiple and serious errors of sentence structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons. Unable to write simple sentences.

2 Points
Contains several punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization errors (up to 6); errors interfere with meaning; formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of simple sentences; errors in sentence structure.

3 Points
Virtually free of punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no more than 3); errors do not interfere with meaning; effective and varied sentences; errors (if present) due to lack of careful proofreading; complex sentences are written correctly.

7. Signature Project Stage 1: Are vocabulary and word usage varied and appropriate?

1 Points
Vocabulary is unsophisticated; or subject specific vocabulary or sophisticated vocabulary used incorrectly

2 Points
Proper, but simple vocabulary used; subject specific vocabulary used infrequently

3 Points
Vocabulary is varied, specific and appropriate; uses subject specific vocabulary correctly

8. Signature Project Stage 1: Is proper evidence and support of original work provided in body of the review?

1 Points
Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates match percentage of greater than 25 percent.

2 Points
Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates match percentage of 15 to 25 percent.

3 Points
Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates a match percentage of less than 15 percent.

9. Signature Project Stage 1: Is APA format followed?

1 Points
There are significant format errors present ; multiple (more than 6) of APA formatting errors; in the reference list and/or in-text citations;

2 Points
Fewer than 6 APA format errors are present in the reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.

3 Points
There are virtually no APA format errors present in either reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.

10. Signature Project Stage 1: Source of data is credible and data is representative of the scope requirements for the advanced degree being sought. (InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
The source of the data is ambiguous or lacks credibility; data does not allow for problem/weakness identification appropriate for required project scope

2 Points
The source of the data is clear and credible; data does not allow for problem/weakness identification appropriate for required project scope

3 Points
The source of the data is clear and credible; data allows for identification of an of a classroom, multi-classroom, school or district level problem/weakness appropriate to the required project scope

11. Signature Project Stage 1: Graphical representation of compiled data allows for easy analysis. (CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Graphical format does not present the data in a clear manner; data is only partially presented

2 Points
Graphical format(s) is appropriate and clearly presents all the collected data

3 Points
Graphical format(s) is appropriate; clearly presents all the collected data; highlights visible patterns or trends

12. Signature Project Stage 1: Identified problem/weakness is supported by trends or patterns seen in the data. (InTASC 6, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Problem/weakness is not clearly identified or does not align with the trends and patterns identified in the data

2 Points
Problem/weakness is clearly identified; aligns with the type of data collected, but connections between the trends/patterns in the data are not clearly described in the narrative

3 Points
Problem/weakness is clearly identified; aligns with the type of data collected; clear connections between the trends/patterns are drawn in the narrative

13. Signature Project Stage 1: Best practices are identified and supported by the literature as viable responses to weaknesses and problems represented by the data. (InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Best practice(s) are not clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement

2 Points
Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement

3 Points
Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified

14. Signature Project Stage 1: Theories and/or trends are identified and connected with best practices in literature. (InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Theory or trend is not identified; theory/trend identified are not connected with the best practice(s) via literature

2 Points
Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed does not connect the identified theory/trend with the identified best practice

3 Points
Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices

15. Signature Project Stage 1: Proper level of synthesis is achieved in the literature review. (InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Summaries were given; are not clear or fail to make clear connections with best practice(s) and/or theory/trend(s) identified as viable responses to problem/weakness

2 Points
Summaries are clear and concise; clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness may or may not be present

3 Points
Synthesis rather than summaries of content presented in the collection of sources is present, clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness present

16. Signature Project Stage 1: Proper number of sources requirement is met.

1 Points
Source requirements for the appropriate level was not met

2 Points
Meets minimum requirements for degree level: Master’s-A minimum of 10 sources were utilized;; Specialist’s- A minimum of 15 sources were utilized.

3 Points
Five (5) sources beyond minimum requirements were utilized

17. Signature Project Stage 1: Collaborative resources are identified, explained and supported. (InTASC 1, 5, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Collaborative resources are ambiguous or not identified; resources may be identified, but no explanation related to their value or role is provided; the connection between the collaborative resource and the identified problem is not clear

2 Points
Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided, but the connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is not clear

3 Points
Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided; connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is clear

18. Signature Project Stage 1: Description of plan is clear and easy to follow. (InTASC 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Action plan is not described; description is not clear; steps in plan are not in a logical order

2 Points
Action plan description is provided, but additional detail may be warranted; steps in plan are outlined, but additional steps may be needed or the order could be altered for better efficiency

3 Points
Action plan description is provided, and sufficient detail is included; steps in plan are outlined; exhaustive list of steps and sequence of steps allows for optimal efficiency and outcome

19. Signature Project Stage 1: Project timeline accounts for all elements in the plan and allocates appropriate amounts of time for each element. (InTASC 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Project timeline is missing or incomplete; time allocation is inadequate or too extensive for one or more elements included in the plan

2 Points
Project timeline is provided; all elements identified in the plan are included, but additional elements might be needed for an improved outcome; timing and/or time allocation could be improved

3 Points
Project timeline is provided; all necessary elements are included for optimal outcome

20. Signature Project Stage 1: Variables are identified and defined. (CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Variables are misidentified

2 Points
Variables are identified correctly, but with no clear definitions or explanations as to how they will be measured

3 Points
Variables are identified correctly, with clear definitions and explanations as to how they will be measured

21. Signature Project Stage 1: Required data needs are identified and plans for retrieving and protecting that data are clear. (i.e. methods) (InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Data needs are not identified or do not align with the problem; data retrieval plans are missing or inappropriate

2 Points
Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included, but plans for protecting the data and/or student confidentiality are not provided or are inadequate

3 Points
Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included; adequate plans for protecting student confidentiality and/or data are provided

22. Signature Project Stage 1: Description of the sample and sampling techniques are provided. (CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Detailed descriptions of the participants are not given and/or sampling technique is not provided

2 Points
Brief overview of the sample is given and sampling technique may or may not be included

3 Points
Full descriptions of the participant sample, sampling technique and justifications for both the sample chosen and the sampling technique are given

23. Signature Project Stage 1: Needed resources are identified, justified, and a leverage plan for acquiring resources is clear and supported. (InTASC 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
Resources are not identified or are inadequate; no justification for the resources is provided; unclear how identified resources might be acquired; plan for acquiring resources is inadequate or ill-conceived

2 Points
Resources are identified, but additional resources may be needed; justification for the resources is provided, but leverage plan for acquiring resources is not clear

3 Points
Exhaustive list of resources is identified; justification for the resources is provided; leverage plan for acquiring resources is outlined

24. Signature Project Stage 1: Justification for how the action plan will address the identified problem is clear: (InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
No connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided

2 Points
Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided

3 Points
Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided; justification of that connection is included

25. Signature Project Stage 1: Connection between action plan and impact on student achievement is clear. (InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

1 Points
No connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided

2 Points
Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection may or may not be included

3 Points
Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection is included; limitations or outside interferences to improved student achievement are identified.

Rubric

·

Name:

· Date:

· Course:

Signature Project Chapter 1 (edited) Plus Chapter 2

· Description

 

Levels of Achievement

Criteria

Unacceptable

Needs Revision

Target

Are the focus and purpose clear and ideas are well supported?

0 Points
Missing thesis; confusion about or misunderstanding of topic; no sense of purpose; absence of support for main points

1 Points
Simplistic and unfocused ideas; limited sense of purpose; support is provided, but is not specific; support is only loosely relevant to the main points

2 Points
Developed thesis; represents sound understanding of the assigned topic; focused; support is provided and is sound, valid, and logical

Is the writing structured and well organized?

0 Points
No paragraph structure; or single, rambling paragraph; or series of isolated paragraphs

1 Points
Organization structure is present, but is confusing or disjointed; weak paragraph structure; transitions are missing or inappropriate

2 Points
Clear organizational structure; easily followed; includes transitions; structured format

Is correct sentence structure and proper mechanics utilized?

0 Points
Contains multiple and serious errors of sentence structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons; unable to write simple sentences; numerous errors in spelling and capitalization; intrusive and/or inaccurate punctuation; communication is hindered

1 Points
Formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of simple sentences; errors in sentence structure; contains several punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization errors (up to 6); errors may or may not interfere with meaning

2 Points
Effective and varied sentences; errors (if present) due to lack of careful proofreading; virtually free of punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no more than 3); errors do not interfere with meaning

Are vocabulary and word usage varied and appropriate?

0 Points
Vocabulary is unsophisticated; or subject specific vocabulary or sophisticated vocabulary used incorrectly

1 Points
Proper, but simple vocabulary used; subject specific vocabulary used infrequently

2 Points
Vocabulary is varied, specific and appropriate; uses subject specific vocabulary correctly

Is the proper number of source requirement met and is APA format followed?

0 Points
Source requirements for the appropriate level was not met; there are significant format errors present ; multiple (more than 6) of APA formatting errors; in the reference list and/or in-text citations

1 Points
Meets minimum requirements for degree level: Master’s-A minimum of 10 sources were utilized; fewer than 6 APA format errors are present in the reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.

2 Points
Five (5) sources beyond minimum requirements were utilized; there are virtually no APA format errors present in either reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.

Best practices are identified and supported by the literature as viable responses to weaknesses and problems represented by the data
(InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

0 Points
Best practice(s) are not clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement

5 Points
Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement

10 Points
Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified

Theories and/or trends are identified and connected with best practices in literature
(InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

0 Points
Theory or trend is not identified; theory/trend identified are not connected with the best practice(s) via literature

5 Points
Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed does not connect the identified theory/trend with the identified best practice

10 Points
Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices

Proper level of synthesis is achieved in the literature review
(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

0 Points
Summaries were given; are not clear or fail to make clear connections with best practice(s) and/or theory/trend(s) identified as viable responses to problem/weakness

5 Points
Summaries are clear and concise; clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness may or may not be present

10 Points
Synthesis rather than summaries of content presented in the collection of sources is present, clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness present

·

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SignatureProject Writing Rubric (Introduction, Literature Review & Action Plan)

CATEGORY

Unacceptable (0 points)

Revisions Required (3 points)

Target (5 points)

Points

1.Are the focus and purpose clear and ideas are well supported?

Missing thesis; confusion about or misunderstanding
of topic; no sense of purpose; absence of support for main points

Simplistic and unfocused ideas; limited sense of purpose; support is provided, but is not specific; support is only loosely relevant to the main points

Developed thesis; represents sound understanding of the assigned topic; focused; support is provided and is sound, valid, and logical

2

. Is the writing structured and well organized?

No paragraph structure; or single, rambling paragraph;
or series of isolated paragraphs

Organization structure is present, but is confusing or disjointed; weak paragraph structure; transitions are missing or inappropriate

Clear organizational structure; easily followed; includes transitions; structured format

3. Did the writer consider audience and tone?

No awareness of appropriate audience for assignment; tone is inappropriate

Awareness of appropriate audience for the assignment, but tone is inconsistent

Awareness of appropriate audience for the assignment; tone is consistent and effective

4. Do appendices include necessary documentation?

Most items required in the appendices are not presented in the appendices; the plan and necessary steps to protect human subjects in research are not clear.

Most required items are presented in the appendices; items and a plan somewhat demonstrate ethical practices in protection of human subjects.

All required items are presented in the appendices; items clearly demonstrate ethical practices in protection of human subjects.

5. Are proper mechanics utilized? Is correct sentence structure utilized?

Numerous errors in spelling and capitalization; intrusive and/or inaccurate punctuation;
communication is hindered. Contains multiple and serious errors of sentence structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons; unable to write simple sentences.

Contains several punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization errors (up to 6); errors may or may not interfere with meaning. Formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of simple sentences; errors in sentence structure.

Virtually free of punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no more than 3); errors do not interfere with meaning. Effective and varied sentences; errors (if present) due to lack of careful proofreading. Complete sentences are present and are written correctly.

6. Are vocabulary and word usage varied and appropriate?

Vocabulary is unsophisticated; or subject specific vocabulary or sophisticated vocabulary used incorrectly

Proper, but simple vocabulary used; subject specific vocabulary used infrequently

Vocabulary is varied, specific and appropriate; uses subject specific vocabulary correctly

7. Is proper evidence and support of original work provided in body of the review?

Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates match percentage of greater than 25 percent.

Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates match percentage of 15 to 25 percent.

Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates a match percentage of less than 15 percent.

8. Is APA format followed?

There are significant format errors present ; multiple (more than 6) of APA formatting errors; in the reference list and/or intext citations

Fewer than 6 APA

format errors are present in the reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.

There are virtually no APA format errors present in either reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.

Writing Rubric Possible Points 40

Signature Project Final Submission Rubric SP20 OL1 eh

2

Signature Project Rubric

Data Gathering, Analysis, and Background Investigation

Category

Unacceptable (0 points)

Revisions Required (5 points)

Target (10 points)

Points

9. Source of data is credible and data is representative of the scope requirements for the advanced degree

being sought

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

The source of the data is ambiguous or lacks credibility; data does not allow for
problem/weakness identification appropriate for required project scope

The source of the data is clear and credible; data does not allow for problem/weakness identification appropriate for required project scope

The source of the data is clear and credible; data allows for identification of an of a classroom, multi-classroom, school or district level problem/weakness appropriate to the required project scope

10. Graphical representation of compiled data allows for easy analysis

(CAEP A1.1)

Graphical format does not present the data in a clear manner; data is only partially presented

Graphical format(s) is appropriate and clearly presents all the collected data

Graphical format(s) is appropriate; clearly presents all the collected data; highlights visible patterns or trends

11. Identified problem/weakness is supported by trends or patterns seen in the data (InTASC 6, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Problem/weakness is not clearly identified or does not align with the trends and patterns identified in the data

Problem/weakness is clearly identified; aligns with the type of data collected, but connections between the trends/patterns in the data are not clearly described in the narrative

Problem/weakness is clearly identified; aligns with the type of data collected; clear connections between the trends/patterns are drawn in the narrative

12. Best practices are identified and supported by the literature as viable responses to weaknesses and problems represented by the data (InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Best practice(s) are not clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement

Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best
practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement

Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified

13. Theories and/or trends are identified and connected with best practices in literature (InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Theory or trend is not identified; theory/trend identified are not connected with the best practice(s) via literature

Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed does not connect the identified theory/trend with the identified best practice

Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices

14. Proper level of synthesis is achieved in the literature review

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Summaries were given; are not clear or fail to make clear connections with best practice(s) and/or theory/trend(s) identified as viable responses to problem/weakness

Summaries are clear and concise; clear connections with best practice and/or

theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness may or may not be present

Synthesis rather than summaries of content presented in the collection of sources is present, clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness present

15. Proper number of source requirement is met

Source requirements for the appropriate level was not met

Meets minimum requirements for degree level: Master’s-A minimum of 10 sources were utilized

Five (5) sources beyond

minimum requirements were utilized

Action Plan Rubric

Category

Unacceptable (0 points)

Revisions Required (5 points)

Target (10 points)

Points

16. Collaborative resources are identified, explained

and supported

(InTASC 1, 5, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Collaborative resources are ambiguous or not identified; resources may be identified, but no explanation related to their value or role is provided; the connection between the collaborative resource and the identified problem is not clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided, but the connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is not clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided; connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is clear

17. Description of plan is clear and easy to follow (InTASC 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Action plan is not described; description is not clear; steps in plan are not in a logical order

Action plan description is provided, but additional detail may be warranted; steps in plan are outlined, but additional steps may be needed or the order could be altered for better efficiency

Action plan description is provided, and sufficient detail is included;
steps in plan are outlined; exhaustive list of steps and sequence of steps allows for optimal efficiency and outcome

18. Project timeline accounts for all elements in the plan and allocates appropriate amounts of

time for each element

(InTASC 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Project timeline is missing or incomplete; time allocation is inadequate or too extensive for one or more elements included in the plan

Project timeline is provided; all elements identified in the plan are included, but additional elements might be needed for an improved outcome; timing and/or time allocation could be improved

Project timeline is provided; all necessary elements are included for optimal outcome

19. Variables are identified and defined

(CAEP A1.1)

Variables are misidentified

Variables are identified correctly,
but with no clear definitions or
explanations as to how they will be measured

Variables are identified correctly, with clear definitions and explanations as to how they will be measured

20. Required data needs are identified and plans for retrieving and protecting that data are clear (i.e.

methods)

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

Data needs are not identified or do not align with the problem; data retrieval plans are missing or
inappropriate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included, but plans for protecting the data and/or student confidentiality are not provided or are inadequate

Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included; adequate plans for protecting student confidentiality and/or data are provided

21. Description of the sample and sampling techniques are provided (CAEP A1.1)

Detailed descriptions of the participants are not given and/or sampling technique is not provided

Brief overview of the sample is given and sampling technique may or may not be included

Full descriptions of the participant sample, sampling technique and justifications for both the sample chosen and the sampling technique are given

22.Needed resources are identified, justified, and a leverage plan for acquiring resources is

clear and supported

(InTASC 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Resources are not identified or are inadequate; no justification for the resources is provided; unclear how identified resources might be acquired; plan for acquiring resources is inadequate
or ill-conceived

Resources are identified, but additional resources may be needed; justification for the resources is provided, but leverage plan for acquiring resources is not clear

Exhaustive list of resources is identified; justification for the resources is provided; leverage plan for acquiring resources is outlined

23. Justification for how the action plan will address the identified problem is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No justification is provided

Justification is provided, but the alignment between the plan and the problem solution is questionable

Justification is provided, and the alignment between the plan and the problem solution is clear

24. Connection between action plan and impact

on student achievement is clear

(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided

Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection may or may not be included

Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection is included; limitations or outside interferences to improved student achievement are identified

Summary of Points

Writing Total Points Possible

40

Data Gathering/ Analysis/

Total Points Possible 160

Total Points Possible 200

ED504 Techniques of Educational Research

Major Assignment 2 Template

FA19

Major Assignment 2 Template: Review of Literature

Candidates will use this form as a template. Copy and download. Do not delete any portion of this template. Respond to each prompt with essay style answers within the template. Save and submit through the assignments tab in the Course Content section.

You will conduct a literature review, following APA format (most recent published editions), and become familiar with the scholarly debate surrounding your topic, and what scholars and practitioners say about the best way to address the particular need or problem identified through the data analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Reviewing and writing a Review of Literature on your chosen topic for the purpose of completing UWA’s Signature Project Stage 1 assignment.

RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:

1.
Provide a brief overview of the problem and need that was presented in Major Assignment 1.

Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency.

There is a need for teachers to implement multisensory methods into their math instruction. Students need to be provided with opportunities to expand on their senses and find areas that engage and motivate them in the area of mathematics. The data represents low proficiency rates in mathematics. Multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand important mathematical concepts (Rains, Kelly, & Durham, 2008).

2.
Provide a developed statement of the research problem that demonstrates a sound and focused understanding of the identified problem.

Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency.

3.
Identify best practice(s) that will be used to address the problem or weakness.

Teachers will implement multisensory instruction during their mathematics classes. Teachers will model multisensory strategies and allow students to actively participate in their learning while involving all their senses. Teachers will observe students during the multisensory lessons and students will be progressed monitored using STAR assessments to determine if they are able to recall and retain the information being taught. This project will test the importance of implementing multisensory techniques within the math classrooms.

4.
Describe a trend/theory that will be used to justify the use of the identified best practice(s) and clearly highlight the connection with the identified trend/theory to address the problem.

Multisensory strategies are connected to Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Multiple intelligences theory encourages teachers to respect individual intellectual abilities. As teachers incorporate various methods for learning and differentiate instruction in the classroom, they will see how it benefits each students’ understanding. It also increases their ability to apply knowledge to the real world.

5.
Include content from the literature reviewed that supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified.

·

Multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand critical mathematical concepts (Rains, Kelly, & Durham, 2008).

· Math is used every day, and all students need opportunities to build upon their previous knowledge and skills while also being able to relate them to real-life (Vigdor, 2013).

· Over the years, multisensory teaching has received a lot of attention in the area of reading, and there have been many programs developed to help struggling readers (Morin, 2019).

·

Multisensory technologies in STEAM classes positively impact student motivation and interest (Taljarrd, 2016).

· Multiple intelligence learning increased student mastery and interest. (Pratiwi, Rochintaniawati, & Agustin, 2018).

· For students with disabilities to make progress with the general education curriculum, they need to be provided multiple methods for learning (Kot, Terzioglu, Aktas, & Tikmus, 2018).

· Teachers who implement the multiple intelligences model and acknowledge the various learning styles within the classroom, will see an improvement in achievement in math (Eissa, 2013).

· From at least 5 years of age, multisensory strategies can be beneficial for students (Broadbent, Osborne, Mareschal, Kirkham, 2018.)

· According to Sener & Cokcaliskan (2018), as students identify their strengths and weaknesses, they are able to learn how to approach learning with various styles.

· Responsible learning and understanding occurs when multiple intelligences is implemented (Wilson, 2018).

6.
Describe how the literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices.

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their own learning style and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, by implementing multisensory instruction in the classroom, it can increase retention in academic areas which leads to an increase in proficiency.

7.
Justify a theory or trend that is related to the problem or weakness.

Howard Gardner believed that students develop a passion for deeper thinking and exploring when their intelligences are acknowledged and fostered in the classroom. As teachers, adapt the multiple intelligences theory into instruction it can positively impact the quality of learning for students.

8.
Include summaries of the sources reviewed.

Alabama Department of Education (2019). Education report card. Retrieved from

https://www.alsde.edu/dept/erc/Pages/home.aspx

· The Alabama Department of Education releases a state report card every year for each school district and individual school. This report was used to determine math proficiency information for this proposal.

Baş, G. (2016). The effect of multiple intelligences theory-based education on academic achievement: A meta-analytic review. 
Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 
16(6), 1833–1864. doi: 10.12738/estp.2016.6.0015

· This study was used to help determine if multiple intelligence theory effects student academic achievement. The findings were as multiple intelligences theory was implemented during academic instruction it had a large effect on student achievement.

Broadbent, H. J., Osborne, T., Mareschal, D., & Kirkham, N. Z. (2018). Withstanding the test of time: Multisensory cues improve the delayed retention of incidental learning. 
Developmental Science, 
22(1), 1–7. doi: 10.1111/desc.12726

· This study was used to research the benefits of multisensory learning and if it helps students retain information. The study found that the implementation of multisensory strategies resulted in higher retention rates.

Eissa, M. A., & Mostafa, A. A. (2013). Integrating multiple intelligences and learning styles on solving problems, achievement in, and attitudes towards math in six graders with learning disabilities in cooperative groups. 
International Journal of Psycho-Educational Sciences, 
2(2), 32–45. Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565626

· This study was used to research the effectiveness of multiple intelligence theory and multisensory learning styles with students who have learning disabilities. The study founded when multiple intelligence theory and various learning styles are implemented in the classroom it has a positive effect on students.

Kot, M., Terzioglu, N. K., & Yikmis, A. (2018). Effectiveness of touch math technique: Meta-analysis study. 
European Journal of Special Education Research, 
3(4), 100–111. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1326894

· This study was used to research the benefits of touch math. Multisensory learning techniques, such as touch math are important to help students with disabilities be able to understand, apply, and increase their abilities to complete addition problems.

Morin, A. (2019). Multisensory instruction: What you need to know. Retrieved from

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partneringwith-childs-school/instructional-strategies/multisensory-instruction-what-you need-to-know

· This resource defines multisensory instruction. Multisensory instruction involves implementing strategies for all the senses. Students have various learning styles and all students can benefit from being provided multiple opportunities to learn.

Pratiwi, W. N. W., Rochintaniawati, D., & Agustin, R. R. (2018). The effect of multiple intelligence-based learning towards students’ concept mastery and interest in matter. 
Journal of Science Learning, 
1(2), 49–52. doi: 10.17509/jsl.v1i2.8739

· This study was used to research the effectiveness of multiple intelligence learning opportunities. After the completion of this study, it was determines that multiple intelligence learning opportunities increase skill mastery and also increase student overall interest in academics.

Rains, J. R., Kelly, C. A., & Durham, R. L. (2008). The evolution of the importance of multisensory teaching techniques in elementary mathematics: Theory and practice.
Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 4(2), 239–252. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26522728_The_evolution_of_the_importance_of_multi- sensory_teaching_techniques_in_elementary_mathematics_theory_and_practice

· This study provided information on the benefits of multisensory teaching and how it allows students to increase their knowledge and skills. According to this study, multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand critical mathematical concepts.

Taljaard, J. (2016). A review of multi-sensory technologies in a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (steam) classroom. 
Journal of Learning Design, 
9(2), 46–55. Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1117662

· This resource was used to provide information on multisensory technologies in STEAM classes and their effects on student learning outcomes and engagement. It was concluded that multisensory technologies positively impact student motivation and interest.

Vigdor, J. L. (2013). Solving America’s Math Problem: Tailor Instruction to the Varying Needs of the Students. Retrieved from

https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-313012647/solving-america-s-math-problem-tailor-instruction

· This resource discussed the importance of creating individualized instruction based on student need. This resource also noted the importance of math in every day life and how it ultimately impacts performance.

Wilson, S. D. (2018). Implementing co-creation and multiple intelligence practices to transform the classroom experience. 
Contemporary Issues in Education Research (CIER), 
11(4), 127–132. doi: 10.19030/cier.v11i4.10206

· This resource provides information on Howard Garner’s multiple intelligences and other theory information. It discuses the relationship with co-creation practices and multiple intelligences. This resource emphasizes the importance for students to take responsibility for their learning.

Şener, S., & Çokçalışkan, A. (2018). An investigation between multiple intelligences and learning styles. 
Journal of Education and Training Studies, 
6(2), 125–132. doi: 10.11114/jets.v6i2.2643

· This study was used to determine the connection between multiple intelligences and learning styles. Students took intelligence questionnaires, and then they were able to identify their areas of need. The findings of the study concluded students were able to become more proficient in academic areas when multiple learning styles were implemented.

9.
Include a minimum of 10 sources (largely representative of the most recent five years) to describe/justify the best practice and/or theory identified.

Alabama Department of Education (2019). Education report card. Retrieved from
https://www.alsde.edu/dept/erc/Pages/home.aspx

Baş, G. (2016). The effect of multiple intelligences theory-based education on academic achievement: A meta-analytic review. 
Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 
16(6), 1833–1864. doi: 10.12738/estp.2016.6.0015

Broadbent, H. J., Osborne, T., Mareschal, D., & Kirkham, N. Z. (2018). Withstanding the test of time: Multisensory cues improve the delayed retention of incidental learning. 
Developmental Science, 
22(1), 1–7. doi: 10.1111/desc.12726

Eissa, M. A., & Mostafa, A. A. (2013). Integrating multiple intelligences and learning styles on solving problems, achievement in, and attitudes towards math in six graders with learning disabilities in cooperative groups. 
International Journal of Psycho-Educational Sciences, 
2(2), 32–45. Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565626

Kot, M., Terzioglu, N. K., & Yikmis, A. (2018). Effectiveness of touch math technique: Meta-analysis study. 
European Journal of Special Education Research, 
3(4), 100–111. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1326894

Morin, A. (2019). Multisensory instruction: What you need to know. Retrieved from

https://www.understood.org/en/school- learning/partneringwith-childs-school/instructional-strategies/multisensory-instruction-what-you need-to-know

Pratiwi, W. N. W., Rochintaniawati, D., & Agustin, R. R. (2018). The effect of multiple intelligence-based learning towards students’ concept mastery and interest in matter. 
Journal of Science Learning, 
1(2), 49–52. doi: 10.17509/jsl.v1i2.8739

Rains, J. R., Kelly, C. A., & Durham, R. L. (2008). The evolution of the importance of multisensory teaching techniques in elementary mathematics: Theory and practice.
Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 4(2), 239–252. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26522728_The_evolution_of_the_importance_of_multi- sensory_teaching_techniques_in_elementary_mathematics_theory_and_practice

Taljaard, J. (2016). A review of multi-sensory technologies in a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (steam) classroom. 
Journal of Learning Design, 
9(2), 46–55. Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1117662

· This study was used to focus on the benefits of implementing multisensory technology in the classroom. It was determined that multisensory technology increases both student motivation and interest in learning. An in motivation and interest often leads to an increase in skill mastery.

Vigdor, J. L. (2013). Solving America’s Math Problem: Tailor Instruction to the Varying Needs of the Students. Retrieved from

https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-313012647/solving-america-s-math-problem-tailor-instruction

Wilson, S. D. (2018). Implementing co-creation and multiple intelligence practices to transform the classroom experience. 
Contemporary Issues in Education Research (CIER), 
11(4), 127–132. doi: 10.19030/cier.v11i4.10206

Şener, S., & Çokçalışkan, A. (2018). An investigation between multiple intelligences and learning styles. 
Journal of Education and Training Studies, 
6(2), 125–132. doi: 10.11114/jets.v6i2.2643

10.
Include only sources in the review of literature that show clear connections with the best practice(s) and/or theory/trend identified as viable responses to the problem/weakness presented.

All these literature resources show a clear connection between multiple intelligence theory and multisensory instruction. Both the theory and instructional strategies can be applied in mathematics classes to increase students’ abilities to recall and retain information being taught.

11.Conclude the chapter with a synthesis of the literature and how it justifies the need for study.

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their own learning style and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, by implementing multisensory instruction in the classroom, it can increase retention in academic areas which leads to an increase in proficiency. All students can benefit from an individualized learning environment where their preferences are taken into consideration, respected, and where they can expand and grow in their knowledge and skills area. Multisensory instruction provides opportunities for students to participate in learning experiences that motivate them to be able to retain and recall information. Math is an important area for everyone, and it is critical that students increase their mathematics skills and proficiency.

image1

Runninghead:

THE EFFECTS OF MULTISENSORY TEACHING

1

THE EFFECTS OF MULTISENSORY TEACHING

25

The Effects of Multisensory Teaching Techniques on Student Proficiency in Mathematics

name

University of West Alabama

Author Note

Name, School of Graduate Studies, Student in Master’s Degree in Collaborative Special Education K-6, University of West Alabama

This proposal was written as part of the graduate course ED 504, Techniques of Educational Research, under the guidance of Name.

Abstract

All students have unique learning styles and should be provided with opportunities that engage, motivate, and allow them to be accountable for their learning. Multisensory teaching techniques provide students with multiple ways of learning. This proposal intends to determine if multisensory teaching techniques are effective when applied in math classrooms. This project will conduct student observations and review data from STAR assessment reports for both fourth and fifth-grade students with disabilities at RT Elementary School. This project predicts that adding multisensory techniques in the math classrooms will enable students to be able to recall and retain the information they are taught more effectively. Data will be collected during the second 9 weeks of the school year. This project will test the importance of implementing multisensory techniques within the math classrooms.

Chapter 1: Research Problem

Introduction

Students learn in many ways. Some learn best when they hear information. Other students may find it easier to learn by seeing or touching something. Multisensory instruction engages students with more than one sense at a time. Over the years, multisensory teaching has received much attention in the area of reading, and there have been many programs developed to help struggling readers (Morin, 2019). This proposal hopes to adequately demonstrate that multisensory instruction can also improve student motivation and engagement in the area of mathematics and ultimately increase student proficiency in mathematics.

Statement of the Research Problem

In the last several years, there has been a substantial push to increase reading proficiency within the school district. This push from administrators has led to many schools, including RT Elementary, to decrease their attention in math proficiency and focus more on reading. Most math teachers have not implemented any multisensory instructional techniques in their classrooms. Students verbalize frustrations with math and discouragement with math assessment results. This proposal will focus on students identified for special education services in the fourth and fifth grades. These students are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in low math proficiency rates. The purpose of this study is to determine if implementing multisensory teaching techniques in mathematics classes will improve student proficiency rates in mathematics. It is crucial to determine what methods help students retain and recall information taught in their classrooms. Math proficiency is critical for students and will directly impact them long term, not only in the area of academics but also in everyday life.

Data and Identification of the Problem

The data from the Alabama Department of Education (2019), State Report Card Results for the 2018-2019 School year in math proficiency noted only 8.3% of students with disabilities in third through fifth grades were proficient in the area of mathematics. The data provided information from the students who participated in the Scantron Performance test in April 2019. The data appeared to suggest that students with disabilities demonstrated a weakness in mathematics proficiency.
The fourth-grade STAR Math Screening Report provided data based on testing scores from August 2019. There were 28 students tested in fourth grade. Nineteen students did not meet their benchmark, and all were below grade level. Currently, there are four students with disabilities in the 4th grade, and all four students were categorized as urgent intervention. The data confirmed that those students who are not at or above their benchmark are demonstrating a weakness with mathematics proficiency, and this problem needs attention.
The fifth-grade STAR Math Screening Report also provided information based on testing scores for August 2019. There were 21 total students tested in fifth grade. Nine students did not meet their benchmark and were all considered to be below grade level. Currently, there are six students with disabilities in the 5th grade. There were two students with disabilities out of three total students classified as urgent intervention. There were two students with disabilities out of four total students classified as intervention. Finally, two students with disabilities out of 12 total students ranked at or above their benchmark. The data confirmed, those students who are not at or above their benchmark demonstrated weakness with mathematics proficiency, and this problem needs to be addressed.
Scantron Performance standardized tests are used to obtain information on student proficiency in several subject areas. Scantron Performance assessments provide immediate feedback on student performance for teachers to review data and determine the strengths and weaknesses within the classroom. Scantron Performance data was factored into the overall score of individual schools recently released by the Alabama State Board of Education. STAR is used not only for screening students but also for progress monitoring at RT Elementary School. STAR is noted to be a reliable testing source to provide data to aid in identifying students who are at risk, thus resulting in the interventions being put into place to increase student success.
This data would suggest there is a need for teachers to implement multisensory methods into their math instruction. Students need opportunities to expand on their senses and find areas that engage and motivate them in mathematics. The data represents low proficiency rates in mathematics. Multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand critical mathematical concepts (Rains, Kelly, & Durham, 2008).
For this study, the following question was addressed: Will multisensory teaching techniques increase math proficiency for students with disabilities in the fourth and fifth grades? As part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis: When multisensory teaching techniques are incorporated into math classrooms, students with disabilities will demonstrate an improvement in their ability to recall and retain information, thus increasing math proficiency rates.
Impact on Student Achievement
Students who are not proficient in the area of mathematics will also demonstrate lower achievement rates. Proficiency has been linked to affecting not only current academics but also any future academic success. Mathematical skills build upon each other, and students need to have a good foundation in mathematics. Math is used every day, and all students need opportunities to build upon their previous knowledge and skills while also being able to relate them to real-life (Vigdor, 2013).

Multisensory teaching techniques have been shown to provide students with opportunities to understand critical mathematical concepts (Rains, Kelly, & Durham, 2008). There is a need for teachers to implement multisensory methods into their math instruction. Students also need opportunities to expand on their senses and find areas that engage and motivate them in mathematics.

Research Methods

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from STAR progress monitoring assessments. Teachers will implement multisensory instruction during their mathematics classes. Teachers will model multisensory techniques and allow students to have opportunities to participate in their learning while involving all their senses actively. Teachers will observe students during the multisensory lessons and progress monitor students using the STAR assessment tool to determine if they can recall and retain the information taught.

Summary

The data reflects a problem in the area of math proficiency. This study will focus on students with disabilities in the fourth and fifth grades at RT Elementary school. Multisensory teaching techniques provide students with multiple ways of learning. This study proposes that implementing multisensory teaching techniques in math classrooms will help students retain and recall information being taught, thus increasing math proficiency. This project will conduct student observations and review data from STAR assessment reports for both fourth and fifth-grade students with disabilities at RT Elementary School.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

Multisensory learning has been a topic of discussion and research for many years. Over the years, it has been determined that there are several benefits of implementing multisensory learning strategies in the classroom. Howard Gardner theorized that everyone has their individualized learning style that affects overall achievement. The literature resources reviewed show a clear connection between multiple intelligence theory and multisensory instruction. Both the theory and instructional strategies can be applied in mathematics classes to increase students’ abilities to recall and retain the information taught. As students improve their skills to recall and retain information, their academic achievement and proficiency rates will increase.

Best Practices for Increasing Proficiency

Multisensory learning strategies align with the Multiple Intelligences theory. According to Eissa (2013), teachers who implemented the multiple intelligences model, and acknowledged the various learning styles within the classroom saw an improvement in achievement in math. Students with disabilities need to make progress in the general education curriculum; therefore, they must be provided multiple methods for learning. Kot, Terzioglu, Aktas, & Tikmus (2018), researched the benefits of touch math. They concluded that multisensory learning techniques, such as touch math, are essential to help students with disabilities be able to understand, apply, and increase their skills to complete addition problems.

From at least five years of age, multisensory strategies can be beneficial for students. According to Broadbent, Osborne, Mareschal, Kirkham (2018.), the benefits of multisensory learning strategies resulted in higher retention rates. Other research has been conducted to determine the effects of multisensory technologies in STEAM classes on student learning outcomes and engagement. Taljaard (2016), concluded that multisensory technologies positively impact student motivation and interest. Research implied for an increase in proficiency to happen that multisensory learning strategies should be implemented based on individual student preferences. Therefore, multisensory strategies allow students to participate in learning based on their individual needs.

Multiple Intelligence Theory

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles relate to the various senses. Therefore, when multisensory instruction is implemented, retention in academic areas improves, increasing proficiency. Multisensory learning strategies correlate with Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Multiple intelligences theory encourages teachers to respect individual intellectual abilities. As teachers incorporate various methods for learning and differentiate instruction in the classroom, they realize how it benefits each students’ understanding. Incorporating multiple techniques for learning also increases the ability to apply knowledge to the real world. Howard Gardner believed that students develop a passion for deeper thinking and exploring when their intelligence is acknowledged and fostered in the classroom.

As teachers adopt the multiple intelligences theory into instruction, it can positively impact the quality of learning for students. Eissa (2013), researched the effectiveness of multiple intelligence theory and multisensory learning styles with students who have learning disabilities. It was determined when the multiple intelligence theory and various learning styles are implemented; it has a positive effect on students. Bas (2016) concluded that as multiple intelligences theory was applied during academic instruction, it had a significant impact on student achievement.

Additional research has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of multiple intelligences learning opportunities. Pratiwi, Rochintaniawati, & Agustin (2018), concluded that multiple intelligence learning opportunities increase skill mastery and increase overall interest in academics. Sener & Cokcaliskan (2018) completed a study to determine the connection between multiple intelligences and learning styles. Students took intelligence questionnaires, and then they were able to identify their areas of need. The findings of the study concluded that; students were able to become more proficient in academic areas when multiple learning styles were implemented. Therefore, it is vital for students to know their strengths and weaknesses, so they learn how to approach learning with various styles. Also, Wilson (2018) concluded that there was a relationship between co-creation practices and multiple intelligences. The researcher emphasized the importance for students to take responsibility for their learning and teachers to encourage collaboration in the classroom. As multiple intelligences were acknowledged, and strategies implemented to support individualized student learning needs, knowledge and understanding occurred.

Synthesis of Literature Review

Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, by implementing multisensory instruction in the classroom, it can increase retention in academic areas, which leads to an increase in proficiency. All students can benefit from an individualized learning environment where their preferences are taken into consideration, respected, and where they can expand and grow their knowledge and skills. Math is an essential area for everyone, and students must increase their mathematics skills and proficiency. Multisensory instruction provides opportunities for students to participate in learning experiences that motivate them to be able to retain and recall information taught in the classroom.

Technical Terms and Language

Multisensory- involving several senses

The Multiple Intelligences Theory- the theory suggests that intelligence exists in several styles and abilities and not just as a single ability.

Proficiency-a high level of skill or competence

Co-creating- working together to obtain a common goal.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grades are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency. The plan is for teachers to implement multisensory methods in their math instruction. Participants will be provided with opportunities that enhance their learning and take into consideration their various learning styles. Multiple intelligence theory emphasizes that everyone has their own learning style and these individual learning styles are connected to the various senses. Therefore, participants will be exposed to learning strategies that incorporate multiple senses. Teachers will conduct observations to find areas that engage and motivate participants in the area of mathematics. As the teachers incorporate daily multisensory techniques into their classroom, students will demonstrate a better knowledge and understanding of the skills being taught in the classroom. Through the implementation of multisensory instruction in the classroom, participants will increase retention of mathematical skills, resulting in an increase in proficiency.

Population

RT Elementary is a PreK through fifth grade inner-city school. The school’s enrollment and population have declined considerably over the last ten years and currently enrollment is at approximately two hundred students. The student population is currently seventy four percent African American. Most of the students reside in various apartment complexes. The percentage of free and reduced lunch is about ninety-six percent. There are eleven general education homeroom teachers. Each grade level consists of two classes, except for fourth grade. Of the two hundred students currently enrolled, approximately twenty-one percent fall under the special education umbrella for services. The students who receive special education services from the special education teacher make up approximately ten percent of the population.

Sample

The sample includes all fourth and fifth grade students at RT Elementary School who are receiving special education services. The sample represents 53 percent of the students who receive special education services at RT Elementary School. The sample consists of one female Caucasian participant, two African American female participants, one Caucasian male participant, and five African American male participants. The participants’ ages vary from 10 to 13 years old.

Sample Technique

The sample technique will be purposive sampling because the students have demonstrated a need for additional data to be gathered and analyzed based on prior information. This will be a quasi-experimental research study using mixed methods for data collection. The data collection methods will be student observations and data collected from STAR progress monitoring assessments. Students who have been identified for special education services in the 4th and 5th grade are struggling to recall and retain information taught in their mathematics classes, resulting in a decrease in overall proficiency. Therefore, by selecting a purposive sample of students receiving special education services for the quasi-experimental research study would allow the researcher to obtain data that is an accurate representation of the students receiving special education services at RT Elementary School.

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants

The role of the participants is to participate in daily classroom instructional opportunities and assessments. The participants will be provided with multisensory learning opportunities throughout the research study. Participants are to be present and engaged during these instructional times and willing to be open to incorporating various techniques to promote academic growth. Participants will also complete STAR progress monitoring assessments every two weeks. As multisensory techniques are implemented, used, and applied by the participants, their overall proficiency should increase. The impact of the study on participants should include an increase in motivation, engagement, and understanding of skills being taught.

Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

Ethics should always be considered and taken seriously when completing research. The researcher of this study plans to ensure that all participants are protected from harm. The researcher will take into consideration if harm can be caused to participants, can the research be conducted in a safe way, and if the information sought warrants harm. Participants and their parents will be informed of their rights and informed consent will be received from parents or guardians of the participants. STAR assessment data will be used to collect data; however, participant information will be kept confidential. Student observation forms will also be kept confidential and there will not be any identifying information placed on any forms. Numbers will be used to represent participants instead of their actual names. Once data has been collected, access will be limited to the researcher. All participants will be notified of their right to withdraw or to request their data not be used in the study.

Variables

There are two primary variables in this research study. First, multisensory learning techniques will be implemented in fourth and fifth grade mathematics classrooms. Multisensory learning techniques contain several different variations, depending on individualized needs. Multisensory learning techniques is the independent variable in this study. The dependent variable is participant math proficiency rates. It is presumed that by implementing multisensory learning techniques within the fourth and fifth grade math classrooms, that math proficiency rates will be positively affected.

Timeline

The course of the research study will take place over a nine-week time frame. At the beginning of the third nine weeks of school, teachers will implement multisensory instruction during their mathematics classes. As teachers implement these strategies, they will also model multisensory techniques. Participants will actively participate in their learning while involving all their senses. Teachers will observe participants during the multisensory lessons daily and complete the student observation forms. Participants will be progressed monitored every two weeks to determine if they are able to recall and retain the information being taught. Data will then be reviewed from the student observation forms and from the information received from STAR progress monitoring assessments completed by the participants. At the end of the nine weeks’ school semester, all data will be reviewed and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of multisensory learning techniques.

Constitutive and Operation Definitions

Multisensory- involving several senses; multisensory is a term used to describe instructional techniques implemented to help students use all their senses to increase student engagement in learning and academic proficiency.

The Multiple Intelligences Theory- the theory suggests that intelligence exists in several styles and abilities and not just as a single ability; Multiple Intelligences Theory emphasizes that everyone has their learning style, and these individual learning styles are enhanced and promote knowledge and understanding when various senses are targeted.

Proficiency-a high level of skill or competence; Participants will demonstrate competence in an academic area when they master skills taught. This can be demonstrated as participants are able to recall and retain information.

Co-creating- working together to obtain a common goal; Co-creating happens when teachers and students collaborate about academic goals.

Description of Data

Data will be collected from STAR computer generated score reports after students have completed their progress monitoring and from student observation forms. Participants will complete progress monitoring assessments every two weeks during a nine-week semester. STAR math assessments are interactive and consist of 34 questions per test. The assessments will evaluate students’ mathematical abilities. STAR progress monitoring allows for immediate results; therefore, data can be reviewed to determine if the teaching methods are being effective.

Student observation forms are a resource used by teachers to conduct observations within the math classroom. The goal of conducting observations is to gain a clearer picture of what participants have learned, the way they learned it, and how they apply what has been learned. Observations of participants working alone, in groups, one-on-one, or during whole-group instruction can provide important information about participants’ progress, understanding, strengths and weaknesses, and attitudes. Data from both progress monitoring assessments and student observations within the classroom will be collected. Every source of data will be used to determine appropriate instruction all participants, as well as, determining the effectiveness of multisensory learning techniques.

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

STAR is a computer adaptive test that provides a skills-based assessment of math achievement. Computer adaptive tests are adjusted based on the history of each participant’s previous performance. STAR assessments have been reviewed as reliable, valid, and efficient. STAR will not only be used for measuring progress towards student goals but also mastery of mathematical skills. The STAR program has a report generator component that will allow data to be summarized once assessments are completed. STAR is noted to be a reliable testing source to provide data to aid in identifying students who are at risk, thus resulting in the interventions being put into place to increase student success. The STAR program will be used to obtain data for this study.

Student observation forms will have standard terms that are easy to understand to prevent any confusion or misinterpretation. Direct observations in the participants’ natural environment will be completed. Since the study will be completed over an extended time, observations should provide accurate data of each participant’s natural behavior and will often overcome the problem of external validity. Observations will be conducted during math instructional times only. Teachers will be instructed to implement multisensory learning techniques within their classroom, and this will be monitored to ensure they are implemented. In order to control any threats to internal validity the same instrument for data collection will be used with all participants.

Collaborative Resources

Collaborative resources include several different components. First, the primary resource used will be the teachers. The teachers are responsible for implementing multisensory learning techniques, completing observation forms, ensuring participants complete STAR progress monitoring assessments, and analyzing data collected to drive instruction. Second, the school district provides access to the STAR assessment online program. This resource will be used by the students to complete their progress monitoring assessments. Then data will be collected from the program assessment reports. Next, observation forms will be used to document student observations within the classroom environment. Student observation forms will be created and printed using school computers and printers. There will be no cost for creating or printing teacher observation forms. The primary function of all the resources is to be able to effectively implement multisensory learning techniques and increase student engagement, resulting in an increase in math proficiency based on the data collected.

Leverage Plan

Resources will be acquired for multisensory learning techniques from within the school that promote multisensory learning. Multisensory resources such as manipulatives, online games, visual aids, charts, sand trays, play dough, and videos are all easily accessible within the school. Should other multisensory items need to be purchased for the study, there are options that include donations from outside stakeholders, teacher allocation monies, or other school funds depending on the needed items. Collaboration with other teachers is important since most teachers have some multisensory items that can be borrowed to use for the study. Recently, the special education classroom added a significant amount of resources that incorporate multisensory learning. The plan is to be able to use as many resources available within the school to reduce any additional costs.

Limitations

There are a few limitations that could occur during this study. First, the main limitation to be taken into consideration includes participant engagement and absences. Participant engagement is a vital part of learning and retaining information. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers observe the participants, get to know their learning styles, and implement individualized learning strategies that will promote participant engagement. Second, it is vital for participants to be present at school every day and in the classroom where they can learn. Student absenteeism has been an issue in the past but has shown improvement in the last year. Participant absenteeism could negatively affect results of this study. Lastly, since students are required to complete the STAR progress monitoring assessments online, it is important for participants to have adequate internet connections. All participants are provided with school issued Chromebooks and headphones to complete their schoolwork and assessments. Inadequate internet connections could interfere with testing and cause unnecessary stress, resulting in frustration. Participants who become frustrated may not perform at their best on assessments. These limitations could all negatively impact testing results and overall data collection. The impact of this study should result in a deeper understanding of multisensory learning techniques and encourage further research in the area of mathematics.

References
Alabama Department of Education (2019). Education report card. Retrieved from https://www.alsde.edu/dept/erc/Pages/home.aspx
Baş, G. (2016). The effect of multiple intelligences theory-based education on academic achievement: A meta-analytic review. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16(6), 1833–1864. doi: 10.12738/estp.2016.6.0015
Broadbent, H. J., Osborne, T., Mareschal, D., & Kirkham, N. Z. (2018). Withstanding the test of time: Multisensory cues improve the delayed retention of incidental learning. Developmental Science, 22(1), 1–7. doi: 10.1111/desc.12726
Eissa, M. A., & Mostafa, A. A. (2013). Integrating multiple intelligences and learning styles on solving problems, achievement in, and attitudes towards math in six graders with learning disabilities in cooperative groups. International Journal of Psycho-EducationalSciences, 2(2), 32–45. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565626
Kot, M., Terzioglu, N. K., & Yikmis, A. (2018). Effectiveness of touch math technique: Meta-analysis study. European Journal of Special Education Research, 3(4), 100–111. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1326894
Morin, A. (2019). Multisensory instruction: What you need to know. Retrieved from
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/multisensory-instruction-what-you-need-to-know
Pratiwi, W. N. W., Rochintaniawati, D., & Agustin, R. R. (2018). The effect of multiple intelligence-based learning towards students’ concept mastery and interest in matter. Journal of Science Learning, 1(2), 49–52. doi: 10.17509/jsl.v1i2.8739
Rains, J. R., Kelly, C. A., & Durham, R. L. (2008). The evolution of the importance of multisensory teaching techniques in elementary mathematics: Theory and practice. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 4(2), 239–252. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26522728_The_evolution_of_the_importance_of_multisensory_teaching_techniques_in_elementary_mathematics_theory_and_practice
Şener, S., & Çokçalışkan, A. (2018). An investigation between multiple intelligences and
learning styles. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(2), 125–132. doi: 10.11114/jets.v6i2.2643
Taljaard, J. (2016). A review of multisensory technologies in a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (steam) classroom. Journal of Learning Design, 9(2), 46–55. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1117662
Vigdor, J. L. (2013). Solving America’s Math Problem: Tailor Instruction to the Varying Needs of the Students. Retrieved from
https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-313012647/solving-america-s-math-problem-tailor-instruction
Wilson, S. D. (2018). Implementing co-creation and multiple intelligence practices to transform the classroom experience. Contemporary Issues in Education Research (CIER), 11(4), 127–132. doi: 10.19030/cier.v11i4.10206

Appendix A

Consent Form

Amy Lewis, M.Ed.

The University of West Alabama

Research Proposal Title: The Effects of Multisensory Teaching Techniques on Student Proficiency in Mathematics

1. What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a multisensory teaching techniques on student proficiency in mathematics.

2. How was I chosen?

You are currently a student at RT Elementary School, receiving special education services.

3. What will be involved in participating?

The study will be conducted amongst all fourth and fifth grade students receiving special education services, requesting your participation in classroom instruction that includes multisensory teaching techniques to determine the level of effectiveness of the multisensory teaching techniques on mathematics proficiency rates.

4. Who will know what I say?

The content of any observations and assessments will be kept confidential, and only the researcher and research committee will review the raw data.

5. What risks and benefits are associated with participation?

There are no foreseen risk or deceptions associated with participation.

6. What are my rights as a respondent?

You may ask any questions regarding the research, and they will be answered fully.  Your participation in the study is voluntary; you may withdraw at any time.

7. What will be published? 

Following the completion of this research proposal, the general findings will be published for documents within the school district.

8. If I want more information, who can I contact about the study?

This study has been approved by the University of West Alabama’s Internal Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. 

____________________________________             ___________________________________

Amy Lewis, M.Ed., Project Director          Participant/parent signature       date

Appendix B

Permission to Conduct Research

December 1, 2019

Amy Lewis, M. Ed,

The University of West Alabama

PO Box 1

Livingston, AL 35470

Dear Parent,

I would like to conduct a study utilizing the fourth and fifth grade students that currently attend RT Elementary School, who are also receiving special education services. This study proposes to review the effectiveness multisensory teaching techniques on mathematics proficiency. The results of this study will improve the effectiveness of teaching techniques, provide a deeper understanding of multisensory learning techniques, and encourage further multisensory learning research in the area of mathematics. The study will take place towards the second nine weeks in school and continue until the nine weeks is over. The instruments used will be a student observation form and the STAR program for progress monitoring. The study will be conducted by myself. I believe that this research endeavor will help to inform and influence the teaching practices of educators at RT Elementary School. Please review the enclosed information in order to make a decision about (your child’s) ability and willingness to participate in the study.

Thank you,

Amy Lewis, M.Ed.

Appendix C

Student Observation Form

Student Observed:__________________________

Teacher: _________________________________

Date:_____________________________________

Time Entered:_________ Time Exited:_________

Delivery of Instruction:

· Whole group

· Small group

· One to one

· Learning stations

Learning style observed:

· Verbal / Linguistic

· Visual / Spatial

· Bodily / Kinesthetic

· Musical / Rhythmic

· Interpersonal

· Intrapersonal

· Natural

· Logical / Mathematical

Student Behaviors observed:
Compared to his/her peers in the classroom, indicate the frequency of the behaviors listed below using the following scale: N= Not Observed S=Sometimes O=Often

Student Attention:

Student Attention:

Listens to instructions

N S O

Plays with materials

N S O

Understands directions

N S O

Talks out of turn

N S O

Does not understand directions

N S O

Out of seat without permission

N S O

Stays on task

N S O

Looking around room

N S O

Easily distracted

N S O

Makes noises

N S O

Begins work independently

N S O

Doodles

N S O

Volunteers to answer questions

N S O

Engaged in lesson

N S O

Fidgeting in seat

N S O

Understands concepts presented

N S O

Student Effort / Motivation:

Student Temperament:

Responds to praise

N S O

Happy

N S O

Tries hard

N S O

Angry / Hostile

N S O

Gives up easily

N S O

Anxious

N S O

Careless in work

N S O

Confused

N S O

Eager to please

N S O

Depressed

N S O

Works at reasonable pace

N S O

Easily upset

N S O

Works slowly

N S O

Daydreams

N S O

Work is accurate

N S O

Hyperactive

N S O

Hesitant to begin work

N S O

Lethargic / tired

N S O

Student / Teacher Interactions:

Student / Peer Interactions:

Cooperative

N S O

Participates in group

N S O

Noncompliant

N S O

Argues with peers

N S O

Seeks attention

N S O

Interacts well with others

N S O

Withdrawn / stares blankly

N S O

Hitting or poking peers

N S O

When called upon, attempts to answer

N S O

Avoids peer interactions

N S O

Careless /quick response

N S O

Distracts peers

N S O

Additional Comments:

Introduction

Your current submission cites research from 1996 (close to 25 years old) that references the use of calculators when your research problem focuses on 1:1 implementation
Recommendation: Use the ISTE Standards or current research to make your case as to the current role of digital resources in the current decade.

Your current submission states,

 

“Research has shown both positive and negative impacts of technology implementation on student achievement.”, but there are no sources.
Recommendation: Cite reputable sources for this claim.

 

Your current submission states, “For all students of mathematics the calculator is an essential

tool.” This leads the reader to assume falsely that the study is focusing exclusively on the effect of calculator use on student achievement in mathematics.

Recommendation: Find a quote that addresses the broader issue of digital teaching and learning involving 1:1 implementation.

 

Statement of the Research Problem

Your current submission describes in detail a past study which is 
not 
the purpose of the Signature Project Stage 1 Chapter 1 submission.
Recommendation: The purpose of this section of the Chapter 1 submission is to justify briefly and concisely the rationale for your study leading to the following: The purpose of this study is to ______________. You are writing a research proposal for a hypothetical quasi-experimental or experimental study that has not been implemented, not summarizing in extensive detail someone else’s study.

 

Data and Identification of the Problem

Your current submission refers to this section as Data Graphic and Discussion and proceeds to describe in extensive detail the justification for this completed study, methodology for this completed study, the subjects for this completed study, and finally the data generated from this completed study.
Recommendation: Display Figure 1 and Table 1 and provide a two or three paragraph (maximum) summary of the data that argues how the data from this study supports your research problem statement. The final paragraph should read, For this study (meaning, your hypothetical study), the following question was addressed: ________? As part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis: _______________.

 

Impact on Student Achievement

Your current submission reports the findings from one completed study even though the research literature contains hundreds of studies investigating the impact of digital tools and resources within a 1:1 environment on student achievement.

Recommendation: Reference briefly the findings from the completed study and how it corroborates with findings from other research studies investigating the impact of digital learning within a 1:1 environment on student achievement.

 

Research Method

Your current submission does not include a research method for your proposed hypothetical study.
Recommendation: Add a section entitled, Research Method.

 

Summary

Your current submission does not summarize the key areas of your research proposal including problem statement, findings from preliminary data, implications for student achievement, and proposed methodology.
Recommendation: Revise the summary.

Running head: IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION

1

Impact of Technology on Education

Victoria Scott

Signature Project Stage 1 Chapter 1 (Edited) & 2

University of West Alabama

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 2

Abstract

This work was a comprehensive analysis in Central Illinois, using

4

th grade participants

from a Title 1 elementary school. This study aimed to determine whether one to one technology

(1:1 will be used hereafter) really impacts and impacts students ‘ academic achievement. The

second objective of this research was to determine whether 1:1 technology also has an impact on

student motivation to learn (Orey et al.

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09).

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 3

Chapter One:

Introduction

School officials and educators have attempted different approaches to promote pupil

participation and academic performance, including the implementation of instructional

technologies. The No Child Left Behind Act has aimed, according to the U.S. Department of

Education (2002), to eradicate the digital divide and to have children digitally literate by the end

of the eighth grade, independent of age, socioeconomic status, geographic location and

impairment.

Technology is the functional tool that people make use of to improve the extent of

their capabilities. Individuals are using technology to improve their ability to perform jobs.

Worldwide, classrooms have implemented many forms of technology to boost student interest

and achievement. Although technology programs can take on many forms in schools, 1:1

program, which provide one computer per student, are increasing in popularity and prevalence in

schools in general and in middle grades in particular (Anderman and Sayers 2019). Our interest

in 1:1 programs and supporting middle schools to effectively implement them, stems in part from

one of the author’s experiences as a teacher working in various parts of the country and

witnessing first-hand the promise and perils of incorporating 1:1 technology into schools.

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:34-0

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:00
Change Our to The

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 4

Statement of the Research Problem

The hypothesis and core aim for this study was to determine whether 1:1 technology can impact

academic achievement and motivation of the students. The use of 1:1 Technology alone is not

enough to guarantee stellar academic performance and student participation. It is vital to ensure

that teachers themselves employ the use of best teaching practices. Teachers and administrators

are constantly searching for new ideas that would make classrooms more technology friendly as

this can greatly impact academic performance (Mallia and Gorg 2013).

Could we increase student productivity by the use of technology? Anchored instruction theory

supports this assertion. The theory emphasizes the place of practical instruction that is anchored

in real life experiences using technology. This approach in which learners get the opportunity to

interact with the material increases academic performance and participation substantially

(Anderman and Sayers 2019).

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3

4

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:21:55-08:00
is to determine

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:23:28-08:00
Delete the text between the brackets.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:24:15-08:00
• In one sentence, what is the statement of the research problem.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 5

Data Graphic and Discussion

Methods

The quantitative study examined the mean scores of Topic Tests in the enVision Math Series,

Discovery Education Assessments and attendance records to determine whether 1:1 Technology

was responsible for academic achievement and motivation among students. The participants in

this research were students in Fourth Grade attending school Central Illinois. 1:1 Technology in

school districts across the country is still a recent phenomenon. As our society becomes more

filled with new technology, school administrators and managers are keen on uncovering the

positive impact that new technology can bring to old educational processes(Orey et al. 2009).

Whatever the program theory behind one to-one programs; the common expectation was

that increased use should lead to improvements in the other outcomes. In this regard, while

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6
7

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:

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:08-08:00
This section should be entitled, Data and Identification of the Problem, not Data Graphic and Discussion.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:

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:15-08:00
Add a short opening paragraph for the section on Data and Identification of the Problem.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:31:23-08:00
Delete

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:

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:05-08:00
This sentence should be moved to Chapter 3.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 6

technology use was expected to return an increase in performance as compared to traditional

classrooms. In regards to the results from Table 1 and Figure 1, Topic 3 Test was the first test

administered by both classrooms at the beginning of the school year. The 1:1 Implementation

Classroom scored significantly higher, 82.58% vs. 65.87%, on this Topic Test than the

Traditional Classroom. These scores could be a result from the newness of the laptops, the

excitement of the students participating, and the ability to better differentiate using a laptop. In

his article, Edwards (2012) mentions that excitement and energy factor that students elicited in

his school district from students who had 1:1 Technology. Students in that school district were

even inclined to miss recess.

This proposal will seek to establish if indeed 1:1 technology will have a tangible impact on the

academic achievement on students, however, as established from the data in the study, the results

does not support the hypothesis that technology would increase student academic achievement

and motivation. Teachers must continue to be learners themselves to produce the best teaching

methods and introduce technology that works for their classroom and the specific needs of their

students. What teachers decide to bring into the classroom, must “hook” students and make them

excited to learn, thus, the programs, materials, and projects done should be meaningful to the

students. When this is done correctly, school districts will see the product of higher engagement

levels, higher achieving students, and the desire to be at school to learn.

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10

11

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13

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:34:07-08:00
Delete the text between the brackets.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:36:55-08:00
showed that the 1:1 classroom….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:

37

:53-08:00
the Topic 3 Test than the….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:38:44-08:00
The Topic 3 Test was the first test administered by both classrooms.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:40:54-08:00
Delete the text between the brackets.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:41:32-08:00
Add your research question and research hypothesis. Review the following example: For this study, the following research question was addressed, Will pre-school tutoring increase the level of reading readiness among students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests? As part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis: Pre-school tutoring will increase the level of reading readiness among students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 7

Impact on Student

Achievement

The purpose of this proposed study will be to decide whether 1:1 technology has effects on

academic achievement and motivation of students. It has been verified many times over that

students who do not exhibit satisfactory academic achievement end up living less successful

lives in future. Technology changed the way lessons are taught today in the classroom. The

teaching methodologies have undergone a paradigm shift from the traditional ways of education

to the more modern ones. The role of the teacher has also changed from being the only source of

information to being the learning facilitator. The role of students has also shifted from being

spoon-fed information receivers to learning discoverers. However, as noted in the study carried

out in Illinois there was no evidence to support the hypothesis that implementation of 1:1

technology will definitely lead to an increase in academic performance. Several other studies

have yielded juxtaposing results to this aforementioned hypothesis.

Suhr et al. focused on a two-year sample in upper elementary classes, where students 1:1

outperformed non-laptop student on tests in English Language Arts (ELA). Similarly, the review

of the Texas 1:1 laptop pilot by Shapley et al. explores the degree to which a sample of middle

schools successfully implemented a 1:1 system, as well as the relationship between the impact of

implementation at school, teacher, and student level, and the achievement of students in reading

and mathematics. The study by Bebell and Kay also discussed the introduction of a state pilot 1:1

initiative using ELA students and math achievement as one of many outcome measures.

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16

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:42:21-08:00
What is your source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:42:38-08:00
What is your source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:43:35-08:00
The paragraph needs to be free of idioms and casual language. Please rewrite.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:43:50-08:00
What does spoon-fed mean?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:44:28-08:00
What is your source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:46:44-08:00
The text between the brackets need to move to Chapter 3 under the subheading, 1:1 Implementation and Student Achievement.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 8

Therefore, while each of these studies has unique research goals, data sources, and outcome

measures, most papers analyze similar teacher and student outcomes and thus it is possible to

distinguish certain general patterns across the different study outcomes. The studies presented

here collectively illustrate several common themes around 1:1 computing system, and their

effects.

Through their research, Bebell and Kay found that teaching and learning habits changed when

the computers, digital learning environments and other technological tools were given to students

and teachers. In the five 1:1 schools they studied, they found that while the program’s

implementation and results differed across schools and throughout the three implementation

years, exposure to 1:1 computing resulted throughout significant improvements in teacher

practices, student achievement, student participation, and student research skills relative to the

control situation.

Specifically, after accounting for previous ELA performance, 7th grade students in their second

year of the 1:1 program made statistically significant increases on ELA state evaluation scores

compared with non-1:1 student. Similarly, Shapley et al. found that the “implementation quality

of Student Access and Use (of technology) was a consistently positive predictor of student

TAKS reading and mathematics scores” and that the students ‘ use of their laptop for home

learning was the “most strong predictor of student TAKS reading and mathematics scores”

(Shapley et al., p. 48, 2010).

Once Suhr et al. compared ELA test scores for a group of students who entered a 4th grade 1:1

laptop program to a comparable group of students in a conventional program in the same school

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 9

district, they found that the comparison group was outperformed by students in the 1:1 program

after two years. Specifically, the students 1:1 had higher gains on the ELA exam and the subtests

related to writing techniques and literary response and interpretation than the students who were

not 1:1. Their findings suggest that “laptops may have little impact on can these ratings, with

particular advantages in the areas of literary response and strategies for study and writing” (Suhr

et al., p. 38, 2010).

Summary

This data highlights the specific problem of student academic achievement in mathematics. This

study will focus on fourth and fifth grade students with disabilities in RT Elementary School. 1:1

Technology empowers students to take advantage of new forms of learning, develop digital skills

and improve learning effectiveness. This thesis will use systematic sampling as the research

methodology. This study suggests that the introduction of 1:1 technology in math classrooms

would help students remember and recall information that is being taught, thus improving math

skills. This project will conduct student observations and review data from Discovery assessment

reports at the Elementary School for both the fourth and fifth grades.

21

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:47:38-08:00
Where is the section on Research Methodology?

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 10

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) was the first platform for teachers and

students to have 1:1 computer access. The goal of ACOT was to promote change in the sense of

education. Through enthusiasm for teaching and learning by technology, improving student

writing skills, through sincere and purposeful use of technology are some of the benefits of

programs such as the AAL Program for 1:1 technology development. Such services paved the

way in the 1980s and 1990s for presidents, legislators, managers (Anderman and Sayers 2019).

There is a wide range of studies on the subject of technology-led growth in education. These

research concentrate on the effect of the use of technology at school and at home on both the

social and educational aspects. We’ll discuss relevant literature for our review in the following

sections. There are very few longitudinal studies that explain technology’s causal relationship to

academic performance in America in education.

Bulman and Fairlie (2016) address existing technology and education literature in the paper

Technology and Education: Computers, Software, and the Internet. In summary, technology

investment has ambiguous educational impact, and the educational gains are most often limited.

Investments in education technology are typically divided into three categories: general

investment in school ICT, individual student laptops, and educational software, i.e. elearning.

We’ll focus primarily on the second form of investment, which is currently the biggest trend in

education policy. We will be presenting some studies on general ICT investments in education

first though.

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:49:49-08:00
What is the AAL Program?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:50:07-08:00
Please rewrite. Ensure that all sentences are free of pronouns and grammar, spelling, punctuation, and/or structural errors

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:51:17-08:00
Eliminate all pronouns and contractions from the entire research proposal. Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our, their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher investigated students….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:53:55-08:00
The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:54:13-08:00
• Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our, their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher investigated students….

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 11

Effect of General ICT in Education

A randomized controlled experiment was performed in California where more than a

thousand computers were randomly distributed free to children attending 6th-10th grade for

home use (Fairlie and Kalil, 2016). They note that the children given to computers are more

likely to have a social networking site, but also spend more time communicating directly with

peers. There are no causal effects observed for educational outcomes and only a slight positive

contribution to the social development of children. Faber et al. (2015) study the effects of

government improvements in ICT on children’s school success in England by increasing the

Internet connection speeds.

We claim that the improvements are produced uniformly across the country and can thus

manipulate exogenous variability in order to estimate the causal effect (Wright, 2009). We

connect the test scores of primary and secondary students to the availability of ICT at their home

address and find it has null and void impact on the educational achievement or productivity of

the students. 7 Malamud and Pop-Eleches (2011) are investigating a Romanian voucher program

in which 35,000 vouchers worth 200 euros were issued to subsidize the purchase of low-income

home computers for students enrolled in public schools in Romania.

The study uses a discontinuity framework for regression to estimate the causal effect on

academic achievement, cognitive abilities, computer skills and different non-cognitive outcomes.

We note that the group being studied receives significantly lower scores in Math, English, and

Romanian, but significantly higher scores in a computer skills test and self-reported computer

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The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:55:21-08:00
The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:55:48-08:00
• Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our, their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher investigated students….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:55:56-08:00
• Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our, their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher investigated students….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:56:37-08:00
The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 12

fluency measures.

Effect of Laptop Programs in School

In 2002, the first large-scale one-to-one laptop system was introduced in Maine State for

educational purposes. All of the state’s 7th and 8th grade students and teachers were given

laptops. They carried out a study in which they compared writing tests done in the year 2000

with the same type of testing done after the laptops were implemented in the year 2005. Writing

efficiency is improved by one-third of a standard deviation but it does not seem to influence

other types of tests (Shapley and Brite 2008). The basic comparisons made in the study may not

however be sufficiently rigorous to establish causality (Wright, 2009)

The simple comparisons made in the research may not however be sufficiently thorough to

claim causality. Suhr et al. (2010) are studying the effect of introducing a one-to – one laptop

program for graders 4th and 5th in a California school district. They use a quasi-experimental

design for the research. After two years, the students obtaining a laptop perform better in English

language arts than non-laptop students, and tests measuring writing strategies and literary

response and review. The Texas laptop initiative was implemented in 21 state schools, and

Shapley et al. (2009) is studying the effects.

The treatment group was paired with an acceptable control group comprised of schools that

did not receive laptops on various criteria such as school size, district, and minority proportion.

The study uses difference-in-difference and shows some positive effects in some of the classes

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:57:15-08:00
The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 13

on reading abilities. There are no discovered consequences while conducting in literature. In

addition, a study conducted by Cristia et al. (2017) looks at the One Laptop per Child Program in

Peru. The goal of this program is to provide children with laptops for use at school and at home

to enhance learning in one of the world’s poorest regions.

The paper focuses on Peru’s randomized controlled trial and takes advantage of the

randomized nature of government policy program. Fifteen months after the implementation and

the research tests were collected data whether there is an improvement in accumulation of human

capital at 8. The initiative has led to a significant rise in computer usage both at school and at

home. In addition, there is no major benefit on exams in neither mathematics nor language

courses. There is however a small effect on the students ‘ cognitive abilities (Bulman & Fairlie,

2016)s.

Overview of existing literature Based on the literature

The success of both general ICT investments in education and the implementation of

laptop programs is having little impact on the students. There is some evidence that computer

and cognitive skills are growing but evidence of spill-over effects on other subjects is low. The

results are unclear however, and it is difficult to draw any conclusions in the field of study so far.

However, the established literature focuses mostly on the impact in lower educational levels and

often on students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds than the Norwegian average.

Therefore, the assumptions for this study are unclear.

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The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:57:36-08:00
The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:57:48-08:00
The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-24T15:58:39-08:00
Change to read, Synthesis of the Literature

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 14

References

Anderman, L. H., & Sayers, R. (2019). Academic motivation and achievement in

classrooms. In Visible Learning Guide to Student Achievement (pp. 166–172).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351257848-26

Art. Ii.—Theories Of Education. (2010). Theories of Education, 1-15.

doi:10.31826/9781463230463-001

Cady, J. (2012). Alien Education. In The Advocate (Vol. 20, Issue 2).

https://doi.org/10.4148/2637-4552.1095

Chrysostomu, S. (2017). Human Potential, Technology, and Music Education. In The Oxford

Handbook of Technology and Music Education (pp. 218–224).

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199372133.013.20

Harris, L.|Al-Bataineh, J., T.|Al-Bataineh, M., & Adel. (2015, November 30). One to One

Technology and Its Effect on Student Academic Achievement and Motivation. Retrieved

from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1117604

Laurillard, D. (2007). Technology, pedagogy and education: concluding comments. In

Technology, Pedagogy and Education (Vol. 16, Issue 3, pp. 357–360).

https://doi.org/10.1080/14759390701614496

Selwyn, N. (2011). Education and Technology: Key Issues and Debates. A&C Black.

Shapley, K.S., Sheehan, D., Maloney, C., & Caranikas-Walker, F. (2010). Evaluating the

http://paperpile.com/b/Chl6gW/NObW

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file:///C:/Users/Siddharth/Downloads/(Vol.%2020,%20Issue%202).%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https:/doi.org/

file:///C:/Users/Siddharth/Downloads/(Vol.%2020,%20Issue%202).%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20https:/doi.org/

http://dx.doi.org/10.4148/2637-4552.1095

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IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 15

Implementation Fidelity of Technology Immersion and its Relationship with Student

Achievement. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 9(4).

Sriraman, B., & English, L. (2010). Surveying Theories and Philosophies of Mathematics

Education. In Theories of Mathematics Education (pp. 7–32).

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00742-2_2

Stakkestad, Victoria, S., Størdal, F., & Guro. (1970, January 01). The Effects of technology on

students’ academic performance rollout of individual laptops in norwegian upper

secondary schools. Retrieved from https://openaccess.nhh.no/nhh-

xmlui/handle/11250/2487301

Suhr, K.A., Hernandez, D.A., Grimes, D., & Warschauer, M. (2010). Laptops and Fourth-Grade

Literacy: Assisting the Jump over the Fourth-Grade Slump. Journal of Technology,

Learning, and Assessment, 9(5).

Van Zyl, W. (2018). Learning and Curriculum in Technology Education: A Design and Visual

Communication Perspective. Five House Publishing.

Wedege, T. (2010). Commentary on Modalities of a Local Integration of Theories in

Mathematics Education. In Theories of Mathematics Education (pp. 555–559).

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00742-2_52

Wright, S. (2009). On Supervision – Psychoanalytic and Jungian Perspectives edited by Petts,

Ann & Shapley, Bernard. In Journal of Analytical Psychology (Vol. 54, Issue 1, pp. 144

146). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5922.2008.01764_2.x

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https://openaccess.nhh.no/nhh-xmlui/handle/11250/2487301

https://openaccess.nhh.no/nhh-xmlui/handle/11250/2487301

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about:blank

about:blank

Comment Summary
Page 3

1. Change Our to The
Page 4

2. is to determine
3. Delete the text between the brackets.
4. • In one sentence, what is the statement of the research problem.

Page 5
5. This section should be entitled, Data and Identification of the Problem, not Data Graphic and Discussion.
6. Add a short opening paragraph for the section on Data and Identification of the Problem.
7. Delete
8. This sentence should be moved to Chapter 3.

Page 6
9. Delete the text between the brackets.

10. showed that the 1:1 classroom….

11. the Topic 3 Test than the….
12. The Topic 3 Test was the first test administered by both classrooms.
13. Delete the text between the brackets.
14. Add your research question and research hypothesis. Review the following example: For this study, the

following research question was addressed, Will pre-school tutoring increase the level of reading readiness
among students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests? As part of this study, the investigation
included one research hypothesis: Pre-school tutoring will increase the level of reading readiness among
students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests.

Page 7
15. What is your source for this claim?
16. What is your source for this claim?
17. The paragraph needs to be free of idioms and casual language. Please rewrite.
18. What does spoon-fed mean?
19. What is your source for this claim?
20. The text between the brackets need to move to Chapter 3 under the subheading, 1:1 Implementation and Student

Achievement.
Page 9

21. Where is the section on Research Methodology?
Page 10

22. What is the AAL Program?
23. Please rewrite. Ensure that all sentences are free of pronouns and grammar, spelling, punctuation, and/or

structural errors
24. Eliminate all pronouns and contractions from the entire research proposal. Avoid the use of 1st person

narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our, their, etc. You should be referring
to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher investigated students….

25. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
26. • Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our,

their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher
investigated students….

Page 11
27. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
28. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
29. • Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our,

their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher
investigated students….

30. • Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our,
their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher
investigated students….

31. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Page 12
32. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
33. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.

Page 13
34. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
35. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
36. The text is difficult to follow. Please rewrite paragraph for clarity and conciseness.
37. Change to read, Synthesis of the Literature

Running head: IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION

1

Impact of Technology on Education

Victoria Scott

Signature Project Stage 1 Chapter 1 and

2

(Edited) & 3

University of West Alabama

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-2

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New Title: The Effect of 1:1 Technology on the Academic Achievement of Students from Designated Low Income Families

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 2

Abstract

This work will be a comprehensive analysis in Chicago Illinois, using 6th grade

participants from a Title 1 elementary school. This study aimed to determine whether one to

one technology (1:1 will be used hereafter) really impacts low income students’ academic

achievement (Orey et al. 2009).

Chapter One:

Introduction

School officials and educators have attempted different approaches to promote pupil

participation and academic performance, including the implementation of instructional

technologies. The No Child Left Behind Act has aimed, according to the U.S. Department of

Education (2002), to eradicate the digital divide and to have children digitally literate by the

end of the eighth grade, independent of age, socioeconomic status, geographic location and

impairment.

Technology is the functional tool that people make use of to improve the extent

of their capabilities. Individuals are using technology to improve their ability to perform jobs.

Worldwide, classrooms have implemented many forms of technology to boost student interest

and achievement. Although technology programs can take on many forms in schools, 1:1

programs, which provide one computer per student, are increasing in popularity and

prevalence in schools in general and in middle grades in particular (Anderman and Sayers

2

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:08:11-08:00
the effect of one to one or 1:1 technology on the achievement level among students from designated low income families.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 3

2019). The interest in 1:1 programs and supporting middle schools to effectively implement

them stems in part from the author’s experiences as a teacher working in various parts of the

country and witnessing first-hand the promise and perils of incorporating 1:1 technology into

schools.

Statement of the Research Problem

The hypothesis and core aim for this study is to determine whether 1:1 technology can

impact academic achievement and motivation of the students.

The use of 1:1 Technology alone is not enough to guarantee stellar academic

performance and student participation. It is vital to ensure that teachers themselves employ the

use of best teaching practices. Teachers and administrators are constantly searching for new

ideas that would make classrooms more technology friendly as this can greatly impact

academic performance (Mallia and Gorg 2013). Poor academic performance and low-class

participation rates is a major problem in many schools in the country today especially for

schools in low income and minority neighborhoods. The use of 1:1 technology can serve to

improve this state of affairs.

Could we increase student productivity by the use of technology? Anchored instruction

theory supports this assertion. The theory emphasizes the place of practical instruction that is

anchored in real life experiences using technology. This approach in which learners get the

opportunity to interact with the material increases academic performance and participation

substantially.

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4

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:09:54-08:00
the researcher’s

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:10:40-08:00
What is the source for this claim?

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 4

Data and Identification of the Problem

Poor academic performance especially in areas such as reading skills and

mathematics in many low-income public schools is a cause of concern for education

stakeholders. This poor academic performance coupled with low class participation rates raises

a lot of questions about the quality of education in Chicago’s public schools especially in

schools in low income and minority neighborhoods. For this study the following research

question was addressed: Will 1:1 Technology increase academic performance of low-income

students? As part of this study, the investigation included one key research hypothesis:

Implementing 1:1 Technology will drastically increase the academic performance of low-

income students. As the data below clearly shows, academic performance in public schools

with low income and minority students is in dire need of improvement if they are to achieve a

secure academic future.

Nearly half of Chicago schools have failed to meet the state’s performance threshold

on their new accountability system, making some of them possible targets of state intervention.

Statewide, on the Illinois Report Card 2013, the state ranked 20 per cent of its nearly 3,800

schools as “underperforming” or “lowest performer.” Landing at the bottom two rungs on the

new four-level ratings of the state will trigger significant aid from the state. It will grant

additional money to the failing students, visits from learning performance experts, and

collaborations with higher-rated schools.

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:14:59-08:00
What is the source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:16:03-08:00
Check APA guidelines for citations.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:20:13-08:00
What is the source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:

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:38-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief. Avoid the use of ALL adverbs (e.g., nearly, sadly, overwhelmingly, mainly, shockingly, ) and ALL idioms (e.g. two rungs, will trigger).

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 5

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 6

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:19:46-08:00
You need to follow APA guidelines for your graphs and charts. They should be labeled and referred to as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 7

Sadly, public schools in Chicago have not performed well for the past couple of

years on different metrics. However, it is important to note that, that is how exactly schools

with an overwhelmingly low-income student enrollment perform. In 2009, U.S. schools with

small proportions of low-income students did as well as schools anywhere in the world on the

International Student Assessment Program — while American schools with more than 75 per

cent low-income enrollment scored like schools in developing countries.

Low income enrollments are the norm in Chicago. Shockingly, a whopping 85

percent of Chicago Public School (CPS) students last year were from low-income families.

Why is the proportion of low-income CPS students as high as it is when the proportion of low-

income families with children under the age of 18 across the city is

52

per cent? This is mainly

because so many parents of the middle class are unwilling to send their children to the public

schools in the town. Instead they send them to private schools, or they move to the suburbs

when their kids reach school age (or high school age).

That is not a new occurrence. It is a legacy of racial segregation that for decades

characterized Chicago and its public schools. The schools here moved from predominantly

white and middle-class to largely black, Latino, and low-income in the 1950s,’ 60s and’ 70s.

Locally, nationally, and internationally, the link between low-income students and low-test

scores has been well documented. It’s clear not only when comparing the public schools in

Chicago with the rest of the Illinois state, but also within CPS itself. Our CPS data analysis

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This section should be summarizing and analyzing the data from your figures (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2), not providing a series of personal opinions about the state of public school education in Chicago. Focus on your data from the graphs and remain objective on what the data reveals. If you cannot support any claim based on the data or a credible source, then remove it.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:

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:35-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief. Avoid the use of ALL adverbs (e.g., nearly, sadly, overwhelmingly, mainly, shockingly, ) and ALL idioms (e.g. two rungs, will trigger).

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:26:

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-08:00
What is the source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:27:01-08:00
What is the source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:27:07-08:00
What is the source for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:27:49-08:00
What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:28:13-08:00
What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:28:

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-08:00
What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 8

shows that the higher the proportion of low-income children in a school, the worse the school

ends up performing on the ISAT and the PSAE — and the correlation is dramatic.

The Illinois Board of Education’s school report cards issued two weeks ago once again

showed dreadful performance by CPS students.

55

per cent of Illinois students met or

exceeded state standards in reading on the Prairie State Achievement Exam given to 11th

graders while only 36 per cent of CPS students did so.

But the low-income ratio across the state is 50 percent—35 points lower than that of

Chicago. And when only the low-income students’ test scores are compared, the difference is

much smaller: nationally, 35 percent met or exceeded reading expectations, compared to 31

percent in Chicago. Likewise, the test-score gap in math and science is slight when the

comparison is limited to students with low incomes.

Impact on Student Achievement

The purpose of this proposed study will be to decide whether 1:1 technology has

effects on academic achievement of low-income students. It has been verified many times

over that students who do not exhibit satisfactory academic achievement end up living less

successful lives in future as compared to those that do (Suhr et al., p. 38, 2010). Technology

changed the way lessons are taught today in the classroom. The teaching methodologies have

undergone a paradigm shift from the traditional forms of education to the more modern ones.

The role of the teacher has also changed from being the only source of information to be the

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What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:29:08-08:00
What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:29:31-08:00
What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:30:43-08:00
Use APA guidelines for citations

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:31:28-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:31:54-08:00
What are more modern one?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:33:12-08:00
Add your research question and research hypothesis. Review the following example: For this study, the following research question was addressed, Will pre-school tutoring increase the level of reading readiness among students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests? As part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis: Pre-school tutoring will increase the level of reading readiness among students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 9

facilitator of learning. The role of students has also shifted from being passive receivers of

information to active discoverers of knowledge.

Suhr et al. focused on a two-year sample in upper elementary classes, where students 1:1

outperformed non-laptop student on tests in English Language Arts (ELA). Similarly, the

review of the Texas 1:1 laptop pilot by Shapley et al. explores the degree to which a sample of

middle schools successfully implemented a 1:1 system, as well as the relationship between the

impact of implementation at school, teacher, and student level, and the achievement of

students in reading and mathematics. The study by Bebell and Kay also discussed the

introduction of a state pilot 1:1 initiative using ELA students and math achievement as one of

many outcome measures.

Therefore, while each of these studies has unique research goals, data sources, and

outcome measures, most papers analyze similar teacher and student outcomes and thus it is

possible to distinguish certain general patterns across the different study outcomes. The studies

presented here collectively illustrate several common themes around 1:1 computing system,

and their effects.

Through their research, Bebell and Kay found that teaching and learning habits changed

when the computers, digital learning environments and other technological tools were given to

students and teachers. In the five 1:1 schools they studied, they found that while the program’s

implementation and results differed across schools and throughout the three implementation

years, exposure to 1:1 computing resulted throughout significant improvements in teacher

25

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T04:

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:46-08:00
The text between the brackets belongs in Chapter 2, not Chapter 1.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 10

practices, student achievement, student participation, and student research skills relative to the

control situation. Whether these results are replicable amongst low income students is a key

aspect we will seek to investigate in the proposed study.

Research Methods

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data

collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment reports

progress monitoring. Systematic sampling will also be used in the research methodology.

Teachers will implement the use of 1:1 Technology through the use of Chromebooks during

their mathematics and reading classes. Teachers will employ the use of interactive lessons and

exercises on the Chromebooks that will give the students the opportunity to learn using a new

and more interactive learning model. The Discovery Assessment Reports will be used to

determine if they can recall and retain the information taught.

Summary

This data highlights the specific problem of student academic achievement in

mathematics. This study will focus on low income 6th grade students from a Title 1

elementary school. 1:1 Technology empowers students to take advantage of new forms of

learning, develop digital skills and improve learning effectiveness. This study will use

systematic sampling as the research methodology. This study suggests that the introduction of

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IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 11

1:1 technology in classrooms would help students remember and recall information that is

being taught, thus growing math and reading skills. This project will conduct student

observations and review data from Discovery Assessment reports at the Elementary School for

the 6th grade students.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

1:1 Technology has been a hot topic of debate in the past few years and their benefits

have been scrutinized to good effect. Anchored instruction theory emphasizes the place of

practical instruction that is anchored in real life experiences using technology. Anchored

Instruction underlines the use of Instructional technology. Teachers are moved from a source of

information into a coach. It is widely used at the primary level and applied to competencies in

mathematics, reading and language. Anchored instruction provides an environment for active

learning through challenging and motivating learners. The story or anchor contains embedded

data in addition to extraneous information. Therefore, it is the prerogative of the learner to

decipher, organize and extract all the relevant pieces of information.

There is a wide range of studies on the subject of technology-led growth in

education. This research concentrates on the effect of the use of technology at school and at

home on both the social and educational aspects. The researcher will discuss relevant literature

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Choose an approach to focus the organization of your literature review. Write a simple statement that lets the

reader know what is your main organizing principle. Literature reviews typically are organized either

chronologically, thematically, or methodologically (The reviewed literature may also be organized by publication date or by supporting or refuting an argument.).
The literature review includes three basic elements: an introduction or background information section; the body of the review containing the discussion of sources; and, finally, a conclusion and/or recommendations section to end the review.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:23:57-08:00
Delete the text between the brackets. Not relevant to the literature review.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:42:12-08:00
Start new page.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 12

for our review in the following sections. There are very few longitudinal studies that explain

technology’s causal relationship to academic performance in America in education.

In summary, technology investment has ambiguous educational impact, and the

educational gains are most often limited. Investments in education technology are typically

divided into three categories: general investment in school ICT, individual student laptops, and

educational software, i.e. elearning. The researcher will focus primarily on the second form of

investment, which is currently the biggest trend in education policy. We will be presenting

some studies on general ICT investments in education first though.

Effect of General ICT in Education

A randomized controlled experiment was performed in California where more than a

thousand computers were randomly distributed free to children attending 6th-10th grade for

home use (Fairlie and Kalil, 2016). They note that the children given to computers are more

likely to have a social networking site, but also spend more time communicating directly with

peers. There are no causal effects observed for educational outcomes and only a slight positive

contribution to the social development of children. Faber et al. (2015) studied the effects of

government improvements in ICT on children’s school success in England by increasing the

Internet connection speeds.

We claim that the improvements are produced uniformly across the country and can

thus manipulate exogenous variability in order to estimate the causal effect (Wright, 2009).

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Delete text between brackets.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:30:31-08:00
The literature resources reviewed will focus on general investment in school ICT and individual laptops.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:32:51-08:00
who were given computers….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:34:53-08:00
Their findings founds modest effects on educational outcomes and….

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 13

We connect the test scores of primary and secondary students to the availability of ICT at their

home address and find it has a limited impact on the educational achievement or productivity

of the students. Malamud and Pop-Eleches (2011) are investigating a Romanian voucher

program in which 35,000 vouchers worth 200 euros were issued to subsidize the purchase of

low-income home computers for students enrolled in public schools in Romania. The study

uses a discontinuity framework for regression to estimate the causal effect on academic

achievement, cognitive abilities, computer skills and different non-cognitive outcomes. We

note that the group being studied receives significantly lower scores in Math, English, and

Romanian, but significantly higher scores in a computer skills test and self-reported computer

fluency measures.

Effect of Laptop Programs in School

In 2002, the first large-scale one-to -one laptop system was introduced in Maine State

for educational purposes. All of the state’s 7th and 8th grade students and teachers were given

laptops. The study involved carrying out a study comparing tests in handwritten writing results

in the year 2000 with the same type of testing done after the laptops were implemented on the

machine in 2005. Writing efficiency is improved by one-third of a standard deviation but it

does not seem to influence other types of tests (Shapley and Brite 2008). The basic

comparisons made in the study may not however be sufficiently rigorous to establish causality

(Wright, 2009).

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:36:02-08:00
• Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our, their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher investigated students….

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:38:28-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:38:43-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 14

The simple comparisons made in the research may not however be sufficiently

thorough to claim causality. Suhr et al. (2010) are studying the effect of introducing a one-to –

one laptop program for graders 4th and 5th in a California school district. They use a quasi-

experimental design for the research. After two years, the students obtaining a laptop perform

better in English language arts than non-laptop students, and tests measuring writing strategies

and literary response and review. The Texas laptop initiative was implemented in 21 state

schools, and Shapley et al. (2009) studied the effects. The test group was paired with an

acceptable control group comprised of schools that did not receive laptops on various criteria

such as school size, district, and minority proportion. The study shows some positive effects in

some of the classes on reading abilities. There are no discovered negative effects while

conducting the study.

In addition, a study conducted by Cristia et al. (2017) looks at the One Laptop per

Child Program in Peru. The goal of this program is to provide children with laptops for use at

school and at home to enhance learning in one of the world’s poorest countries. The paper

focuses on Peru’s randomized 1:1 laptop program that was initiated by the Peruvian

government. Fifteen months after the implementation of the project, the research tests were

collected. The initiative has led to a significant rise in computer usage both at school and at

home. In addition, there is no major benefit on exams in neither mathematics nor language

courses. There is however a small effect on the students ‘ cognitive abilities (Wright, 2009).

Synthesis of Literature Review

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Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:39:44-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument. Be specific, but brief.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 15

The success of both general ICT investments in education and the implementation

of laptop programs is having substantial impact on students from low income backgrounds.

There is considerable evidence that computer and cognitive skills are growing but evidence of

spill-over effects on other subjects is low (Wright, 2009). The results are unclear however, and

it is difficult to draw any conclusions in the field of study so far. However, the established

literature focuses mostly on the impact in lower educational levels and often on students from

lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

1:1 Implementation refers to an initiative in which every student in the

classroom, school, school district, etc., has a laptop or computer, in the classroom to

use and learn with as a resource. The 1:1 Implementation Classroom was for the

instructor and also for the students involved in this study during its first year of

implementation. This particular Sixth Grade classroom is one of two Sixth Grade

classrooms used in the education pilot program for City of Chicago District # 299.

Population

This study will be an in-depth analysis at Chicago Illinois, using 6th grade

participants from a Title 1 elementary school. This research aimed to evaluate how

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:40:25-08:00
Repeat your source(s) for this claim.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:40:49-08:00
Repeat your source(s) for this claim.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:41:47-08:00
Start New Page

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:44:15-08:00
Add: The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the research methodology for a quantitative and/or mixed method study about ____________ and ___________. The intent is to investigate _______ and determine the effect of ___________ on _____________.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:47:54-08:00
of

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 16

one-to-one technology (1:1 will be used hereafter) actually impacts low income

students’ academic achievement.

Sample

Participants in this proposed study will be students from two separate classes in the

Sixth Grade. The school has 84.3 percent of the school’s population that come from

low income backgrounds. The total number of students who will be involved in the

study would be 10 students. The sample consists of three male Caucasian participants,

three Hispanic Female participants, two African American female participants, one

Caucasian female participant, and one African American male participant. The

participants’ ages vary from 10 to 13 years old.

Sample Technique

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data

collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment

progress report. The sampling technique that will be used in this particular case is the

systematic sampling technique. This is because using the systematic sampling methodology

everyone has an equal chance of being selected for data collection. In this sampling

methodology the respective names of the students will be listed alphabetically and

afterwards, from a starting point, the tenth person on each list is selected. The methods

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Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:51:13-08:00
How did you arrive at 10 students?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:53:47-08:00
What is the population of 6th grade students at this school?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:54:41-08:00
In random sampling, everyone has an equal change of being selected, not systematic sampling.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:55:49-08:00
I would recommend simple random sampling to ensure that your sample size is large enough to generalize to the entire population of 6th grade students.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 17

which will be used in the data collection will be student observations and data collected

from progress monitoring assessments.

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants

People involved in this comprehensive research were students of sixth grade

from two separate classes, but at the same Title 1 school in Chicago Illinois. In the

classroom, technology influences the academic achievement and performance of the

learners.

Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

When undertaking the research project, ethics should always be considered

and taken seriously. The study’s researcher aims to ensure all participants are covered

against damages.

In the event that damage can be done to participants it is important that the

researcher takes into consideration if the study can be performed in a safer manner and if the

knowledge obtained warrants any potential harm.

Participants and their parents are told of their rights, and informed consent is

received from the participants parents or guardians. Information from the student evaluation

will be used to gather data; however, information from participants will be kept confidential.

Student assessment forms will also be kept confidential, and no identifying details will be

put on any forms. Numbers will be used instead of their actual names, to identify

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What are your source(s) for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:57:39-08:00
What are your source(s) for this claim?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T07:58:05-08:00
What damages?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T08:00:20-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 18

participants. When data is collected, the researcher will be restricted in access. Notify all

participants of their right to withdraw or request that their data not be used in the analysis.

Variables

The emphasis was on three independent variables, namely: quality, efficiency and

usability of ICT tools, and how these influence the learning rates of students, i.e. math and

reading skill levels. The reason these responses were aggregated was that the research

approach (i.e. 57 Pearson correlation) needed data which is continuous. In testing the

results, the researcher used a form of Pearson correlation analysis to find out if the learning

of the students was linearly associated with each of the three independent variables. That

turned the categorical data into quantitative types.

Timeline

The research study course will run over a time frame of ten weeks. Our

original action study plan was to collect data for four weeks: two weeks of lessons without

incorporation of the technology and two weeks with integration of the technology.

Nevertheless, we will collect data over a five-week period. We will use two

approaches to monitor student involvement. Next, we’ll create an Engagement Observation

Method for quantitative data collection. The form will allow us to track and collect data over

a course of a lesson on ten randomly selected students.

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This section needs a rewrite. The independent variable is the 1:1 implementation; the dependent variable is student achievement.

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T08:03:57-08:00
Where did you get .57 correlation?

Chris Moersch @ 2020-02-29T08:05:37-08:00
Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater clarity and conciseness.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 19

Second, we’ll also use seating charts to record data about student engagement.

Using fast scans of the entire class at regular intervals of 3 or 5 minutes, we coded each

student as either on-task (+) or off-task-) (under the name of each student. Although this did

not give us precise behavioral details, we were able to gather a broader set of data. In

addition to student observation methods, we each documented our observations and field

notes in narrative format for each day that we incorporated technology into our lessons

inside a teacher journal. This data gathering method will help us to collect more qualitative

data about our personal experiences, achievements and technology integration failures. The

researcher’s journals will be an informal resource that will be explained after a lecture, with

regard to our experiences. The researcher will not map out any specific students.

Constitutive and Operational Definitions

1:1 Technology- It applies to the technical movement of every child in the

classroom, school, school district, etc., possessing a laptop or computer, using and

studying as a resource in the classroom.

Anchored Instruction Theory: This applies to the real-world experience as the core

content of instruction for schooling. Students explore, solve problems in various ways

of living the real world. The reality of the living world is referred to as the “anchor,”

and the process of establishing and identifying the real living world to solve the

problems is figuratively referred to as “casting the anchor.” “Anchored” instruction is

one of the key educational models under the constructive theory of learning. A

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 20

cognitive and scientific team developed it in 1992, under the guidance of American

professor John Bransford at Vanderbilt University. The Anchored Theory of

Instruction emphasizes learning based on technology. Students take the technology as

the carrier, use the reality of the living world as their main content to discover

problems, generate questions and ultimately solve the problems.

Description of Data

Four tests are conducted over the whole school year with 9-12 weeks between

each evaluation. The predictive benchmark tests are intended to forecast the success

during the academic year on the student’s next high-stakes test.

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

In this study, the results of Topic Tests in Math, Discovery Education Assessment

(Math), and attendance were used to determine if 1:1 Technology positively impacts

student academic achievement. The Topic Studies were adapted from the Pearson

enVision Math sequence that Chicago Public Schools has embraced (Mallia and Gorg

2013).

Collaborative Resources

Collaborative resources include several different components. First, the primary

resource used will be the teachers. The teachers are responsible for implementing 1:1

technology, completing evaluation tasks, providing full progress tracking evaluations

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 21

for the participants and analyzing data obtained to guide instruction. Second, access to

the online assessment program is provided by the school district. The students will

use this tool to complete their reporting evaluations of success. The data will then be

obtained from the assessment reports of the program. Collaborative resources include

several different components. First, the primary resource used will be the teachers.

The teachers are responsible for implementing 1:1 technology, completing evaluation

tasks, providing full progress tracking evaluations for the participants and analyzing

data obtained to guide instruction. Second, access to the online assessment program is

provided by the school district. The students will use this tool to complete their

reporting evaluations of success. The data will then be obtained from the assessment

reports of the

program.

Leverage Plan

Resources will be acquired for 1:1 Technology program from within the

school that promotes technology in education. The school district can be leveraged to

provide resources for the program in the form of laptops to facilitate the 1:1 project study.

The laptops will be vital in being an instrument of study for the duration of the entire

program.

Teachers can employ the use of instructional content in the transmission of

pertinent educational content using a variety of different digital formats (such as video,

slideshows and online texts). The students can be able to access such content independently

and easily free up the teacher’s individual resources for other activities. Furthermore,

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 22

students themselves can be leveraged for better implementation of the program through the

use of group projects during class time, while employing the use of online collaborative

tools which can greatly serve to expand the entire scope of their learning.

Partnership with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be crucial to the

success of the program. However, even as the researcher liaises together with the relevant

school districts it is important to ensure that key stakeholders are involved and brought on

board early on. These stakeholders include, teacher, students, parents, the community and

even key school board members. There will be a working partnership with the school

administrators to ensure that the best and most effective behavioral models of digital

learners and leaders are modeled effectively.

Limitations

This research was also performed with participants of Sixth Grade aged 11 and

12. At this level, children have less control than in high-school and depend more on

their parents for guidance and support in their schooling efforts. Also, not every child

in the Traditional Classroom participated in this research, whereas all students

participated in the 1:1 Implementation Classroom. The differences between the

number of participating students could skew or misrepresent the data collected and

evaluated for this analysis, which could then skew or misrepresent the outcomes.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 23

References

Art. Ii.—Theories Of Education. (2010). Theories of Education, 1-15.

doi:10.31826/9781463230463-001

Anderman, L. H., & Sayers, R. (2019). Academic motivation and achievement in classrooms. In

Visible Learning Guide to Student Achievement (pp. 166–172).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351257848-26

Cady, J. (2012). Alien Education. In The Advocate (Vol. 20, Issue 2). https://doi.org/10.4148/2637-

4552.1095

Chrysostomu, S. (2017). Human Potential, Technology, and Music Education. In The Oxford

Handbook of Technology and Music Education (pp. 218–224).

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199372133.013.20

Harris, L.|Al-Bataineh, J., T.|Al-Bataineh, M., & Adel. (2015, November 30). One to One

Technology and Its Effect on Student Academic Achievement and Motivation. Retrieved from

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1117604

Laurillard, D. (2007). Technology, pedagogy and education: concluding comments. In Technology,

Pedagogy and Education (Vol. 16, Issue 3, pp. 357–360).

https://doi.org/10.1080/14759390701614496

Selwyn, N. (2011). Education and Technology: Key Issues and Debates. A&C Black.

Shapley, K.S., Sheehan, D., Maloney, C., & Caranikas-Walker, F. (2010). Evaluating the

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Need to follow APA guidelines.

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Implementation Fidelity of Technology Immersion and its Relationship with Student

Achievement. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 9(4).

Sriraman, B., & English, L. (2010). Surveying Theories and Philosophies of Mathematics

Education. In Theories of Mathematics Education (pp. 7–32). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-

642-00742-2_2

Stakkestad, Victoria, S., Størdal, F., & Guro. (1970, January 01). The Effects of technology on

students’ academic performance rollout of individual laptops in norwegian upper secondary

schools. Retrieved from https://openaccess.nhh.no/nhh-xmlui/handle/11250/2487301

Suhr, K.A., Hernandez, D.A., Grimes, D., & Warschauer, M. (2010). Laptops and Fourth-rade

Literacy: Assisting the Jump over the Fourth-Grade Slump. Journal of Technology, Learning,

and Assessment, 9(5).

Van Zyl, W. (2018). Learning and Curriculum in Technology Education: A Design and Visual

Communication Perspective. Five House Publishing.

Wedege, T. (2010). Commentary on Modalities of a Local Integration of Theories in Mathematics

Education. In Theories of Mathematics Education (pp. 555–559). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-

642-00742-2_52

Wright, S. (2009). On Supervision – Psychoanalytic and Jungian Perspectives edited by Petts, Ann

& Shapley, Bernard. In Journal of Analytical Psychology (Vol. 54, Issue 1, pp. 144 146).

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5922.2008.01764_2.x

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IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 25

Appendix A

STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR MINORS

This method represents a research being carried out with students on the positive and

negative effects that technology has on the achievement of the students. The aim of this research

is to compare the effects that technology has on student achievement; more specifically the

positive and negative effects, as well as the resources that increase or decrease the ability of a

student to do work in class. The person carrying out the work is a graduate student at the

University of West Alabama School. When you decide to include your child in this research, he /

she will be asked to complete a questionnaire about his / her technology skills inside and outside

the math class. The possible benefits from being in this study could be that information will be

learned that would allow teachers to better a student’s ability to do work in the classroom due to

the presence of technology. Teachers will be able to enhance their classrooms in the future due to

the information that prevail from this research. Your participation in this study is completely

voluntary. Being in it or refusing to be in it, will not affect your grades or class standing. You are

free to change your mind or stop being in the study at any time. The potential benefit of being in

this study could be the acquisition of knowledge that would allow teachers to improve the ability

of a student to do classroom work because of the existence of technology. Because of the

knowledge prevailing from this study, teachers will be able to improve their classrooms in future.

Your involvement in this study is absolutely voluntary. Being in or refusing to be in it will have

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 26

no effect on your grades or status in class. You are free to change your mind at any time, or to

avoid being in the study.

I understand that:

1. My participation is voluntary, and I have the right to refuse to answer my questions. I will

have a chance to discuss any questions I have about the study with the researcher after

completing the questionnaire at any time. If you chose to not participate in the study, you

will still participate in the review unit and the grades on the tests will be included in your

6th marking period grade. The grades however will not be used in part of the study.

2. My confidentiality is guaranteed. My name will not be written on the survey. There will

be no way to connect me to the 26 written survey. If any publication results from this

research, I would not be identified by name. Results will be given anonymously and in

group form only, so that neither the participants nor their schools can be identified.

3. There will be no anticipated personal risks because of participation in this project.

4. My participation involves reading a written survey of 10 questions and answering those

questions in writing. It is estimated that this survey will take 10 minutes to

complete.

5. Approximately 20 students will take part in this study. The results will be used for the

completion of a research project by the primary researcher.

6. Data and consent forms will be kept separately in a locked filing cabinet by the

investigator and will be destroyed by shredding when the research has been completed.

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 27

You are being asked whether or not you want to participate in this study. If you wish to

participate, and you agree with the statement below, please sign in the space provided.

Remember, you may change your mind at any point and withdraw from the study. You can

refuse to participate even if your parent/guardian gives permission for you to participate.

____________________________________ ___________________________________

Project Director Participant/parent signature Date

Appendix B

STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR PARENTS

This form describes a study being carried out with students on the positive and negative

effects that technology has on the achievement of the students. The purpose of this research is to

compare the effects that technology has on student achievement; more specifically the positive

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 28

and negative effects, as well as the tools that increase or decrease the ability of a student to do

work in class. The research person is a graduate student at West Alabama University. When you

decide to include your child in this report, he / she will be asked to complete a questionnaire on

his / her technology skills within and outside the math classroom.

During the study, students will also be introduced to different forms of technology such

as calculators, computers and websites related to maths. To assess the impact of technology on

the capacity of your student to do research in the classroom, students will also be given testing

instruments. The reports are anonymously presented in spreadsheets and table or graph formats.

During the course of the study the students will use graphing calculators and the

measuring tools will help to determine if there is an improvement in student achievement due to

the presence of technology in the math classroom. The potential benefit of being in this study

could be the acquisition of knowledge that would allow teachers to improve the ability of a

student to do classroom work because of the existence of technology. Because of the information

prevailing from this research, teachers will be able to improve their classrooms in future.

Participation of your child in this study is completely voluntary.

Being in it or refusing to be in it, will not affect your child’s grades or class standing. S/he

is free to change her/his mind or stop being in the study at any time.

I understand that:

1. Participation of my child is voluntary and after completing the questionnaire he /

she will have the opportunity to discuss any questions he / she has about the study

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 29

with the researcher. Refusing to engage in the study will have no effect on class

grades or scores.

2. The safety of my child is assured. The survey will not have her / his name written

on it. There’s no way my child can be connected to written survey. S / he would

not be identified by name if any publication results from this research. Results

will only be given in group form anonymously, so that neither the participants nor

their schools can be identified.

3. Due to participation in this project, there will be no anticipated personal risks.

4. My child’s participation involves reading and answering in writing a written

survey of 10 questions. This survey is estimated to take about 10 minutes to

complete.

5. There will be about 10 students participating in this study. The findings will be used by

the primary researcher for finalizing a research project.

6. The investigator must keep data and consent forms separately in a locked filing cabinet

and will be destroyed by shredding once the work is complete.

You are being asked if you will allow your child to take part in this study, or not. If you

wish to allow participation, and agree with the statement below, please sign in the space

provided. Note, at any stage you may change your mind, and withdraw from the report. Your

child can refuse to attend, even if you gave her / him permission to participate. I accept the

information provided in this form and agree to allow my child to take part in this project as a

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 30

participant. I’m 18 years old, or older. I have read the above statements and I understand them. In

my satisfaction, all my questions regarding my child’s inclusion in this study have been

answered.

____________________________________ ___________________________________
Project Director Participant/parent signature Date

Appendix C

Technology Survey

1) State your gender

2) Grade level ___

3) Can you define what technology is? (what does it mean to you?)

4) What forms of technology have you been using in your classrooms?

5) What forms of technology are you using outside of your classroom?

6) What kinds of technology are you using in math class?

7) Does the calculator program in your laptop make maths easier to work with? Why? For what?

8) What kinds of technology do you want to see used in school?

9) Do you feel more confident in math class when calculators can be used to assist you?

10) Include ideas on how to make maths more fun. (Give 3 suggestions)

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 31

Appendix D Student Survey

1. How often do you use your school issued laptop outside of the classroom for learning

purposes? (Note:’ Learning’ does not have to be school-related. It can include any time you spend

reading on your computer, discovering data, looking for knowledge, communicating with

experts, researching a subject you are interested in, writing, sharing ideas and information,

working creatively with others, OR doing homework or school-related work)

a. Every Day

b. Most Days

c. Sometimes

d. Rarely

e. Never

2. Do you have Internet access at home?

a. Yes

b. I had access sometimes (i.e. it was very slow or unreliable)

c. No

3. If you have access to one or more non-school issued laptop computers (including a

smartphone, smart TV, iPad, mobile, laptop, or other device) how often do you use non-school

issued laptops for learning purposes?

a. Every Day
b. Most Days

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 32

c. Sometimes

d. Rarely

e. Never

4. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning during class time in your

English language arts class?

a. Every Day

b. Most Days

c. Sometimes
d. Rarely
e. Never

5. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your science class?

a. Every Day
b. Most Days

c. Sometimes

d. Rarely

e. Never

6. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your social studies class?

a. Every Day

b. Most Days

c. Sometimes

d. Rarely

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 33

e. Never

7. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your math class?

a. Every Day
b. Most Days
c. Sometimes
d. Rarely
e. Never

Comment Summary
Page 1

1. New Title: The Effect of 1:1 Technology on the Academic Achievement of Students from Designated Low Income
Families

Page 2
2. the effect of one to one or 1:1 technology on the achievement level among students from designated low income

families.
Page 3

3. the researcher’s
4. What is the source for this claim?

Page 4
5. What is the source for this claim?
6. Check APA guidelines for citations.
7. What is the source for this claim?
8. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater

clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief. Avoid the use of ALL adverbs (e.g., nearly, sadly, overwhelmingly, mainly, shockingly, )
and ALL idioms (e.g. two rungs, will trigger).

Page 6
9. You need to follow APA guidelines for your graphs and charts. They should be labeled and referred to as Figure

1, Figure 2, etc.
Page 7

10. This section should be summarizing and analyzing the data from your figures (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2), not
providing a series of personal opinions about the state of public school education in Chicago. Focus on your data
from the graphs and remain objective on what the data reveals. If you cannot support any claim based on the
data or a credible source, then remove it.

11. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater
clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief. Avoid the use of ALL adverbs (e.g., nearly, sadly, overwhelmingly, mainly, shockingly, )
and ALL idioms (e.g. two rungs, will trigger).

12. What is the source for this claim?
13. What is the source for this claim?
14. What is the source for this claim?
15. What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?
16. What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?
17. What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?

Page 8
18. What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?
19. What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?
20. What is the source for this claim and/or how do your figures support this claim?
21. Use APA guidelines for citations
22. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater

clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief.

23. What are more modern one?
24. Add your research question and research hypothesis. Review the following example: For this study, the

following research question was addressed, Will pre-school tutoring increase the level of reading readiness
among students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests? As part of this study, the investigation
included one research hypothesis: Pre-school tutoring will increase the level of reading readiness among
students preparing for the kindergarten assessment tests.

Page 9
25. The text between the brackets belongs in Chapter 2, not Chapter 1.

Page 10
26. Make sure that your research method summary aligns with your Chapter 3 methodology.

Page 11
27. Rewrite for clarity.
28. Choose an approach to focus the organization of your literature review. Write a simple statement that lets the

reader know what is your main organizing principle. Literature reviews typically are organized either

chronologically, thematically, or methodologically (The reviewed literature may also be organized by
publication date or by supporting or refuting an argument.).

The literature review includes three basic elements: an introduction or background information section; the
body of the review containing the discussion of sources; and, finally, a conclusion and/or recommendations
section to end the review.

29. Delete the text between the brackets. Not relevant to the literature review.

30. Start new page.
Page 12

31. Delete text between brackets.
32. The literature resources reviewed will focus on general investment in school ICT and individual laptops.
33. who were given computers….
34. Their findings founds modest effects on educational outcomes and….

Page 13
35. • Avoid the use of 1st person narrative when writing a technical research paper. Avoid the use of I, we, our,

their, etc. You should be referring to yourself as the researcher (3rd person). For example, This researcher
investigated students….

36. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater
clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief.

37. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater
clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief.

Page 14
38. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater

clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief.

39. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater
clarity and conciseness. Remove all extraneous sentences that do not strengthen your summary or argument.
Be specific, but brief.

Page 15
40. Repeat your source(s) for this claim.
41. Repeat your source(s) for this claim.
42. Start New Page
43. Add: The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the research methodology for a quantitative and/or mixed

method study about ____________ and ___________. The intent is to investigate _______ and determine the effect of
___________ on _____________.

44. of
Page 16

45. How did you arrive at 10 students?
46. What is the population of 6th grade students at this school?
47. In random sampling, everyone has an equal change of being selected, not systematic sampling.
48. I would recommend simple random sampling to ensure that your sample size is large enough to generalize to

the entire population of 6th grade students.
Page 17

49. What are your source(s) for this claim?
50. What are your source(s) for this claim?
51. What damages?
52. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater

clarity and conciseness.
Page 18

53. This section needs a rewrite. The independent variable is the 1:1 implementation; the dependent variable is
student achievement.

54. Where did you get .57 correlation?
55. Please proofread each section for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural errors. Edit writing for greater

clarity and conciseness.
Page 23

56. Need to follow APA guidelines.

· Peer Assessment ED 504 SP20 OL1 Rubric

· Your Name: Brittnee Harper

· Name of Classmate Who Wrote This Signature Project Stage 1: Victoria Scott

· Date: 2/28/20

· Directions: Submit your Signature Project Stage 1 Chapters 1, 2, 3, and Reference list in Discussion Board. In Discussion Board locate the Signature Project Stage 1 you have been assigned to assess. Your professor will make the assignment. Use the attached rubric to complete your Peer Assessment.

 

Upload the completed Peer Assessment in the tab named Peer Assessment. This assignment is worth 20 points.  

Criteria

Unacceptable

Revisions Required

Target

	Criteria		Unacceptable		Revisions Required		Target	Your Feedback
1. Signature Project Stage 1: Are the focus and purpose clear?	1 Points Missing thesis; confusion about or misunderstanding of topic; no sense of purpose	2 Points Simplistic and unfocused ideas; limited sense of purpose	3 Points Developed thesis; represents sound understanding of the assigned topic; focused	I understand the purpose of the study.
2. Signature Project Stage 1: Are ideas clear and well supported?	1 Points Absence of support for main points	2 Points Support is provided, but is not specific; support is only loosely relevant to the main points	3 Points Ideas sufficiently supported; support is sound, valid, and logical	Your ideas are supported by evidence.
3. Signature Project Stage 1: Is the writing structured and well organized?	1 Points No paragraph structure; or single, rambling paragraph; or series of isolated paragraphs	2 Points Organization is confusing or disjointed; weak paragraph structure; transitions are missing or inappropriate	3 Points Clear organizational structure; easily followed; includes transitions; structured format	Paragraphs are organized appropriately.
4. Signature Project Stage 1: Did the writer consider audience and tone?	1 Points No awareness of appropriate audience for assignment; tone is inappropriate	2 Points Lacks awareness of appropriate audience for the assignment; tone is inconsistent	3 Points Effective and accurate awareness of audience; tone is appropriate for audience and assignment
5. Signature Project Stage 1: Do appendices include necessary documentation?	1 Points Most items required in the appendices are not presented in the appendices; the plan and necessary steps to protect human subjects in research are not clear.	2 Points Most required items are presented in the appendices; items and a plan somewhat demonstrate ethical practices in protection of human subjects.	3 Points All required items are presented in the appendices; items clearly demonstrate ethical practices in protection of human subjects.	Perhaps teacher observations forms are necessary
6. Signature Project Stage 1: Are proper mechanics utilized? Is correct sentence structure utilized?	1 Points Frequent errors in spelling and capitalization; intrusive and/or inaccurate punctuation; communication is hindered. Contains multiple and serious errors of sentence structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons. Unable to write simple sentences.	2 Points Contains several punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization errors (up to 6); errors interfere with meaning; formulaic sentence patterns or overuse of simple sentences; errors in sentence structure.	3 Points Virtually free of punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no more than 3); errors do not interfere with meaning; effective and varied sentences; errors (if present) due to lack of careful proofreading; complex sentences are written correctly.
7. Signature Project Stage 1: Are vocabulary and word usage varied and appropriate?	1 Points Vocabulary is unsophisticated; or subject specific vocabulary or sophisticated vocabulary used incorrectly	2 Points Proper, but simple vocabulary used; subject specific vocabulary used infrequently	3 Points Vocabulary is varied, specific and appropriate; uses subject specific vocabulary correctly
8. Signature Project Stage 1: Is proper evidence and support of original work provided in body of the review?	1 Points Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates match percentage of greater than 25 percent.	2 Points Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates match percentage of 15 to 25 percent.	3 Points Turnitin or Safe Assign report indicates a match percentage of less than 15 percent.
9. Signature Project Stage 1: Is APA format followed?	1 Points There are significant format errors present ; multiple (more than 6) of APA formatting errors; in the reference list and/or in-text citations;	2 Points Fewer than 6 APA format errors are present in the reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.	3 Points There are virtually no APA format errors present in either reference list in-text; citations; header; headings; page numbers; etc.	Some APA format needs to be corrected specifically for in text citations.
10. Signature Project Stage 1: Source of data is credible and data is representative of the scope requirements for the advanced degree being sought. (InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points The source of the data is ambiguous or lacks credibility; data does not allow for problem/weakness identification appropriate for required project scope	2 Points The source of the data is clear and credible; data does not allow for problem/weakness identification appropriate for required project scope	3 Points The source of the data is clear and credible; data allows for identification of an of a classroom, multi-classroom, school or district level problem/weakness appropriate to the required project scope	It is a little unclear what the problem is specifically in regard to your class or school.
11. Signature Project Stage 1: Graphical representation of compiled data allows for easy analysis. (CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Graphical format does not present the data in a clear manner; data is only partially presented	2 Points Graphical format(s) is appropriate and clearly presents all the collected data	3 Points Graphical format(s) is appropriate; clearly presents all the collected data; highlights visible patterns or trends	Does “student performance” pertain to students that are not from low income families?
12. Signature Project Stage 1: Identified problem/weakness is supported by trends or patterns seen in the data. (InTASC 6, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Problem/weakness is not clearly identified or does not align with the trends and patterns identified in the data	2 Points Problem/weakness is clearly identified; aligns with the type of data collected, but connections between the trends/patterns in the data are not clearly described in the narrative	3 Points Problem/weakness is clearly identified; aligns with the type of data collected; clear connections between the trends/patterns are drawn in the narrative	Some information about students from middle class families seems irrelevant.
13. Signature Project Stage 1: Best practices are identified and supported by the literature as viable responses to weaknesses and problems represented by the data. (InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Best practice(s) are not clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement	2 Points Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed does not support the identified best practice(s) as a viable option to improve achievement	3 Points Best practice(s) are clearly identified; literature reviewed supports the identified best practices as viable responses to the problem/weakness identified	Literature matches the identified problem.
14. Signature Project Stage 1: Theories and/or trends are identified and connected with best practices in literature. (InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Theory or trend is not identified; theory/trend identified are not connected with the best practice(s) via literature	2 Points Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed does not connect the identified theory/trend with the identified best practice	3 Points Theory or trend is clearly identified; literature reviewed connects the identified theory/trend with all identified best practices
15. Signature Project Stage 1: Proper level of synthesis is achieved in the literature review. (InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Summaries were given; are not clear or fail to make clear connections with best practice(s) and/or theory/trend(s) identified as viable responses to problem/weakness	2 Points Summaries are clear and concise; clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness may or may not be present	3 Points Synthesis rather than summaries of content presented in the collection of sources is present, clear connections with best practice and/or theory/trend identified as viable response to problem/weakness present	Add more details to explain best practices/theories/trends.
16. Signature Project Stage 1: Proper number of sources requirement is met.	1 Points Source requirements for the appropriate level was not met	2 Points Meets minimum requirements for degree level: Master’s-A minimum of 10 sources were utilized;; Specialist’s- A minimum of 15 sources were utilized.	3 Points Five (5) sources beyond minimum requirements were utilized	13 sources were cited
17. Signature Project Stage 1: Collaborative resources are identified, explained and supported. (InTASC 1, 5, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Collaborative resources are ambiguous or not identified; resources may be identified, but no explanation related to their value or role is provided; the connection between the collaborative resource and the identified problem is not clear	2 Points Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided, but the connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is not clear	3 Points Collaborative resource(s) is identified; explanation of value and role is provided; connection between the collaborative resource(s) and the identified problem is clear	Under “plan for protection” you stated one researcher would be responsible. In the “Collaborative Resources” section, you listed teachers. You also copied the same paragraph twice in that section.
18. Signature Project Stage 1: Description of plan is clear and easy to follow. (InTASC 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Action plan is not described; description is not clear; steps in plan are not in a logical order	2 Points Action plan description is provided, but additional detail may be warranted; steps in plan are outlined, but additional steps may be needed or the order could be altered for better efficiency	3 Points Action plan description is provided, and sufficient detail is included; steps in plan are outlined; exhaustive list of steps and sequence of steps allows for optimal efficiency and outcome
19. Signature Project Stage 1: Project timeline accounts for all elements in the plan and allocates appropriate amounts of time for each element. (InTASC 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Project timeline is missing or incomplete; time allocation is inadequate or too extensive for one or more elements included in the plan	2 Points Project timeline is provided; all elements identified in the plan are included, but additional elements might be needed for an improved outcome; timing and/or time allocation could be improved	3 Points Project timeline is provided; all necessary elements are included for optimal outcome	Will the plan be executed over ten weeks or five?
20. Signature Project Stage 1: Variables are identified and defined. (CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Variables are misidentified	2 Points Variables are identified correctly, but with no clear definitions or explanations as to how they will be measured	3 Points Variables are identified correctly, with clear definitions and explanations as to how they will be measured
21. Signature Project Stage 1: Required data needs are identified and plans for retrieving and protecting that data are clear. (i.e. methods) (InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Data needs are not identified or do not align with the problem; data retrieval plans are missing or inappropriate	2 Points Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included, but plans for protecting the data and/or student confidentiality are not provided or are inadequate	3 Points Data needs are identified; data retrieval plans are included; adequate plans for protecting student confidentiality and/or data are provided
22. Signature Project Stage 1: Description of the sample and sampling techniques are provided. (CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Detailed descriptions of the participants are not given and/or sampling technique is not provided	2 Points Brief overview of the sample is given and sampling technique may or may not be included	3 Points Full descriptions of the participant sample, sampling technique and justifications for both the sample chosen and the sampling technique are given
23. Signature Project Stage 1: Needed resources are identified, justified, and a leverage plan for acquiring resources is clear and supported. (InTASC 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points Resources are not identified or are inadequate; no justification for the resources is provided; unclear how identified resources might be acquired; plan for acquiring resources is inadequate or ill-conceived	2 Points Resources are identified, but additional resources may be needed; justification for the resources is provided, but leverage plan for acquiring resources is not clear	3 Points Exhaustive list of resources is identified; justification for the resources is provided; leverage plan for acquiring resources is outlined
24. Signature Project Stage 1: Justification for how the action plan will address the identified problem is clear: (InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points No connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided	2 Points Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided	3 Points Connection between the action plan and the identified problem is provided; justification of that connection is included
25. Signature Project Stage 1: Connection between action plan and impact on student achievement is clear. (InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)	1 Points No connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided	2 Points Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection may or may not be included	3 Points Connection between action plan outcome and student achievement is provided; justification of that connection is included; limitations or outside interferences to improved student achievement are identified

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Runninghead: PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 1

Preparation and Improving ACT Scores:

The Effectiveness of an ACT Preparation Course on improving ACT scores in Rural Alabama.

Author’s Name

University of West Alabama

Author Note

Author’s Name, School of Graduate Studies, Student in Masters of Instructional

Leadership, University of West Alabama.

This proposal was written as part of the graduate course ED504, Techniques of

Educational Research, under the guidance of Professor’s Name.

Commented [DD2]: The Running Head:
The running head is a shortened version of the paper’s full
title, and it is used to help readers identify the titles for

published articles (even if your paper is not intended for
publication, your paper should still have a running head).

On the cover page, capitalize Running but do not capitalize

head. Follow with colon: then with title in all CAPS. Only
the title in all CAPS on following pages.

Commented [DD3]: Title:
1. The title of your paper: type your title in upper and
lowercase letters centered in the upper half of the page. All

text on the title page, and throughout your paper, should be
double-spaced.
2. The author’s name (your name): beneath the title, type
the author’s name: first name, middle initial(s), and last

name. Do not use titles (Dr.) or degrees (Ph.D).

Commented [DD4]: The Author’s Note: At the bottom of
the cover page, type the institutional affiliation, which
should indicate the location where the author(s) conducted

the research, such as The University of West Alabama.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 2

Abstract

The role of standardized tests in general and college admission tests, in particular, is a hot topic

for educators, administrators and others evaluating the outcomes of educational institutions. The

importance of the test scores for both students and institutions is acknowledged, and the test

preparation industry has spawned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Yet, objective evidence

supporting the effectiveness of coaching for college preparatory tests, including the ACT, is

virtually nonexistent. This study investigates the effects of ACT preparations on improving ACT

scores in a high school in rural Alabama. Sixty participants at Gordo High School will take part

in this experiment, with 30 being given ACT preparation support and 30 not receiving any

support. Results will be compared to answer the basic research question “Does ACT preparation

improve ACT scores at Gordo High School in rural Alabama?”

Keywords: prep, improve, scores, rural

Commented [DD5]: Setting up an Abstract Page

1. Set up a page header flush left with the page number flush

right at the top of the page. Go to Insert → Page
Number → Top of Page → Plain Number 3 → type your
page header and click Tab key twice to separate from the
page number.

Make sure all pages after the title page should have a running
head that looks like this:
T ITLE OF YOUR PAPER

On the first line of the abstract page, center the
word Abstract (no bold, formatting, italics, underlining, or
quotation marks).

Beginning with the next line, write a concise summary of the
key points of your research. (Do not indent – the abstract will
be the only paragraph in the entire proposal that is not
indented).

The abstract is a brief summary of the entire proposal,
typically ranging from 150 to 250 words. It is different from
a thesis statement in that the abstract summarizes the entire

proposal, not just mentioning the study’s purpose or
hypothesis. Therefore, the abstract should outline the
proposal’s major headings: the research question, theoretical
framework, research design, sampling method,

instrumentation, and data and analysis procedures.

A good abstract accurately reflects the content of the
proposal, while at the same time being coherent, readable,

and concise.

Do not add any information in the abstract that is not
previously discussed throughout the proposal. Because it

highlights the entire proposal, it would be wise to wait and
write the abstract last. This way, one merely has to reword
information that was previously written.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 3

Chapter 1

The Effectiveness of an ACT Preparation Course on Student

ACT Scores in a Rural High School.

Established in 1959, the ACT Assessment is becoming increasingly more important.

Most colleges and universities in the United States require students to take the SAT or ACT as

part of the college application process. These tests are high stakes in at least three ways. First,

most universities factor scores on these tests into admissions decisions. Second, higher scores

can increase a student’s chances of being admitted to selective schools, while lower scores can

limit the number of institutions students have available to choose from. Finally, many colleges

use admissions tests when determining eligibility for merit-based financial aid. A student’s ACT

score is a good predictor of success as a college freshman (Bontekoe, 1992).

Statement of the Problem

The 2018 state of Alabama composite ACT score is below the National Average

composite score of 20.8; however, the information is deceptive because not all states participate

in the ACT assessment. Furthering to suggest data cannot be compared with the national and/or

other states that in which do not have 100% of high school student being provided equitable

access to the ACT assessment. None the less, Alabama consistently scores lower than the

national average and there have been no studies to determine what steps states are taking to

ensure students perform well on the ACT.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to determine if ACT preparation courses improve students’

scores on the ACT. Alabama students have consistently scored less than the national ACT

composite score average, including students in the rural schools of Pickens County. Because

college and career readiness indicators continue to hold significance to the ACT assessment,

Commented [DD6]: Chapter 1:
Chapter 1 is centered and bold at the top of page 3.

Chapter 1 is the narrative written using Major Assignment
#1.

This is the overview of your study. Do not write the word

introduction or any other words at the top.

Note APA – The overview covers the big picture and main
details.

Do not write about results, because at this point, you’ve not
conducted an experiment.

Commented [DD7]: Your title should be written
underneath Chapter 1.

Commented [DD8]: The “Statement of the Problem” is

an imperative part of the proposal, for in order for research
to be conducted, one must notice a problem in the existing
literature that has not been previously addressed.

For this section, the following questions should be answered:
Why does this research study need to be conducted? What
specific issues does this study raise that have not been
observed in other literature pertaining to the topic?

Answering these questions will allow readers to understand
why this particular study is important and how the study will
attempt to answer new, never-before asked questions.

You must also include your graphical representation in this
section. The graph is a data chart which shows how you
determines you even had a problem to investigate. You
should use data that is already available to you to justify that

there is a problem to research. Examples: DIBELS scores,
absentee reports, weekly tests, etc.

Commented [DD9]: It is appropriate include a sentence

saying “The purpose of this study is…” under this section.
Clearly identify the goal of the study in one precise sentence.
For example, the sentence could look like this: “the purpose
of this study is to determine if ACT preparation classes

improve students’ scores on the ACT.” Why is this an
important area of study? Answer this question under this
section. Also, identify the unit of analysis or specific inquiry
used. Examples of different units of analysis include self-

report surveys, observational studies, etc.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 4

accountability to ensure Pickens County graduates are efficiently prepared for post-secondary

educational institutions is a significant priority.

The data below provides four years of composite ACT scores from graduates of Gordo

High School and Alabama high school students. Beginning in the 2014- 2015 school year, 100%

of Alabama high school students were provided equitable access to taking the ACT assessment

within their individual high schools. Every 11th-grade student at Gordo High School is provided

the opportunity to participate in taking the ACT assessment at their school.

With improving scores a priority in Pickens County and supportive initiatives already

implemented, the data does not provide significant improvements per the implementing of the

ACT preparation course. A vital component to explore is the entirety of the rural high school

student(s) populating the ACT preparation course. Education in rural areas provide extreme

challenges and adversities to dispute. The content and quality of the ACT preparation course

itself must intersect with the individual reality of the learner. Showalter, Klein, Johnson, and

Hartman (2017) present in a recent report strong arguments to the existence of low ACT scores

in Pickens County. Data within report suggests, Alabama is ranked 21 in the United States (1

being the most crucial or most urgent), to obtaining student preparedness for college and career

17.5 17.5 17.5

17.9

19.1 19.1 19.2 19.1

2015 2016 2017 2018

ACT Composite Scores

Gordo HS Alabama

Commented [DD10]: Graphical Representation
The graphical representation is a visual show ing how
you came to the conclusion you have a problem. The

visual should show w here you’ve accessed data,
review ed it, and found or identified a problem. You are
allow ed to look at a classroom problem or a grade level
program, but keep it basic. Make sure the problem is

occurring in your current w orking environment and is
not very broad.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 5

readiness and ranked the third highest priority state regarding rural conditions. Another factor to

suggest a weakness to the data is the teacher in place to instruct the course. Teachers give the

section to teach the ACT preparation course has been provided training to ACT preparations by

the ACT organization, as well as, instructional practices to improve methods and strategies to the

ACT assessment. With confidence the specific teachers in place are diligently and consistently

providing instructional ACT practices, the unfortunate reality could be indifferent. Modeling

philosophies for improvements are needed to support student growth, but, all adults must desire

to have their own individual growth to encourage effective resources (Lambertson, 2014).

Teaching style and methods, along with personality differences, could provide a weakness in

student achievement and accountability. Although the ACT preparation course is filled with

enhancing insights to ACT expectations and enriched methodological approaches, the

complexities contributing to rural learners cannot be ignored. ACT research and resources

suggest interventions and support practices improve scores, but the depiction of the participant

and effort exposed can prompt variance to the purpose (Camara, 2017).

Granting great opportunities to encourage student achievement in the Pickens County

School System is evident with the initiative of implementing ACT supportive disciplines. ACT

improvement is needed and rural factors are an existing concern. Crucial awareness is needed to

clarify if the intentions of the course are effectively targeting the objective to improve ACT

assessment scores.

Supportive initiatives were inevitable considering the continuous unmet benchmarks to

the ACT assessment by 11th-grade students. The Pickens County School System adopted a

strategy to approach and extend educational opportunity to 11th-grade students. In the 2016-2017

school year, each of the three public high schools implemented an ACT preparation course for

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 6

students to enroll as an elective class. Although results of the ACT scores did not vastly increase,

a notion was embraced to broaden the ACT preparation course availability by providing

equitable access to the Pickens County College and Career Center students. Cohen (2014), a

contributor to ACT research and also serves as a college admissions counselor, suggests

resources for testing preparations and allocating significant time towards the ACT can improve

testing performance. The 2017-2018 school year, students enrolled in various Career-Technical

Education program areas classes and dual-enrollment courses at the Pickens County College and

Career Center were provided the option to take an ACT preparation course. With overall data

minimally increasing, the problem still remains. Bridging supportive tactics to increase ACT

scores is a deficiency in the rural area. To continue the availability of the already implemented

approach, an investigative study is apparent. Although the understood need to provide ACT

assessment support to 11th-grade students is inevitable, further observation is needed to

determine the question: Does ACT preparation improve ACT scores in 11th graders in rural

Alabama?

Research Question/Hypothesis

For the purpose of this study, the following question will be addressed:

1. Based on an experimental research study, will Gordo High School students receive

higher ACT scores due to ACT preparation course?

As part of this study, the investigation included one research hypothesis:

1. Students enrolled in an ACT preparation course prior to taking the standardized

exam, will perform higher than the state average.

Commented [DD11]: Research questions ask what
relationships exist between the different variables in the
study, while the hypothesis predicts the relationship between

variables. List all the research questions in the study, and
then include the researcher’s hypothesis for the study.
Format this section as seen below.

For the purpose of this study, the following question/s will
be addressed:
1. List the research question here.

The hypothesis for this study is:
1. List the study’s hypothesis here.

Example of hypothesis:

The more invested college students are in their self views,
the more they will express a desire to verify these self-views

by preferring roommates who see them as they see
themselves.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 7

Definition of Terms

1. Prep- A preparation class/ course for the ACT test will be offered to high school 11th

graders to assist in preparing for the ACT test.

2. Improve-Resources, instructional guidance, and practice(s) will be available to aid in the

knowledge and content aligning the ACT test standards and expectations.

3. Scores-Students will be given a pre-test at the beginning of the experiment and post-test

upon completion of the experiment. Both pre-test and post-test will be given to each

student in the experimental group and the control group is given to all students. A

comparison will be made by the increase in scores from the pre-test and post-test

averages to determine the effectiveness of an ACT prep course.

4. Rural-Students involved in both experimental groups live in a remote area; suggesting

resources, parental awareness to college and career readiness expectations, and

informative opportunities are often limited or not demonstrated and often not supported,

that in which can affect student improvement.

Literature Review

Improving ACT scores is a continuous desire amongst high school students, parents, and

educators. In rural West Alabama, the Pickens County School System has evidence from data to

inquire further research of reasoning and connecting the influences affecting high school student

ACT scores. The factors contributing to the failing outcomes and unanswered questions can be

endlessly observed and evaluated to be understood; however, the explanation to each entity are

significant components to an individual student (Aldajem, 2016, p. 199). The data showing non-

improving ACT scores within Pickens County Schools relates to other rural area outcomes

throughout the nation. Harmon and Wilson (2014) indicated almost 9 million students live in

Commented [DD12]: In experimental research, it is
essential that one defines the central ideas or concepts of the
research study. Therefore, carefully define each

concept/variable that will be used in the study, citing other
research studies as much as needed. List each term, italicize
it, and use a hyphen to define the term.

Commented [DD13]: The Literature Review provides the

background for the research problem and illustrates to the
reader that the researcher is knowledgeable about the scope
of the theory. Research as many studies pertaining to the

theory as possible, and summarize them in a succinct
manner. Review various dissertations, as they may help one
to understand how to write and summarize previous research.

When writing the literature review, it is wise to separate the
various studies one finds into different categories. Under
these categories, create “Level 2 subheadings” in APA style.
These subheadings are formatted just like Level 1 headings,

but they are aligned left..

Commented [DD14]: If the author is not named in a
signal phrase, place the author’s last name, the year of

publication, and the page number in parentheses after the
quotation.
She stated, “Students often had difficulty using APA style”
(Jones, 1998, p. 199), but she did not offer an explanation as

to why.

Commented [DD15]: Short quotations
If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to

include the author, year of publication, and page number for
the reference (preceded by “p.”). Introduce the quotation

with a signal phrase that includes the author’s last name
followed by the date of publication in parentheses.
According to Jones (1998), “Students often had difficulty
using APA style, especially when it was their first time” (p.

199).

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 8

rural areas throughout the nation with similar rural area factors, such as low-income homes, lack

of family engagement, transportation, and an absence in support for students in college and

career preparation awareness (p. 43). Considering the national data and concerns are prevalent

with the local school system matters, the reality continues in which the ACT will continue to be

an assessment to determine a student’s college readiness. The questions as to why the ACT is

needed is not a factor to the inadequate and less than desirable scores. The need for support in

ACT test preparation is an understood variable, however, the question deems to the effects ACT

preparation will have on ACT scores. The literature review regarding ACT preparation will be

helpful to the Pickens County School System to further explore ideologies and best practices to

implement to our rural educating schools.

Inequity

Colgren and Sappington’s (2015) student found the following:

Inequity to high school students creates an achievement gap. Socioeconomic

status, race, housing, transportation, the never-ending factors create results to suggest

reasoning and aligning of ACT scores. The results from the student proved students who

are involved with advanced placement courses had improving scores (p. 334).

However, another study by Venezia and Jaegar (2013) was conducted to observe and

evaluate transition of high school students to college, suggested evidence on the effectiveness of

student involvement could be misleading (p. 29). Demographic and academic factors are

measurable components to data, but with the many studies being done to determine if specific

ideas support positive outcomes, inequity is a viable factor. Certain studies cannot measure a

child’s honesty and motivation, as well as, the various internal components to an individual

Commented [DD16]: Long quotation of 40 words or

more
Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-
standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation

marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch
from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin
a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new
margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph

within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain
double-spacing throughout. The parenthetical citation should
come after the closing punctuation mark.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 9

(Venezia & Jaegar, 2013, p. 77). Preparation with an interventional support method or approach

can lead to improving college and career readiness skills, however, illustrating those

proficiencies in various areas and providing equitability to all students, with the various rural

factors, can often not pinpoint a specific quality direction when determining positive outcomes

(Cramer & Mokher, 2014, p. 54). It is imperative to understand individual student learners must

be observed and approached as an individualized process to promote student achievement to

result in an overall increasing improvement.

Awareness

Leadership is a crucial component of student achievement. However, what leadership

provides is the one specific entity to having a holistic perspective to provide support for

individual learners. Lamberston (2014) suggest the analogy of “follow the yellow brick road” to

exemplifying reforming struggling areas in high school to evolve (p. 32). Awareness to everyone

involved in a child’s journey is key. How can one prepare a student to be college and career

ready, if the leader does not provide a precise and detailed understanding as to what being

college and career ready in fact is? Teachers must be aligned with an expectation to consistently

provide rigorous expectations and challenge student growth. Challenges do present themselves in

rural high school settings, however, federal programming often allows struggling schools the

financial depth to assist internal school factors. The rural home-life factors for a student should

not defy classroom strategies to promote college and career readiness standards (VanTassel-

Baska & Hubbard, 2016, p. 132). Teachers must be held accountable by school leadership to

excel in techniques, strategies, and curriculums to align the college and career readiness

expectations. Grading dynamics also participate in a false presentation to aligning students for

college and career readiness. A study by Townsley and Varga (2018) suggest evidence to support

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 10

grading practices in which produce student grade point averages should align with an

individual’s ACT score (p. 86). Measuring student knowledge should align with college and

career practices, otherwise, classrooms are creating a false presentation to the realities of

expectancies. Lambertson (2014) suggest all teachers and coaches, whatever high school course

is on a student’s schedule, should reflect college and career readiness expectations with the

implementation of ACT content. The awareness of data is a critical component as well. When

teachers are aware of the realities in which data is prevalent and appreciated, a greater depth can

be approached and determined to maximize student achievement.

Interventions

Interventional support strategies to assist in improving ACT scores is a direct reflection

of improving a student’s readiness for college and career. Both are prevalent in a variety of

methods and approaches. Dual enrollment course, Upward Bound and Gear Up programs, Talent

Search programs and specific implementation of ACT course preparation courses are meet the

objectives to provide standards and expectations for students in college and career readiness

skills; that in which ultimately can assist in improving ACT scores (Venezia & Jaeger, 2013, p.

2). Although curriculums and grading criteria can be diverse with the implementation of any

interventional support method, the objective should maintain a rigorous and expectant desire for

student learning that in which aligns with the supporting of ACT expectations in questioning and

answering (Cramer & Mokher, 2014, p. 24). A study performed by Moss, Chippendale,

Mershon, and Carney (2014), showed a large Midwest high school and pursued understanding to

determine the outcomes of students who received specific factors in an ACT supportive

intervention (p. 100). Although both study groups had accessibility to ACT test preparation

materials, the study resulted in students who did receive specific ACT preparation with involved

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 11

coaching did have improving composite ACT scores, as well as, a greater confidence in the

mindset of testing, as opposed to the other the study group with some improving scores (Moss,

Chippendale, Mershon, & Carney, 2012, p. 60). Another study, by Cramer and Mokher (2014),

was done to observe the effects of an interventional support method implemented in all Kentucky

public high school. All students who did not benchmark in Reading or Math on the ACT were

provided the transition course (p. 211). By providing the intervention to targeted students, the

study found the transition course somewhat influential in rural areas; however, least effective in

urban areas. The word intervention must be approached as a positive approach to all students- as

interference to assist in areas needed (p. 8).

The literature review provided resources to support test preparations for the ACT can

improve ACT scores. However, there were several aspects to be considered to the depths the

research question includes. An individual learner’s attitude and demeanor cannot be determined

but often falsely considered due to the rural statistics aligned with student achievement. External

circumstances can affect individual learners outcomes, especially on the ACT. However, rural

issues do not have to defy a student’s ACT scores. The awareness within a classroom is a

necessary component for improving ACT scores. Consistency and the quality of interventions

implemented can have positive results for improving ACT scores. The U.S. Department of

Education reported in 2016 in a summary of findings found evidence to suggest test preparation

and coaching programs do improve ACT test scores (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of

Education Sciences & What Works Clearinghouse, 2016). College and Career Readiness

awareness play a vital role in ACT scores. Awareness towards college and career readiness must

begin early in classrooms and demonstrate consistently and effectively throughout a student’s

journey. According to Cohen (2014), the questions remains if one entity truly affects positive

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 12

outcomes? The reality existing is an individual can have tremendous federally funded and

supportive programs in place, with research founded interventions to support student

achievement and outcomes, but the gap remains the student learner, themselves, produce the

results (p. 413).

Methodology

Research Design

The quantitative methodology this study aims to use is an experimental research design.

The two subject groups used in this study will be a control group and an experimental group. A

random assignment process will establish the control group and the experimental group will be

of students enrolled in an ACT preparation course. A pretest will be given to both groups at the

beginning of the experiment to determine a composite ACT score. A post-test will be given to

both groups at the end of the experiment to compare composite ACT scores. The study will

attempt to illustrate a relationship between the quantitative dependent variable of ACT scores

and the categorical independent variable of the ACT preparation course.

Sampling

The study will be conducted amongst Gordo High School, 11th-grade students at the start

of the 2019-2020 school year. The student participants will be the age of 16 and 17, both male

and female, composed of African American and Caucasian individuals. Gordo High Schools

enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year consists of 554 students, 93 being 11th graders. The

11th-grade demographics are occupied with 18 African American females, 10 African American

males, 28 Caucasian females and 37 Caucasian males. Due to the demographic enrollment

breakdown of Gordo High School’s 2018-2019 school year, an estimated prediction is presented

for the study due to the comparable factors. Currently, Gordo High School has 42.6% of their

student population receiving free/reduced lunch. Pickens County delivers rural circumstances

Commented [DD17]: Methodology
The “Methodology” section is the most important section in
the entire proposal, as it explains each step the experimenter

will take in order to conduct his or her research. This section
discusses what measures the researcher will take in order to
test the study’s hypothesis. In this section, it is vital to
include the following subheadings while expanding on them

in as much detail as possible.

Commented [DD18]: Research Design
Include the proposed research design of the study, whether it
is a survey, experiment, observation, secondary data of
analysis, etc. Then, explain how this design will derive
results. Briefly discuss how the data will be administered and
collected, including how the subjects will participate in the

study. Also, briefly discuss which theoretical model will
guide this study and what the model predicts will be the
results of the study.

Commented [DD19]: Sampling
This section should include an expanded discussion of the
sample. First, discuss the population under consideration.

From where will participants be selected? Second, give the
sampling method to be used. Which specific sampling
method will be used to select participants? Lastly, list the
elements that will be characteristic of the sample, such as

sex, age, etc.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 13

and influential components; thus causing both direct and indirect effects to Gordo High School

students, regardless of demographics, socioeconomic aspects, characterized family, and social

incentives. The diversity filling classrooms can inhibit learning initiatives, instructional strategies

and resources, and positive classroom learning environments. These factors that in which inhibit

rural populated students cannot always be specifically and individually determined; however, the

rural characteristic aspects are absolute to Gordo High School students.

Although every 11th-grade student will be given the opportunity to enroll in the ACT

preparation course, not everyone who wishes to take the course will not be able to participate due

to school scheduling conflicts. Therefore, a stratified random sampling will be used after the

class course has been determined. Accessibility to gaining sample contact information will be

provided through the student accountability software, INOW, to sort demographics of the ACT

enrollment course. Then, and assigned value to be given to student numbers to create the other

sample group. A table of numbers will be created to ensure key characteristics within the

population are included in the samples for the experiment. The table of numbers will represent

30 numbers assigned to males and females, equivalent to the percentages of male and female

percentages within the determined ACT preparation course. There will be exclusions for the

participation of this study.

Instrumentation

The preexisted instrument to be used in the experiment is the ACT practice test

administered by the Kaplan online program. The decision to use the online practice test resulted

because the Kaplan practice test measures and reflects the content, process, and standards

determined by ACT. Also, students in Pickens County take the provided state-administered ACT

assessment on a computer versus paper. Both the pre-test and post-test will be administered

Commented [DD20]: Instrumentation
In this paragraph, briefly outline the instruments that will be

used in the study, including any and all surveys, interviews,
or observation grids. Discuss how the instrument(s) will
measure the study’s independent and dependent variables.
Each instrument should be discussed below in more detail

under separate subheadings. A copy of the instrument should
be in Appendix C if there is one.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 14

using this specific instrument. The preexistence instrument will be used as an achievement test to

measure the variables to each experimental group. The assessment has a total of 215 test

questions assembled to four specific timed test assessing individual students by measuring the

understanding in the areas of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. The instrument will

be scored online by Kaplan’s computerized entry scoring system in which aligns ACT scoring

and reporting expectations.

The ACT is designed to measure the skills and knowledge important for postsecondary

success. Although there is a positive correlation between student GPA’s and ACT scores, college

research has provided continuous data to demonstrate the ACT is more valid and reliable in

measuring postsecondary readiness and success. The ACT testing instrument has consistently

proven outcomes to support stability in utilizing this instrument and relying on scored outcomes.

Data Collection and Analysis Procedures

The start of the 2019-2020 school year, all 11th-grade students will have been given the

option to take an ACT prep course as a class, during their school day, to help assist preparations

for taking the standardized test. All 11th-grade students at Gordo High School will be

administered the ACT State Test in a computer lab at their school using the online ACT

assessment in February 2020. The research process will be from the start of school (August) and

extend until the week before the ACT school-administered test in February. 25 students who

participate in taking the ACT prep course will be considered the experimental group. A

randomized collection of 25 students will assist in the comparison group. Each student

participating in the research will take the same ACT pretest to have a composite score

determined. The experimental group will receive daily instruction, for one class period five days

a week, with an instructor assisting individuals in preparing for ACT content, practice, and

Commented [DD21]: Data Collection and Analysis
Procedures:

Explain the general plan for how the data will be collected,
especially how the letter of consent will be administered and
collected. Include a description of any survey, interview, or
observation procedures, and identify any incentives for

students participating in the study. Also, include what
statistics or analytical tools will be used for analyzing the
data, such as ANOVA, SPSS, or SAS statistics, if applicable.

Include a copy of your instrument if possible. It should be in
Appendix C.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 15

support. The comparison group will not receive any instructional support provided by the ACT

prep course. At the end of the research period, both groups will be given a posttest, aligning with

the identical pretest formality. Both the experimental and control groups post-test score results

will be compared to the pre-test score results. The comparison of scores will present any

increase, decrease, or provide no change; thus, allowing a result to determine if a relationship

between the variables in the quantitative study does exist.

Protection of Human Rights

The major threats to the internal validity of this project include maturation, subject

attitude, and the possibility of the history threat. Through proper identification and reasonable

consideration, the potential threats will be attempted to be reduced. The following information

will identify reasoning to the specific threats and give considerations to limit the possibilities and

support the internal validity of this experiment. Controlling the maturation threat will be

attempted through will selected experimental groups pertaining to the age and experience of a

student. Obtaining information and details regarding individual students involved in the

experiments will ensure testing accommodations are implemented correctly and effectively. The

subject attitudes are a potential threat due to individual student motivation and a studious

demeanor. Providing consistent conditions to display disciplined morale will assist in supporting

the validity of the experiment. Obtaining information and specific details of an individual’s ACT

awareness will be a vital factor to limit the History threat. Subjects who have taken the pre-ACT

or had the accessibility and/ or resources to ACT preparation materials will need to be accounted

for and recognized. However, by utilizing an existing testing instrument allows an unbiased

assessment to effectively measure the knowledge of each individual involved. Therefore, an

Commented [DD22]: Protection of Human Rights
Discuss what efforts will be taken to protect human subjects.
Reiterate that subjects’ participation is voluntary and that

they can choose to withdraw from the study at any time.
Describe how the subjects’ confidentiality will be protected
and how they may receive a copy of the study when it is
finished.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 16

assurance is created and establishes to ensure the results are efficiently impartial but also

transparent.

Discussion

Generalized results from this study can be gathered by the ACT composite scores of the

individuals in the ACT preparation course. The results can be generalized to students who were

affected or unaffected from the ACT preparation course based off of improving ACT composite

scores at Gordo High School. Providing an ecological validity generalization would be difficult

due to the type of study being done and the internal conditions provided in both groups.

The study does show signs of weakness, in that it does not track students from one year to

the next. It simply looks at students prior to taking an ACT prep course. This experiment truly

does not provide quality data needed for a true look into this problem. I do not feel this study will

impact future studies on the topic since it cannot be generalized.

Commented [DD23]: This section is often labeled
“Significance of the Study.” In formal proposals for graduate
study, the Discussion may be placed near the end of the

Introduction. The Discussion focuses on the implications of
the proposed study, such as how the study’s results will
affect future research, theory, counseling, policy, etc.
Therefore, write this section with the focus on how the

study’s results will benefit others. Identify any weaknesses to
the proposed study and why they were not addressed.
Address how well the study will do in terms of internal and
external validity, and discuss the implications of the study

affecting practice, policy, and scholarly/future research.
When the proposal is finished, be sure to include a
References page and list all sources used at in the body of
the research proposal. See the APA Manual for formatting

“Abstract” and “References” pages.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 17

References

Aladjem, D. (2016). The Future of Low-Performing Schools. State Education Standard, 16(3),

32–34. Retrieved from

http://www.nasbe.org/our-resources/publications/the-state- education-standard/.

Camara, W. (2017). What the research says about the effects of test prep [ACT]. Retrieved from

www.leadershipblog.act.org.

Cohen, K. (2014). The truth about SAT and ACT test prep. Huffpost. Retrieved from

www.huffingtonpost.com.

Colgren, C., & Sappington, N. E. (2015). Closing the Achievement Gap Means Transformation.

Education Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, 2(1), 24–33. Retrieved from

http://www.ncpeapublications.org/.

Cramer, E., Mokher, C., Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia (ED), National Center for

Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (ED), & CNA Corporation. (2015). Stated

Briefly: Participation and Pass Rates for College Preparatory Transition Courses in

Kentucky. REL 2015-060. Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia. Regional

Educational Laboratory Appalachia. Retrieved from

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?ProjectID=315.

Harmon, H. L. 1,., & Wilson, M. D. (2018). Rural Resources: Bring opportunity to your school

with proven solutions and strategies. Principal, 97(4), 18–21. Retrieved from

www.naesp.com

Lambertson, S. (2014). “Failure Is Not an Option”: Struggling High School Uses Standards to

Guide Reform. Journal of Staff Development, 35 (1), 42-45. Retrieved from

https://learningforward.org/journal/february-2014-issue/failure-is-not-an-option/.

Commented [DD24]: References
Your References page should appear at the end of your
paper. It provides the information necessary for a reader to

locate and retrieve any source you cite in the body of the
paper. Each source you cite in the paper must appear in your
reference list; likewise, each entry in the reference list must
be cited in your text.

Your references should begin on a new page separate from
the text of the essay; label this page “References” centered at
the top of the page (do NOT bold, underline, or use quotation

marks for the title). All text should be double-spaced just like
the rest of your essay.

Commented [DD25]: Author’s Name(s)
Authors’ names are inverted (last name first); give the last
name and initials for all authors of a particular work for up to

and including seven authors. If the work has more than seven
authors, list the first six authors and then use ellipses after
the sixth author’s name. After the ellipses, list the last
author’s name of the work.

Commented [DD26]: Hanging Indent
All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference

list should be indented one-half inch from the left margin.
This is called hanging indentation.

http://www.nasbe.org/our-resources/publications/the-state-%09education-standard/

http://www.leadershipblog.act.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

http://www.ncpeapublications.org/

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?ProjectID=315

http://www.naesp.com/

'Failure Is Not An Option'

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 18

Moss, G. L., Chippendale, E. K., Mershon, C. W., & Carney, T. (2012). Effects of a Coaching

Class on the ACT Scores of Students at a Large Midwest High School. Journal of College

Admission, (217), 16–23. Retrieved from http://www.nacacnet.org.

Showalter, D., Klein, R., Johnson, J., Hartman, S., & Rural School and Community Trust.

(2017). Why Rural Matters 2015-2016: Understanding the Changing Landscape. Rural

School and Community Trust. Rural School and Community Trust. Retrieved from

www.ruraledu.org.

Townsley, M., & Varga, M. (2018). Getting High School Students Ready for College: A

Quantitative Study of Standards-Based Grading Practices. Journal of Research in

Education, 28(1), 92–112. Retrieved from http://www.eeraorganization.org.

VanTassel-Baska, J., & Hubbard, G. F. (2016). Classroom-Based Strategies for Advanced

Learners in Rural Settings. Journal of Advanced Academics, 27(4), 285–310.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X16657645.

Venezia, A., & Jaeger, L. (2013). Transitions from High School to College. Future of Children,

117–136. Retrieved from

http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals.

What Works Clearinghouse (ED), & Development Services Group, I. (2016). ACT/SAT Test

Preparation and Coaching Programs. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report.

What Works Clearinghouse. What Works Clearinghouse. Retrieved from

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc.

Home

http://www.ruraledu.org/

http://www.eeraorganization.org/

https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X16657645

http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 19

Appendix A

Consent Form

Author’s Name

The University of West Alabama

Research Proposal Title: The effectiveness of an ACT preparation course and improving ACT

scores.

1. What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a preparation course has on ACT

scores.

2. How was I chosen?

You were randomly selected from a pool of 60 juniors at Gordo High School.

3. What will be involved in participating?

The study will be conducted amongst Gordo High School, 11th-grade students. At the start of

the 2019-2020 school year, all 11th-grade students will be given the option to take an ACT

prep course as a class to help assist preparations for taking the standardized test. All 11th-

grade students at Gordo High School will be administered the ACT at their school in

February. The research process will be from the start of school (August) and extend until the

week before the ACT school-administered test in February. 25 students who participate in

taking the ACT prep course will be considered the experimental group. A randomized

collection of 25 students will assist in the comparison group. Each student participating in the

research will take the same ACT pretest to have a composite score determined. The

experimental group will receive daily instruction for one class period each day, five days a

week, with an instructor assisting in preparing for ACT content, practice, and support. At the

end of the research period, both groups will be given a posttest which is identical to the

pretest. The results of the posttest of the experimental group and the control group with being

compared to determine if students taking the ACT prep course was effective in improving

ACT scores.

4. Who will know what I say?

What you say/ perform will remain confidential, except for your overall composite score

shown after the pretest and posttest.

5. What risks and benefits are associated with participation?

There are no foreseen risk or deceptions associated with participation.

Commented [DD27]: What is an appendix?
An appendix is a section at the end of a paper that includes
information that is too detailed for the text of the paper itself

and would “burden the reader” or be “distracting,” or
“inappropriate” (APA, 2010, p. 38-9).

The content in the appendices should be “easily presented in

print format” (APA, 2010, p. 39).
Examples:

 lists of length (short lists belong in the

paper itself).

 detailed descriptions (essential details should be in the

paper itself).

 a list of articles that support data but are not referred to
in the paper itself.

 demographic details for subpopulations studied by the
paper.

Commented [EH28R27]:

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 20

6. What are my rights as a respondent?

You may ask any questions regarding the research, and they will be answered fully. Your

participation in the study is voluntary; you may withdraw at any time.

7. What will be published?

Following the completion of this research proposal, I plan to maintain my records for use in

future publications and scholarly presentations. I plan to provide results to the Pickens

County School System to assist with the efforts in establishing the effects of providing an

ACT preparation course to 11th-grade students.

8. If I want more information, who can I contact about the study?

This study has been approved by the University of West Alabama’s Internal Review Board

for the Protection of Human Subjects.

____________________________________ ___________________________________

Haley H. McGee, Project Director Respondent’s signature, date

Note: The consent format presented above should be used in the appendix of your research proposal. Items 1 through 5

should be completed as though you are answering the questions of the respondent about your research project.

Also, if you are conducting research that is covered by the Department of Health and Human Services requirements for

minors, you will be required to complete a consent form for minors as shown in your textbook.

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 21

Appendix B

Permission to Conduct Research

August 1, 2019

Superintendent’s Name, Superintendent

County Board Of Education

Address

City, State, Zip Code

Dear Superintendent:

I would like to conduct a study using 60 11th grade students at Gordo High School. The study

proposes to research the effects of an ACT preparation course on ACT assessment scores. The

results of this study will improve the quality of the ACT preparation course and directly impact

the improving of ACT assessment scores. The study will take place from the first day of the

2019-2020 school year to February of 2020. It will be conducted by me, researcher’s name.

I feel that this research study is a very worthwhile endeavor for our students, schools and school

system. Please review the enclosed information in order to make a decision concerning our

school’s ability to conduct this research. A consent form has been included.

Sincerely,

Researcher’s Name

PREPARATION AND IMPROVING ACT SCORES 22

Appendix C

AUTHORIZATION FOR A MINOR TO SERVE AS A SUBJECT IN RESEARCH

I authorize the service of _____________________ as a subject in the research

investigation entitled: Effects of ACT preparation and improving ACT scores.

The nature and general purpose of the research procedure and the known risks have been

explained to me. I understand that _____________________ (name of minor)

will be given a preservice explanation of the research and that he/she may decline to serve.

Further, I understand that he/she may terminate his/her service in this research at any time he/she

so desires.

I understand the known risks are the possibility of reading scores not increasing or being

given behavior modification when it is not needed.

I understand also that it is not possible to identify all potential risks in an experimental

procedure, and I believe that reasonable safeguards have been taken to minimize both the known

and the potential but unknown risks.

I agree further to indemnify and hold harmless the University of West Alabama and its

agents and employees from any and all liability, actions, or causes of actions that may accrue to

the subject minor as a result of his/her activities for which this consent is granted.

Witness_____________________________ Signed_____________________________

(parent or guardian)

Date_______________________________

To be retained by researcher

Page 1 of 8

Signature Project

Overview

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SIGNATURE PROJECT CONTEXT STATEMENT

The Signature Project is designed to guide candidates through the steps for planning and

conducting an in- depth school improvement project focused on improving teaching and
learning. The project involves an opportunity for candidates to apply the knowledge, skills, and
behaviors they gain from their respective programs. The Signature Project is structured and
implemented in a way to improve identified needs within a school community. Candidates will
document the mastery of a substantial number of program standards with the planning,
implementation, and evaluation of their projects.

Candidates in all advanced programs will receive proper instruction, support, and feedback to
guide them through the completion of the two stages of the Signature Project. Candidates must
work collaboratively with course instructors, P12 practitioners, and other school stakeholders on
the Signature Project to develop the skills required to successfully complete both stages of the
Signature Project and to ensure the products for each stage meet minimum requirements to

represent proficiency at the appropriate level on the evaluation continuum. Candidates will
prepare Signature Project Stage 1 in ED 504. The Signature Project Stage 1 is a research
proposal. In subsequent courses (depending on program), candidates will complete a final
presentation which includes an 8-10 minute video explaining the project, including details about
the identified problem, background investigation, action plan, and impact on teaching and
learning. Ultimately, candidates will be expected to earn a minimum of 80% of the possible
points for each stage in the Signature Project before they are eligible to receive an advanced
degree.

The Signature Project concept was developed by a committee of unit faculty and P12 partners
in Summer 2016. Further development of the project stages’ descriptions and evaluation rubrics
was put on hold while the unit worked to complete a successful NCATE re-visit in Fall 2016.
Project development resumed in Fall 2017. The entire unit faculty had an opportunity to provide

feedback with respect to stage drafts created by the committee, in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.
Adjustments to the original products and the development of an assessment platform in
Blackboard followed in Summer 2018 and Fall 2018. Adjustments were made based on the
recommendations of a committee of university faculty and P-12 partners. Pilot administration of
the Signature Project stages will begin in Spring 2019, but completed projects will not begin to
be evaluated outside of courses until candidates advance through the project stages. Focus
group interviews with candidates and faculty involved in the pilot will begin after implementation.
Afterward, revisions to the project descriptions, rubrics, and evaluation process will be
completed. The unit anticipates implementing the Signature Project with all advanced programs
by Fall 2020, with full candidate accountability becoming compulsory at that time.

THE SIGNATURE PROJECT

The Signature Project is designed to guide candidates through the steps for planning and

conducting an in-depth school improvement project focused on improving teaching and learning.
The Signature Project has two stages. Stage 1 is addressed in ED 504. In Stage 1, candidates
will design an experimental or quasi-experimental research proposal. This stage includes the

Page 2 of 8

following three major assignments: Research Problem, Literature Review, and Methodology.
The three major assignments will become the three chapters for a research proposal. This
research proposal is the culminating product in ED 504 and is called the Signature Project
Stage 1. Signature Project Stage 2 is embedded in follow-up courses.

STAGE 1: RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Major Assignment 1: Research Problem

Candidates gather existing data from their classroom, school, district or work setting. Construct

a graphical representation that allows for easy analysis of the compiled data. Analyze the data
to identify a problem or weakness that can be addressed in an experimental or quasi-
experimental study. In a short narrative essay, identify the problem/weakness, connect the
problem or weakness to trends or patterns represented in the data, and explain how the
problem or weakness might have impacted student achievement. The required scope of the
problem/weakness depends on the level of advanced degree being sought.

 Master level – classroom level or school level problem

 Specialist level – multiple classrooms or school level problem

Major Assignment 2: Literature Review

Candidates discuss the background of the identified problem, conduct a literature review
following APA format (most recently published edition), and become familiar with the scholarly
debate surrounding the topic or problem identified in the existing data. The scope and
expectations for the literature review depend on the level of advanced degree being sought.

 Master level – describe a best practice or a trend/theory and justify its use and
connection with the identified problem, use minimum of 10 sources (largely

representative of the most recent five years), describe/justify the best practice and/or
theory based on each of your sources, synthesis of the literature rather than a summary
is required.

 Specialist level – describe a best practice or a trend/theory and justify its use and
connection with the identified problem; include a minimum of three best practice options
AND a theory/trend; clear descriptions and justifications; use a minimum of 15 sources
(largely representative of the most recent five years).

Major Assignment 3: Methodology

Candidates construct a measurable and executable action plan that includes a description of
collaborative resources, description of the plan, and the scope and expectations. The

collaborative resources include evidence of collaboration with appropriate stakeholders (who,
what role do they play, what impact do they have on the plan). The description of the plan
includes a descriptive timeline, participants, variables, definitions of key terms in the study, data,
resources, leverage plan, pertinent documents, and justification. The scope and expectations for
the action plan depend on the level of advanced degree being sought.

 Master’s level – represents a plan to address a problem identified across multiple
classrooms (i.e. teacher leader looking at data from multiple classrooms on the same
grade level).

Page 3 of 8

 Specialist level – represents a plan to address a problem identified across an entire
school, multiple schools, or throughout a district (i.e. an instructional leader addressing a
problem across elementary schools in a district).

STAGE 2: PRESENTATION OF ACTION PLAN ANALYSIS

Candidates will construct an 8-10 minute video presentation that includes the following
elements:

 Present original data and identified problem

 Summarize background investigation

 Outline the action plan

o Sampling method and sample description
o Instrumentation
o Collaborative efforts
o Procedures
o Internal and external validity

 Describe ethical considerations that must occur if you were to implement the action plan
o Confidentiality
o Special populations

o IRB
o Other

 Present Results
o Connect data and action plan outcome to student

achievement

o To see student achievement growth, what change in the data would you need to

see

 Reflection

o Explain the changes that you would make in your original plan
o What additional research could be done in this area to improve student

achievement

Rubrics for each stage provided below.

Page 4 of 8

Stage 1: Major Assignment 1 Rubric

Writing Components

CA T EGORY Un ac c eptable

Rev ision s Requ ired

T arget

A re th e foc u s an d pu rpose c lear? Missing thesis; c o nfusion abo ut o r
misunderstanding o f to pic; no sense o f
purpo se

Simplistic and unfo c used ideas; limited sense o f
purpo se

Dev elo ped thesis; represents so und
understanding o f the assigned to pic;
fo c used

I s th e writin g structured an d well
organ ized?

No paragraph structure; o r single,
rambling paragraph; o r series o f iso lated
paragraphs

Organ ization struc ture is presen t, but is
c o nfusing o r disjo inted; weak paragraph
struc ture; transitions are missing o r

inappro priate

Clear organ ization al stru cture; easily
followed; in c ludes transitions; stru ctured
form at

I s c orrec t sen tence structure an d
proper m ec hanics u tilized?

Co ntains multiple and serio us errors o f

sentenc e structure: i.e. fragments, run-
o ns; unable to write simple sentences;
numero us erro rs in spelling and
c apitalizatio n; intrusive

and/o r inac curate punctuation;

c o mmunicatio n is hindered

Form u laic sentence pattern s or ov eruse of

sim ple sen tences; erro rs in sentence structure;
c o ntains several punctuatio n, spelling, and/or
c apitalizatio n errors (u p to 6); errors m ay or
m ay n ot in terfere with m ean ing

Effec tive an d v aried sen tenc es; errors (if

present) due to lac k o f c areful proofreading;
v irtu ally free of pu n ctuation, spelling,
c apitalization errors (n o m ore than 3);
errors do n ot in terfere with meaning

A re v oc abulary an d word u sage
v aried an d appropriate?

V o c abulary is unso phisticated; o r
subjec t specific v ocabulary o r
so phistic ated v ocabulary used
inc o rrectly

Pro per, bu t simple vocabu lary u sed;

subjec t specific v ocabulary used infrequently

V oc abulary is v aried, spec ific an d
appropriate; u ses su bjec t spec ific
v oc abulary c orrectly

I s A PA form at followed? There are signific ant fo rmat errors
present ; multiple (m ore th an 6) o f A PA
fo rmatting errors; in the reference list

and/o r in-text c itatio ns

Fewer th an 6 A PA form at errors are present
in the referenc e list in-text; c itations; header;
headings; page numbers; etc .

There are v irtually n o A PA fo rmat errors present
in either reference list in-text; c itations; header;
headings; page numbers; etc .

Con tent Components

CA T EGORY Un ac c eptable

Rev ision s Requ ired

T arget

Sou rc e of data is c redible an d data is
represen tative of th e

sc ope

requ irements for th e adv anced degree
bein g sou ght

(InTASC 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

The so urc e o f the data is ambiguo us o r
lac ks c redibility; data do es no t allow fo r
pro blem/weakness identification
appro priate fo r required pro ject sc ope

T h e sou rc e of th e data is c lear an d
c redible; data do es no t allo w fo r
pro blem/weakness identification
appro priate fo r required pro ject sc ope

The so urc e o f the data is c lear and c redible; data
allows for iden tific ation of an of a
c lassroom, m ulti-classroom, sc h ool or
distric t level problem/weakness
appropriate to th e required project

sc ope

Graph ic al represen tation of
c om piled data allows for easy
an aly sis

(CAEP A1.1)

Graphic al fo rmat do es no t present the data
in a c lear manner; data is o nly partially
presented

Graph ic al format(s) is appropriate an d
c learly presen ts all th e c ollected data

Graphic al fo rmat(s) is appropriate; c learly
presents all the c o llected data; h ighlights
v isible patterns or tren ds

I den tified problem/weakness is
su pported by trends or patterns
seen in th e data

(InTASC 6, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Pro blem/weakness is no t c learly
identified o r do es no t align with the
trends and patterns identified in the
data

Problem /weakness is c learly iden tified;
align s with th e type of data c ollected, but
c o nnections between the trends/patterns in the
data are no t c learly

desc ribed in the narrative

Pro blem/weakness is c learly identified; aligns
with the ty pe o f data c o llected; c lear
c on n ections between th e trends/patterns
are drawn in th e

Narrativ e

Page 5 of 8

Stage 1: Major Assignment 2 Rubric

Writin g Com ponents

CA T EGORY Un ac c eptable Rev ision s Requ ired T arget

A re th e foc u s an d pu rpose c lear? Missing thesis; c o nfusion abo ut o r
misunderstanding o f to pic; no sense o f
purpo se
Simplistic and unfo c used ideas; limited sense o f
purpo se
Dev elo ped thesis; represents so und
understanding o f the assigned to pic;
fo c used

I s th e writin g structured an d
well organ ized?

No paragraph structure; o r single, rambling
paragraph; o r series o f iso lated paragraphs

Organ ization struc ture is presen t, but is
c o nfusing o r disjo inted; weak paragraph
struc ture; transitions are missing o r
inappro priate
Clear organ ization al stru cture; easily
followed; in c ludes transitions; stru ctured
form at

I s c orrec t sen tence structure

an d proper m ec h an ics u tilized?

Co ntains multiple and serio us errors o f

sentenc e structure: i.e. fragments, run-ons;
unable to write simple sentences; numerous
erro rs in spelling and c apitalization; intrusive

and/o r inac curate punctuation;
c o mmunicatio n is hindered
Form u laic sentence pattern s or ov eruse of
sim ple sen tences; erro rs in sentence structure;
c o ntains several punctuatio n, spelling, and/or
c apitalizatio n errors (u p to 6); errors m ay or
m ay n ot in terfere with m ean ing
Effec tive an d v aried sen tenc es; errors (if
present) due to lac k o f c areful proofreading;
v irtu ally free of pu n ctuation, spelling,
c apitalization errors (n o m ore than 3);
errors do n ot in terfere with meaning

A re v oc abulary an d word
u sage v aried an d
appropriate?

V o c abulary is unso phisticated; o r subject
spec ific v ocabulary o r so phisticated
v o c abulary used inc orrectly

Pro per, bu t simple vocabu lary u sed;
subjec t specific v ocabulary used infrequently

V oc abulary is v aried, spec ific an d
appropriate; u ses su bject specific
v oc abulary c orrectly

I s th e sou rc e requiremen t m et an d

is A PA form at followed?

So urc e requirements fo r the appropriate level

were no t met; there are signific ant fo rmat
erro rs present ; multiple (m ore th an 6) o f
A PA fo rmatting errors; in the reference list
and/o r in-text c itatio ns

Meets m in imum requirements for degree

lev el: Masters – A m in imum of 10 sou rc es
were u tilized; Fewer than 6 A PA form at
errors are present in the reference list in-text;
c itatio ns; header; headings; page numbers; etc .

Fiv e (5 ) sou rc es beyond m inimum requires

were u tilized; there are v irtually n o A PA fo rmat
erro rs present in either reference list in-text;
c itatio ns; header; headings; page numbers; etc .

Con tent Components
CA T EGORY Un ac c eptable Rev ision s Requ ired T arget

Best prac tic es are iden tified an d
su pported by th e literature as v iable
respon ses to weaknesses an d
problem s represented by the data

(InTASC 8, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Best prac tice(s) are no t c learly identified;
literature reviewed do es no t support the identified
best prac tice(s) as a v iable o ptio n to improve
ac hievement

Best prac tic e(s) are c learly iden tified;

literature

rev iewed do es no t support the identified best
prac tice(s) as a v iable o ption to improve ac hievement

Best prac tice(s) are c learly identified; literature
rev iewed su pports the iden tified best
prac tic es as v iable responses to th e
problem /weakness iden tified

T h eories an d/or tren ds are
iden tified an d c onnected with best
prac tic es in literature

(I n T ASC 8, 9, 10; CA EP A 1.1)

Theo ry o r trend is no t identified; theo ry/trend
identified are no t c o nnected with the best
prac tice(s) via literature

Theo ry o r trend is c learly identified; literature
rev iewed do es no t c onnect the identified theory/trend
with the identified best prac tice

Theo ry o r trend is c learly identified; literature
rev iewed c onnects the identified theory/trend with
all identified best practices

Proper lev el of sy n thesis is ac h ieved
in th e literature review
(InTASC 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Summaries were giv en; are no t c lear o r fail to
make c lear c o nnections with best practice(s)
and/o r theory/trend(s) identified as v iable
respo nses to problem/weakness

Su m m aries are c lear an d c on cise; c lear
c on n ections with best prac tice an d/or
th eory/trend iden tified as v iable response to
problem /weakness m ay or m ay n ot be presen t

Sy n th esis rather th an su mmaries of c on tent
presen ted in th e c ollection of sou rc es is
presen t , c lear c onnections with best practice and/or
theo ry/trend identified as v iable response to

pro blem/weakness present

Page 6 of 8

Stage 1: Major Assignment 3 Rubric

Writing Components

CATEGORY Unacceptable Rev isions Required Target

Is correct sentence st ructure and proper
mechanics utilized?

Con ta ins multiple a nd ser ious errors of sen tence
str u cture: i.e. fragments, run-on s; u nable to write
sim ple sen tences; numerous errors in spelling
a n d capitalization; intrusive a nd/or inaccurate
pu n ctuation; communication is h indered

Formulaic sentence patterns or ov eruse of simple
sent ences; errors in sen tence structure; contains sev eral
pu n ctuation, spelling, a nd/or capitalization errors (up t o
6); errors may or may not interfere with meaning.

Effect ive and v aried sentences; errors (if pr esent)
du e to la ck of careful proofreading; v irtually free of
punctuation, spelling, capitalization errors (no
more t han 3); errors do not interfere with
meaning.

Collaborative resources are identified,
ex plained and supported

(InTAS C 1, 5, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Colla borative resources are ambiguous or n ot
iden tified; r esources may be identified, but no
ex planation related to their v alue or r ole is
pr ov ided; the connection between the
colla borative r esource a nd the identified pr oblem
is n ot clear

Collaborative resource(s) is identified;
ex planation of v alue and role is provided, but the
con n ection between the collaborativ e r esource(s) a nd the
iden tified problem is n ot clear

Colla borative resource(s) is identified;
ex planation of v alue and r ole is prov ided; connection
bet ween t he collaborative resource(s) and t he
identified problem is clear

Description of plan is clear and easy t o follow

(InTAS C 7, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

A ction plan is n ot described; description is n ot
clea r; steps in plan a re not in a log ical or der

Act ion plan description is provided, but additional
deta il may be warranted; st eps in plan are outlined,
bu t a dditional steps may be n eeded or the or der could be
a ltered for better efficiency

A ction plan description is pr ov ided, and sufficient
det ail is included; steps in plan a re ou tlined;
ex haustive list of st eps and sequence of st eps
allows for opt imal efficiency and outcome.

Project t imeline accounts for all elements in
t he plan and allocates appropriate amounts of
t ime for each element

(InTAS C 7, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Pr oject timeline is missing or incomplete; time
a llocation is inadequate or too ex tensive for on e
or m or e elements included in the plan

Project t imeline is provided; all elements
identified in the plan are included, but additional
elem ents m ight be needed for a n improv ed ou tcome;
tim ing a nd/or time a llocation could be improv ed

Pr oject timeline is pr ov ided; all necessary elements
are included for opt imal outcome

Variables are identified and defined

(CAEP A1.1)

V a riables a re misidentified Variables are identified correctly, but with no clear
defin itions or ex planations a s to how they w ill be
m ea sured

V a riables a re identified correctly, with clear
definitions and ex planations as t o how t hey will
be measured

Required data needs are identified and plans
for ret rieving and protecting that data are
clear (i.e. methods)

(InTAS C 6, 9; CAEP A1.1)

Da ta needs a re n ot identified or do n ot a lign with
th e pr oblem; da ta retriev al plans a re missing or
in a ppropriate

Dat a needs are identified; data retrieval plans are
included, but plans for protecting the data a nd/or
stu dent confidentiality are not prov ided or a re inadequate

Da ta needs a re identified; da ta retriev al plans a re
in cluded; adequate plans for protecting student
confidentiality and/or data are provided

Description of t he sample and
sampling t echniques are provided

(CAEP A1.1)

Deta iled descriptions of th e participants a re n ot
g iv en and/or sampling technique is n ot prov ided

Brief ov erview of t he sample is given and
sampling t echnique may or may not be included

Full descriptions of th e pa rticipant sample, sampling
t echnique and justifications for both t he sample
chosen and the sampling t echnique are given

Needed resources are identified, justified, and
a lev erage plan for acquiring resources is clear
and supported

(InTAS C 5, 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

Resou r ces are not identified or a re inadequate; no
ju stification for the resources is prov ided; u nclear
h ow identified r esources might be a cquired; plan
for a cquiring resources is in adequate or ill
con ceiv ed

Resources are identified, but a dditional resources
m ay be n eeded; justification for t he resources is
prov ided, but lev erage plan for a cquiring resources is
n ot clear

Ex haustive list of resources is identified;
ju stification for the resources is prov ided; leverage
plan for acquiring resources is outlined

Just ification for how t he action plan will
address t he identified problem is clear

(InTAS C 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No con n ection between the a ction plan a nd the
iden tified problem is prov ided

Connection between t he action plan and t he
identified problem is provided

Con n ection between the a ction plan a nd the identified
pr oblem is prov ided; justification of t hat connection
is included

Connection between action plan and impact
on st udent achievement is clear

(InTAS C 9, 10; CAEP A1.1)

No con n ection between action plan ou tcome a nd
stu dent a chiev ement is pr ov ided

Connection between action plan outcome and
st udent achievement is provided; justification of
t hat connection may or may not be included

Con n ection between a ction plan ou tcome a nd student
a ch iev ement is pr ov ided; justification of th at connection
is in cluded; limitations or out side interferences to
improved st udent achievement are identified

Page 7 of 8

Stage 2: Presentation Rubric

Writin g Com ponents
CA T EGORY Un ac c eptable

Rev ision s Requ ired

T arget

I s th e graph ic al representation of
th e data c lear an d appropriate?

No graphic al representation is pro vided Graph ic (s) is prov ided, but data is no t c learly
and/o r c o mpletely represented in the graphic (s)

Graphic (s) is pro v ided, an d all c ollected data in
represen ted in a c lear an d v isu ally appealing
m an n er

A re ideas c lear an d well su pported? A bsenc e o f suppo rt fo r main po ints Su pport is prov ided, but is no t specific ; support is
o nly lo o sely relevant to the main po ints

Suppo rt is pro v ided an d is sou n d, v alid, an d
logic al

I s th e writin g structured an d well
organ ized?

No paragraph structure; o r single, rambling
paragraph; o r series o f iso lated paragraphs

Organ ization struc ture is presen t, but is c o nfusing
o r disjo inted; weak paragraph struc ture; transitions
are missing o r inappro priate

Clear organ ization al stru cture; easily
followed; in c ludes transitions; stru ctured
form at

Did th e writer c on sider au dience
an d ton e?

No awareness o f appropriate audience fo r
assignment; to ne is inappropriate

A waren ess of appropriate au dience for th e
assign m en t, but tone is inc o nsistent

A wareness o f appro priate audience fo r the
assignment; ton e is c onsistent an d effec tive

I s c orrec t sen tence structure
u tilized?

Co ntains multiple and serio us errors o f sentence
struc ture: i.e. fragments, run-o ns; unable to write
simple sentenc es

Fo rmulaic sentence patterns o r overuse o f simple
sentenc es; errors in sentence structure

Effec tiv e and v aried sentences; errors (if present)
due to lac k o f c areful pro ofreading

A re proper m ec hanics u tilized?

Frequent errors in spelling and c apitalization;
intrusiv e and/or inaccurate punc tuation;
c o mmunicatio n is hindered

Co ntains sev eral punctuation, spelling, and/or
c apitalizatio n errors (up to 6); erro rs interfere with
meaning

V irtually free o f punctuation, spelling, c apitalization
erro rs (no mo re than 3); erro rs do no t interfere with
meaning

Con tent Components
CA T EGORY Un ac c eptable

Rev ision s Requ ired

T arget

V ideo len gth appropriate an d
adh ered to th e ou tlined
requ irements

V ideo length do es no t adhere to the o utlined
requirements

A dh erence to ou tlined video len gth
requ irements, but video may be to o brief to
adequately c over the required c omponents o r to o
lengthy to ho ld the audience attentio n

A dherence to o utlined video length requirements;
v ideo adequ ately c overs the required
c om pon ents an d en gages th e audience from
start to fin ish

Pre-projec t data is presen ted an d
c on n ects to th e identified problem

Pre-pro ject data is no t presented; c o nnection with
the identified pro blem is no t ex plained

Origin al data is presen ted, but c onnection with the
identified pro blem is no t ex plained

Original data is presented; c onnec tion with th e
iden tified problem is ex plain ed

Bac kgrou nd in formation is
su m marized an d c onn ected to

literature

Bac kgro und info rmation is no t presented;
c o nnection between bac kground and c redible

literature is no t ev ident

Bac kgrou nd in formation is presen ted, but the
c o nnection between bac kground and c redible literature

is no t c learly presented

Bac kgro und info rmation is presented; c onnection
between background an d literature is

in c lu ded, an d c redible sou rces are
referen c ed in disc ussion

A c tion plan an d timeline are c learly
ou tlined

A c tio n plan and/o r timeline is no t o utlined and/or
steps in plan are missing

A c tion plan , in cluding all steps, is ou tlined , but
the timeline is no t c lear

A c tio n plan, including all steps, is o utlined;
tim elin e is logical an d c learly presented

Eth ic s issues are iden tified an d
addressed

Ethic s issues are no t addressed Eth ic s is disc ussed; h owever, some key ethics
issu es are n ot iden tified or eth ics issu es are
iden tified an d m ethods to c ontrol for th em are
n ot addressed

A ll key ethic s issues are identified and a c o mplete
disc ussio n o f the researcher’s steps to c ontrol fo r
them is giv en

Con n ection to student ac hievement
is c learly presen ted

Co nnec tio n with student ac hievement is no t
desc ribed

I m pact on student ac h ievement is desc ribed, but
the c o nnection between the plan and what the
ex pectation is to see po sitive student ac hievement is not
spec ified

Impac t o n student ac hievement is desc ribed and the
c on n ection between plan an d wh at the
ex pec tation is to see positive student
ac h ievement is c learly specified

Page 8 of 8

A n alysis of c u rrent ac tion plan is
th orough

A naly sis is inc omplete; o bvious weaknesses in the
plan are no t ex plained

A n alysis is disc ussed, bu t n o su ggestions for
im provement in the ac tion plan are giv en

A naly sis is disc ussed tho roughly an d su ggestions
for im provement in the ac tion plan are given

Nex t step rec ommendation are
logic al an d c learly presented

Nex t step rec ommendations are no t presented Nex t step rec ommendation s are presen ted, but
may be illo gic al o r do no t adequately address all
o bv ious needs

Nex t step rec ommendations are presented;
rec ommendations are logic al an d
adequ ately address all obv ious n eeds as well
as perc eived fu ture n eeds

IMPACTOF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 4

The Effect of

1

:1 Technology on the Academic Achievement of

Students from Designated Low-Income Families

Victoria Scott

Signature Project Stage 1 Chapter1, 2 and 3 (Edited) – Final Submission

1

Running header: Impact of Technology on Education

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION 3

University of West Alabama

Abstract

This work will be a comprehensive analysis in Chicago Illinois, using 6th grade participants from a Title 1 elementary school. This study aimed to determine whether one to one technology (1:1 will be used hereafter) effects the achievement level of among students from designated low-income families (Orey et al. 2009).

Chapter One: Introduction

School officials and educators have attempted different approaches to promote pupil participation and academic performance, including the implementation of instructional technologies. The No Child Left Behind Act has aimed, according to the U.S. Department of Education (2002), to eradicate the digital divide and to have children digitally literate by the end of the eighth grade, independent of age, socioeconomic status, geographic location and impairment.

Technology is the functional tool that people make use of to improve the extent of their capabilities. Individuals are using technology to improve their ability to perform jobs. Worldwide, classrooms have implemented many forms of technology to boost student interest and achievement. Although technology programs can take on many forms in schools, 1:1 program, which provide one computer per student, are increasing in popularity and prevalence in schools in general and in middle grades in particular (Anderman and Sayers 2019). The interest in 1:1 programs and supporting middle schools to effectively implement them stems in part from the researcher’’s experiences as a teacher working in various parts of the country and witnessing first-hand the promise and perils of incorporating 1:1 technology into schools.

Statement of the Research Problem

The hypothesis and core aim for this study is to determine whether 1:1 technology can impact academic achievement and participation of designated low-income students.

The use of 1:1 Technology alone is not enough to guarantee stellar academic performance and student participation. It is vital to ensure that teachers themselves employ the use of best teaching practices. Teachers and administrators are constantly searching for new ideas that would make classrooms more technology friendly as this can greatly impact academic performance (Mallia and Gorg 2013). Poor academic performance and low-class participation rates is a major problem in many schools in the country today especially for schools in low income and minority neighborhoods (Mallia and Gorg 2013). The use of 1:1 technology can serve to improve this state of affairs.

Could teachers increase student productivity by the use of technology? Anchored instruction theory supports this assertion. The theory emphasizes the place of practical instruction that is anchored in real life experiences using technology. This approach in which learners get the opportunity to interact with the material increases academic performance and participation substantially.

Data and Identification of the Problem

Poor academic performance especially in areas such as reading skills and mathematics in many low-income public schools is a cause of concern for education stakeholders. This poor academic performance coupled with low class participation rates raises a lot of questions about the quality of education in Chicago’s public schools especially in schools in low-income and minority neighborhoods. For this study the following research question was addressed: Will 1:1 Technology increase academic performance of low-income students? As part of this study, the investigation included one key research hypothesis: Implementing 1:1 Technology will drastically increase the academic performance of low-income students. As the data below clearly shows, academic performance in public schools with low-income and minority students is in dire need of improvement if they are to achieve a secure academic future.

Nearly half of Chicago schools have failed to meet the state’s performance threshold on their new accountability system, making some of them possible targets of state intervention (Illinois Report Card 2013). The state ranked 20 percent of its nearly 3,800 schools as “underperforming” or “lowest performer” (Illinois Report Card 2013). Landing at the bottom two rungs on the new four-level ratings of the state will trigger significant aid from the state. It will grant additional money to the failing students, visits from learning performance experts, and collaborations with higher-rated schools.

Figure 1

4

Figure 2 Figure 3

Massive disparity exists in terms of low-income families in Chicago’s public schools as compared to citywide statistics. In Figure 1 above, over 52% of Chicago families that have children under the age of 18 are classified as low-income. A further 85% of students in the Chicago Public School system are low income. Figure 2 & Figure 3 correctly breaks down the state of student performance in Chicago as compared with statewide academic in the year 2013. In these statistics Chicago comes in last time after time after time in the three-key metrics of performance, Reading, Math and Science. In 2009, U.S. schools with small proportions of low-income students did as well as schools anywhere in the world on the International Student Assessment Program — while American schools with more than 75 per cent low-income enrollment scored like schools in developing countries.

Low-income enrollments are the norm in Chicago. Shockingly, a whopping 85 percent of Chicago Public School (CPS) students were from low-income families (Illinois Report Card 2013). Why is the proportion of low-income CPS students as high as it is when the proportion of low-income families with children under the age of 18 across the city is 52 per cent? This is mainly because so many parents of the middle class are unwilling to send their children to the public schools in the town. Instead they send them to private schools, or they move to the suburbs when their kids reach school age (or high school age).

That is not a new occurrence. It is a legacy of racial segregation that for decades characterized Chicago and its public schools (Weis et al. 2014). The schools here moved from predominantly white and middle-class to largely black, Latino, and low-income in the 1950s,’ 60s and’ 70s. Locally, nationally, and internationally, the link between low-income students and low-test scores has been well documented (Weis et al. 2014). It’s clear not only when comparing the public schools in Chicago with the rest of the Illinois state, but also within CPS itself. The CPS data analysis shows that the higher the proportion of low-income children in a school, the worse the school ends up performing on the ISAT and the PSAE — and the correlation is dramatic (Weis et al. 2014).

The Illinois Board of Education’s school report cards once again showed dreadful performance by CPS students. 55 per cent of Illinois students met or exceeded state standards in reading on the Prairie State Achievement Exam given to 11th graders while only 36 percent of CPS students did so (Weis et al. 2014).

But the low-income ratio across the state is 50 percent—35 points lower than that of Chicago. And when only the low-income students’ test scores are compared, the difference is much smaller: nationally, 35 percent met or exceeded reading expectations, compared to 31 percent in Chicago. Likewise, the test-score gap in math and science is slight when the comparison is limited to students with low incomes. As part of this study, the investigation included one key research hypothesis: Implementing 1:1 Technology will drastically increase the academic performance of low-income students.

Impact on Student Achievement

The purpose of this proposed study will be to decide whether 1:1 technology has effects on academic achievement of low-income students. It has been verified many times over that students who do not exhibit satisfactory academic achievement end up living less successful lives in future as compared to those that do (Wright, 2009). Technology changed the way lessons are taught today in the classroom. The teaching methodologies have undergone a paradigm shift from the traditional forms of education to the more modern ones. The role of the teacher has also changed from being the only source of information to be the facilitator of learning. The role of students has also shifted from being passive receivers of information to active discoverers of knowledge.

Suhr et al. focused on a two-year sample in upper elementary classes, where students 1:1 outperformed non-laptop student on tests in English Language Arts (ELA). Similarly, the review of the Texas 1:1 laptop pilot by Shapley et al. explores the degree to which a sample of middle schools successfully implemented a 1:1 system, as well as the relationship between the impact of implementation at school, teacher, and student level, and the achievement of students in reading and mathematics. The study by Bebell and Kay also discussed the introduction of a state pilot 1:1 initiative using ELA students and math achievement as one of many outcome measures.

Therefore, while each of these studies has unique research goals, data sources, and outcome measures, most papers analyze similar teacher and student outcomes and thus it is possible to distinguish certain general patterns across the different study outcomes. The studies presented here collectively illustrate several common themes around 1:1 computing system, and their effects.

Through their research, Bebell and Kay found that teaching and learning habits changed when the computers, digital learning environments and other technological tools were given to students and teachers. In the five 1:1 schools they studied, they found that while the program’s implementation and results differed across schools and throughout the three implementation years, exposure to 1:1 computing resulted throughout significant improvements in teacher practices, student achievement, student participation, and student research skills relative to the control situation. Whether these results are replicable amongst low-income students is a key aspect the researchers will seek to investigate in the proposed study.

Research Methods

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment reports progress monitoring. Random Sampling will also be used in the research methodology. Teachers will implement the use of 1:1 Technology through the use of Chromebooks during their mathematics and reading classes. Teachers will employ the use of interactive lessons and exercises on the Chromebooks that will give the students the opportunity to learn using a new and more interactive learning model. The Discovery Assessment Reports will be used to determine if they can recall and retain the information taught.

Summary

This data highlights the specific problem of student academic achievement in mathematics. This study will focus on low-income 6th grade students from a Title 1 elementary school. 1:1 Technology empowers students to take advantage of new forms of learning, develop digital skills and improve learning effectiveness. This study will use random sampling as the research methodology. This study posits that the introduction of 1:1 technology in classrooms would help students remember and recall information that is being taught. This project will conduct student observations and review data from Discovery Assessment reports at the Elementary School for the 6th grade students.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

1:1 Technology has been a hot topic of debate in the past few years and their benefits have been scrutinized to good effect. Various studies have been undertaken to investigate the impact that 1:1 Technology has on academic performance. Different studies have yielded different results and whereas the benefits are palpable, the cost of instituting the initiative at certain times proves to be too high a price to bear. Anchored instruction theory emphasizes the place of practical instruction that is anchored in real life experiences using technology. Teachers are moved from a source of information into a coach. It is widely used at the primary level and applied to competencies in mathematics, reading and language. Anchored instruction provides an environment for active learning through challenging and motivating learners. The story or anchor contains embedded data in addition to extraneous information. Therefore, it is the prerogative of the learner to decipher, organize and extract all the relevant pieces of information.

There is a wide range of studies on the subject of technology-led growth in education. This research concentrates on the effect of the use of technology at school and at home on both the social and educational aspects. The researcher will discuss relevant literature for our review in the following sections. There are very few longitudinal studies that explain technology’s causal relationship to academic performance in America in education.

In summary, technology investment has ambiguous educational impact, and the educational gains are most often limited. Investments in education technology are typically divided into three categories: general investment in school ICT, individual student laptops, and educational software, i.e. eLearning. The researcher will focus primarily on the second form of investment, which is currently the biggest trend in education policy. The researchers will be presenting studies on general Technology investments in education.

Effect of General ICT in Education

A randomized controlled experiment was performed in California where more than a thousand computers were randomly distributed free to children attending 6th-10th grade for home use (Fairlie and Kalil, 2016). They noted that the children who were given computers are more likely to have a social networking site, but also spend more time communicating directly with peers. Their findings found modest effects on educational outcomes and only a slight positive contribution to the social development of children. Faber et al. (2015) studied the effects of government improvements in ICT on children’s school success in England by increasing the Internet connection speeds.

The researchers claim that the improvements are produced uniformly across the country and can thus manipulate external variations in order to estimate the causal effect (Wright, 2009). The researchers connected the test scores of primary and secondary students to the availability of computers in their homes. They found out that it has a limited impact on the educational achievement or productivity of the students. Malamud and Pop-Eleches (2011) investigated a Romanian voucher program in which 35,000 vouchers worth 200 euros were issued to subsidize the purchase of low-income home computers for students enrolled in public schools in Romania. The study uses a discontinuity framework for regression to estimate the causal effect on academic achievement, cognitive abilities, computer skills and different non-cognitive outcomes. The researchers noted that the group being studied receives significantly lower scores in Math, English, and Romanian, but significantly higher scores in a computer skills test and self-reported computer fluency measures.

Effect of Laptop Programs in School

In 2002, the first large-scale one-to -one laptop system was introduced in Maine State for educational purposes. All of the state’s 7th and 8th grade students and teachers were given laptops. The study involved carrying out a study comparing tests in handwritten writing results in the year 2000 with the same type of testing done after the laptops were implemented on the machine in 2005. Writing efficiency is improved by one-third of a standard deviation but it does not seem to influence other types of tests (Shapley and Brite 2008). The basic comparisons made in the study may not however be sufficiently rigorous to establish causality (Wright, 2009).

The simple comparisons made in the research may not however be sufficiently thorough to claim causality. Suhr et al. (2010) are studying the effect of introducing a one-to -one laptop program for graders 4th and 5th in a California school district. They use a quasi-experimental design for the research. After two years, the students obtaining a laptop perform better in English language arts than non-laptop students, and tests measuring writing strategies and literary response and review. The Texas laptop initiative was implemented in 21 state schools, and Shapley et al. (2009) studied the effects. The test group was paired with an acceptable control group comprised of schools that did not receive laptops on various criteria such as school size, district, and minority proportion. The study shows some positive effects in some of the classes on reading abilities. There are no discovered negative effects while conducting the study.

In addition, a study conducted by Cristia et al. (2017) looks at the One Laptop per Child Program in Peru. The goal of this program is to provide children with laptops for use at school and at home to enhance learning in one of the world’s poorest countries. The paper focuses on Peru’s randomized 1:1 laptop program that was initiated by the Peruvian government. Fifteen months after the implementation

of the project, the research tests were collected. The initiative has led to a significant rise in computer usage both at school and at home. In addition, there is no major benefit on exams in neither mathematics nor language courses. There is however a small effect on the students ‘ cognitive abilities (Wright, 2009).

Synthesis of Literature Review

The success of both general ICT investments in education and the implementation of laptop programs is having substantial impact on students from low-income backgrounds. There is considerable evidence that computer and cognitive skills are growing but evidence of spill-over effects on other subjects is low (Wright, 2009) . The results are unclear however, and it is difficult to draw any conclusions in the field of study so far. However, the established literature focuses mostly on the impact in lower educational levels and often on students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (Weis et al. 2014)

Chapter 3:  Methodology

Introduction

           1:1 Implementation refers to an initiative in which every student in the classroom, school, school district, etc., has a laptop or computer, in the classroom to use and learn with as a resource. The 1:1 Implementation Classroom was for the instructor and also for the students involved in this study during its first year of implementation. This particular Sixth Grade classroom is one of two Sixth Grade classrooms used in the education pilot program for City of Chicago District # 299. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the research methodology of random sampling which will be used in the study. Quasi-experimental research will also be used alongside mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment reports progress monitoring. Teachers will implement the use of 1:1 Technology through the use of Chromebooks during their mathematics and reading classes. Teachers will employ the use of interactive lessons and exercises on the Chromebooks that will give the students the opportunity to learn using a new and more interactive learning model.

Population

          This study will be an in-depth analysis of Chicago Illinois, using 6th grade participants from a Title 1 elementary school. This research aimed to evaluate how one-to-one technology (1:1 will be used hereafter) actually impacts low-income students’ academic achievement.

Sample 

Participants in this proposed study will be students from two separate classes in the Sixth Grade. The school has 84.3 percent of the school’s population that come from low-income backgrounds.  The total number of students who will be involved in the study would be 10 students. The researchers’ settled on 10 students because it was a reasonable number that will serve as the appropriate representation of the target population. The researchers also took into account the limited resources available for the study. A small and comprehensive sample size of 10 students would not only be an accurate representation of the population under observation it would also be cost effective to the researchers. The sample consists of three male Caucasian participants, three Hispanic Female participants, two African American female participants, one Caucasian female participant, and one African American male participant. The participants’ ages vary from 10 to 13 years old.  

Sample Technique

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment progress report. The sampling technique that will be used in this particular case is the random sampling technique. This is because using the random sampling methodology everyone has an equal chance of being selected for data collection. Random sampling also ensures that the sample size is large enough to generalize to the entire population of 6th grade students. In this case, the total population of 6th grade students are 70 students. The methods which will be used in the data collection will be student observations and data collected from progress monitoring assessments (Weis et al. 2014). 

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants 

           People involved in this comprehensive research were students of sixth grade from two separate classes, but at the same Title 1 school in Chicago Illinois. In the classroom, technology influences the academic achievement and performance of the learners (Weis et al. 2014).

Plan for Protection of Human Subjects

          When undertaking the research project, ethics should always be considered and taken seriously.  The study’s researcher aims to ensure all participants are covered against any damage that may arise as a result of the job. Researchers in the project will be inclusive of teachers who will be part and parcel of the collaborative process.

In the event that damage can be done to participants it is important that the researcher takes into consideration if the study can be performed in a safer manner and if the knowledge obtained warrants any potential harm.

        Participants and their parents are told of their rights, and informed consent is received from the participants’ parents or guardians. Information from the student evaluation will be used to gather data; however, information from participants will be kept confidential. Student assessment forms will also be kept confidential, and no identifying details will be put on any forms. Numbers will be used instead of their actual names, to identify participants. When data is collected, the researcher will be restricted in access. Notify all participants of their right to withdraw or request that their data not be used in the analysis.

Variables   

      There are two variables in this study. The independent variable is the 1:1Technology implementation. The dependent variable is the aspect of student achievement. In testing for the results, the researcher will use a form of Pearson correlation analysis in order to find out whether or not student achievement was linearly associated with 1:1 Technology implementation. That will turn the categorical data into quantitative data.

Timeline

          The researchers will collect data over a five-week period. Two approaches will be used to monitor student involvement. Next, the researchers will create an Engagement Observation Method for quantitative data collection. The form will allow for tracking and collection of data over a course of a lesson on ten randomly selected students.

         Second, the researcher will also use seating charts to record data about student engagement. Using fast scans of the entire class at regular intervals of 3 or 5 minutes, the researchers coded each student as either on-task (+) or off-task-) (under the name of each student. Although this did not give the researchers precise behavioral details, the researchers were able to gather a broader set of data. In addition to student observation methods, the researchers each documented their observations and field notes in narrative format for each day that they incorporated technology into their lessons inside a teacher journal. This data gathering method will help the researchers to collect more qualitative data about their personal experiences, achievements and technology integration failures. The researcher’s journals will be an informal resource that will be explained after a lecture, regarding the experiences. The researcher will not map out any specific students.

       

  Constitutive and Operational Definitions

       1:1 Technology- It applies to the technical movement of every child in the classroom, school, school district, etc., possessing a laptop or computer, using and studying as a resource in the classroom.

       Anchored Instruction Theory: This applies to the real-world experience as the core content of instruction for schooling. Students explore, solve problems in various ways of living the real world. The reality of the living world is referred to as the “anchor,” and the process of establishing and identifying the real living world to solve the problems is figuratively referred to as “casting the anchor.” “Anchored” instruction is one of the key educational models under the constructive theory of learning. A cognitive and scientific team developed it in 1992, under the guidance of American professor John Bransford at Vanderbilt University. The Anchored Theory of Instruction emphasizes learning based on technology. Students take the technology as the carrier, use the reality of the living world as their main content to discover problems, generate questions and ultimately solve the problems.

Description of Data 

         Four tests are conducted over the whole school year with 9-12 weeks between each evaluation. The predictive benchmark tests are intended to forecast the success during the academic year on the student’s next high-stakes test.

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

      In this study, the results of Topic Tests in Math, Discovery Education Assessment (Math), and attendance were used to determine if 1:1 Technology positively impacts student academic achievement. The Topic Studies were adapted from the Pearson enVision Math sequence that Chicago Public Schools has embraced (Mallia and Gorg 2013).

Collaborative Resources

    Collaborative resources include several different components.  First, the primary resource used will be the teachers. The teachers are responsible for implementing 1:1 technology, completing evaluation tasks, providing full progress tracking evaluations for the participants and analyzing data obtained to guide instruction. Second, access to the online assessment program is provided by the school district.  The students will use this tool to complete their reporting evaluations of success. The data will then be obtained from the assessment reports of the program. Collaborative resources include several different components. First, the primary resource used will be the teachers. The teachers are responsible for implementing 1:1 technology, completing evaluation tasks, providing full progress tracking evaluations for the participants and analyzing data obtained to guide instruction. Second, access to the online assessment program is provided by the school district.  The students will use this tool to complete their reporting evaluations of success. The data will then be obtained from the assessment reports of the program.

Leverage Plan 

             Resources will be acquired for 1:1 Technology program from within the school that promotes technology in education. The school district can be leveraged to provide resources for the program in the form of laptops to facilitate the 1:1 project study. The laptops will be vital in being an instrument of study for the duration of the entire program.

           Teachers can employ the use of instructional content in the transmission of pertinent educational content using a variety of different digital formats (such as video, slideshows and online texts). The students can be able to access such content independently and easily free up the teacher’s individual resources for other activities. Furthermore, students themselves can be leveraged for better implementation of the program through the use of group projects during class time, while employing the use of online collaborative tools which can greatly serve to expand the entire scope of their learning.

          Partnership with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be crucial to the success of the program. However, even as the researcher liaises together with the relevant school districts it is important to ensure that key stakeholders are involved and brought on board early on. These stakeholders include, teacher, students, parents, the community and even key school board members. There will be a working partnership with the school administrators to ensure that the best and most effective behavioral models of digital learners and leaders are modeled effectively.

Limitations

          This research was also performed with participants of Sixth Grade aged 11 and 12. At this level, children have less control than in high-school and depend more on their parents for guidance and support in their schooling efforts. Also, not every child in the Traditional Classroom participated in this research, whereas all students participated in the 1:1 Implementation Classroom. The differences between the number of participating students could skew or misrepresent the data collected and evaluated for this analysis, which could then skew or misrepresent the outcomes.

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lwyn, N. (2011).

Education and Technology: Key Issues and Debates

. A&C Black.

Shapley, K.S., Sheehan, D., Maloney, C., & Caranikas-Walker, F. (2010). Evaluating the Implementation Fidelity of Technology Immersion and its Relationship with Student Achievement. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 9(4).

Sriraman, B., & English, L. (2010). Surveying Theories and Philosophies of Mathematics Education. In

Theories of Mathematics Education

(pp. 7–32). https://doi.org/

10.1007/978-3-642-00742-2_2

Stakkestad, Victoria, S., Størdal, F., & Guro. (1970, January 01). The Effects of technology on students’ academic performance rollout of individual laptops in norwegian upper secondary schools. Retrieved from

https://openaccess.nhh.no/nhh-xmlui/handle/11250/2487301

Suhr, K.A., Hernandez, D.A., Grimes, D., & Warschauer, M. (2010). Laptops and Fourth-rade Literacy: Assisting the Jump over the Fourth-Grade Slump. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 9(5).

Van Zyl, W. (2018).

Learning and Curriculum in Technology Education: A Design and Visual Communication Perspective

. Five House Publishing.

Wedege, T. (2010). Commentary on Modalities of a Local Integration of Theories in Mathematics Education. In

Theories of Mathematics Education

(pp. 555–559). https://doi.org/

10.1007/978-3-642-00742-2_52

Weis, L., Cipollone, K., & Jenkins, H. (2014). Class warfare: Class, race, and college admissions in top-tier secondary schools.

Wright, S. (2009). On Supervision – Psychoanalytic and Jungian Perspectives edited by Petts, Ann & Shapley, Bernard. In

Journal of Analytical Psychology

(Vol. 54, Issue 1, pp. 144 146). https://doi.org/

10.1111/j.1468-5922.2008.01764_2.x

Appendix A 

STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR MINORS

 This method represents a research being carried out with students on the positive and negative effects that technology has on the achievement of the students. The aim of this research is to compare the effects that technology has on student achievement; more specifically the positive and negative effects, as well as the resources that increase or decrease the ability of a student to do work in class. The person carrying out the work is a graduate student at the University of West Alabama School. When you decide to include your child in this research, he / she will be asked to complete a questionnaire about his / her technology skills inside and outside the math class. The possible benefits from being in this study could be that information will be learned that would allow teachers to better a student’s ability to do work in the classroom due to the presence of technology. Teachers will be able to enhance their classrooms in the future due to the information that prevail from this research. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. Being in it or refusing to be in it, will not affect your grades or class standing. You are free to change your mind or stop being in the study at any time. The potential benefit of being in this study could be the acquisition of knowledge that would allow teachers to improve the ability of a student to do classroom work because of the existence of technology. Because of the knowledge prevailing from this study, teachers will be able to improve their classrooms in future. Your involvement in this study is absolutely voluntary. Being in or refusing to be in it will have no effect on your grades or status in class. You are free to change your mind at any time, or to avoid being in the study.

I understand that: 

1. My participation is voluntary, and I have the right to refuse to answer my questions. I will have a chance to discuss any questions I have about the study with the researcher after completing the questionnaire at any time. If you chose to not participate in the study, you will still participate in the review unit and the grades on the tests will be included in your 6th marking period grade. The grades however will not be used in part of the study.

2. My confidentiality is guaranteed. My name will not be written on the survey. There will be no way to connect me to the 26 written survey. If any publication results from this research, I would not be identified by name. Results will be given anonymously and in group form only, so that neither the participants nor their schools can be identified. 

3. There will be no anticipated personal risks because of participation in this project.

4. My participation involves reading a written survey of 10 questions and answering those questions in writing. It is estimated that this survey will take 10 minutes to complete.

5. Approximately 20 students will take part in this study. The results will be used for the completion of a research project by the primary researcher. 

6. Data and consent forms will be kept separately in a locked filing cabinet by the investigator and will be destroyed by shredding when the research has been completed. 

You are being asked whether or not you want to participate in this study. If you wish to participate, and you agree with the statement below, please sign in the space provided. Remember, you may change your mind at any point and withdraw from the study. You can refuse to participate even if your parent/guardian gives permission for you to participate.

____________________________________             ___________________________________

Project Director                                    Participant/parent signature       date

Appendix B

STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR PARENTS 

This form describes a study being carried out with students on the positive and negative effects that technology has on the achievement of the students. The purpose of this research is to compare the effects that technology has on student achievement; more specifically the positive and negative effects, as well as the tools that increase or decrease the ability of a student to do work in class. The research person is a graduate student at West Alabama University. When you decide to include your child in this report, he / she will be asked to complete a questionnaire on his / her technology skills within and outside the math classroom.

During the study, students will also be introduced to different forms of technology such as calculators, computers and websites related to maths. To assess the impact of technology on the capacity of your student to do research in the classroom, students will also be given testing instruments. The reports are anonymously presented in spreadsheets and table or graph formats. 

          During the course of the study the students will use graphing calculators and the measuring tools will help to determine if there is an improvement in student achievement due to the presence of technology in the math classroom. The potential benefit of being in this study could be the acquisition of knowledge that would allow teachers to improve the ability of a student to do classroom work because of the existence of technology. Because of the information prevailing from this research, teachers will be able to improve their classrooms in future. Participation of your child in this study is completely voluntary.

Being in it or refusing to be in it, will not affect your child’s grades or class standing. S/he is free to change her/his mind or stop being in the study at any time. 

I understand that: 

1. Participation of my child is voluntary and after completing the questionnaire he / she will have the opportunity to discuss any questions he / she has about the study with the researcher. Refusing to engage in the study will have no effect on class grades or scores.

2. The safety of my child is assured. The survey will not have her / his name written on it. There’s no way my child can be connected to written survey. S / he would not be identified by name if any publication results from this research. Results will only be given in group form anonymously, so that neither the participants nor their schools can be identified.

3. Due to participation in this project, there will be no anticipated personal risks.

4. My child’s participation involves reading and answering in writing a written survey of 10 questions. This survey is estimated to take about 10 minutes to complete.

1. There will be about 10 students participating in this study. The findings will be used by the primary researcher for finalizing a research project. 

1. The investigator must keep data and consent forms separately in a locked filing cabinet and will be destroyed by shredding once the work is complete.

You are being asked if you will allow your child to take part in this study, or not. If you wish to allow participation, and agree with the statement below, please sign in the space provided. Note, at any stage you may change your mind, and withdraw from the report. Your child can refuse to attend, even if you gave her / him permission to participate. I accept the information provided in this form and agree to allow my child to take part in this project as a participant. I’m 18 years old, or older. I have read the above statements and I understand them. In my satisfaction, all my questions regarding my child’s inclusion in this study have been answered.

____________________________________             ___________________________________

 Project Director                                    Participant/parent signature       date

Appendix C

Technology Survey 

1) State your gender 

2) grade level __ _ 

3) Can you define what technology is? (what does it mean to you?)

4) What forms of technology have you been using in your classrooms?

 5) What forms of technology are you using outside of your classroom? 

6) What kinds of technology are you using in math class? 

7) Does the calculator program in your laptop make maths easier to work with? Why? For what? 

8) What kinds of technology do you want to see used in school?

 9) Do you feel more confident in math class when calculators can be used to assist you?

10) Include ideas on how to make maths more fun. (Give 3 suggestions)

Appendix D Student Survey 

1. How often do you use your school issued laptop outside of the classroom for learning purposes? (Note:’ Learning’ does not have to be school-related. It can include any time you spend reading on your computer, discovering data, looking for knowledge, communicating with experts, researching a subject you are interested in, writing, sharing ideas and information, working creatively with others, OR doing homework or school-related work)

a. Every Day

 

b. Most Days

 

c. Sometimes

 

d. Rarely

 

e. Never 

2. Do you have Internet access at home? 

a. Yes

b. I had access sometimes (i.e. it was very slow or unreliable) 

c. No 

3. If you have access to one or more non-school issued laptop computers (including a smartphone, smart TV, iPad, mobile, laptop, or other device) how often do you use non-school issued laptops for learning purposes?

a. Every Day 
b. Most Days

c. Sometimes 

d. Rarely
e. Never 

4. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning during class time in your English language arts class?

 a. Every Day

 

b. Most Days 

c. Sometimes 

d. Rarely 

e. Never 

5. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your science class? 

a. Every Day 
b. Most Days 
c. Sometimes

 d. Rarely

 e. Never 

 6. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your social studies class?

 a. Every Day

 b. Most Days

 c. Sometimes 

d. Rarely 
e. Never 

7. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your math class? 

a. Every Day
b. Most Days 
c. Sometimes 
d. Rarely
 e. Never 

Signature project

by Victoria Scott

Submission date: 05-Mar-2020 09:13PM (UTC-0600)
Submission ID: 1270280658
File name: Victoria_Scott_ED504_SPChapterIII-FinalSubmission x (122.98K)
Word count: 6603
Character count: 35944

44%
SIMILARITY INDEX

30%
INTERNET SOURCES

5%
PUBLICATIONS

38%
STUDENT PAPERS

1 14%
2 6%
3 5%
4 4%
5 3%

6 2%
7 2%

Signature project
ORIGINALITY REPORT

PRIMARY SOURCES

digitalcommons.brockport.edu

Internet Source

Submitted to University of West Alabama
Student Paper

brage.bibsys.no
Internet Source

www.chicagoreader.com
Internet Source

HARRİS, Jennifer L, AL-BATAİNEH,
Mohammed T. and BATAİNEH, Adel Al-. “One
to One Technology and its Effect on Student
Academic Achievement and Motivation”, Ali
Şimşek, 2016.
Publication

Submitted to Western Governors University
Student Paper

Submitted to American Public University System
Student Paper

www.hrpub.org

8 1%
9 1%

10 1%
11 1%
12 1%
13 1%
14 1%
15 1%
16 <1% 17 <1% 18 <1%

Internet Source

Submitted to Higher Education Commission
Pakistan
Student Paper

www.chalkbeat.org
Internet Source

Submitted to Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
Student Paper

Submitted to Victoria University
Student Paper

en.wikipedia.org
Internet Source

Submitted to The University of the South Pacific
Student Paper

www.brockport.edu
Internet Source

Submitted to Angelo State University
Student Paper

Submitted to Varsity College
Student Paper

Submitted to Technological University Of The
Philippines
Student Paper

19 <1% 20 <1% 21 <1% 22 <1%

23 <1% 24 <1% 25 <1% 26 <1% 27 <1% 28 <1%

www.wbez.org
Internet Source

Submitted to Concord University
Student Paper

Submitted to Sheffield Hallam University
Student Paper

Submitted to Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education
Student Paper

Submitted to University of Melbourne
Student Paper

Submitted to Kenyatta University
Student Paper

Submitted to Oral Roberts University
Student Paper

Submitted to Laureate Higher Education Group
Student Paper

Submitted to Columbia Southern University
Student Paper

Submitted to University of the Cumberlands
Student Paper

Exclude quotes On

Exclude bibliography On

Exclude matches < 6 words

Signature project
by Victoria Scott
Signature project
ORIGINALITY REPORT
PRIMARY SOURCES

Signature project

by Victoria Scott

Submission date: 05-Mar-2020 09:14PM (UTC-0600)
Submission ID: 1270281418
File name: Victoria_Scott_ED504_SPChapterIII-FinalSubmission x (122.98K)
Word count: 6603
Character count: 35944

46%
SIMILARITY INDEX

32%
INTERNET SOURCES

7%
PUBLICATIONS

39%
STUDENT PAPERS

1 13%
2 6%
3 5%
4 4%
5 3%

6 2%
7 1%

Signature project
ORIGINALITY REPORT

PRIMARY SOURCES

digitalcommons.brockport.edu

Internet Source

Submitted to University of West Alabama

Student Paper

brage.bibsys.no
Internet Source

www.chicagoreader.com
Internet Source

HARRİS, Jennifer L, AL-BATAİNEH,
Mohammed T. and BATAİNEH, Adel Al-. “One
to One Technology and its Effect on Student
Academic Achievement and Motivation”, Ali
Şimşek, 2016.
Publication

Submitted to Western Governors University
Student Paper

Submitted to Weber State University
Student Paper

www.hrpub.org

8 1%
9 1%

10 1%

11 1%
12 1%
13 1%
14 1%
15 1%
16 1%
17 <1% 18 <1%

Internet Source

www.chalkbeat.org
Internet Source

Submitted to Higher Education Commission
Pakistan
Student Paper

Submitted to Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
Student Paper

Submitted to Victoria University
Student Paper

link.springer.com
Internet Source

Submitted to South Bank University
Student Paper

en.wikipedia.org
Internet Source

Submitted to The University of the South Pacific
Student Paper

www.brockport.edu
Internet Source

Submitted to California State University,
Sacramento
Student Paper

19 <1% 20 <1% 21 <1% 22 <1% 23 <1% 24 <1% 25 <1% 26 <1%

27 <1% 28 <1% 29 <1%

www.dcu.ie
Internet Source

Submitted to Angelo State University
Student Paper

Submitted to Varsity College
Student Paper

Submitted to University of Melbourne
Student Paper

doras.dcu.ie
Internet Source

dx.doi.org
Internet Source

ecandtechnology.wikispaces.com
Internet Source

Submitted to Technological University Of The
Philippines
Student Paper

onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Internet Source

Submitted to American University in Cairo
Student Paper

www.wbez.org
Internet Source

30 <1% 31 <1% 32 <1%

33 <1% 34 <1% 35 <1%

36 <1% 37 <1%

38 <1% 39 <1% 40

Submitted to Concord University
Student Paper

www.scribd.com
Internet Source

Submitted to University of Maryland, University
College
Student Paper

pure.roehampton.ac.uk
Internet Source

Submitted to American Public University System
Student Paper

Michael N. Fried. “Theories for, in, and of
Mathematics Education”, Interchange, 2011
Publication

Submitted to Sheffield Hallam University
Student Paper

Submitted to Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education
Student Paper

Submitted to Griffth University
Student Paper

www.emeraldinsight.com
Internet Source

Submitted to Kenyatta University

<1% 41 <1% 42 <1% 43 <1% 44 <1%

45 <1%

Exclude quotes Off

Exclude bibliography Off

Exclude matches Off

Student Paper

Submitted to Oral Roberts University
Student Paper

Submitted to Laureate Higher Education Group
Student Paper

Submitted to Columbia Southern University
Student Paper

Diana Laurillard. “Technology, pedagogy and
education: concluding comments”, Technology,
Pedagogy and Education, 2007
Publication

Submitted to University of the Cumberlands
Student Paper

FINAL GRADE

/200

Signature project
GRADEMARK REPORT

GENERAL COMMENTS

Instructor

PAGE 1

Article Error You may need to use an article before this word.

Consider using the article the.

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PAGE 2

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sure that the article or pronoun agrees with the word it describes.

PAGE 6

Article Error You may need to use an article before this word. Consider using the article the.

Sentence Cap. Remember to capitalize the first word of each sentence.

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PAGE 9

Article Error You may need to use an article before this word. Consider using the article the.
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PAGE 10

Article Error You may need to use an article before this word. Consider using the article the.

P/V You have used the passive voice in this sentence. Depending upon what you wish to emphasize in
the sentence, you may want to revise it using the active voice.

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P/V You have used the passive voice in this sentence. Depending upon what you wish to emphasize in
the sentence, you may want to revise it using the active voice.
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Prep. You may be using the wrong preposition.
Article Error You may need to remove this article.

PAGE 12

Missing “,” You may need to place a comma after this word.
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PAGE 13

Possessive This word may be a plural noun and may not need an apostrophe.

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Article Error You may need to use an article before this word.

PAGE 14

Article Error You may need to use an article before this word.
Article Error You may need to use an article before this word. Consider using the article the.
Article Error You may need to use an article before this word. Consider using the article the.
Prep. You may be using the wrong preposition.

Proofread This part of the sentence contains a grammatical error or misspelled word that makes your
meaning unclear.

PAGE 15

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Missing “,” You may need to place a comma after this word.

PAGE 16

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P/V You have used the passive voice in this sentence. Depending upon what you wish to emphasize in
the sentence, you may want to revise it using the active voice.

PAGE 17

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the sentence, you may want to revise it using the active voice.
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PAGE 18

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PAGE 19

PAGE 20

PAGE 21

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PAGE 22

Confused You have used chose in this sentence. You may need to use choose instead.

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PAGE 23

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PAGE 24

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PAGE 25

Prep. You may be using the wrong preposition.

Verb This verb may be incorrect. Proofread the sentence to make sure you have used the correct form
of the verb.

PAGE 26

Run-on This sentence may be a run-on sentence. Proofread it to see if it contains too many
independent clauses or contains independent clauses that have been combined without conjunctions
or punctuation. Look at the “Writer’s Handbook” for advice about correcting run-on sentences.

PAGE 27

Signature project
by Victoria Scott
Signature project
ORIGINALITY REPORT
PRIMARY SOURCES
Signature project
GRADEMARK REPORT
FINAL GRADE
GENERAL COMMENTS
Instructor

TheEffect of 1:1 Technology on the Academic Achievement of

Students from Designated Low-Income Families

Victoria Scott

University of West Alabama

Running Head: IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION

This proposal was written as part of the graduate course ED 504, Techniques of Educational Research, under the guidance of Dr. Chris Moersch.

Abstract

This paper is based on a comprehensive program carried out on 6th grade pupils in a Title 1 elementary school located in Chicago, Illinois. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of one to one (1:1) technology on the performance levels of students from low-income backgrounds.

Chapter One

Introduction

School officials and educators have attempted different approaches to promote pupil participation and academic performance, including the implementation of instructional technologies. The U.S. Department of Education (2002) observes that the No Child Left Behind Act aims to eliminate the digital divide, hence enhancing the digital literacy of students by the time they complete eighth grade regardless of their age, socioeconomic status, geographic location, physical/mental impairment, or any other distinguishing demographic trait.

Technology is the functional tool that people make use of to improve the extent of their capabilities. Various technologies are not only used to improve individuals’ abilities to perform jobs, they are also increasingly utilized in classrooms worldwide where they enhance student interest and their performance. Although technology programs can take on many forms in schools, 1:1 programs, which provide one computer per student, are increasing in popularity and prevalence in schools in general and in middle grades in particular (Anderman and Sayers 2019). These researchers gained experience with the 1:1 programs working in various parts of the country where they had first-hand experience of the pros and cons of incorporating 1:1 programs within schools. The findings of this research have been the impetus for the increasing interest in 1:1 program as well as the high support for middle-school adoption of such programs.

Statement of the Research Problem

The hypothesis and core aim for this study is to determine whether 1:1 technology can impact academic achievement and participation of designated low-income students.

The use of 1:1 Technology alone is not enough to guarantee stellar academic performance and student participation. It is vital to ensure that teachers themselves employ the use of best teaching practices. Administrators and instructors of academic material are continuously seeking novel ideas to increase the adoption and use of technology within classrooms as this can greatly impact academic performance (Mallia and Gorg 2013). Some of the biggest challenges faced by schools, particularly those in minority and low-income communities, include low-class participation rates and poor academic performance (Mallia and Gorg 2013). The use of 1:1 technology can serve to improve this state of affairs.

Could teachers increase student productivity by the use of technology? Anchored instruction theory supports this assertion. The theory emphasizes the place of practical instruction that is anchored in real life experiences using technology. This approach in which learners get the opportunity to interact with the material increases academic performance and participation substantially.

Data and Identification of the Problem

Poor academic performance especially in areas such as reading skills and mathematics in many low-income public schools is a cause of concern for education stakeholders. This poor academic performance coupled with low class participation rates raises a lot of questions about the quality of education in Chicago’s public schools especially in schools in low-income and minority neighborhoods. For this study the following research question was addressed: What impact will 1:1 technology have on the academic performance of low-income students? The chief research hypothesis for this study is: Implementing 1:1 technology will drastically increase the academic performance of low-income students. As the data below clearly shows, academic performance in public schools with low-income and minority students is in dire need of improvement if they are to achieve a secure academic future.

The state of Illinois introduced a new accountability system whose performance threshold was too high for almost half of all schools in Chicago, rendering them as probable targets of state intervention (Illinois Report Card 2013). Based on an educational report card, almost a fifth of the state’s 3800 schools were rated as “underperforming” (Illinois Report Card 2013). Any school that finds itself in the bottom two rating levels within the four-level rate system will be the subject of significant state aid and intervention. It will grant additional money to the failing students, visits from learning performance experts, and collaborations with higher-rated schools.

Figure 1

Figure 2 Figure 3

Figures 2 and 3 highlight a significant gap Based on the above charts, there are huge gaps between the performance of students from both low-income and non-low-income families in Chicago as compared to the state average. citywide statistics gleaned from the public-school system in Chicago. Figure 1 demonstrates that low-income families represent approximately 52% of families in city Chicago with children under 18 years of age. Moreover, low-income students within the city’s public-school system account for at least 85% of learners. While Figure 2 compares student performance in Chicago with statewide statistics, Figure 3 compares the same variable among low-income students within the city and those across the entire state. The latter two figures show that Chicago learners perform poorer than the state average in all three categories of science, math and reading. The impact of low-income status on learning performance is demonstrated by 2009 statistics that demonstrate how US schools with low a number of low-income students performed just as well as schools in other developed nations. However, schools with over three quarters of low-income students performed at par with countries in the developing world.

Some cities and towns face a higher burden of hosting and schooling low-income communities. Chicago is a fitting example of such a city since over 80% of students within its public-school system hail from low-income families and backgrounds (Illinois Report Card 2013). The question that emerges from this statistic is why the proportion of low-income students, 85%, is vastly higher than the city’s percentage of low-income families. The reason for this emerges from the behavior of the higher socio-economic classes, particularly the middle-class, who prefer private schools to the inner-city public schools. Furthermore, the geographical location also plays a role since middle-class families typically move into the suburbs, hence drawing farther and farther away from the location of most public schools. This phenomenon is hardly new or surprising, as it reflects the decades-old racial segregation that has characterized the city and its public-school system (Weis, et al, 2014). Prior to Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the schools in Chicago served a predominantly White and middle-class demographic. However, in the following three decades, this demographic was replaced by largely low-income Black and Latino communities. The relationship between low socioeconomic status and low test scores has been well documented at all levels from the local to the national level (Weis, et al, 2014). For example, whether one compares the performance of public schools in Chicago with those around the state, or whether the comparison is done for public schools exclusively within Chicago, the results all show that higher proportions of low-income students within schools is linked to lower-test scores and overall academic performance on the PSAE and ISAT (2014).

Impact on Student Achievement

The purpose of this proposed study will be to decide whether 1:1 technology has a significant effect on academic achievement of low-income students. It has been verified many times over that students who do not exhibit satisfactory academic achievement end up living less successful lives in the future as compared to those that do (Wright, 2009). The Illinois Board of Education schools report cards demonstrated a pathetic revealed unacceptable performance by Chicago students. Only 55% of students met or exceeded state standards in reading on the PSAE given to 11th grade students. The state of Illinois has a lower income ratio of 50 that that of the city, 85. And when comparison is only done between low-income students’ scores, the difference is smaller since 35% of more exceeded reading expectations nationally compared to 31% in the city. As part of this study, the investigation included one key research hypothesis: Implementing 1:1 Technology will drastically increase the academic performance of low-income students.

Technology changed the way lessons are taught today in the classroom. The teaching methodologies have undergone a paradigm shift from the traditional forms of education to the more modern ones. The role of the teacher has also changed from being the only source of information to be the facilitator of learning. The role of students has also shifted from being passive receivers of information to active discoverers of knowledge.

Suihr, et al. (2010) used a two-year sample in elementary classes where 1:1 students outperformed non-laptop students on English Language Arts (ELA). In a similar fashion, Shapley et al () reviewed the Texas 1:1 program to examine the level to which a sample of middle schools implemented the program. Additionally, the pilot study further assessed the link between effect of school implementation, student and teacher level, and the achievement of students in mathematics and reading. Bebell and Kay’s study similarly explored the introduction of a state pilot 1:1 initiative utilizing ELA students math and reading performance.

Despite the unique research goals, data sources and results, most papers analyze similar student and teacher outcomes enabling distinguishing of certain general patterns across different study outcomes. The studies mentioned collectively illustrate various common themes surrounding 1:1 programs and their impact. Bebell and Kay discovered via their research the change that occurred in teaching and learning habits as a result of introduction of computers, digital learning environments and other learning tools. The researchers studied five different schools which revealed differences in the 1:1 implementation and results, although they all recorded significant improvements in teacher practices, student participation, student research skills, and student achievement relative to the controls.

Research Method

The main methodology for this study will be a quasi-experimental design utilizing mixed method data collection via observation of students and data collected from Discovery Assessment reports progress monitoring. Random Sampling will also be used in the research methodology. Teachers will implement the use of 1:1 Technology through the use of Chromebooks during their mathematics and reading classes. Teachers will employ the use of interactive lessons and exercises on the Chromebooks that will give the students the opportunity to learn using a new and more interactive learning model. The Discovery Assessment Reports will be used to determine if they can recall and retain the information taught.

Summary

This data highlights the specific problem of student academic achievement in Chicago schools compared to the state of Illinois. This study will focus on low-income 6th grade students from a Title 1 elementary school. 1:1 Technology empowers students to take advantage of new forms of learning, develop digital skills and improve learning effectiveness. This study will use random sampling as the research methodology. This study suggests that the introduction of 1:1 technology within classrooms will improve student academic achievement. enhance recollection of learning material by students. Furthermore, the project will carry out observations on students and review data from Discovery Assessment reports at the Elementary school for the 6th grade.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction

The 1:1 technology movement has been a hot topic of debate in the past few years and their benefits have been scrutinized to good effect. Various studies have been undertaken to investigate the impact that 1:1 technology has on academic performance. Studies have yielded different results and whereas the benefits are palpable, the cost of instituting the initiative at certain times may prove too costly. be too high a price to bear. Anchored instruction theory emphasizes the place of practical instruction that is anchored in real life experiences using technology. Teachers are transformed from mere sources of information into coaches. This theory is widely applied at the primary level and used to improve mathematic, language and reading competencies. Anchored instruction provides an environment for active learning through challenging and motivating learners. The anchor or story contains embedded data in addition to extraneous information. Therefore, it is the prerogative of the learner to decipher, organize and extract all the relevant pieces of information.

There is a wide range of studies on the subject of technology-led growth in education. This research concentrates on the effect of the use of technology at school and at home on both the social and educational aspects. The researcher will discuss explore relevant literature supporting the role of technology and specifically 1:1 technology in improving student academic performance. for our review in the following sections. There are very few longitudinal studies that explain technology’s causal relationship to academic performance in America in education.

In summary, technology investment has an ambiguous impact on education, with such gains being mostly limited. Educational technology investments are often divided three ways: educational software, individual student laptops, and general investment in school Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The research will focus primarily on the second form of investment, individual student laptops, which is currently the biggest trend in education policy. The researchers will be presenting studies on general Technology investments in education.

Effect of General ICT in Education

A study carried out in California assessed the use of personal computers among students between grades 6 to 10. The randomized controlled experiment involved the free distribution of computers to children in these learning stages for home use (Fairlie and Kalil (2016) revealed that while students were more likely to have a social networking site and spent more time in direct communication with peers, the impact on educational outcomes were modest. with only a slight positive contribution to the children’s social development. However, Faber et al. (2015) studied the effects of government improvements in ICT on children’s school success and determined that academic progress improved by increasing internet connection speeds.

The researchers claim that the improvements are produced uniformly across the country and can thus manipulate external variations in order to estimate the causal effect (Wright, 2009). The researchers connected the test scores of primary and secondary students to the availability of computers in their homes. They found out that it has a limited impact on the educational achievement or productivity of the students. In a study of a Romanian voucher program, Malamud and Pop-Eleches (2011) sought to assess the impact of computers of student performance. The program supplied 35000 vouchers, each worth 200 euros, to be used for the purchase of home computers for low-income students within the country’s public-school system. A discontinuity framework for regression was used to estrimate the causal impact on cognitive and non-cognitive abilities, computer skills and academic achievement. The results showed that despite lower scores in English, Romanian and math, the study group had significantly higher scores in self-reported fluency measures and computer skills tests.

Effect of Laptop Programs in School

In 2002, the first large-scale one-to -one laptop system was introduced in Maine for educational purposes. All of the state’s 7th and 8th grade students and teachers were given laptops. The study involved carrying out a study comparing tests in handwritten writing results in the year 2000 with the same type of testing done after the laptops were implemented on the machine in 2005. Writing efficiency improved by one-third of a standard deviation but it did not seem to influence other types of tests (Shapley and Brite 2008). The basic comparisons made in the study, however, may not be sufficiently rigorous to establish causality (Wright, 2009).

The simple comparisons revealed in the research does not provide ample proof of causality. Suhr, et al (2010) studied the effect of introducing a 1:1 laptop program for students in the 4th and 5th grades within a California school district and concluded that A quasi-experimental design showed that after two years, students with laptops performed better in ELA, tests measuring literary review and response, and writing strategies than student without said laptops

The results of the Texas Laptop Initiative which was implemented in 21 state schools, studied the effects. The test group was paired with an acceptable control group comprised of schools that did not receive laptops on various criteria such as school size, district, and minority proportion. The study shows found some positive effects in some of the classes on reading abilities (Shapley et al., 2009). There are no discovered negative effects while conducting the study.

A study conducted by Cristia et al. (2017) looks at the One Laptop per Child Program in Peru. The goal of this program is to provide children with laptops for use at school and at home to enhance learning in one of the world’s poorest countries. The paper focuses on Peru’s randomized 1:1 laptop program that was initiated by the Peruvian government. Fifteen months after the implementation of the project, the research tests were collected. The initiative discovered has led to a significant increase in computer usage both at school and at home. Although there was no In addition, there is no major benefit on exams in neither mathematics nor language courses. a small effect on the students ‘ cognitive abilities occurred. (Wright, 2009).

Synthesis of Literature Review

The success of both general ICT investments in education and the implementation of laptop programs is having substantial impact on students from low-income backgrounds. There is considerable evidence that computer and cognitive skills are growing but evidence of spill-over effects on other subjects is low (Wright, 2009) . The results are unclear however, and it is difficult to draw any conclusions in the field of study so far. However, the established literature focuses mostly on the impact in lower educational levels and often on students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (Weis et al. 2014)

Chapter 3:  Methodology

Introduction

  A 1:1 implementation refers to an initiative in which every student in the classroom, school, school district, etc., has a laptop or computer, in the classroom to use and learn with as a resource. The 1:1 Implementation Classroom was for the instructor and also for the students involved in this study during its first year of implementation. This particular Sixth Grade classroom is one of two Sixth Grade classrooms used in the education pilot program for City of Chicago District # 299. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the research methodology of random sampling which will be used in the study. Quasi-experimental research will also be used alongside mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment reports progress monitoring. Teachers will implement the use of 1:1 Technology through the use of Chromebooks during their mathematics and reading classes. Teachers will employ the use of interactive lessons and exercises on the Chromebooks that will give the students the opportunity to learn using a new and more interactive learning model. Add:

Population

This study will investigate a one to one technology (1:1) implementation at a Title 1 elementary school in Chicago Illinois. The accessible population will be the 6th grade students at __________ Elementary School. This research aimed to evaluate how one-to-one technology (1:1 will be used hereafter) actually impacts low-income students’ academic achievement.

Sample 

Participants in this proposed study will be students from two separate classes in the Sixth Grade. The school has 84.3 percent of the school’s population that come from low-income backgrounds.  The total number of students who will be involved in the study would be 10 students. The researchers’ settled on 10 students because it was a reasonable number that will serve as the appropriate representation of the target population. The researchers also took into account the limited resources available for the study. A small and comprehensive sample size of 10 students would not only be an accurate representation of the population under observation it would also be cost effective to the researchers. The sample consists of three male Caucasian participants, three Hispanic Female participants, two African American female participants, one Caucasian female participant, and one African American male participant. The participants’ ages vary from 10 to 13 years old.  

Sample Technique

This study plans to use quasi-experimental research using mixed methods for data collection through student observations and data collected from Discovery Assessment progress report. The sampling technique that will be used in this particular case is the random sampling technique. This is because using the random sampling methodology everyone has an equal chance of being selected for data collection. Random sampling also ensures that the sample size is large enough to generalize to the entire population of 6th grade students. In this case, the total population of 6th grade students are 70 students. The methods which will be used in the data collection will be student observations and data collected from progress monitoring assessments (Weis et al. 2014). 

Role of Participants and Impact on Participants
 

People involved in this comprehensive research were students of sixth grade from two separate classes, but at the same Title 1 school in Chicago Illinois. In the classroom, technology influences the academic achievement and performance of the learners (Weis et al. 2014).

 When undertaking the research project, ethics should always be considered and taken seriously.  The study’s researcher aims to ensure all participants are covered against any damage that may arise as a result of the job. Researchers in the project will be inclusive of teachers who will be part and parcel of the collaborative process.

In the event that damage can be done to participants it is important that the researcher takes into consideration if the study can be performed in a safer manner and if the knowledge obtained warrants any potential harm.

The researchers should ensure to inform both participants and their parents or guardians of their rights, in addition to seeking informed consent. While information from the student evaluation will be used to glean data, participant information is kept confidential. Such confidentiality extends to student assessment forms, which will be devoid of any identifying details. Therefore, numbers will replace actual participant names. During data collection, the researcher will eb restricted in access. The researchers should make all participants aware not only of their right to withdraw from participation, but their right to request non-use of their data in the research analysis

Variables   

There are two variables in this study. The independent variable is the 1:1Technology implementation. The dependent variable is the aspect of student achievement. In testing for the results, the researcher will use a form of Pearson correlation analysis in order to find out whether or not student achievement was linearly associated with 1:1 Technology implementation. That will turn the categorical data into quantitative data.

Timeline

The researchers will collect data over a five-week period. Two approaches will be used to monitor student involvement. Next, the researchers will create an Engagement Observation Method for quantitative data collection. The form will allow for tracking and collection of data over a course of a lesson on ten randomly selected students.

Second, the researcher will also use seating charts to record data about student engagement. Using fast scans of the entire class at regular intervals of 3 or 5 minutes, the researchers coded each student as either on-task (+) or off-task-) (under the name of each student. Although this did not give the researchers precise behavioral details, the researchers were able to gather a broader set of data. In addition to student observation methods, the researchers each documented their observations and field notes in narrative format for each day that they incorporated technology into their lessons inside a teacher journal. This data gathering method will help the researchers to collect more qualitative data about their personal experiences, achievements and technology integration failures. The researcher’s journals will be an informal resource that will be explained after a lecture, regarding the experiences. The researcher will not map out any specific students.

Constitutive and Operational Definitions

1:1 Technology- It applies to the technical movement of every child in the classroom, school, school district, etc., possessing a laptop or computer, using and studying as a resource in the classroom.

Anchored Instruction Theory: This applies to the real-world experience as the core content of instruction for schooling. Through real world simulation, students get to explore such problems and develop solutions in various ways. In this context, the term “anchor” refers to the reality of the living world while “casting the anchor” refers to the process of establishing and identifying real world situations in problem solution. “Anchored” instruction is one of the key educational models under the constructive theory of learning. A cognitive and scientific team developed it in 1992, under the guidance of American professor John Bransford at Vanderbilt University. The Anchored Theory of Instruction emphasizes learning based on technology. Students are grounded in the reality of actual life, while using technology as a carrier, and are thus able to discover problems, generate queries and ultimate solve these problems.

Description of Data 

Four tests are conducted over the whole school year with 9-12 weeks between each evaluation. The predictive benchmark tests are intended to forecast the success during the academic year on the student’s next high-stakes test.

Reliability and Validity of Instrument

In this study, the results of Topic Tests in Math, Discovery Education Assessment (Math), and attendance were used to determine if 1:1 Technology positively impacts student academic achievement. The Topic Studies were adapted from the Pearson enVision Math sequence that Chicago Public Schools has embraced (Mallia and Gorg 2013).

Collaborative Resources

These resources can be broken down into several components. The initial chief resource of use are the teachers who are responsible for the implementation of 1:1 technology, completing evaluation tasks, providing full progress tracking evaluations for the participants and analyzing data obtained to guide instruction. The second resource is the online assessment program provided and run by the school district. The students will use this tool to complete their reporting evaluations of success. The data will then be obtained from the assessment reports of the program.

Leverage Plan 

Resources will be acquired for 1:1 Technology program from within the school that promotes technology in education. The school district can be leveraged to provide resources for the program in the form of laptops to facilitate the 1:1 project study. The laptops will be vital in being an instrument of study for the duration of the entire program.

Teachers can employ the use of instructional content in the transmission of pertinent educational content using a variety of different digital formats (such as video, slideshows and online texts). The students can be able to access such content independently and easily free up the teacher’s individual resources for other activities. Furthermore, students themselves can be leveraged for better implementation of the program through the use of group projects during class time, while employing the use of online collaborative tools which can greatly serve to expand the entire scope of their learning.

Partnership with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be crucial to the success of the program. However, even as the researcher liaises together with the relevant school districts it is important to ensure that key stakeholders are involved and brought on board early on. These stakeholders include, teacher, students, parents, the community and even key school board members. There will be a working partnership with the school administrators to ensure that the best and most effective behavioral models of digital learners and leaders are modeled effectively.

Limitations

This research was also performed with participants of Sixth Grade aged 11 and 12. Children at this developmental stage have lees control than their high school counterparts and hence rely more on parental support and guidance within their schooling. Furthermore, not all students within traditional classroom setups participated in the research whereas all students were participants in the 1:1 classroom. These differences between the number of participants could possibly cause misrepresentation or skewing of data collected, hence skewing the outcomes.

References

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Visible Learning Guide to Student Achievement

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APPENDIX A 

STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR MINORS

 This method represents a research being carried out with students on the positive and negative effects that technology has on the achievement of the students. The aim of this research is to compare the effects that technology has on student achievement; more specifically the positive and negative effects, as well as the resources that increase or decrease the ability of a student to do work in class. The person carrying out the work is a graduate student at the University of West Alabama School. When you decide to include your child in this research, he / she will be asked to complete a questionnaire about his / her technology skills inside and outside the math class. The possible benefits from being in this study could be that information will be learned that would allow teachers to better a student’s ability to do work in the classroom due to the presence of technology. Teachers will be able to enhance their classrooms in the future due to the information that prevail from this research. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. Being in it or refusing to be in it, will not affect your grades or class standing. You are free to change your mind or stop being in the study at any time. The potential benefit of being in this study could be the acquisition of knowledge that would allow teachers to improve the ability of a student to do classroom work because of the existence of technology. Because of the knowledge prevailing from this study, teachers will be able to improve their classrooms in future. Your involvement in this study is absolutely voluntary. Being in or refusing to be in it will have no effect on your grades or status in class. You are free to change your mind at any time, or to avoid being in the study.

I understand that: 

1. My participation is voluntary, and I have the right to refuse to answer my questions. I will have a chance to discuss any questions I have about the study with the researcher after completing the questionnaire at any time. If you chose to not participate in the study, you will still participate in the review unit and the grades on the tests will be included in your 6th marking period grade. The grades however will not be used in part of the study.

2. My confidentiality is guaranteed. My name will not be written on the survey. There will be no way to connect me to the 26 written survey. If any publication results from this research, I would not be identified by name. Results will be given anonymously and in group form only, so that neither the participants nor their schools can be identified. 

3. There will be no anticipated personal risks because of participation in this project.

4. My participation involves reading a written survey of 10 questions and answering those questions in writing. It is estimated that this survey will take 10 minutes to complete.

5. Approximately 20 students will take part in this study. The results will be used for the completion of a research project by the primary researcher. 

6. Data and consent forms will be kept separately in a locked filing cabinet by the investigator and will be destroyed by shredding when the research has been completed. 

You are being asked whether or not you want to participate in this study. If you wish to participate, and you agree with the statement below, please sign in the space provided. Remember, you may change your mind at any point and withdraw from the study. You can refuse to participate even if your parent/guardian gives permission for you to participate.

____________________________________             ___________________________________

Project Director                                    Participant/parent signature       date

APPENDIX B

STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR PARENTS 

This form describes a study being carried out with students on the positive and negative effects that technology has on the achievement of the students. The purpose of this research is to compare the effects that technology has on student achievement; more specifically the positive and negative effects, as well as the tools that increase or decrease the ability of a student to do work in class. The research person is a graduate student at West Alabama University. When you decide to include your child in this report, he / she will be asked to complete a questionnaire on his / her technology skills within and outside the math classroom.

During the study, students will also be introduced to different forms of technology such as calculators, computers and websites related to maths. To assess the impact of technology on the capacity of your student to do research in the classroom, students will also be given testing instruments. The reports are anonymously presented in spreadsheets and table or graph formats. 

          During the course of the study the students will use graphing calculators and the measuring tools will help to determine if there is an improvement in student achievement due to the presence of technology in the math classroom. The potential benefit of being in this study could be the acquisition of knowledge that would allow teachers to improve the ability of a student to do classroom work because of the existence of technology. Because of the information prevailing from this research, teachers will be able to improve their classrooms in future. Participation of your child in this study is completely voluntary.

Being in it or refusing to be in it, will not affect your child’s grades or class standing. S/he is free to change her/his mind or stop being in the study at any time. 

I understand that: 

1. Participation of my child is voluntary and after completing the questionnaire he / she will have the opportunity to discuss any questions he / she has about the study with the researcher. Refusing to engage in the study will have no effect on class grades or scores.

2. The safety of my child is assured. The survey will not have her / his name written on it. There’s no way my child can be connected to written survey. S / he would not be identified by name if any publication results from this research. Results will only be given in group form anonymously, so that neither the participants nor their schools can be identified.

3. Due to participation in this project, there will be no anticipated personal risks.

4. My child’s participation involves reading and answering in writing a written survey of 10 questions. This survey is estimated to take about 10 minutes to complete.

1. There will be about 10 students participating in this study. The findings will be used by the primary researcher for finalizing a research project. 

1. The investigator must keep data and consent forms separately in a locked filing cabinet and will be destroyed by shredding once the work is complete.

You are being asked if you will allow your child to take part in this study, or not. If you wish to allow participation, and agree with the statement below, please sign in the space provided. Note, at any stage you may change your mind, and withdraw from the report. Your child can refuse to attend, even if you gave her / him permission to participate. I accept the information provided in this form and agree to allow my child to take part in this project as a participant. I’m 18 years old, or older. I have read the above statements and I understand them. In my satisfaction, all my questions regarding my child’s inclusion in this study have been answered.

____________________________________             ___________________________________

 Project Director                                    Participant/parent signature       date

APPENDIX C

Technology Survey 

1) State your gender 

2) grade level __ _ 

3) Can you define what technology is? (what does it mean to you?)

4) What forms of technology have you been using in your classrooms?

 5) What forms of technology are you using outside of your classroom? 

6) What kinds of technology are you using in math class? 

7) Does the calculator program in your laptop make maths easier to work with? Why? For what? 

8) What kinds of technology do you want to see used in school?

 9) Do you feel more confident in math class when calculators can be used to assist you?

10) Include ideas on how to make maths more fun. (Give 3 suggestions)

APPENDIX D

Student Survey

1. How often do you use your school issued laptop outside of the classroom for learning purposes? (Note:’ Learning’ does not have to be school-related. It can include any time you spend reading on your computer, discovering data, looking for knowledge, communicating with experts, researching a subject you are interested in, writing, sharing ideas and information, working creatively with others, OR doing homework or school-related work)

a. Every Day

 

b. Most Days

 

c. Sometimes

 

d. Rarely

 

e. Never 

2. Do you have Internet access at home? 

a. Yes

b. I had access sometimes (i.e. it was very slow or unreliable) 

c. No 

3. If you have access to one or more non-school issued laptop computers (including a smartphone, smart TV, iPad, mobile, laptop, or other device) how often do you use non-school issued laptops for learning purposes?

a. Every Day 
b. Most Days

c. Sometimes 

d. Rarely
e. Never 

4. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning during class time in your English language arts class?

 a. Every Day

 

b. Most Days 

c. Sometimes 

d. Rarely 

e. Never 

5. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your science class? 

a. Every Day 
b. Most Days 
c. Sometimes

 d. Rarely

 e. Never 

 6. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your social studies class?

 a. Every Day

 b. Most Days

 c. Sometimes 

d. Rarely 
e. Never 

7. How often do you use your school provided laptop for learning in your math class? 

a. Every Day
b. Most Days 
c. Sometimes 
d. Rarely
 e. Never