Initial Findings

Research Question: How do teacher perceptions and expertise with technology affect technology integration in the secondary mathematics classroom?

Findings from the 40 teacher surveys I analyzed supported the hypothesis that teachers comfortable using and exploring new technologies will be able to enhance student learning through the successful integration of current technological resources. However, I also discovered that confidence within the content area of mathematics was lower than I expected. This is not what I was expecting. I had assumed that the majority of the respondents would score high in the area of pedagogical content knowledge. Since I only surveyed Georgia teachers, this could be attributed to the new curriculum for mathematics that was introduced in Georgia last year. Many of the respondents commented that they felt their needed to be more training in the content area of mathematics as well as integrating technology. I did find there to be a positive correlation between confidence in content area and integrating technology in the classroom. This information will be helpful for my dissertation research. I will take the new Georgia curriculum into account and alter my initial survey accordingly.

Data Analysis Reflection

Quantitative:

As you have engaged in interim analysis of your quantitative data, what have you learned? Did you find what you expected? 
As I begin to analyze my data, I am somewhat (but not completely) surprised at what is materializing. Although teachers seem to be ranking their content knowledge higher as higher than technology knowledge (expected), the content knowledge appears to be lower than I expected. I believe this can be attributed to the new mathematics curriculum that was introduced last year.

What do you still want to know? What new questions do you have?
So a new question I need to tackle (either now or in the future) is discovering if the teachers feel there has been adequate training for the new curriculum. Their comfort level in this area is reflected in the answers given in the surveys. Although my initial goal was to discover how technology enhances the teaching of mathematics, I am wondering if I should now argue that enhanced technology training in combination with continued professional development will be the best ways to increase student achievement.

Have results from interim analysis of your quantitative data challenged your assumptions or preconceived notions about your topic? Has the analysis made clear any biases or made you think about them?
I would not say that my assumptions about my topic have been challenged, but altered. When I began my dissertation and this pilot study, I did not take the new curriculum into account. I should have realized that such a drastic change would alter or skew teachers beliefs about their own abilities in all aspects of teaching.

Data Organization

My surveys have all been administered and I am starting to have some responses trickle in. I plan to follow the timeline I created and I will begin data analysis on November 1, 2013. As I have previously stated, I am administering my survey via email through Google Forms. This makes data collection and organization fairly easy.

• All of the survey data is collected and stored in a Google spreadsheet
• The data must then be coded to match the Likert-scale associated with each response
• 1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree
• The mode of each question will be analyzed and used to determine a ranking for each subgroup of the survey
• Additionally, an ANOVA test will be used to determine the difference in responses between genders, teaching experience, level of education, and location based by district
• The data will then be grouped into two nominal categories (agree/disagree) in order to run a chi-square test to test the null hypothesis of the study

Finally, I need to make sure that I save a "clean" version of my original data.

Timeline of Pilot Study

Date	Task
July 30, 2013	IRB Submission
no later than September 21, 2013	Second IRB Resubmission with requested changes
TBD October X, 2013	IRB Approval
September 20, 2013 until IRB approval	Compile an email list of high school mathematics teachers in preparation for administering the survey
October X, 2013 (upon IRB approval)	Administer Survey Solicitation E-mail
October X, 2013 (upon IRB approval) - November 1, 2013	Survey Administration and Data Collection
November 1 - 8, 2013	Data Analysis
November 9 - 17, 2013	Write up findings and conclusions
November 18 - 22, 2013	Edit Paper
December 2, 2013	Stakeholder Presentation
December 4, 2013	UWG Presentation
December 7, 2013	Final Submission

Introduction and Purpose Statement

Integrating Technology Resources in a Secondary Mathematics Classroom

Molly McKee

University of West Georgia

Introduction

Technology and education are both areas that are constantly changing and evolving.  To provide students with the best possible education, educators must learn how to effectively incorporate technology into the classroom.  The use of technology in the classroom is lagging behind current technology trends.  Classroom technology needs to parallel the types of technology students are using outside the classroom.  In the area of mathematics, the primary technology resource is a calculator.  Greater efforts need to be made to integrate all sorts of technology into the secondary mathematics classroom.  Secondary mathematics units that consist primarily of technology centered learning have the potential to increase student comprehension on district benchmark tests and raise student engagement depending on the level of proficiency the instructor has with the given technological tools.

Technology is one of the six principles created by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) for school Mathematics.  The Technology Principle states that “technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning (NCTM, 2005, p.24).  The Common Core Standards that are currently being implemented across the nation align with the goals of NCTM’s technology principle.  The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics number five, entitled use appropriate tools strategically, states:

When making mathematical models, [students] know that technology can enable them to visualize the results of varying assumptions, explore consequences, and compare predictions with data.  Mathematically proficient students at various grade levels are able to identify relevant external mathematical resources, such as digital content located on a website, and use them to pose or solve problems.  They are able to use technological tools to explore and deepen their understanding of concepts.  (p.7)

Although the ideal mathematics curricula presented by NCTM and the Common Core standards are attainable, implementation can prove to be challenging.  It is the responsibility of educators and the educational system to ensure that integrating technology in to the classroom and curricula are successful.  Teachers must be open to learning new ways to teach, and administrators must offer teachers an opportunity to learn new techniques.  It is impossible for teachers to make substantial and effective changes in their classrooms, if they are not provided with proper direction and instruction on how to achieve success (Apple, 1992).

As technology changes and becomes more prevalent in everyday society, educators need to become comfortable with using technology as an instruction tool and students need to learn how to operate the tools they will be using in future professions.  Research needs to be done to establish if instructional technology is an enhancement to current teaching styles or if it will hinder student learning.  Since student engagement and retention is always an important factor in education, we need to discover if integrating technology into the classroom will increase these factors. 

Research Questions

            The purpose of this mixed methods pilot study is to investigate the effects technology integration has on student mathematical comprehension and subsequent standardized test scores.  The research questions being addressed through this study are: Does a technology enhanced unit plan increase student comprehension and retention in high school mathematics?  How does technology affect student comprehension in the secondary mathematics classroom?  How do teacher perceptions and expertise with technology affect technology integration in the secondary mathematics classroom?

The instrument used to collect the quantitative research data will be benchmark exams created and administered by the district. Benchmark exams are local formative assessments that have been previously used to gauge student achievement, comprehension, and retention. The qualitative research will be conducted by using a variation of the Survey of Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology created by Schmidt, Baran, Thompson, Koehler, Mishra, and Shin. The survey must be altered because the original is intended for pre-service teachers the research for this study will be conducted with in-service teachers. The reliability of the scores of the survey, documented by Schmidt (2009), is as follows:

Reliability of the Scores (from Schmidt et al, 2009).

TPACK Doman	Internal Consistency (alpha)
Technology Knowledge (TK)	.86
Content Knowledge (CK)
Social Studies	.82
Mathematics	.83
Science	.78
Literacy	.83
Pedagogy Knowledge (PK)	.87
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)	.87
Technological Pedagogical Knowledge  (TPK)	.93
Technological Content Knowledge (TCK)	.86
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)	.89

Purpose

The purpose of this pilot study is to measure how effective technology integration is on student engagement and comprehension in secondary mathematics classrooms.  The direct goal of this study is to use the results of other researchers in conjunction with research on available technology resources to determine if it is possible to create an effective mathematics unit taught primarily through the integration of technology.  The research from this study will contribute to the current literature and research on technology integration in a variety of ways.  The existing research conducted by scholars such as Stiler (2007), focuses specifically on integrating one type of technology to enhance an entire curriculum, rather than using a variety of resources to expand the enrichment a specific unit.

The results of this study will directly benefit all teachers of the new common core mathematics curriculum.  Siegle (2004) discusses the benefits of technology for the advancement of gifted students, while Smith and Robinson (2003) stress how the use of technology can be used to aid in the remediation and advancement of students with special needs.  Therefore, the secondary goal of this study is to demonstrate how technology can be integrated into any type of classroom environment to increase student comprehension and engagement on all levels.

References

Apple, M. (1992). Do the Standards Go Far Enough? Power, Policy, and Practice, in Mathematics Education. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 23(5), 258-291.

Beaver, R. & Moore, J. (2004). Curriculum design and technology integration: a model to use technology in support of knowledge generation and higher-order thinking skills, Learning & Leading with Technology, 32(1), 42–45.

Delen, E. & Bulut, O. (2011). The relationship between students’ exposure to technology and their achievement in science and math. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 10, 311-317.

Georgia Department of Education. (2005). Office of curriculum, and testing. Available from Georgia Department of Education, http://:public.doe.k12.ga.us

Lawrenz, F., Gravely, A., & Ooms, A. (2006). Perceived helpfulness and amount of use of technology in science and mathematics classes at different grade levels. School Science & Mathematics, 106(3), 133-139.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2005). Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, Virginia:NCTM.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers (2012). Common Core State Standards Initiative . Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

Safdar, A., Yousuf, M., Parveen, Q., & Behlol, M. (2011). Effectiveness of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching Mathematics at secondary level.  International Journal of Academic Research, 3(5), 67-72.

Schmidt, D.  A., Baran, E., Thompson A.  D., Koehler, M.  J., Mishra, P.  & Shin, T.  (2010).  Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK): The development and validation of an assessment instrument for preservice teachers.  Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(2), 123-149.

Schmidt, D.  A., Baran, E., Thompson A.  D., Koehler, M.  J., Mishra, P.  & Shin, T.  (2009).  The continuing development, validation and implementation of a TPACK assessment instrument for preservice teachers.  Paper submitted to the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association.  April 30-May 4, Denver, CO.

Siegle, D.  (2004) The merging of literacy and technology in the 21st century: a bonus for gifted education, Gifted Child Today, 27(2), 32–35.

Smith, S.  J.  & Robinson, S.  (2003) Technology integration through collaborative cohorts: preparing future teachers to use technology, Remedial and Special Education, 24(3), 154–160.

Stiler, G.  (2007).  MP3 players: Applications and implications for the use of popular technology in secondary schools.  Education, 128(1), 20-33.

Washington State, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (2002) Washington State Educational Technology Plan: a blueprint for Washington’s K-12 common schools and learning communities.  Retrieved from: http://www.k12.wa.us/ edtech/TechIntDef.aspx#_ftn1

Theoretical Foundation

          Enhancing student engagement and mathematical comprehension by integrating technology into instructional design is the overall goal of this research project. The constructivist learning theory is the most appropriate learning theory to describe this project. Led by theorist Piaget, the constructivist learning theory is centered around student led activities and a variety of learning techniques such as inquiry based, discovery, problem based, multimedia or web-based, and alternative learning (Roblyer, 2005).

          Another influential theory associated with this area of research is the cognitive theory of multimedia learning proposed by Mayer (1997). It follows the theory that humans process information in two ways; visually and auditory. By utilizing both of these methods of learning and processing, more meaningful learning is likely to occur (Mayer, 1997; Mayer & Moreno, 2003). Using multiple methods of presenting information leads to more learning transfer. Importantly, it also focuses on the amount of information that can be successfully processed and held in the working memory. These theories and principles are the theoretical basis for integrating technology into secondary classrooms.

Mayer, R.E. (1997). Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions? Education Psychologist, (32) 1-19.

Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educational Psychologist, (38)43-52.

Roblyer, M.D. & Edwards, J., (2005). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (Fourth Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Literature Review Map

Worldview

          At this point in my research, I am leaning towards a mixed methods approach. For this reason, I would say that the pragmatic worldview connects the best with my proposed research. The pragmatic worldview "[uses] pluralistic approaches to derive knowledge about the problem" (Creswell, p. 11). Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to analyze data and develop a better understanding of the research question(s) at hand. "Pragmatism opens the door to multiple methods, different worldviews, and different assumptions, as well as different forms of data collection and data analysis" (Creswell, p.11).
          Another worldview that also relates closely with my research project is the constructivist worldview. I hesitate to embrace this worldview completely due to the fact that it is primarily used in qualitative studies. However, I am interested in how teachers' perceptions of technology affect the way the technology is integrated into the classroom. My goal is to "understand the historical and cultural settings of the participants" through the qualitative data so that I can determine correlations between teacher perceptions and student posttest achievement (Creswell, p. 8).

Review of Research

Shirley, M. L., Irving, K. E., Sanalan, V. A., Pape, S. J., & Owens, D. T. (2011). The practicality of implementing connected classroom technology in secondary mathematics and science classrooms. International Journal of Science & Mathematics Education, 9(2), 459-481.

Research Questions

1. What features external to mathematics and science teachers’ class- rooms demonstrate instrumentality of connected classroom technology (CCT) implementation?
2. What features of successful mathematics and science teachers’ class- room practice were congruent with CCT implementation?
3. What relative costs and benefits of CCT implementation are described by mathematics and science teachers? 

Theoretical Perspective

In my opinion, the theoretical perspective used for this research is social constructivism. “The goal of [constructivist] research is to rely as much as possible on the participants’ views of the situation being studied” and “the researcher’s intent is to make sense of (or interpret) the meanings others have about the world” (Creswell, 8). Social constructivists also tend to have open ended, qualitative research questions allowing for this interpretation of the problem being addressed.

Research Paradigm

This was a mixed methods study. Quantitative data analyzed posttest achievement between treatment and control groups. The researchers also collected and analyzed data from follow-up professional development sessions, biannual interviews, and annual classroom observations.

Methodology

The data was collected from 100 math teachers and 20 physical science teachers through two phone interviews which were recorded and transcribed. Based on successful implementation of the connected classroom technology, a subset of the original participants contributed in a 2-day classroom observation and a post-observation teacher interview (POI). The classroom observations were videotaped and the POI interviews were recorded and later transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the NVivo™ software package. The constant comparison method outlined by Strauss and Corbin (1998) was used for this analysis.

Findings

What features external to mathematics and science teachers’ class- rooms demonstrate instrumentality of connected classroom technology (CCT) implementation?

• Teachers experienced initial challenges in setting up computer equipment
• Lack of familiarity with the technology sometimes impeded instruction
• Teachers attributed their success to support from administrative and other teachers
• Flexibility and creativity was sometimes negatively impacted

What features of successful mathematics and science teachers’ class- room practice were congruent with CCT implementation?

• The researchers defined congruence as how well the innovation matched the participating teachers’ teaching style
• Classroom discussions were improved due to the new content delivery method
• CCT was used to support district- and state-level testing and achieve goals mapped out by the curriculum
• Teachers were able to use CCT to track student learning and progress

What relative costs and benefits of CCT implementation are described by mathematics and science teachers?

• The majority of the costs involved time and professional development learning how to use the technology
• A major benefit of CCT was the ability of teachers to track and monitor student progress quickly and efficiently

Conclusions

Based on the findings, implementing CCT appears to have been successful among the participating math and science teachers assuming they have support from their administration and can operate the technology correctly.

Relate

This study relates to my own research on a number of levels. I plan to focus my study on the implementation of technology in secondary mathematics classrooms. I am also leaning towards a mixed methods study because I would like to analyze student achievement through post testing as well as the teachers’ perceptions of technology in the classroom.

Impressions

This study focused on one aspect of technology in the classroom: audience response units. I would have liked to see a broader use of technology in the classroom. By incorporating interactive whiteboards into the classroom, a variety of technologies can be utilized in one lesson (audience response units, videos, audio, webquests, and interactive activities). Also, the number of participants in the study was far too small. Although they started with 120 teachers, they eliminated the teachers who were unable to successfully implement the CCT. I understand that being unable to use the technology made it impossible to answer the interview questions regarding implementation, but by eliminating participants, the researches drastically decreased the data pool.

Additional Resources

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4^th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Introduction

Welcome to my research journal. My topic is integrating technology in secondary mathematics classrooms. This blog will serve as my research journal as I prepare my action research project for EDSI 9963 at the University of West Georgia.