Post on 16-Apr-2017
Schools of the Future in Schools of the Future in Hawaii: Networked Hawaii: Networked
Learning Communities and Learning Communities and
Teaching InnovationTeaching Innovation
A Dissertation Proposal Lisa V. Mireles
September 2010
THE PROBLEMTHE PROBLEM
Students are not prepared for success in the rapidly changing, global landscape and need more innovative, student-centered teaching integrating 21st century skills & literacies
Effective professional development such as Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) can help teachers shift thinking and practice
Networked Learning Communities (NLC’s) amplify the potential of PLC’s by providing new mechanisms for sharing and strengthening knowledge & practice across schools.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDYPURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The intent of this descriptive, quantitative study is to test the relationship between
teacher participation in a networked learning community as it relates to levels of sharing as it relates to the development
of teaching innovation.
CONTEXT FOR THE STUDYCONTEXT FOR THE STUDY
Schools Of The Future NLC◦Five year project (2009-2014)◦Hawai’i Community Foundation & Hawai’i
Association of Independent Schools◦Twenty independent schools, 600 teachers, 3-5
key leaders at each school◦Focused on 21st century, innovative practice◦Face to Face quarterly meetings, formal online
community of learner discussions, annual study tours, and an online collaboration space
SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE NINGSCHOOL OF THE FUTURE NING
INNOVATIVE 21INNOVATIVE 21STST CENTURY CENTURY TEACHING & LEARNINGTEACHING & LEARNING
Student-centered, integrating what has become known as 21st Century Learning:
Creativity & InnovationCommunication & CollaborationResearch & Information Fluency
Critical Thinking & Problem SolvingDigital Citizenship
Effective Use of Technology
Reform efforts should focus on strengthening TEACHER PRACTICE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TRADITIONAL PD 21ST CENTURY PD
Workshop modelNot contextualFragmentedNo follow-upPromotes isolationIs not sustained over
time
Deepens teacher knowledge
Allows for application and reflection with colleagues
Active, hands-onCollaborative/CollegialIntensive/Sustained
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES
21st Century model for professional development aligned with how teachers learn best
Recommended by The Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Take advantage of teacher expertise & experience
Reflective, professional inquiryCan positively impact practice & achievement
NETWORKED LEARNING NETWORKED LEARNING COMMUNITIESCOMMUNITIES
Strengthen PLC’s via upload/downloadKnowledge TransferThreads + Knots = NetsReciprocal, Reflexive and SynergisticWhat is Known + What we Know = What we
Create Together ICT amplifies potentialModel tenets of 21st century teaching and
learningCan positively impact practice & achievement
RESEARCH NEEDS/GAPSRESEARCH NEEDS/GAPS
Research base fragmented, sparse and contradictory
Most studies conducted in other countries or with initiatives that no longer exist
Little exploration of the role digital tools play in networks
Relies on perspective of network coordinatorsSurprisingly little research on the processes and
outcomes of networking in educationNeed more research on participant
characteristicsNecessary to research the space between the
network and the school
SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEWSUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW
The literature suggests that the real power of the network rests primarily in the “collaborative inquiry that challenges thinking and practice”.
The nature of network participation and the informal quality of the professional relationships between network participants is worthy of examination.
Dynamic of the NetworkDynamic of the Network
RESEARCH APPROACH AND RESEARCH APPROACH AND DESIGNDESIGN
Quantitative, DescriptiveCross-Sectional, Non-ExperimentalSurvey DesignIndependent Variables
◦Teacher participation in the network ◦Professional relationships◦Professional learning opportunities ◦Benefits
Dependent Variable◦Levels of Teaching Innovation
RESEARCH QUESTIONSRESEARCH QUESTIONS
Do teachers who participate more frequently in networked learning community activities utilize more innovative teaching strategies as measured by the LoTi Digital Age Survey?
Do teachers who develop new professional relationships in networked learning communities utilize more innovative teaching strategies as measured by the LoTi Digital Age Survey?
Does the type of professional learning community in the school bear a relationship to levels of teaching innovation as measured by the LoTi Digital Age Survey?
Does the intensity of professional development in a school bear a relationship to levels of teaching innovation as measured by the LoTi Digital Age Survey?
What factors do the teachers with higher levels of teaching innovation as measured by the LoTi Digital Age Survey report as being significant in influencing changes in their practice?
SUBJECTSSUBJECTS
Convenience Sample (potentially 650 teachers across 20 project schools)
All subjects will be teachers and/or project leaders in School of the Future project schools
Schools reflect a diverse, cross section of independent schools in Hawaii, representing different school sizes, different school philosophies and affiliations, and different islands
CONSENT PROCEDURESCONSENT PROCEDURES
Support sought from HAIS to conduct studyIRB exempt application & waiver of
documentation of informed consent application completed
E-mail to be sent to all school-level project coordinators two weeks prior to survey launch
E-mail to be sent to all subjects at onset of study detailing the voluntary nature of the study, purpose, risks, and benefits. Clicking on the survey link will indicate consent.
VALIDITY AND RELIABILITYVALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
Validity◦Loti demonstrates content, construct and
criterion validity◦10 custom questions will be content validated
Reliability ◦Stability and consistency of test measurement◦LoTi demonstrates internal consistency◦Cronbach’s Alpha to check for internal
consistency of custom questionsLoTi accurately captures teaching innovation
INSTRUMENTATIONINSTRUMENTATION
Levels of Teaching Innovation Digital Age Survey for Dependent Variable
Ten Custom Questions Designed by Researcher for Independent Variables (Participation, Relationships and Network Benefits)
Schools of the Future Profiles for Independent Variables (Intensity of Professional Development, Type of Learning Community)
DATA COLLECTION & RECORDINGDATA COLLECTION & RECORDING
Survey will run for one month
Weekly reminders and one final during the last week with a few days to go
LoTi will provide the researcher a summary and the raw data
Data will be coded to remove identifying factor (e-mail address)
DATA ANALYSISDATA ANALYSIS
Descriptive◦Clean data, Coding, Recoding◦Means & frequencies for all variables ◦Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability on custom
questions
Inferential◦T-Test for Custom Question #1 ◦Pearson’s R for Custom Questions #2-9◦Chi Square for Custom Question #10
VARIABLE/ANALYSIS MATRIX VARIABLE/ANALYSIS MATRIX
LIMITATIONSLIMITATIONS
Bias in self-report format of survey research
Representativeness of teachers who complete the survey
Correlational research only identifies associations rather than cause and effect
QUESTIONS & ANSWERSQUESTIONS & ANSWERS
MAHALOMAHALO