At the Starting Line

       

        Like a runner, whose toes are at the starting line, I’m waiting for the gun to go off and start the run. As I wait for school to begin and the assessment processes to start, I feel those anxious butterflies. What if my study is inconclusive? What if we go through all of this and it only provides more questions? What if the data shows a negative result and we have to continue the search for more alternatives? What if the result is positive? Can we afford to expand our program campus wide?

       All these questions are swirling through my head. 

       I wonder if I really will have time to concentrate on all this once school starts. For this point, I’m extremely grateful to have begun my classwork during the summer. It sets up an entire school year for my study to run. We will collect an adequate amount of data and the results should be clear.

       If the results show positive impacts by Moodle on student engagement, higher order thinking skills displays, and performance, this could expand campus wide in our school. This could positively impact our entire student population. It’s exciting to be a part of that.

Let the Madness Begin!

After meeting with my Site Supervisor and reviewing comments to

my plan, I have decided to implement it as is. There are a few tweaks such as using our school software to deliver the needed surveys and planning to be a bit more aggressive in keeping tabs with my participating teachers. Overall, the structure seems sound. As my Supervisor said, "The more data, the better." 

Below is the overall project in written form for review. Enjoy!

SETTING THE FOUNDATION Our campus is examining the possibility of implementing a campus wide BYOD plan in our classrooms. In the technology plan, the emphasis is on using technology to innovate and enhance learning. To see if the BYOD plan will enhance learning, we researched ways to incorporate devices in a way that engages students, causes them to use higher level thinking skills, and increases performance. A Learning Management Source was selected to help the BYOD effort in the classroom. After research, a hosted Moodle LMS was selected.        ANALYZING DATA Pre- and Post-project surveys will be conducted with all the stakeholders. This includes the study teachers, students and their parents. Engagement and Bloom’s taxonomy levels will be determined by the use of classroom observation and teacher reporting. Observations will be recorded once each six week period. Three observations will occur in the environment before implementation of Moodle. Three observations will occur during the implementation of Moodle in the environments. This gives a total of six observations per classroom. Three classrooms will participate. One classroom will represent the lower campus, a fourth grade inclusive classroom. A sixth grade Language Arts classroom will represent the middle campus. The senior high campus will be represented by a social studies classroom. The total number of students represents approximately 18 percent of the student population. This shows a wide range of ages, subject matter, and a cross section of inclusive and rotating classes. This is a fairly good representation of the school body. Also, disaggregation of performance data will provide needed input for student performance levels.        DEVELOPING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING To be sure we have included all stakeholders, students, teachers and parents will provide  additional resource information. All groups will complete a survey at the beginning of the project. At the end of the project, the groups will complete another survey. We will examine this data to collect information that was not observed in the classroom. Also, student performance will be measured by end of the year grades. Those before the Moodle implementation will be compared with grades after the Moodle implementation. Also, grades from previous years’ classes at the same point and the actual study class grades from the previous year will be examined.        ENGAGE IN SELF-REFLECTION During this study I will need to keep my thoughts to myself until the end of the study. In a way, I hope this works because my school was willing to pay money for the Moodle hosting. If using Moodle doesn’t raise these factors, I’m wondering if I will regret asking for all that money. Also, I am struggling with using one of my classes for the study because I don’t know if it will skew the results. I really need to put on my “scientist” cap and let the data drive the study.        EXPLORING PROGRAMMATIC PATTERNS Using BYOD in select classrooms, we have found that teachers are integrating the technology by using it for something they have already done previously. For example, instead of writing a report by hand, teachers allow students to use computers for word processing. Students are still writing the same report, only now they are using a computer to type the information. The teachers are not utilizing the technology for innovation. The addition of using Moodle in the classroom is helping teachers to enhance the classroom environment by forcing them to do things they haven’t done before. This may include e-portfolios, student reflection, chat help for students, and more collaboration. Data indicators will tell us if this change to our environment enhances learning. Computer wireless support may be a problem. Also, I need to be sure that teachers are utilizing Moodle within the test classes. I also wonder how this might impact other classes that are not using Moodle. Will this cause a problem with those not in the study? Probably not, but it is a consideration to make.        DETERMINING DIRECTION The direction of my project is clear. Focus is on student engagement, thinking skill level and performance impacted by the use of Moodle in a classroom. All teachers have access to learning and have the skills necessary to be successful. All teachers understand their parts in this collaborative study. The timelines are realistic and the plan to monitor the project is reasonable. Success will be determined by increases in the data factors. If the observation tools are not working well, teacher input and evaluation will be used instead.        TAKING ACTION FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Although I have not formed a traditional committee to help with this project, there are many supporters in the wings. First, the group of teachers participating in the project will be a great resource and support. Also, the Technology Committee has offered its help in compiling data. Finally, my site supervisor is supportive and has offered to help on all levels. The project will span two semesters. The first will use traditional classroom settings. After this semester, data and evaluations will be taken for a formative evaluation. Following the second semester using Moodle in the classrooms, more data and evaluations will be assessed. Finally, all the data and assessments will be evaluated to form a final summative evaluation.       SUSTAIN IMPROVEMENT Following the project, I will inform my online colleagues. Also, I will have an opportunity to meet with our Administrative staff for a report, followed by an opportunity to present my findings to the school board.  Even if the findings do not support Moodle classroom use, I hope to discover many aspects of the project that would be beneficial to continue in our school classrooms.

Action Plan for My Project

SIP or PIP (SCHOOL or PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT) PLAN OF ACTION

Study Purpose: Determine how the use of a Learning Management Source (Moodle) will affect student engagement, thinking skills and performance.

Study Significance: 

1.    Students will use the LMS. Data regarding student engagement, thinking skills and performance levels will determine the effect of LMS on student learning.

2.    Teachers will implement a LMS tool (Moodle) within a classroom creating data that will show how students are impacted by its use. Teachers will also self-evaluate the ease, usefulness and time allotment needed to use the tool to determine its impact on best practices.

3.    Administrators will examine the data after the project and determine whether this program should be recommended for use throughout all classrooms on the campus.

OUTCOMES	ACTIVITIES	RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED	RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES	TIME LINE	Benchmarks/ ASSESSMENT	Revisions to SIP/PIP based on monitoring and assessments
Proposal	Create proposal including purpose and significance	Online research of Learning Management Sources, Web Conference about connecting the LMS with our school software, RenWeb	Researcher and Head of Schools	Mid to late July 2013	Action Research Project Proposal created and signed for approval by Head of Schools and researcher	none
LMS product selected	Research LMS products and select which one to use for this project	Online research, emails	Researcher	Mid to late July 2013	LMS product selected and approved by Head of Schools	Moodle product is to be used for the project
Moodle product set up for study	Contact RenWeb hosting sources to begin Moodle implementation	Connection to RenWeb and request to Moodle hosting section	Researcher	Mid to late July 2013	Moodle product set up for use by teachers	none
Teachers acquired for study	Interview and select teachers to be involved in the study	Consideration of subject matter, grades taught, and technological abilities	Researcher	Late July to Mid-August	Names of teachers selected and approved for the project	none
Data collection tools selected	Research and select tools to measure engagement, thinking skills and performance. Teacher survey developed.	Online research into rubrics. Interview Curriculum and Instruction director for possible tools. Find out availability and access to grades for all classes. Develop a teacher survey to assess time, effort and reward of using the MLS.	Researcher and Director of Curriculum and Instruction	Late July to Mid-August	Assessment tool selected for engagement. Assessment tool selected for thinking skills. Document ability to access grades at midpoint and end of study. Teacher survey completed.	none
Teachers trained in Moodle use	Plan training and be responsible to see that all participating teachers have completed Moodle training.	Give teachers a deadline and have them complete the online Moodle training on RenWeb.	Researcher	Late August to Late October	All teachers will have completed the RenWeb Moodle training online course.	none
Engagement and Thinking Skills Assessments Used	Have actual assessments of the engagement and thinking skills of students in participating classrooms.	Administration members will assess students using the engagement and thinking skills tools.	Researcher Administration members	Late Aug. – Late Sept. 2013 Early Oct. – Early Nov. 2013 Mid-Nov. – Late Dec. 2013 Early Jan.-Mid-Feb. 2014 Late Feb.-Early April 2014 Mid-April – Late May 2014	Six engagement and six thinking skill assessments are completed for each participating classroom	none
Teacher survey I completed	Participating teachers will complete a survey assessing Moodle training and set up, and traditional classroom set up	Deliver surveys to teachers and be sure they are returned to compile early data.	Researcher Participating Teachers	Early November-Early December 2013	Completed Survey I from all participating teachers	none
Parent Pre-Participation Survey collected	Participating students’ parents will complete a survey before Moodle implementation	Research, develop, implement and collect data from parents through the use of a survey.	Researcher	Early November 2013	All parent pre-participation surveys will be collected.	none
Student Pre-Participation Survey Collected	Participating students will complete a survey before the Moodle implementation.	Research, develop, implement and collect data from students through the use of a survey.	Researcher, Participating teachers	Early November 2013	All student pre-participation surveys will be collected.	none
Performance Assessment Data Collected	Collect performance data on the students from both semesters and previous years	Using RenWeb grades, compare student performance for the two semesters. Also compare performance from last year and from last year’s class.	Researcher Counselor or Director of Curriculum and Instruction	Late May -Early June 2014	Comparisons are completed between the semesters, students’ grades last year, and the class’ grades from the previous year	none
Parent Post-Participation Survey Collected	Participating students’ parents will complete a survey following the Moodle implementation in the classroom.	Research, develop, implement and collect data from parents through the use of a survey.	Researcher	Late May, 2014	All parent post-participation surveys will be collected.	none
Student Post-Participation Survey Collected	Participating students will complete a survey following the Moodle implementation in the classroom.	Research, develop, implement and collect data from students through the use of a survey.	Researcher, participating teachers	Late May 2014	All student post-participation surveys will be collected.	none
Teacher survey 2 collected	Participating teachers will complete a final survey assessing their use of Moodle in the classroom.	Prepare the survey and deliver them to the participating teachers. Collect all complete surveys and compile data.	Researcher Participating teachers	Late May 2014	Completed Teacher Survey 2 from all participating teachers are selected.	none
Data Analysis and Written Report	Compile all data and compare levels of engagement, thinking skills and performance before and after using Moodle in the classrooms.	Compile all data and begin to write a report detailing the effect of adding the LMS Moodle in the classrooms.	Researcher	Mid June-Late July 2014	Written report of data analysis for the study.	none
Written conclusions and recommendations	After analyzing the data, conclude the effects of Moodle in the classrooms and make a recommendation whether to expand it to all classrooms based on the data.	Research and compile data. Analyze the data and draw conclusions on the Moodle effectiveness in our classrooms. Make a recommendation as to whether and where Moodle implementation should be used in our classrooms.	Researcher	Mid-June—Late July 2014	Written recommendations of whether and where to use Moodle based on analysis of the project data.	Possible expansion of Moodle into classrooms across based on data.
Report Findings	Give information and recommendations to Head of Schools, Board of Directors, Other Administrators, parents and teachers. Enter findings on my action research blog, e-portfolio website, and post on blackboard.	Research when and where to give these presentations. Plan with the Head of Schools the best way to make the presentations.	Researcher with Head of Schools	Mid-Late July 2014	Presentation of Findings and Recommendations to Head of School, Board of Directors, Other Administrators, teachers and possibly parents.  Enter findings on my action research blog, e-portfolio website, and post on blackboard.	Possible expansion of Moodle into classrooms across based on data.