It has been a few weeks, but I have been ending one job and beginning another. Many changes here, but I have been fortunate to have my project be an application of some of the part-time work I do. I will cover in some detail what my position is, what we do, and how the lesson was developed.
I work part-time for the Alliance for Education. The purpose of the Alliance for Education is to serve as a liason for businesses and schools for the purpose of helping business partners relate to students in schools the importance of math and demonstrate authenticate application of how the math that they are learning in the classroom works. The organization was created seven years ago in response to a lack of qualified students in San Bernardino County who were prepared to enter professional careers because of their poor math skills.
To save business partners time and to ensure that what they present offers clear relevancy to math, I meet with business partners who have expressed an interest in working with the Alliance for education. At the meeting with the business partners, we discuss our purpose and ask in what ways they use math in their careers. Once some applications are found, I create a sample problem and show it to the business partner to clarify that the problem created is an authentic application of how they really use math. Once this is modified, a lesson is created for the business partner as well as the activity for the students to experience in as real a was as possible to teach the ideas of the lesson. After some feedback is received from the business partner, the lesson is amended and field tested by us. Feedback is collected, and adjustments are made in order to give the lesson greater relevance. Finally, the business partner presents the lesson for the first time with me in the classroom, and adjustments are made as needed.
For developing my lesson with SchoolsFirst, I met with them in March to discuss what type of math they used in banking. After some initial brainstorming, we thought that car loans would be a great way of hooking students' interest.
I was given a formula used in the banking industry and created a sample problem to bring back to ensure that it authentically represented the problem as the bank does it. Although the banks have computer programs that perform the calculations, the formula in the sample problem was an adequate representation of how banks determine the maximum car payment may be eligible for. From here, I created an entire lesson including vocabulary development and three sample problems. Also included was an activity that allowed students to roll dice to play a game to determine monthly income, rent and credit payments. With some feedback from the banks, minor changes were made.
Needing to field test the lesson, I chose to try the lesson myself with six classes of foster youth students on a Saturday, May 16th to see if the lesson would flow smoothly and would relate well with students. This would serve as my Alpha Test. After delivering the lesson a couple of times, I made a couple of additional changes, including clearly showing how certain calculations were performed with cancellations involved before having it presented to the business partner.
On May 31st, SchoolsFirst presented it to Chaffey High School - due to one of the partners being sick, I did the math portion the first two times in order that he could save his voice. He was feeling better by late morning, and he did the third presentation by himself. We found that in the time that we had, we never got to the third example - this appeared in this round because when I did the testing, I did not use the time in the beginning of the lesson to offer background, as I was not a business partner, and did not need the time to present myself. It was decided to keep the third problem as part of the power point presentation in order that it may be used in the future in case the lesson went faster in the future.
As one of the first lessons I developed, it was a real learning experience to have the opportunity to work with the business partner as well as present a portion of the lesson to the students. One of my first lessons I learned is that the time of business people is valuable, and the more that you can do for them to simplify what you can do, the more willing they will be to help out. Respect for their time (especially when they are donating it) is critical. Secondly, listening carefully to business partners and what they need is also important. Finally, having the chance to field test the program yourself was helpful for improving it, but if possible, it is better if the business partner can be part of the process as well. In this instance, it was not possible, but because we were overprepared for the presentation, it still went well.
All in all, I enjoy working on these activites, and am continuing to develop more lessons that will be in several school across the West End of the county next year.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Ongoing progress
This week, I worked on my IRB Application and Masters Project Application. Additionally, I completed the CITI Human Studies training module.
I was surprised to learn about all of the considerations that need to take place before conducting research from the standpoint of protecting human subjects. As my research is entirely benign, I did not consider that other research would contain so many regulations and safeguards. It forced me to consider several different conditions that I would have to meet for the research and have to clarify in my thesis in order to justify applying for administrative review instead of receive closer scrutiny.
Answering the questions on the Master's project application made me question as to whether or not I need to adjust the focus of my study. Until June 1st when I begin my new position, I will not have access to the types of programs that our students will be using. Once I begin this position, it may require me to switch many components of my master's thesis, including my question and literature review. Given my changing of employment, these are forces beyond my control and will roll with the flow until I know better.
Finally, my work with the Alliance for Education in which I write lessons for corporations to present to students in school is going very well. I have been surprised by two things: first, the importance to be on point all of the time, as their time that they are contributing is valuable and they do not want to waste it; second, it is more effective to focus on the learning objectives than proposing delivery systems for the instructional design. By considering the learning objectives, and finding the best possible one or two instructional designs, I bring these back to the business to save time and to better focus the discussion. I know that for the blog and this particular class, this is a bit off topic, but is very relevant to the field of Instructional Technology in general.
I was surprised to learn about all of the considerations that need to take place before conducting research from the standpoint of protecting human subjects. As my research is entirely benign, I did not consider that other research would contain so many regulations and safeguards. It forced me to consider several different conditions that I would have to meet for the research and have to clarify in my thesis in order to justify applying for administrative review instead of receive closer scrutiny.
Answering the questions on the Master's project application made me question as to whether or not I need to adjust the focus of my study. Until June 1st when I begin my new position, I will not have access to the types of programs that our students will be using. Once I begin this position, it may require me to switch many components of my master's thesis, including my question and literature review. Given my changing of employment, these are forces beyond my control and will roll with the flow until I know better.
Finally, my work with the Alliance for Education in which I write lessons for corporations to present to students in school is going very well. I have been surprised by two things: first, the importance to be on point all of the time, as their time that they are contributing is valuable and they do not want to waste it; second, it is more effective to focus on the learning objectives than proposing delivery systems for the instructional design. By considering the learning objectives, and finding the best possible one or two instructional designs, I bring these back to the business to save time and to better focus the discussion. I know that for the blog and this particular class, this is a bit off topic, but is very relevant to the field of Instructional Technology in general.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
My progress on my Literature Review
My four areas I am focusing on in my Literature Review include Adult learners and Andragogy, New Media in Online Education, Social Presence in Media and Identifying Remedial Math learning needs.
Understanding adult learners and andragogy is an important component, because the failure to incorporate these considerations into the instructional design of online intervention programs will not be as effective as they otherwise could be. Many are often written from a secondary-educational perspective as opposed to targeting older adults whose needs are not identical with this age group.
New Media in Online Learning is significant because it it important to consider all of the new technology that currently exists and allow us to compare between the different qualities of different media formats, but also to consider improving media formats for current intervention programs that currently exist.
Social Presence in Media is another important consideration, as technology provides intervention that was once only available from other people. Yet people as instrctors and tutors remain a critical component for providing intervention - what is important to consider is how can people best target their availability and what forms of communication (both synchronous and asynchronous) best facilitate it.
Better understand remedial math learning needs is critical in order to design instructional technology effectively as well as using humans in the instructional process to their optimal potential. Also, by understanding the learning needs of community college students, special consideration should be given to the type of learning challenges they face that are unique to this setting.
At this point, I believe that the subjects being reviewed make sense and are relevant to evealuating one of our current online math instructional technology programs, as these areas compose the areas of opportunity and improvement that are critical for deciding if our program is effective or ineffective, what components contribute to its success or shortcomings, and to determine if other programs exist that may better target our studetns' learning needs.
Understanding adult learners and andragogy is an important component, because the failure to incorporate these considerations into the instructional design of online intervention programs will not be as effective as they otherwise could be. Many are often written from a secondary-educational perspective as opposed to targeting older adults whose needs are not identical with this age group.
New Media in Online Learning is significant because it it important to consider all of the new technology that currently exists and allow us to compare between the different qualities of different media formats, but also to consider improving media formats for current intervention programs that currently exist.
Social Presence in Media is another important consideration, as technology provides intervention that was once only available from other people. Yet people as instrctors and tutors remain a critical component for providing intervention - what is important to consider is how can people best target their availability and what forms of communication (both synchronous and asynchronous) best facilitate it.
Better understand remedial math learning needs is critical in order to design instructional technology effectively as well as using humans in the instructional process to their optimal potential. Also, by understanding the learning needs of community college students, special consideration should be given to the type of learning challenges they face that are unique to this setting.
At this point, I believe that the subjects being reviewed make sense and are relevant to evealuating one of our current online math instructional technology programs, as these areas compose the areas of opportunity and improvement that are critical for deciding if our program is effective or ineffective, what components contribute to its success or shortcomings, and to determine if other programs exist that may better target our studetns' learning needs.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
My draft Literature Review
LITERATURE REVIEW
To understand the full impact of an instructional technology program and the degree to which adult student learners’ needs are effectively addressed, this literature review will focus on four areas relative to understanding prior and future research in this general field. These include adult learning and andragogy, new media and online education, social presence and learning with new media and identifying remedial math needs for community college students.
Adult Learning and Andragogy:
The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by an American educator, Malcolm Knowles during the latter 20th century. Knowles theories can be summarized with four postulates:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning). (Knowles, 1984)
These principles were designed to clarify the difference of andragogy teaching standards from pedagogy - the learning needs of pre-adult learners. These will be important principles to consider when reviewing the different features of new media in online learning.
Fozdar and Kumar (2007) researched the relationship between mobile learning and student retention. Given the lack of internet access in India, cell phones were the tool of choice to give feedback and discuss student work. Though the use of surveys, it was determined that although students appreciated the use of cell phones to provide student with flexibility, text messaging provided limited means for communicating information. This limitation led students to have misgivings about the quality of education provided in this forum. Additionally, the information provided in the study did not specifically address how the andragogy needs of students were addressed.
Glogoff (2007) conducted research on the use of blogging for hybrid classes and exclusively online classes. The advantage of communicating online for the students was that being able to give honest feedback based on anonymity was helpful for students to improve their knowledge of the information being learned in class, which assisted in enhancing their learning. During the research, it was discovered that the hybrid classes provided more feedback to each other than online only classes. Consequently, students who did not blog felt excluded from their classmates and limited in their learning. This led to the course requirement that students would be required to post at least three times a week to encourage the blogging process and the classroom community. This requirement improved the community, and demonstrated the necessity and value of the research conducted.
The activity and its research highlight the importance of student being involved in their collective learning and the opportunity of experiencing feedback from other students to learn from their mistakes and improve upon their learning activities. These features are critical to the principles for successful andragogy.
Research conducted by Witte (2007) also highlights the need to compare the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Witte (2007) attempted to have middle school students use blogging as a forum to "provide opportunities for students and future educators to develop their digital fluency while also strengthening their traditional literacy skills" (Witte 92). Students actively used the blog, but student achievement was not discussed in her research.
Witte (2007) believed that since students liked to communicate in this forum, it could be utilized in a middle school setting for pedagogical purposes. Since an improvement in traditional literary skills was not highlighted, one cannot conclude whether this tool was effective in this forum. However, it may be the case that because of the difference of learning needs between middle schoolers and adults, blogging may be a tool better suited to the needs of adult learners.
New Media in Online Education:
As new media technology becomes available, the opportunities to use it for online educational purposes are considered. With such considerations, it is important to know what research has been done, both to anticipate the potential limitations of the new media, as well as to foresee how the new media may strengthen online education.
Luanne and Martin (2007) report on several myths held strongly by many teachers against the use of podcasting. These myths focus on the perception that students will use podcasts as a substitute for in class learning. Luanne and Martin (2007) dispute these claims saying that students can gain information from the podcasts that they may not have understood the first time, and can enhance the students' overall learning experience. Additionally, the use of podcasts has the ability of improving the classroom experience, because students can come to class with a better grasp of the material.
The misconceptions mentioned in the article seem rooted in fundamental beliefs about how education should work, as well as a lack of understanding of what role new media can play in improving online education, as well as what occurs in the classroom. To effectively utilize these technologies, educational institutions will be required to invest time to train their instructors in research-based uses that optimize the learning experience for their students. So long as these beliefs continued to be held, they will pose as a limitation to the promising role of new media in online learning.
Lam and McNaught (2006) a qualitative study was conducted to consider how effective three types of new media in online learning were for students. The first involved explaining complex concepts and ideas with a series of sequential diagrams or texts. The second involved on increasing students' motivation by utilizing multimedia materials for vivid representations in lessons. The third focused on students using multimedia for projects generated by students.
Whereas the students had difficulties in Case one, Cases two and three found great benefits; Case two found the material helpful for learning and application; Case 3 found that the multimedia tools were great for extending creative thinking and analytical skills. The results of this research were used to refine the course offerings and improve it overall (Lam and McNaught 2006) This research highlights the importance of determining not only effective uses of new media in online learning, but qualifying the type of learning that may be gained with different types and applications of the new media.
Another study comparing different new media was performed by Pegler and Mason (2005). In their research, students incorporated four different forms of communication in an online course about Learning in the Connected Economy. These forms of communication included blogging, audio technology, instant messaging and the Harvard Rotisserie system.
The research concluded that although students liked all forums (for the most part) they most strongly favored audio technology and instant messaging (Pegler and Mason 2005). The college students involved in the study chose the two systems that offered instant communication and response to each other. In this study for this class, this may prove effective. Whereas the previous study considered impact that new media had on the entire format of a class, this study only focuses on one facet of the online class. Both studies offer interesting models for the types of research that this field requires.
Research performed with the use of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) by Fozdar and Kumar (2007) considers access through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s). The study was performed in India, where the technological infrastructure does not allow for universal access for internet access, but is sufficient for cell phones. By this forum, information is categorized and broken down into smaller sections to allow for easier learning.
The research offered by Fozdar and Kumar (2007) highlights the importance of access to technology and its’ organization for working as an effective tool for learning.
Social Presence and learning with New Media:
Within the educational field, conflicting opinion and conclusions from research have been obtained about the social presence (or lack thereof) in using new media. Some studies cite strong advantages offered by blogging that enhance student learning; others cite criticism in which students report feeling isolated from each other .
Research by Dickey (2004) concluded that students felt isolated and alienated from each other, because their only contact with each other was through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Additionally, El Mansour and Mupinga (2007) conducted research with hybrid classes in which technology problems and feelings of isolation were also reported. Both believed that quality interaction and collaboration were an important part of an effective learning environment.
Research by Sparks and Mentz (2006) used instant messaging in an online class for graduate programs. The interactions that were enabled by instant message between students as well as students and teachers proved to be powerful tools to foster strong collaboration. Students were also given control on how to use instant message, and provided each other with an enriched learning environment.
The research demonstrates the manner in which new media in online learning needs serious consideration. Whereas Dickey (2004) discovered one outcome when using different communication tools, Sparks and Mentz (2006) conclusions were quite different. Whether it is the bias of the researcher, a misalignment of technology with an online program, or a online course design flaw, further research needs to be performed to determine what technologies best compliment what programs to continually improve student learning and achievement.
Other research performed by Glogoff (2005) compares two sets of identical classes; one class of students were taught in a traditional manner while the other class was taught entirely online. Both classes performed well, with the online students actually scoring higher. Furthermore, the attrition rates of both classes was roughly 14%. The feature of the online class students enjoyed was the anonymous exchange of ideas – this facilitated discussion between students that may have not evolved within a traditional class setting.
This can be a great advantage with a math program, as students in a community college enrolled in a remedial math class do not like to publically admit when they do not understand a topic. With the help of computer technology that provides guided intervention, many questions can be answered without having to draw attention to their own shortcomings, and the assistance of the teacher can be sought when these interventions fall short.
Identifying Remedial Math Needs:
Working with community college students in remedial math is a critical part of their academic success. Nurses, electricians, plumbers and other important professions critical to the local economic infrastructure are often trained at the community college level. Proficiency of mathematics to a certain level is not only an academic requirement, but an integral component of the profession they pursue. Often, students in community colleges having math skills that are deficient for their tasks and must retake math taught in middle and high school. For some students, their struggle with remedial math stems from their middle school experiences and remain unresolved. For other students, they have had no practical exposure to the math for a number of years and no longer recall the formulas and algorithms for carrying out the problems needed to be solved. Given how critical these skills are and the difficulties they present to students, it is important to be able to address the different sent of learning needs.
A report written by Gemignani (1977) discussed the remedial math program at Indiana State University in Indianapolis. From the Spring 72-73 semester to the Spring 75-76 semester, the number of students needing remedial math increased. Not having the funds to create additional sections, class size increased in these six sections. To accommodate the increase, an increase of student tutoring was made available to students. Additionally, the curriculum was changed in the Math 111 (remedial math course), though the same textbook continued to be used during both semesters being compared. The result: the number of students receiving credit for the course dropped from 59% down to less than 45% - a more than 14% decrease. Additionally, it was determined that the students who failed math were also likely to drop out of school.
From the study, Gemignani (1977) concluded that although students needed to understand the math to be successful students, he believed that it was not the role of the university to provide these programs; additionally, Gemignani (1977) further concluded that devoting funds towards remedial work detracts funding from the mission of the college towards a quality higher education.
Such commentary is sobering and raises questions about the role of colleges. If a college accepts students with such deficiencies, is it obligated to provide a quality remedial program to assist students in overcoming them? Half-hearted efforts to accommodate these only resulted in many students dropping out, being likely indebted and with poor grades on transcripts. An unwillingness to accommodate these needs should lead such like-minded institutions to re-examine their admission policies and deny acceptance of students they are not willing to accommodate. Since community colleges have open enrollment, it is important to highlight that institutions must be willing to understand their students’ needs and be prepared to serve them.
Additionally, none of the concepts of andragogy emerged from the article or were considered by its author as important consideration for student success or failure.
One author questions the reason for which lower-level math taken at the college level is categorized as remedial. In his article, Ross (1970) focuses on the difference between what is considered remedial and developmental. The difference is characterized by the instruction. If a student is learning all of the objectives of the class, regardless of the level, the student is considered in a developmental class. If the student is in a math class in which the teacher may cover pre-requisite knowledge to enable the student to master the class objectives, that is considered remedial. Additionally, Ross (1970) states that many programs require mastery of math to a degree that may not necessarily be germane to a student’s career path. Thus, the student my not recognize nor appreciate the importance or relevance of learning the material.
What Ross (1970) describes are two relevant points. First, the acknowledgment that students may have different abilities to learn math, and their placement in a “remedial” class may not necessarily clearly define this distinction. Additionally, his reference to studetns who do not need the math for the career they are choosing to pursue may be a contributing factor to students who are unwilling to learn it. This is especially true when considering a principal of andragogy, which highlights the importance of what a student is learning having directl relevance to what they need to learn.
Research performed by Stage and Kloosterman (1995) sought to investigate the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards remedial math classes in college. Whereas, they found no difference in the negative attitude toward math between male and female students, one conclusion that was apparent was the importance of confidence in one’s ability to learn math as a contributing factor for success or failure. Another discovery from the research was in the attitude of professors. Many professors believed that their students enrolled in remedial math were not willing to do the work in what they perceived to be an easy course. On the other hand, students in these classes were working very hard and frustrated by the lack of success they experienced for their efforts. Furthermore, most students in remedial math classes perceived math as a discipline consisting of a set of algorithms to be memorized.
This is significant for several reasons. First, for students in remedial math, the lack of difference in student attitude math is in contrast with commonly accepted western views of male students have greater natural abilities in math. Second, the importance of student confidence in being able to learn math is reinforced. Finally, because the students perceive the math as not being relevant and not problem-centered, this contradicts two of the principals of andragogy, which only compounds the frustration of the adult learner.
For researching college remedial math classes and programs, it is important to consider which programs have been successful, and the characteristice that can be attributed to its success. One such research paper written by Wardrop and Wardrop (1986). After researching several “successful” remedial programs, four ideas emerged. First, it required strong support from the school administration. This support would entail listening to the concerns and recommdations of faculty and students. Second, it required a dedicated member of the staff to coordinate these efforts. Third, it was determined that student tutors who were not math majors made better tutors, as they were better able to emphasize with the struggle of struggle of students. Finally, it mentioned that the use of Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) was of great benefit in a program with a great number of students, albeit it acknowledged that these were largely in the developmental phases at the time of the study.
Though this research by Wardrop and Wardrop (1986) was written over 20 years ago, it is interesting that it was able to predict the emergence of CMI as a possible educational tool. Additionally, the importance of administrative support and dedicated staff is strongly supported in many educational reform circles, such as Lazotte and Fullen.
Summary:
The emergence of new and continually evolving online educational technology are new tools that address problems that seem to not have changed much over the past several decades. After considering the needs of adult learners, as described by andragogy, as well as the considerations and needs for college remedial math learners, the literature review demonstrates that in spite of the new technology, the potential for the optimal use of technology will not be full realized until college administration with faculty work collaboratively toward addressing all students needs – both as adult learners and remedial math students. With further study, the research will hopefully demonstrate that technology works best when the people involved in its selection and implementation work optimally with the all of the students’ needs in mind.
Works Cited
Berdarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27 (2), 139-153.
Gemignani, Michael (1977).Remedial mathematics: An administrator's viewpoint. The American Mathematical Monthly. Vol. 84, No. 6, pp. 481-484.
Dickey, M. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolationand alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment. Open Learning, 19(3), 279-291.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Mobile learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8, http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/345/916
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivity, student centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lam, P., & McNaught, C. (2006). Design and evaluation of online courses containinig media-enhanced learning materials. Educational Media International, 43(3), 199-218
Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into students' digital DNA: five myths prohibiting proper podcasting pedagogy in the new classroom domain. Vol. 3, No 3.
El Mansour, B., Mupinga, D., (2007). Students’ positive and negative experiences in hybrid and online classes. College Student Journal. Vol. 41, No. 1, pp 242-248.
Ross, Don (1970).Remedial or developmental? Confusion over terms. The Two-Year College Mathematics Journal. Vol. 1 No.2, pp. 27-31.
Sparks, P., Mentz, L. (2006). electronic not passing: Enriching online learning with new communication tools. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2(4), 1-6.
Stage, F. K., & Kloosterman, P. (1995). Gender, beliefs, and achievement in remedial college-level mathematics. Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 66, No 3, p. 294-311.
Tobias, Sheila (1987).Math Anxiety. Science, New Series. Vol. 237, No. 4822, p. 1556.
Wardrop, M. R. , & Wardrop, R. F. (1986). Successful remedial math programs: why they work. The American Mathematical Monthly. Vol. 93, No. 9, pp. 724-727.
Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technoloties on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.
Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school wirting: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96
To understand the full impact of an instructional technology program and the degree to which adult student learners’ needs are effectively addressed, this literature review will focus on four areas relative to understanding prior and future research in this general field. These include adult learning and andragogy, new media and online education, social presence and learning with new media and identifying remedial math needs for community college students.
Adult Learning and Andragogy:
The term Andragogy was originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) in 1833, and was developed into a theory of adult education by an American educator, Malcolm Knowles during the latter 20th century. Knowles theories can be summarized with four postulates:
1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn).
2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience).
3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn).
4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning). (Knowles, 1984)
These principles were designed to clarify the difference of andragogy teaching standards from pedagogy - the learning needs of pre-adult learners. These will be important principles to consider when reviewing the different features of new media in online learning.
Fozdar and Kumar (2007) researched the relationship between mobile learning and student retention. Given the lack of internet access in India, cell phones were the tool of choice to give feedback and discuss student work. Though the use of surveys, it was determined that although students appreciated the use of cell phones to provide student with flexibility, text messaging provided limited means for communicating information. This limitation led students to have misgivings about the quality of education provided in this forum. Additionally, the information provided in the study did not specifically address how the andragogy needs of students were addressed.
Glogoff (2007) conducted research on the use of blogging for hybrid classes and exclusively online classes. The advantage of communicating online for the students was that being able to give honest feedback based on anonymity was helpful for students to improve their knowledge of the information being learned in class, which assisted in enhancing their learning. During the research, it was discovered that the hybrid classes provided more feedback to each other than online only classes. Consequently, students who did not blog felt excluded from their classmates and limited in their learning. This led to the course requirement that students would be required to post at least three times a week to encourage the blogging process and the classroom community. This requirement improved the community, and demonstrated the necessity and value of the research conducted.
The activity and its research highlight the importance of student being involved in their collective learning and the opportunity of experiencing feedback from other students to learn from their mistakes and improve upon their learning activities. These features are critical to the principles for successful andragogy.
Research conducted by Witte (2007) also highlights the need to compare the difference between pedagogy and andragogy. Witte (2007) attempted to have middle school students use blogging as a forum to "provide opportunities for students and future educators to develop their digital fluency while also strengthening their traditional literacy skills" (Witte 92). Students actively used the blog, but student achievement was not discussed in her research.
Witte (2007) believed that since students liked to communicate in this forum, it could be utilized in a middle school setting for pedagogical purposes. Since an improvement in traditional literary skills was not highlighted, one cannot conclude whether this tool was effective in this forum. However, it may be the case that because of the difference of learning needs between middle schoolers and adults, blogging may be a tool better suited to the needs of adult learners.
New Media in Online Education:
As new media technology becomes available, the opportunities to use it for online educational purposes are considered. With such considerations, it is important to know what research has been done, both to anticipate the potential limitations of the new media, as well as to foresee how the new media may strengthen online education.
Luanne and Martin (2007) report on several myths held strongly by many teachers against the use of podcasting. These myths focus on the perception that students will use podcasts as a substitute for in class learning. Luanne and Martin (2007) dispute these claims saying that students can gain information from the podcasts that they may not have understood the first time, and can enhance the students' overall learning experience. Additionally, the use of podcasts has the ability of improving the classroom experience, because students can come to class with a better grasp of the material.
The misconceptions mentioned in the article seem rooted in fundamental beliefs about how education should work, as well as a lack of understanding of what role new media can play in improving online education, as well as what occurs in the classroom. To effectively utilize these technologies, educational institutions will be required to invest time to train their instructors in research-based uses that optimize the learning experience for their students. So long as these beliefs continued to be held, they will pose as a limitation to the promising role of new media in online learning.
Lam and McNaught (2006) a qualitative study was conducted to consider how effective three types of new media in online learning were for students. The first involved explaining complex concepts and ideas with a series of sequential diagrams or texts. The second involved on increasing students' motivation by utilizing multimedia materials for vivid representations in lessons. The third focused on students using multimedia for projects generated by students.
Whereas the students had difficulties in Case one, Cases two and three found great benefits; Case two found the material helpful for learning and application; Case 3 found that the multimedia tools were great for extending creative thinking and analytical skills. The results of this research were used to refine the course offerings and improve it overall (Lam and McNaught 2006) This research highlights the importance of determining not only effective uses of new media in online learning, but qualifying the type of learning that may be gained with different types and applications of the new media.
Another study comparing different new media was performed by Pegler and Mason (2005). In their research, students incorporated four different forms of communication in an online course about Learning in the Connected Economy. These forms of communication included blogging, audio technology, instant messaging and the Harvard Rotisserie system.
The research concluded that although students liked all forums (for the most part) they most strongly favored audio technology and instant messaging (Pegler and Mason 2005). The college students involved in the study chose the two systems that offered instant communication and response to each other. In this study for this class, this may prove effective. Whereas the previous study considered impact that new media had on the entire format of a class, this study only focuses on one facet of the online class. Both studies offer interesting models for the types of research that this field requires.
Research performed with the use of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) by Fozdar and Kumar (2007) considers access through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s). The study was performed in India, where the technological infrastructure does not allow for universal access for internet access, but is sufficient for cell phones. By this forum, information is categorized and broken down into smaller sections to allow for easier learning.
The research offered by Fozdar and Kumar (2007) highlights the importance of access to technology and its’ organization for working as an effective tool for learning.
Social Presence and learning with New Media:
Within the educational field, conflicting opinion and conclusions from research have been obtained about the social presence (or lack thereof) in using new media. Some studies cite strong advantages offered by blogging that enhance student learning; others cite criticism in which students report feeling isolated from each other .
Research by Dickey (2004) concluded that students felt isolated and alienated from each other, because their only contact with each other was through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards. Additionally, El Mansour and Mupinga (2007) conducted research with hybrid classes in which technology problems and feelings of isolation were also reported. Both believed that quality interaction and collaboration were an important part of an effective learning environment.
Research by Sparks and Mentz (2006) used instant messaging in an online class for graduate programs. The interactions that were enabled by instant message between students as well as students and teachers proved to be powerful tools to foster strong collaboration. Students were also given control on how to use instant message, and provided each other with an enriched learning environment.
The research demonstrates the manner in which new media in online learning needs serious consideration. Whereas Dickey (2004) discovered one outcome when using different communication tools, Sparks and Mentz (2006) conclusions were quite different. Whether it is the bias of the researcher, a misalignment of technology with an online program, or a online course design flaw, further research needs to be performed to determine what technologies best compliment what programs to continually improve student learning and achievement.
Other research performed by Glogoff (2005) compares two sets of identical classes; one class of students were taught in a traditional manner while the other class was taught entirely online. Both classes performed well, with the online students actually scoring higher. Furthermore, the attrition rates of both classes was roughly 14%. The feature of the online class students enjoyed was the anonymous exchange of ideas – this facilitated discussion between students that may have not evolved within a traditional class setting.
This can be a great advantage with a math program, as students in a community college enrolled in a remedial math class do not like to publically admit when they do not understand a topic. With the help of computer technology that provides guided intervention, many questions can be answered without having to draw attention to their own shortcomings, and the assistance of the teacher can be sought when these interventions fall short.
Identifying Remedial Math Needs:
Working with community college students in remedial math is a critical part of their academic success. Nurses, electricians, plumbers and other important professions critical to the local economic infrastructure are often trained at the community college level. Proficiency of mathematics to a certain level is not only an academic requirement, but an integral component of the profession they pursue. Often, students in community colleges having math skills that are deficient for their tasks and must retake math taught in middle and high school. For some students, their struggle with remedial math stems from their middle school experiences and remain unresolved. For other students, they have had no practical exposure to the math for a number of years and no longer recall the formulas and algorithms for carrying out the problems needed to be solved. Given how critical these skills are and the difficulties they present to students, it is important to be able to address the different sent of learning needs.
A report written by Gemignani (1977) discussed the remedial math program at Indiana State University in Indianapolis. From the Spring 72-73 semester to the Spring 75-76 semester, the number of students needing remedial math increased. Not having the funds to create additional sections, class size increased in these six sections. To accommodate the increase, an increase of student tutoring was made available to students. Additionally, the curriculum was changed in the Math 111 (remedial math course), though the same textbook continued to be used during both semesters being compared. The result: the number of students receiving credit for the course dropped from 59% down to less than 45% - a more than 14% decrease. Additionally, it was determined that the students who failed math were also likely to drop out of school.
From the study, Gemignani (1977) concluded that although students needed to understand the math to be successful students, he believed that it was not the role of the university to provide these programs; additionally, Gemignani (1977) further concluded that devoting funds towards remedial work detracts funding from the mission of the college towards a quality higher education.
Such commentary is sobering and raises questions about the role of colleges. If a college accepts students with such deficiencies, is it obligated to provide a quality remedial program to assist students in overcoming them? Half-hearted efforts to accommodate these only resulted in many students dropping out, being likely indebted and with poor grades on transcripts. An unwillingness to accommodate these needs should lead such like-minded institutions to re-examine their admission policies and deny acceptance of students they are not willing to accommodate. Since community colleges have open enrollment, it is important to highlight that institutions must be willing to understand their students’ needs and be prepared to serve them.
Additionally, none of the concepts of andragogy emerged from the article or were considered by its author as important consideration for student success or failure.
One author questions the reason for which lower-level math taken at the college level is categorized as remedial. In his article, Ross (1970) focuses on the difference between what is considered remedial and developmental. The difference is characterized by the instruction. If a student is learning all of the objectives of the class, regardless of the level, the student is considered in a developmental class. If the student is in a math class in which the teacher may cover pre-requisite knowledge to enable the student to master the class objectives, that is considered remedial. Additionally, Ross (1970) states that many programs require mastery of math to a degree that may not necessarily be germane to a student’s career path. Thus, the student my not recognize nor appreciate the importance or relevance of learning the material.
What Ross (1970) describes are two relevant points. First, the acknowledgment that students may have different abilities to learn math, and their placement in a “remedial” class may not necessarily clearly define this distinction. Additionally, his reference to studetns who do not need the math for the career they are choosing to pursue may be a contributing factor to students who are unwilling to learn it. This is especially true when considering a principal of andragogy, which highlights the importance of what a student is learning having directl relevance to what they need to learn.
Research performed by Stage and Kloosterman (1995) sought to investigate the role of gender in shaping attitudes towards remedial math classes in college. Whereas, they found no difference in the negative attitude toward math between male and female students, one conclusion that was apparent was the importance of confidence in one’s ability to learn math as a contributing factor for success or failure. Another discovery from the research was in the attitude of professors. Many professors believed that their students enrolled in remedial math were not willing to do the work in what they perceived to be an easy course. On the other hand, students in these classes were working very hard and frustrated by the lack of success they experienced for their efforts. Furthermore, most students in remedial math classes perceived math as a discipline consisting of a set of algorithms to be memorized.
This is significant for several reasons. First, for students in remedial math, the lack of difference in student attitude math is in contrast with commonly accepted western views of male students have greater natural abilities in math. Second, the importance of student confidence in being able to learn math is reinforced. Finally, because the students perceive the math as not being relevant and not problem-centered, this contradicts two of the principals of andragogy, which only compounds the frustration of the adult learner.
For researching college remedial math classes and programs, it is important to consider which programs have been successful, and the characteristice that can be attributed to its success. One such research paper written by Wardrop and Wardrop (1986). After researching several “successful” remedial programs, four ideas emerged. First, it required strong support from the school administration. This support would entail listening to the concerns and recommdations of faculty and students. Second, it required a dedicated member of the staff to coordinate these efforts. Third, it was determined that student tutors who were not math majors made better tutors, as they were better able to emphasize with the struggle of struggle of students. Finally, it mentioned that the use of Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) was of great benefit in a program with a great number of students, albeit it acknowledged that these were largely in the developmental phases at the time of the study.
Though this research by Wardrop and Wardrop (1986) was written over 20 years ago, it is interesting that it was able to predict the emergence of CMI as a possible educational tool. Additionally, the importance of administrative support and dedicated staff is strongly supported in many educational reform circles, such as Lazotte and Fullen.
Summary:
The emergence of new and continually evolving online educational technology are new tools that address problems that seem to not have changed much over the past several decades. After considering the needs of adult learners, as described by andragogy, as well as the considerations and needs for college remedial math learners, the literature review demonstrates that in spite of the new technology, the potential for the optimal use of technology will not be full realized until college administration with faculty work collaboratively toward addressing all students needs – both as adult learners and remedial math students. With further study, the research will hopefully demonstrate that technology works best when the people involved in its selection and implementation work optimally with the all of the students’ needs in mind.
Works Cited
Berdarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education. 27 (2), 139-153.
Gemignani, Michael (1977).Remedial mathematics: An administrator's viewpoint. The American Mathematical Monthly. Vol. 84, No. 6, pp. 481-484.
Dickey, M. (2004). The impact of web-logs (blogs) on student perceptions of isolationand alienation in a web-based distance-learning environment. Open Learning, 19(3), 279-291.
Fozdar, B.I., Kumar, L.S. (2007) Mobile learning and student retention. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 8, http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/345/916
Glogoff, S. (2005). Instructional blogging: Promoting interactivity, student centered learning, and peer input. Innovate, 1 (5), 1-6.
Knowles, M. (1984). Andragogy in Action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lam, P., & McNaught, C. (2006). Design and evaluation of online courses containinig media-enhanced learning materials. Educational Media International, 43(3), 199-218
Luanne F., Martin M., (May 2007). Plugging into students' digital DNA: five myths prohibiting proper podcasting pedagogy in the new classroom domain. Vol. 3, No 3.
El Mansour, B., Mupinga, D., (2007). Students’ positive and negative experiences in hybrid and online classes. College Student Journal. Vol. 41, No. 1, pp 242-248.
Ross, Don (1970).Remedial or developmental? Confusion over terms. The Two-Year College Mathematics Journal. Vol. 1 No.2, pp. 27-31.
Sparks, P., Mentz, L. (2006). electronic not passing: Enriching online learning with new communication tools. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2(4), 1-6.
Stage, F. K., & Kloosterman, P. (1995). Gender, beliefs, and achievement in remedial college-level mathematics. Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 66, No 3, p. 294-311.
Tobias, Sheila (1987).Math Anxiety. Science, New Series. Vol. 237, No. 4822, p. 1556.
Wardrop, M. R. , & Wardrop, R. F. (1986). Successful remedial math programs: why they work. The American Mathematical Monthly. Vol. 93, No. 9, pp. 724-727.
Weller, M., Pegler, C., Mason, R. (2005). Use of innovative technoloties on an e-learning course. The Internet and Higher Education, 8(1), 61-71.
Witte, S. (2007). That's online writing, not boring school wirting: Writing with blogs and the Talkback Project. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 51, 92-96
My Project outline
My project outline was completed today, but many elements of my research remain unknown because I have not yet started my current position at Citrus College. I do have a general idea of what my project will look like and will outline below:
My research will involve implementing a math instructional technology program (to be determined) with students enrolled in two remedial math classes. This experimental group will be compared with two classes (the control group) who will not be using the instructional technology program. Data will be collected from their math placement exams to determine that there are no statistically significant differences between the control and experimental groups of students. Students in the experimental group will have access to the technology program through the semester of their students and will voluntarily participate in a survey to determine the effectiveness of different components of the instructional technology. Finally, class grades between the control and experimental groups will be compared to determine if there are statistically significant differences in class performance. Additionally, additional data will be collected on student retention to determine if the use of the instructional technology program contributes to improving student retention.
I believe that I have a great opportunity to perform this research, since this data must be collected as part of the responsibilities of my new position. Until I meet with my new supervisor and learn more about the grant, I will not be able to know what program I will study.
My research will involve implementing a math instructional technology program (to be determined) with students enrolled in two remedial math classes. This experimental group will be compared with two classes (the control group) who will not be using the instructional technology program. Data will be collected from their math placement exams to determine that there are no statistically significant differences between the control and experimental groups of students. Students in the experimental group will have access to the technology program through the semester of their students and will voluntarily participate in a survey to determine the effectiveness of different components of the instructional technology. Finally, class grades between the control and experimental groups will be compared to determine if there are statistically significant differences in class performance. Additionally, additional data will be collected on student retention to determine if the use of the instructional technology program contributes to improving student retention.
I believe that I have a great opportunity to perform this research, since this data must be collected as part of the responsibilities of my new position. Until I meet with my new supervisor and learn more about the grant, I will not be able to know what program I will study.
My timeline for the ETEC program.
Jeff Burke’s time line for completing Masters’ in Instructional Technology Program:
Desired Graduation: Spring 2010
April 25, 2009 – First Draft of Thesis to Dr. Newberry.
May 3, 2009 – Full Literature Review to Dr. Newberry.
May 17, 2009 – MA Proposal Draft to Dr. Newberry
May 24, 2009 – IRB Application to Dr. Newberry.
June 7, 2009 – Project Prototype Available and to Dr. Newberry.
July 6, 2009 – Pilot Test Project
July 26, 2009 – Grad Check and Apply to Graduate (Petition to Walk)
August 9, 2009 – Revisions to Project based on Pilot Test Complete.
September 9, 2009 – Implement Project.
September 24, 2009 – conclude implementation and analyze data on results.
October 9, 2009 – Modify chapter 3 based on results of implementation.
November 9, 2009 – Final Version of Literature Review Complete.
December 9, 2009 – Final Version of Introduction Complete.
December 19, 2009 – Final Version of Chapter 4 Complete.
December 20, 2009 – Final Draft of Thesis Complete and Sent to Editor.
January 14, 2010 – Final Draft of Thesis Back From Editor.
January 2010 – Enroll in ETEC 699.
February 14, 2010 – Thesis and Project complete and available to First Reader for review.
March 14, 2010 – Thesis approved by First reader and available to Second Reader for review.
My timeline
Doing the timeline makes me think about how close I am to being complete in the program, as well as how much work lays ahead for researching the effectiveness of instructional technology programs. I feel fortunate that I will be responsible in my full-time position for doing this and will have the opportunity to perform this research in conjunction with my full-time responsibilities.
I have a current idea of what type of research I want to do, but this may change depending on how the grant is written that funds my position. The goals set forth in the grant (which I will find out on May 11th) will be a strong determining factor as to what my research will reflect.
For me, the greatest challenge for getting through writing a masters' thesis is the literature review. The process of reading the literature and comparing and contrasting all of the information will be laborious. I will have to learn to pace myself and read at least one piece of research per day in order to cover the depth of research required.
I have a current idea of what type of research I want to do, but this may change depending on how the grant is written that funds my position. The goals set forth in the grant (which I will find out on May 11th) will be a strong determining factor as to what my research will reflect.
For me, the greatest challenge for getting through writing a masters' thesis is the literature review. The process of reading the literature and comparing and contrasting all of the information will be laborious. I will have to learn to pace myself and read at least one piece of research per day in order to cover the depth of research required.
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