Andy Roberts'
Final Version 2.0
The assignment for Term 2 part 2 is to conduct a simple Action Enquiry. The learning outcomes are:
*Plan and undertake an action enquiry project.
*Discuss your plans with fellow researchers.
*Review your action enquiry project - what did you learn about the action enquiry
process?
*How might you approach action enquiry differently in the
future?
The planning and reporting of the Action Enquiry is to be conducted using a scripted form linked to a back-end database which Ultraversity refer to as "the portfolio action enquiry tool, or the online tool". The online tool will enable publishing to a searchable database on the Internet.
I decided to copy the structure and text from the tool onto my coursework website. I create and edit my work here, and then paste it into the tool before the deadline date which is Friday 16th April 2004.
The tool has the facility to upload files to support my report. These files could range from photos to diagrams to spreadsheets and other documents. The whole should not exceed 4000 words or equivalent. The structure is rigidly organised into the following 10 Sections:
Brainstorm | Identify a title | Introduction
and context | Literature, References, Websites
Methods for collecting data | Research plan
| Description of Data & Upload files
Findings | Conclusions | Review
I discussed my initial ideas and plans with Ultraversity learning facilitators and researchers in my own group.
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Anthony Russel writes: Your researcher has a very good topic. The machines
have been distributed Basic questions about the teacher - subject, skill,
interest, experience He could try to link success to the teacher's skills
(not always the Again keep it simple - I was starting to get carried away. One clear cycle! |
| Andy Roberts writes: We have both so it's not really an either/or situation. I hope the classroom computers will be used to complement or continue the work we do in ICT lessons in the suite, but they have other uses as well. My biggest worry is that they will be seen as the teachers' own resource, only for looking up lesson plans, emailing friends, job adverts, booking holidays etc. Or that the difficult kids will be sent on them to play games as a bribe for behaving. |
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Tracey writes: Ok then, so my 'one clear cycle' might look like this: PLAN ( including this plan here , and somehow using
the tool as well ) what observations are you going to make? I thought I'd start by visiting all 12 classrooms at a particular time of day and observing whether the computers in question are switched on or not. I might do this several times, and then I might be able to observe whether they are being used, by whom and perhaps even what they are being used for. Schedule interviews, interview as many as possible
in the time available, I thought all 12 class teachers if possible, but now your question has made me wonder whether it might be a good idea to also interview TA's where they are assigned to particular classes. Hmm, this might provide some alternative insights, but it will also make the planning of the questions more difficult. Record findings. REVIEW probably a mixture
regards Tracey
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| Denise Binks writes: Andy Roberts writes: My action research is to be based on the use of the new internet-connected classroom computers. One of the problems that we have with our Internet-connected classroom
computers is how are they monitored. Our 5 year olds have been known to
take a wander. The LEA firewall stops them from going where they shouldn't,
but never the less they should stay on task. We took the connection away
for a while, unless there was an adult with them at the teachers request. I work in a primary school too. These sort of issues are quite likely to come up, particularly where the children are allowed to hang around in the classrooms during break and lunchtimes. Some teachers have taken to locking the classroom door when they leave it. We have had internet connected computers in the 4 top classrooms for a year or so anyway, but the difference now is that the 'new' ones are connected through the network, so when anybody logs in, they get exactly the same personal documents, programs, desktop and settings as they get in the ICT suite. What software and rules do you have about using the Internet? This is the home page they get when they load Safari,
the Internet browser so these are the rules http://www.monson.lewisham.sch.uk/MonsonOL/intrules.html The rules were also sent home with the internet permission slips. Like you, we have an LEA firewall and filtering, but of course that is not infallible. Are you going to focus on one classroom or year group? Not yet, no. I have limited the action research project for this term to simply gathering information about the 12 classes. Although the act of talking to teachers about the classroom computers will probably effect some changes by itself. Thanks for your interest. |
| How are the new computers being used in the classrooms at Monson Primary School? |
| I spend most of my time in the ICT suite where the classes come for their
weekly lessons, but there are also computers in each classroom. Recently,
a whole new set of eMacs were bought for the suite, and the old iMacs farmed
out to the classrooms. Not only that, but also the classrooms were cabled
up so that the "new" classroom computers are logged in to the
school network and the Internet. My Action Enquiry is to find out how these classroom computers are being used, and see what I may be able to do to improve on this. This is important to me because I have recognised this as an area which I have never really allocated time to address before, even with the older stand-alone computers which are still in the classrooms in addition to the new ones. The project will get me out away from my comfort zone, and into the classrooms including a dialogue with class teachers and a spot check survey. I hope it will be important to the people I work with because I may well be able to take some steps which will improve the use of ICT use in class and improve the overall teaching and learning both of ICT and cross curricular subjects. If I can identify problems with equipment, software or training then I should be able to arrange for them to be remedied, and there may also be a benefit through improving communication between myself and the staff in the classrooms. |
4: Literature, references, websites.
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I found and read some literature both about classroom computers and about Action Enquiry. On looking for literature which compares the use of ICT suites with classroom computers I found almost no existing literature on this subject, in fact a google search using the key phrases "ICT Suite" versus and "classroom computers" yields this very report here as the only result. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&c2coff=1&safe=off&q=%22ICT+Suite%22+versus+%22classroom+computers%22&spell=1 ) last viewed on April 15th 2004. This one from 1999 comes down firmly against ICT suites: 1) Computer Labs versus Classroom integration of Computers by Diane
Culbertson, Kentucky Department of Education "Computer labs have a number of drawbacks. In a lab setting, the computer is learned apart from other subjects and activities. It is much more difficult to integrate technology into other areas of the curriculum within the lab setting. The computer becomes a separate course or activity, rather than a tool used to enhance learning in other areas." (Culbertson,1999) I disagree with the above, believing ICT to be a valid and important discrete subject in its own right, and the ICT suite to be an efficient tool for teaching a whole class simultaneously . "Scheduling lab time can be such a hassle that many teachers give up; then your expensive equipment sits idle" (Culbertson, 1999) I feel that while this may be true with a minority of teachers, it should be overcome rather than dismantle the valuable resource and expertise which resides in the ICT suite.. 2) Much closer to home, I found a thorough report by BECTA into a school moved to new premises with a heavy investment in ICT and a commitment to use it. An exploration of the use of ICT at the Millennium Primary School,
Greenwich. by Johnathon Priest for BECTA, 2004 last viewed online
at http://www.becta.org.uk/research/research.cfm?section=1&id=3138
on April 15th, 2004 "a practical demonstration of the Government's vision of the 'school of the future'." (Priest, 2004) It was interesting to note that once the special extra funding was due to run out without being extended, both the Head and the ICT Coordinator resigned leaving the school with an uncertain future. 3) Action Research - Hotseat with Cyril Wilkinson viewable for people with access to Ultraversity portfolio tool here: 4) An Introduction to Action Research - Dan MacIsaac, 1996 5) Action Research, Principles and Practice, Jean McNiff, 1988 |
5: Methods for collecting data
Say how you will collect your data. It is better to collect less data and complete the action enquiry cycle then get 'bogged' down with more data than you can handle:
| I designed two forms. The first is for my 'spot check' of whether the
classrooms computers are switched on, logged in or in use. The second is a questionnaire which I shall use as a guide when interviewing the Teachers/classroom workers. The questionnaire is in two parts with some closed questions, and some open. I rejected the idea of using audio recording for the interviews because I don't want to make people feel self conscious, so I intend to write on the forms with a pencil and then type up the findings as soon as possible afterwards, especially with the open ended interviews. Later, I may collate the results into a spreadsheet for analysis. Form 1 Form 2 |
link to form2
6: Research plan...
Be realistic in the amount you hope to achieve and set out what resources you will need and a timescale for your work:
| My plan is to do several spot checks over a few days, each spot check covering all 12 classrooms, and to interview all 12 class teachers plus a number of TAs who are attached to classrooms. I have until Friday 26th March to complete this, or do as much as I can, and a spare week after that towards the end of term if necessary. I will need printed copies of the questionnaire, a clipboard and pencils. |
Make sense of the data you have collected. What does it show? (400 words approx)
Upload images (pictures and scanned images, etc) and files to support your report.
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The data shows a great richness of hugely varying information, ideas, attitudes and suggestions. This reflects the highly individual nature of teachers, the way they each seem to think and operate. I don't think there is enough repetition or pattern anywhere to be able to generalise from it, but each of the individual findings is valuable in itself, and most of them either point to action which needs to be taken or provide the starting point for further useful research. Files: picture of ICT Suite, picture of classroom computer. And pictures of the Data. The blank forms and samples of the questionnaire and survey data. |
Files uploaded to support the report
8: The Findings (400 words approx)
Please add your research findings under the following headings.
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What happened? Somehow the week I had allocated to start the action research got taken up with other things. I was sent on a course at short notice and this had a knock on effect through the rest of the week. Then, when I started doing the spot checks there was so little evidence of any computer use at all that it was too embarrassing to continue. When I entered a classroom to check if the computer was switched on being used it was either not a very appropriate time or else the teacher would start making excuses and reassuring me that it is used at other times. One thing that happened on the first spot check was that I found a teaching assistant using a classroom computer but didn't have a column to put that down in. This was a glaring omission on my form, all the more incredible because the prototype form had been looked at by several people in the online community including TAs and nobody spotted it. So I decided to concentrate on the other activity, the interviews, with a view to returning to the spot checks later. From previous experience with a questionnaire I conducted in term 1 report 2, I knew that it would be wise to conduct a pilot interview once I had designed the questionnaire. "Another time I would think even more carefully about the questions, and pilot the questionnaire with a small group of people in order to test the way other people understand my questions." (http://www.frankieroberto.com/dad/ultrastudents/andyroberts/term1/report2.html#survey ) So I arranged to do this with my Workplace Advocate, but the pilot didn't throw up any problems at all with the questions this time. Finding appropriate times to conduct interviews proved problematic. I should have known this because one of the major problems with my role is the difficulty in finding occasions when the class teachers can spend a little bit of time with me to look at ICT lesson plans. Mostly I took an opportunist approach and grabbed people when they were obviously available. Sometimes I asked for appointments but these would drift backwards until I was working well outside of my usual hours, or lost big chunks out of my unpaid lunch hour. Even when I was sitting down interviewing someone, if somebody else spotted them they would think nothing of interrupting the interview to deal with something else for a whole period of time while I waited patiently unable to do anything at all. But most of the interviews were completed without any problems. In the end I ran out of time without completing all the interviews. Seven were completed out of twelve originally planned. |
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What was learned and by whom? I learned about some specific problems with the classroom computers, about attitudes to the ICT suite, to the apple MAC computers, and about some additional job roles I was previously unaware of. I also learned that it is quite possible to have productive conversations with teachers but it does take a lot of perseverance and audacity. Some of my colleagues learned that I am doing a degree course. Some learned that I might be able to help them with finding resources, software and links to help them with building ICT into wider areas of the curriculum. I learned the difference between planning Action Research and then actually doing it. |
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Was it worthwhile and why? It was very worthwhile because it provided a structure which I could use to ask specific questions and find things out which people would never otherwise bother to tell me about. It also served as a starting point for branching out my sphere of activity from the ICT suite to the whole school and relating to colleagues in a more productive way. |
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What did I do? I designed forms using HTML and I uploaded them to the internet. I could then print them out using the front office laser printer, while the one on the curriculum network is still out of action awaiting replacement. I kept the blank forms in a clipboard with a pencil which I could carry about with me when looking for opportunities to conduct research. Most interviews were conducted in classrooms, one in the staffroom. I read out the questions, and wrote down notes about the answers, using dialogue to tease out answers when people were stumped for something to say. Although I had intended to type in the data as soon as possible afterwards, this didn't happen. I typed it all in at the end when I had time. Then I reflected on the findings while writing this report. |
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What have I learned? List of findings here. * work from the ICT suite is sometimes continued in the classrooms. I was dubious about this so good news. * The introduction of the new networked classroom computers was widely welcomed. * language resources for ESL children are deployed by some class teachers as well as the EMAS Coordinatorgood *In some classes it is the Teaching Assistant who uses the classroom computer more than the teacher for producing resources and individual work with children. The role of the TA is more important to the use of the classroom computers than I had understood. *difficulties with use of the ICT suite have several sources. I hadn't realised that simply keeping to a timetable is a major problem for some people. This now seems quite human and only to be expected, so perhaps needs to be worked around in new ways. * problems with the speed of local printing are quite urgent. * the old iMac single button ball mouses need replacing with optical ones. * I learned when are the best times to go around checking the classroom computers and which times to avoid for each of the KeyStages. * five year old children find things on the internet by themselves. Worrying, but impressive. * I learned who the Maths Coordinator is * One teacher has been designated to co-ordinate the introduction of interactive whiteboards, who doesn't like MAC computers. An indication of one way things may develop * introduction of MacOSX was not managed very well.(no training) *some supply teachers simply don't switch the classroom computers on at all. I would have thought the children would show them how to. * if a computer gets stuck in nonresponsive state, it might just get left for a long time. Instructions for soft reboot required. * some teachers thought it was an opportunity to ask for more courses, interactive whiteboards and computers. *people who haven't got a computer at home use the resources at school for their own purposes more than others. *the use of classroom computers increased with the introduction of the Internet connection. * there are some quite varying ideas as to my job role. In particular, the question "What can I do to help you with the use of the classroom computers" seemed to flummox most of them at first. And one wanted me to take on small groups of children in her classroom, which is an interesting suggestion. Specific actions requested change the setting for default printer to the local printer.(2) I have tried to do before and it's not as easy as it sounds on a pre-configured network. Obviously worth allocating some more time to. Replace poorly functioning mice.(2) If we are still in dispute with our usual suppliers than I'll have to find out of it's possible for the school to buy directly through applestoreUK investigate slow printing/slow computer This may be due to OS X running on quite old spec machines. Upgrading the total RAM may help, worth experimenting with one machine first. find more maths and literacy activities LEA PDC offer advice but not always suitable. Supply advice, training and resources to integrate ICT across the curriculum.(3) No short answer. This is one of the areas I identified for further study in term 1. find examples of good practise and share them. A great idea, I wish time could be made available for teachers to do this. Introduce Windows PCs instead of the Apple Macs. Having just invested in a load of Apple MAC computers for the next three years this is very unlikely, but there may be a case for introducing some windows PCs for curriculum use in addition to the MACs The ICT Suite would be better if it had a big screen or projector Supports my long-standing request for one More space and a computer table needed. Not within my remit as far as I know, but can pass it on. You could come in from time to time and take a group of children and show them how to use it. Not out of the question Set up a page of EMAS links within the MonsonOnline website. I just need the links passed to me and I will do this, it's all ready waiting to go.
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What are the key things that you found out? (Numbered list - 200 words approx)
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Key Things found out 1)The new classroom computers with internet connections are beginning to be used for a wide variety of purposes by different people. At this point, just over 3 months since installation, usage still appears to be occasional rather than routine, and for a small proportion of the school day. 2)The Internet is the key application, both for finding teaching plans and resources and as used confidently by the children for research, activities and games. This agrees with the Government report into the use of ICT at Greenwich Millennium Primary School. ( Priest, 2004) 3)There isn't a level of expertise or confidence yet for widely integrating ICT into cross curricular subjects. There is an awareness that this should be happening, but a feeling that training, resources and time to share good practice are all badly needed before it can be fully implemented. 4)The local network is being used to provide continuity from the ICT Suite and EMAS room into the classrooms. 5)No major problems were uncovered, but relatively simple steps such as changing the default printer, replacing the mouse and showing people how to restart a frozen computer can make big improvements to classroom efficiency. 6)Unlike in Kentucky (Culbertson,1999) the ICT suite and classroom computers are seen as each appropriate in different ways. I was pleased to discover that problems with some classes not turning up for timetabled periods in the Suite may be more to do with timetabling than the ICT subject itself.
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10: Review your action enquiry project.
(400 words maximum)
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What did you learn about the action enquiry process? By reflecting back on what actually happened, I learned that the location for interviews is important. I hadn't specifically planned anything about this but most interviews took place in the classrooms in question. I feel this helped the interviewees to feel relaxed and forthcoming, whereas the two interviews which took place elsewhere ( staffroom and resources room ) yielded information which I felt to be less reliable. Away from their own territory, interviewees are more likely to be distracted and self conscious, so they pay less attention to the questioning or portray their answers with others' reading in mind. This ties in with my remarks in the introduction and context about hoping to get away from my own comfort zone and into the classrooms. I wonder if part of the whole problem with communications in a school context might be connected with issues of human territoriality and not just time. I learned that despite all the warnings, and despite planning a very short and simple enquiry it was still more difficult than expected to complete all the planned actions within the time available. This confirms to a small extent the advice offered by Cyril Wilkinson in the ultraversity hotseat "it is expedient to remember Murphy's Law which offers words of wisdom. 'Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you expect. And if anything can go wrong it will At the worst possible moment.' " (Wilkinson, 2004, page 5) Other than that, it all went remarkably well. I began to find out exactly what I wanted to know, I identified actions to be taken and I achieved my hoped for objectives as well ( venturing out from the comfort zone, improving communications ). The method of conducting interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire, taking notes and then typing into html forms all worked without any problems, so my impression of the process, as far as it has gone, is one of pushing at an open door. How might you approach action enquiry differently in the future? I feel that great caution needs to be exercised before coming to any big conclusions about the experience of Action Research from the project described here, since only one initial loop has been undertaken at the time of writing whereas I appreciate that it is the iterative nature of AR which is one of its greatest strengths. Indeed I envisage that future iterations, through feeding back improvements not only from the findings back into the action, but also into the research process itself should be able to obtain a leverage of effectiveness on an increasing scale. "This may be thought of as similar in nature to the numerical computing
technique known as successive approximation - the idea is to close in
upon a final goal or outcome by repeated iterations." Kemmis (cited
in Hopkins, 1985) In the future I might try a slightly more complex approach, attending to some findings as they arise as a minor loop within a loop, and then feeding back into the process without waiting for the end of the first loop. I would also endeavour to build in more elements of reflection and collaboration into each step of the process. Although that would necessitate a more flexible approach, I would also try to have a more detailed timetable, with clear commitments in order to prevent a project from slipping behind schedule. And finally, a quote from ( McNiff, 1988 ) which seems to typify the role of an utraversity researcher pioneering the online work-based degree course involving learning, research and technology. "Acquiescence is not a characteristic of an action researcher. He is resourceful, committed, tenacious, and above all, curious. He will not be satisfied with a given system if he sees elements of the system as unsatisfactory. He will seek to change it. In doing so, he refuses to be a servant, but becomes an acting agent. He rises above the role of a skilled technician and becomes an educator." (McNiff,1988, 50) |