Engagement Home Resources Standards Inspiration About the Author
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Engaging Middle School Students in Science for the 21st Century
Description of the Educational Context
So much of our time in the classroom as teachers is taken up by distributing knowledge to our students. No wonder my students are bored and tend to misbehave (Katch 1988). Textbooks, worksheets and cookie cutter labs have their place in the classroom but students are missing opportunities to practice 21st Century skills if these are the only strategies teachers use. A Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC 2012) stresses the importance of including higher level cognitive skills by applying knowledge to new situations, creatively solving problems and critically evaluating what they learn from the media for example. To better engage our students, middle school science teachers must join the national effort to incorporate more group investigations to foster teamwork and collaboration. We must use more inquiry based instruction so our students practice critical thinking and problem solving skills. Technology must be accessed to research and communicate students’ findings and unleash their creativity. There is a need for an easy, accessible format for teachers who want to better engage and motivate their students. Perhaps a website that attempts to facilitate this need is in order.
Learners
Unfortunately, many teachers are intimidated by the technology or the management of a classroom full of collaborative learners. Or else they are ignorant of the plethora of rich lessons available to improve their practices. Most teachers I know want to continue to develop as professionals but their sites don’t always provide the type of training they want or need. Teachers as learners should have choices so they can receive the training they truly want or need. Time is a limiting factor as well. They should have access to the latest research, data, lesson plans, models of instructional strategies, and training on technology any time they need it.
Evidence that Instruction is Appropriate as a Potential Strategy
People are motivated when the instruction available to them is related to their fundamental life goals and values. When engaging any student, whether teachers wanting to improve their practice or middle school students in a science classroom, relevance is vital. We need to take into consideration the situational context of the learners and ask them why they are here, what do they need, or maybe even how we get them to want to be here.
Because technology is one of the components of 21st Century skills, and because technology is one of the tools that I have directly observed motivates middle school students, a website that incorporates instruction in the use of technology is essential. Many teachers are fluent in their content area knowledge and pedagogy so the third point in the TPaCK triangle will be developed (Mishra & Koehler 2006). The other two triangle points will not be ignored, however. By posting innovative instructional strategies and recent brain research data, teachers will have the opportunity to brush up on their content knowledge and pedagogy as well.
According to Ruth Calvin Clark (1999) any technology training needs to be done by those who have technical knowledge as well as skill as instructors. She suggests that there are four ingredients for a good training session; knowing thoroughly the information being delivered, having clear performance outcomes that mirror what will be done on the job, using instructional methods that allow trainees practice with feedback, and finally, choosing the most appropriate instructional media for the lesson. All four components will be modeled on the website.
Justification for Instructional Product Chosen to Meet Learner Need
By integrating behaviorist theory and Bloom’s taxonomy the information on the website will consider all levels of learning. Facts in the form of research articles on various topics of brain theory for example, videos on innovative instructional methods, or screen casts on how to use technological tools can begin the learning process. Visitors to the site can then perhaps take a quiz or try a strategy and report back on the website to share and receive feedback from the online community we develop. Through collaboration, teachers can tweek their strategies and construct their own lessons that suit their needs. After all, according to a Blog by Tim O’Reilly(2006), when we harness collective intelligence through this interface,” together we form a super intelligence that is a lot smarter than any one of us alone.”
Sources of Data
Sources of data for this research primarily consist of other middle and high school science teachers.
· Approximately 10 colleagues from my former suburban public school district in Benicia, California;
· Approximately 10 future colleagues in my urban private middle school in Boulder, Colorado
Methods of Data Collection
Data was collected via a questionnaire created in Survey Monkey and distributed to 36 educators through email. The questions referred to the teachers’ current knowledge of 21st Century learning and how they apply it in their classrooms as well as questions about their needs in terms of professional development in this area. See survey in the Appendix.
Findings
Of 16 respondents, 12 completed the entire survey.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Summary of Findings
Survey findings indicate that educators have varied experiences with innovative teaching tools and methods. Most have at least heard of many of the methods and have tired or want to try several of them. Very few responded that they are at the innovative level for any of them. Teachers felt that they were most innovative in those methods that do not require the use of technology, such as rubrics, project based learning and inquiry lessons.
These results correspond directly with the responses to barriers to learning. 60% of these teachers feel that they lack the resources at their sites to implement lessons that include technology. The same percentage indicated that lack of time is a huge constraint.
Taking a class and observing other teachers are the methods these educators are least likely to pursue to in their professional development. This makes sense since taking a class requires many hours of personal time and observing teachers requires time in the school day that busy teachers cannot afford to give up. They are most likely to engage in discussions with colleagues or visit a website that offers a variety of ways to learn new tools and teaching methods.
User Goals
1. To find and implement a variety lesson designs to help teachers engage and motivate their students.
2. To find and implement a variety of technological tools to help teachers engage and motivate their students.
3. To compile a list of print and video resources to help teachers understand how to better engage and motivate their students.
4. To find or create a rubric for teachers to use to assess the engagement of their students.
Instructional Goals
1. To present the research on engagement and motivation that I have accumulated in an accessible form for other educators.
2. To create a forum on the website for educators to discuss engagement and motivation.
References
Clark, R. C. (1999).Developing technical training: A structured approach for the development of classroom and computer-based instructional materials (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: International Society for Performance Improvement.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Katch, M., 1988. Acting out adolescents: The engagement process. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 5(1), 30-40. doi:10.1007/BF00757470.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for integrating technology in teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 101(6), 1017-1054.
National Research Council (NRC). 2011. A Framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
O'Reilly, T. (2006, November 10). Harnessing collective intelligence [Blogpost]. Retrieved from http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2006/11/harnessing-coll.htm
Partnership for 21st century skills. (2011). Retrieved June 27, 2012, from http://www.p21.org
Summary of Findings
Survey findings indicate that educators have varied experiences with innovative teaching tools and methods. Most have at least heard of many of the methods and have tired or want to try several of them. Very few responded that they are at the innovative level for any of them. Teachers felt that they were most innovative in those methods that do not require the use of technology, such as rubrics, project based learning and inquiry lessons.
These results correspond directly with the responses to barriers to learning. 60% of these teachers feel that they lack the resources at their sites to implement lessons that include technology. The same percentage indicated that lack of time is a huge constraint.
Taking a class and observing other teachers are the methods these educators are least likely to pursue to in their professional development. This makes sense since taking a class requires many hours of personal time and observing teachers requires time in the school day that busy teachers cannot afford to give up. They are most likely to engage in discussions with colleagues or visit a website that offers a variety of ways to learn new tools and teaching methods.
User Goals
1. To find and implement a variety lesson designs to help teachers engage and motivate their students.
2. To find and implement a variety of technological tools to help teachers engage and motivate their students.
3. To compile a list of print and video resources to help teachers understand how to better engage and motivate their students.
4. To find or create a rubric for teachers to use to assess the engagement of their students.
Instructional Goals
1. To present the research on engagement and motivation that I have accumulated in an accessible form for other educators.
2. To create a forum on the website for educators to discuss engagement and motivation.
References
Clark, R. C. (1999).Developing technical training: A structured approach for the development of classroom and computer-based instructional materials (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: International Society for Performance Improvement.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Katch, M., 1988. Acting out adolescents: The engagement process. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 5(1), 30-40. doi:10.1007/BF00757470.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for integrating technology in teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 101(6), 1017-1054.
National Research Council (NRC). 2011. A Framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
O'Reilly, T. (2006, November 10). Harnessing collective intelligence [Blogpost]. Retrieved from http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2006/11/harnessing-coll.htm
Partnership for 21st century skills. (2011). Retrieved June 27, 2012, from http://www.p21.org
Appendix
Survey: Engaging Students in Learning
1. Please read the following consent form before participating in this study.
The purpose of this survey is to find out what types of support teachers need to better engage students in learning. The goal is to create an online learning environment for teachers interested in pursuing new instructional methods and strategies and share their expertise with other educators. We believe that this survey will take 5-10 minutes. At the conclusion of the survey, your information will be submitted electronically. Your name will not be used in any report or publication. There is minimal risk since this survey is a standard electronic survey. Educators who wish to join the resulting online community may benefit professionally from this research. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There is no penalty for not participating.
Survey: Engaging Students in Learning
1. Please read the following consent form before participating in this study.
The purpose of this survey is to find out what types of support teachers need to better engage students in learning. The goal is to create an online learning environment for teachers interested in pursuing new instructional methods and strategies and share their expertise with other educators. We believe that this survey will take 5-10 minutes. At the conclusion of the survey, your information will be submitted electronically. Your name will not be used in any report or publication. There is minimal risk since this survey is a standard electronic survey. Educators who wish to join the resulting online community may benefit professionally from this research. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There is no penalty for not participating.
