Research+Questions

This page is a place to brainstorm research questions and make links to relevant research, study progress, publication drafts, etc.

Meeting with OTAC (NCLB Evaluators) April 18, 2008: I (Susan) met with the evaluators of the NCLB grant this morning, and here is what we determined to collect: 2) TWS created by each participant will include student learning data from their students 5) OTAC needs certification data from each teacher (put in demographic info in content-knowledge?) 7) OTAC will be sending a final end of year survey to participants that will include for one thing, a "how have you used technology differently throughout the year" question. 8) OTAC will conduct classroom observations at school sites during the 08-09 school year.
 * 1) pre-post content knowledge assessment - it would be good to construct this using released test items from Texas and Georgia. We can select items that have a focus on higher-order thinking skills from each of the content areas. It is very important that we can show participants the increase in content knowledge as tested with innovative teaching strategies. (Jean will put together)
 * 3) ASU Engineering Attitude Survey
 * 6) Survey of Enacted Curriculum is required by the MSP grant, so that will be collected and is paid for out of Keys part of the budget. (Susan & Linda)


 * Participants will complete

TWS result in application of PD? Student learning impacted by using the PD?

Teacher Attitude Questions
1) pedagogical innovations can improve student test scores (the belief that "If my students are going to do well on standardized tests, I can't deviate from the textbook.") Possible Question: Teaching and learning in schools is often driven by improvement of student test scores. There is evidence that engaging students in problem-based learning activities increases their learning as measured by standardized tests, but many teachers seem reluctant to use anything other than traditional textbook-based instruction in their classrooms. Can this workshop change teachers' attitudes regarding multidisciplinary, problem-based learning lessons focused on engineering activities related to improved student learning?

2) teacher attitudes toward engineering; awareness of engineering as avenue for math and science lessons

3) awareness of overlap in content area PASS skills

4) model for analysis of innovative tool (videogame) for learning standards

Implementation of Change
1) leadership factors in schools 2) why an innovation works in some schools and not in others 3) evaluation tool

Student Data
1) What does an engineer do? 2) pre- and post-data on lesson taught and data through Teacher Work Sample

Creating a Professional Learning Community
1) use of wiki for developing the project 2) teacher participant in online professional learning community

=Links to Articles and Resources= A School Where STEM Is King http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/03/27/30elite.h27.html?tmp=1117102631

Instrument for measuring cross-curricular instruction Article on the 5 research-based ways to organize multi-disciplinary standards