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Focus Statement and Research Question (Draft) 

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Focus Statement and Research Question (Draft) 

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Part One: Focus Statement

This inquiry project seeks to create an introduction to UDL Framework as a compliment and finishing protocol for lesson plan development. My personal interest in this subject matter was originally formed during a unit on Inclusive Secondary Classrooms in which I was continually challenged to augment my approach to drafting lesson plans to ensure that they were scaffolded for students with a range of abilities and needs. The more I delved into this topic, the more I saw the need to apply an UDL Framework lens to all of the work I intend to do which led me to question: what are the most effective and efficient ways to incorporate this into my daily practice? I wondered if there are specific EdTech tools or platforms, or any other apparatuses that support teachers, and I wondered what advice veteran/seasoned teachers could offer me on this subject matter.

Since UDL Framework is a rather large subject with three major avenues for application, I decided to narrow the focus on this assignment down to the development of formative and summative assessments, which falls into the UDL criteria of “action/expression.” In this Inquiry Project, I will seek to catalogue, categorize, and identify different methods of UDL Framework augmentations for formative and summative assessments that well established secondary-level teachers incorporate into their practice. Through interviews, surveys, and analyzing outcomes of formative/summative assessments, I will seek to compile data that will elucidate useful practical applications of UDL Framework tools.

This research is an important exploration for a teacher candidate/new teacher because it has the potential to instill effective and important practices into lesson plan development right from the onset. To understand students who are differently abled and/or require specific support is an imperative for instruction; learning to identify, research, and survey more experienced teachers will provide invaluable insights that are part of the lifelong learning in teaching. This research will not only enrich the understanding of UDL Framework and its practical applications, but will also provide key methodology for collecting data and pursuing insights from well-established teachers.

Part Two: Research Question

The central questions of this research are: In what ways can UDL Framework approaches to action/expression still foster and support student development of writing skills? How can I bridge the use of UDL framework approaches that may not rely on written format to support student writing development? What approaches might there be to investigating the efficacy and role of different EdTech/low tech platforms for creating a UDL framed lesson plan?

Literature and Asset Review:

Cross-pollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy and universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ability

This article explores the importance of and methods for incorporating UDL and CRSP into one’s educational practice, particularly in terms of lesson design. The article contends that there are four characteristics of inclusion of UDL and CRSP into lesson plans:

● Characteristic 1: Critical centering on dynamic community languages and valued knowledges

● Characteristic 2: Student and community agency and input

●  Characteristic 3: Historicize content and instruction

●  Characteristic 4: Capacity to contend with internalized oppression

The authors include a case study of a particular lesson plan that incorporates UDL and CRSP, and analyzes it as a model for best practices.

Disability Studies and the Inclusive Classroom (Chapter 9, UDL):

Baglieri (2019) recommends that content should be taught in units, which are then broken down into “big ideas”, which are in turn explored through answering “essential questions”. Then, students should be provided support and scaffolding when engaging with the content. Additionally, students should be given multiple ways to engage with the content (representation, action/expression, engagement). The primary rationale behind the UDL framework for pedagogy is creating a classroom that is accessible to “the broadest possible constituency” (p. 178). By fusing UDL principles to the foundations of curriculum that is presented, educators are removing barriers before they’ve been presented, saving both time and discouragement among students. Planning for such a classroom that applies UDL methodology involves insight and foresight into barriers that inhibit the mutually beneficial goal of including experiences and perspectives of our unique student populations.

Universal Design of Instruction (UDI): Definition, Principles, Guidelines, and Examples

This online resource outlines the basic principles of UDL Framework and the foundations of its effectiveness in the classroom. There are in-depth studies including peer-reviewed data sets that constitute meaningful research of UDL Framework. This website also includes resources and guidelines to help format and construct UDL into lesson plans and teaching strategies, and offers an extremely clear, concise rendering of the theoretical framework.

Part 2. Demonstrating Relevance to Teacher Education:

“To resist normative practices educators may critique existing curriculum and teaching practices to discern embedded assumptions about the nature of knowledge and understandings about diversity of culture and experience. Engaging in criticality requires applying a consciousness of cultural privilege and marginality to examine the ways that curriculum likely centers, for example, Whiteness, ability, heteronormativity, masculinity, or Anglo-European language and culture” (Baglieri, p. 174).

Because UDL Framework is a methodology that has to be applied with care and attention to creating multiple forms of representation, action/expression, engagement, our text set research demonstrates opportunities for applying UDL to lesson planning and teaching strategies in effective ways that have been analyzed and supported with data collection. In the new distance-learning environment, it is of the utmost importance that educators use proven UDL techniques and develop methods for adapting instruction to the online environment. Learning online is a challenge for many students, so it is a moral imperative for educators to provide students the most opportunities for success.   Our research will explore the efficacy of various methods of implementing UDL through the distance-learning context.

REFERENCES

Baglieri, Susan & Shapiro Arthur (2017) Disability Studies and the Inclusive Classroom Routledge Publishing, New York

Burgstahler, Sheryl PhD. (2020) “Universal Design of Instruction (UDI): Definition, Principles, Guidelines, and

Examples |  DO-IT.” [Online]. Retrieved from:

https://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-instruction-udi-definition-principles-guidelines-and-examples

Waitoller, F. R., & King Thorius, K. A. (2016). Cross-pollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy and

universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ability. Harvard Educational Review, 86(3), 366-389. Retrieved from https://edspace.american.edu/culturallysustainingclassrooms/wp-content/uploads/sites/1030/2017/09/culturally_sustaining_pedagogy_andUDL.pdf.

Methods and Data Collection Tools

Overview:

The most essential tenets of UDL Framework are the incorporation of three major concerns: 1. Representation: different ways of presenting the content (lecture, video, etc)  2. Action/Expression: formative assessments using different tools and 3. Engagement: how can students access the content in a way that is authentic to them (or how can they explore the content in a way that relates to their specific and unique perspectives)? Due to the length of time to implement formal research, this project will focus specifically on Action/Expression. The focus inquiry for this research will center on collecting data pertaining to the following questions:

In what ways can UDL Framework approaches to action/expression still foster and support student development of writing skills? How can I bridge the use of UDL framework approaches that may not rely on written format to support student writing development? What approaches might there be to investigating the efficacy and role of different EdTech/low tech platforms for creating a UDL framed lesson plan?

Much of the research for this project will rely on qualitative data: student surveys, student testimonial, pre-assessment and post-assessment analysis, and a journal that tracks research notes. The quantitative data will come in the form of formative and summative assessments and exit tickets.

Part 1. Tool Description and Purpose:

-exit tickets

-formative and summative assessments

-surveys (what are some ways that you like to learn and like to express yourself)?

-pre-assessment / post-assessment analysis

-use a journal as a data collection tool (this is gathering qualitative data)
-teacher interviews (survey plus 10 minute in person interview)

Part 2. Data Collection Process:

Data Collection Tools

Teacher Interviews:
Google Survey (numerical)
---> graphs

10-minute in-person interview

1. What tools do you use that you can identify as UDL framework options?

2. How do you currently align your practice with UDL principles?

3. In the digital landscape, what tools/methods/approaches do you take to create multiple means of representation?

4. In the digital landscape, what tools/methods/approaches do you take to create multiple means of action/expression?

5. In the digital landscape, what tools/methods/approaches do you take to create multiple means of engagement?

6. How have you adapted your practice to be more effective in the online environment?

INQUIRY PROJECT - ACTION PLAN

Overview

The research conducted in this Inquiry Project will lend itself to the study of UDL Framework as it pertains, in this school year, to the remote/distance learning environment and will seek to acquire data regarding methods for seamlessly incorporating UDL Framework principles into daily teaching practices. By compiling surveys, interviews, and statements from seasoned teachers, this Inquiry Project will seek to identify best practices and methods for including UDL Framework in the classroom. Preparing for this research will include categorizing different aspects of UDL Framework that will be closely looked at (specifically in the context, at present, of remote/distance learning environments) and how UDL can be implemented in the digital landscape. This research will focus on the most essential tenets of UDL Framework: 1. Representation: different ways of presenting the content (lecture, video, etc)  2. Action/Expression: formative assessments using different tools and 3. Engagement: how can students access the content in a way that is authentic to them (or how can they explore the content in a way that relates to their specific and unique perspectives)? Due to the length of time to implement formal research, this Inquiry Project will focus specifically on Action/Expression. The focus for this research will center on collecting perspectives and insights from a cross-section of current secondary-level teachers to facilitate analyzing the surveys and interview statements for patterns, themes, successful tools, and methodologies.

The expected outcome of this research is a compilation and  running list of modifications, strategies, and useful tools (including EdTech Platforms) that facilitate the incorporation of UDL Framework in Lesson Planning. The data will explore the effectiveness of these tools based on qualitative and quantitative information that will reflect the process of interpreting survey results, interview questions, and data collection from key assessments and assignments that students have submitted which can lend speculative and elucidating insight through student achievement. The most essential outcome of this research will render as much information about methodology for incorporating UDL Framework in Action/Expression (formative and summative assessments) for students.

Overview

Describe the preparation, processes, implementation, and expected outcomes of your inquiry project with sufficient detail so that another researcher could replicate your study.

Proficiency Targets

In your Action Plan, respond to the following questions:

Part 1: Preparation & Processes

What action/s (e.g., strategy, tool, technique, investigation, etc.) will you take to deepen and improve your practice?

By compiling surveys, interviews, and statements from seasoned teachers, this Inquiry Project will seek to identify best practices and methods for including UDL Framework in the classroom.

In what ways does the action plan relate to the literature that you reviewed and synthesized?

The action plan relates to the literature by comparing current currently established best practices in a traditional, in-person learning environment with cutting-edge reports from current teachers who have had to adapt to a 100% distance-learning environment.

What (two or three) data collection tools will you use to gather information related to your area of focus? How will they help you find answers to your research question about your area of focus?

This inquiry project will include interviews with and online surveys of current teachers. This will shed light on what strategies teachers have been using to adapt to comprehensive distance learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

How will your analysis of the data help you to refine your area of focus?

The analysis derived from data collected through surveys and interviews will render patterns, themes, useful tools, and successful methodologies for incorporating UDL Framework in Action/Expression (formative and summative assessments) for students.

What were the processes in which you engaged to develop this action plan?

Cassie Morgan and David Goldstein met weekly to collaborate on their projects because they are very similar.

Part 2: Implementation & Outcomes

What is the timeline and timeframe for implementation of this action plan?

Research from this Inquiry Project will begin during Winter Break with interviews and surveys administered to a collection of secondary-level instructors from different content areas. Once compiled, the researchers will meet to outline and categorize the data, looking for patterns and themes. The surveys will yield some degree of quantitative data that can be interpreted through the lens of demographic research, and the compilation of tools (including EdTech platforms) will take the form of a methods list that corresponds to UDL support scaffolding.

What do you hope to accomplish with this action plan?

This research is intended to serve as a snapshot into how current teachers are adapting their practices to the novel challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and distance-learning. It is the hope of the researchers that the results of this research will aid teachers in aligning their educational practices with the principles of Universal Design for Learning.

What kind of outcomes do you expect?

The most beneficial and informative outcome will be authentic and useful teaching practices that can be applied to lesson planning. By collaborating with a range of teachers and gleaning from their experiences, the analysis derived from data collected will render patterns, themes, useful tools, and successful methodologies for incorporating UDL Framework in Action/Expression (formative and summative assessments) for students.

How will this action plan inform your teaching?

This action plan will create a scope for further research that will be carried out throughout the duration of our teaching careers. To enrich our understanding of UDL Framework and best practices used by other instructors to incorporate it, we will seek peer support and collaboration as a model for future development in our career pursuits.

Work Product: Google Doc, Google Slides, etc. for your Inquiry Project to record your Focus Statement, Research Question, Literature and Asset Review, Methods and Data Collection Tools, Action Plan, and Journal and Reflections.

***** The Final Compilation of My Inquiry Project can be found at the attached google drive document!!! *******

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Section 1- Personal statement

What is the difference between the student's voices and the teacher's voices in the classroom?

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Focus statement and Research Question: Do 9th grade students enrolled in visual arts classes have a better understanding in Algebra 1 classes as evidenced by their communication of concepts?

This study will take place at 3 private high schools in the Portland area, specifically in Algebra 1 classes.

The motivation behind this study is the consistent demotion and derision of the arts in favor of STEM subjects. That I often find that my most creative students are able to understand concepts in different and more holistic ways than those who simply memorize formulas. While it may be debasing to judge one subject's worth in relation to it's benefit to another, it if unfortunately the situation arts funding is in.
Actionable outcomes of my study within my classroom could be the implementation of my artistic representation of math concepts, or more creative projects. Nationally, if there is a connection, this study would encourage the inclusion of arts programs in schools.

Literature and Asset Review:
Part 1: Findings & Information
"Technology engineering is where all the other subjects come together. You can do math, science, english, social studies, everything." "Based on the fact that if you teach all these things in relation to each other, that it makes more sense and it is more ingrained." ~

Georgette Yakman | STEAM - Learning That is Representative of the Whole World

"There is a danger in such reasoning. If the arts are given a role in our schools because people believe the arts cause academic improvement, then the arts will quickly lose their position if academic improvement does not result." "Three Areas Where Reliable Causal Links Were Found Listening to Music and Spatial-Temporal Reasoning,...Learning to Play Music and Spatial Reasoning,...Classroom Drama and Verbal Skills" "What Happens in Schools When the Arts are Given a Prominent Role?" ~The Arts and Academic Improvement: What the Evidence Shows. Executive Summary: Harvard Project Zero Reviewing Education and the Arts Project (REAP)
"Arts educators have long reported that the arts are connected to a wide range of benefits to students beyond their learning in the arts — academic achievement, positive social development, habits of mind, and inclinations of thought." "Each discipline is connected to significant outcomes. For example, in the visual arts, there are findings about how drawing supports writing skills and how visualization training supports interpretation of text." ~

Connections between Education in the Arts and Student Achievement Perspectives on Relevant Research

Part 2: Relevance to Teacher Education:
While many agree that the arts holds a place in academic learning, the evidence to the contrary opinion is also vast. Funding for arts programs is virtually non-existent in areas, states prioritize subjects that are tested, and arts aren't tested. Studying how arts and other subjects interact is of vital importance in the US today, especially in a year of change such as 2020. Considering how things are emphasized (or not) in the future has never been more timely.

Methods and Data Collection Tools:
A: Questionnaire
Purpose - To compare conceptual understanding of basic concepts.
Use/Application - Students in focus groups will be given a questionnaire with one or two open ended math questions and asked to display their understanding in multiple ways. These will be compared to see whether students in art classes could do so with more variety, depth, or accuracy than those not enrolled in art.
Data Summary & Analysis - a comparison between the holistic information, the varieties of understanding, the accuracy of explanations, and the depth of understanding will be displayed in bar and pie graphs. These will help to represent types of frequency, and percentage of different groups. They will also be discussed in text.

B: Grades
Purpose - to assess in a more standardized way the student's comparative academic success.
Use/Application - Numerical grade data (percentage) of each set of students (art students/not art students) will be compiled and anonymized.
Data Summary & Analysis - The grade data will be displayed on a scatter plot graph, using error bars set to indicate the standard deviation, to help indicate and account for any discrepancies. This is to help the viewer see the data, but also how far from the mean that data is.

Concerns: Grades are not always consistent teacher to teacher, and may not be the most accurate indicator. That is why a uniform questionnaire would be used and assessed by the researcher to eliminate bias in grading. The assessment of the questionnaires may be challenging to make into quantifiable data, which is why a more holistic approach in interpretation is offered in the analysis of those. To ensure FERPA guidelines are followed, all grades data will be anonymized and considered in aggregate. All the questionnaires will also be anonymized, and not shared through the study.

Action Plan:
Part 1 - Preparation & Processes: I have chosen to look at the depth and breadth of understanding students can display in mathematics classes in relation to their enrollment in art. This might be counter to some of the reading I did, and certainly isn't fully in line with my beliefs that subjects have inherent value and do not need to prove their worth. It is relevant in our current educational landscape, and I hope to connect with the aspects that underline the study of creativity, connection to the arts, and a unique perspective even within mathematics. Actions I will take to deepen this study are to keep up to date on how education changes with the new administration in January. This will likely come with changes to the educational leadership of the country, and may impact things like school funding. It would be interesting to consider how these will impact students.

Part 2 - Implementation & Outcomes:
I will create my questionnaire during December, and reach out to other private schools during January. Hopefully I will have the students complete the questionnaire around the beginning of the second semester in schools, which will also allow me to look at semester 1 grades. This data will be collected and synthesized in February and March.

I am hoping to see a difference between the groups of students I study, and to be able to draw conclusions based around this information. If there was a difference that would show potentially large impacts upon our value system within American education, and on the allocation of funding in the public school system. While I am not a public official, I am a person who can incorporate art into my classes. I hope to see a connection between students understanding of math concepts and visual competency. I'd be encouraged, if that was the case, to do more artistic projects in class especially in helping students to understand complex and long-lasting standards that will impact their learning for many years to come.

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Research Question:
Is possible to hold effective whole class discussions through synchronous distance learning?

Focus Statement:
For my research project, I will be studying the challenges of holding class discussions over a distance learning platform. The traditional idea of school does not directly translate to online learning, and we see the impact of this when holding discussions. Students now more than ever have found it deeply difficult to engage in conversations over video chat due to the disconnection between each other. In a literature class, discussion is key to the function of a class; when the class won't talk to each other, the class suffers. This inquiry project will be using a class of seniors in a general literature and composition class. I will be creating a pre and post survey for the students to fill out on their feelings on discussion, as well as testing two different discussion techniques that could help break the barrier of the computer screen. These techniques have not been decided yet; I want to do more research before committing. These tools will help me better understand what is going on in the mind of the student when being asked to discuss with their classmates. I want to know how they felt about it in the physical classroom, and how it makes them feel now that they are virtual. I am open to feedback, and plan to have an open comments section on both surveys. The post survey will touch upon what they felt worked and didn’t when engaging in discussion in new ways, per the techniques implemented in the classroom for research sake.

This conversation around Zoom discussion has been a barrier for my co-teacher and I to interact with students. Naturally, I believe that discussions are so important to a literature classroom, but it feels nearly impossible to execute right now. Students are muted, turn the camera off, and do not feel comfortable chiming in to break the silence. Even in a small group, half of the students participate while the other remains silent. It is sad to see how deeply impacted their learning has been due to this pandemic. As the future of education has no concrete guarantees, I believe that this research will inform other educators of what may and may not work in the future. If we continue to be online, whether it is hybrid or fully virtual, knowing how to conduct discussions effectively will benefit students and educators alike. It is frustrating to reinvent the wheel each year, however, hopefully this would help other educators to have a smoother transition to distance learning.

Literature and Asset Review
Part 1: Findings and Information

Rovai, A. P. (2007). Facilitating online discussions effectively. The Internet and Higher Education, 10(1), 77-88.

This study applied the social learning theory to the function of an online classroom. While they focus on facilitating online discussions, they primarily researched the effectiveness of asynchronous discussions. To perform asynchronous discussions, they incorporated ground rules early in the course to lay out student expectations, provided opportunities for social-emotional based discussions, and sought out authentic “content- and task- oriented discussions.” They did this by developing a social presence in the online classroom, promoted student led discussions, and attended to issues of social equity based on, “cultural communication patterns and  gender related communication patterns,” as well as increasing, “ the status of low status students in order to promote equitable collaborations.” The topics used to facilitate discussions that were the most useful include:

One-sentence summaries — students select and articulate only the defining features of an idea.

Most important point — students describe the most important point of a reading assignment and why it is important to them.

Muddiest point — students identify the least understood point in a reading assignment.

Test questions and model answers — students write plausible test questions and model answers for specified topics.

Self-confidence surveys — students assess their self-confidence regarding specific skills.

Benefits analysis — students describe how the skills learned in the course relate to their goals and interests in life.

Moon-Heum, Cho, & Scott, T. (2016). Should instructors require discussion in online   courses? effects of online discussion on community of inquiry, learner time, satisfaction, and achievement. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 17(2)

“The purpose of this study was to examine the role of online discussion in student learning experiences measured with community inquiry, learner time, satisfaction, and achievement.” This article was especially interesting as it was written in 2016, well before our forced online learning. This study followed the online classroom of one instructor teaching the same course three different times, but used a different method in each semester to find the most effective teaching strategies. In the first semester of students, no discussions were held. The second had one, asynchronous, online discussion topic posted each week for the full eight week course. The instructor did not participate in the discussions, and students were asked to respond to one of their classmates' posts each week. Prior to the third course, the instructor had participated in a Quality Matters training, and applied the rubric from the training to the course. The use of discussions in this group was to ask questions regarding the quizzes, readings, and other course material given. From the conclusion, the greatest take away I gained this statement: “We have pointed out that online discussion had no particular impact on students' online learning experiences in a basic course, but posit that the current findings should be seen as part of a larger conversation about how online courses can best build toward positive student outcomes depending on course nature.” In all, the discussion models used for this course align with what I have seen in college courses, and I question if this would suffice in a secondary education system.

Park, Jeong-bin Hannah, Schallert, Diane L, Sanders, Anke J.Z, Williams, Kyle M, Seo, Eunjin, Yu, Li-Tang, . . . Knox, Marissa C. (2015). Does it matter if the teacher is there?: A teacher's contribution to emerging patterns of interactions in online classroom discussions. Computers and Education, 82, 315-328.

This research article considered the role of the educator in an online environment. Specifically looking at the synchronous discussions, the study concluded that the role of an educator still holds value, but they are more as an equal than in a traditional classroom. This study looked at a class of graduate students who were assigned, “ two discussion groups, discussed course topics weekly, with the teacher switching group every week.” Along with the weekly discussion groups, the educator asked the students to complete multiple pre and post surveys to gauge the effectiveness of the discussion groups, and ended the course with a self-reflection paper. In the discussion groups when the instructor was present, the group participated in a higher level discussion, and often would participate more, but treated the instructor as an equal more than a ‘more knowledgeable other’.

Relevance to Teacher Educations

After reading these articles, the questions that circulated my thoughts included: Is facilitating synchronous discussion a valuable use of time for distance learning? How can I encourage my students to feel comfortable engaging in synchronous discussions considering we have been working with each other for the past couple months?

These articles looked at the use of discussions in college courses because colleges have been conducting online school for many years. The platform is more user friendly and can be adapted a bit better in comparison to our K-12 learners who have been thrusted into this platform. I agree that in person discussions are far more effective and easier to conduct, but is there still a place for it on the distance learning platform. The Rovai article provided useful tools in promoting social-emotional discussions, which would be interesting to apply to content based discussions. The Park and Moon-Heum studies commented in the effectiveness of asynchronous discussions using a discussion board feature on Blackboard or Canvas, but is that enough for our K-12 students? There is a severe social disconnect for our students, and I wonder if hosting discussions via Zoom, even if they are content based, still gives students a chance to interact with each other. These studies were performed in a pre-COVID world, and the definition of a teacher, classroom, and school have dramatically changed since then. I think these articles give good insight in useful techniques to hosting discussions in an online classroom, but do not consider the present day social isolation our students experience daily.

Methods and Data Collection Tools

Part 1: Tool Description and Purpose

My data collection tools will include a pre and post survey on discussions. Students will fill out a survey before engaging in a group discussion focusing on what they like or dislike about discussions, how discussions were held during in-person learning in their classes, and what they think the ideal discussion format would look like. Then, after engaging in a discussion (most likely Socratic Seminar format), students will fill out a post survey covering what went well and what could be improved upon for the next discussion in the future. During this discussion, I will be taking notes on how the students are interacting with one another. This will be another resource to reflect what was happening in real time during the discussion from an educators perspective.

I believe that the use of a student survey will be useful because it gives a first hand account of how the discussion went. This research is to enhance the students experience with online discussions, and the student is the one engaging with the practice. Understanding that the experience in person differs from the experience online, it will be important to hear what works, what does not, and what can be improved for the next time. Additionally, I would be able to collect information from a wide range of students. This would help me find commonalities and outliers in the answers to find one or two areas of focus in discussions. I am wondering how effective the notes taken during the discussion will be when considering my research as it is biased to my point of view. I wonder if my co-teacher and I were to take notes, and use both of those notes as a research tool to see if we were thinking similarly.

Part 2: Data Collection Process

I would create two different Google Form surveys with required answers for the students to complete. I would give the pre survey 3 to 4 days before the discussion to allow time for the students to complete the survey. Questions I would pose in the pre-survey would include: Do you find classroom discussions help you understanding of literature? What classes did you have discussions in the most? What was the format of the discussions, be as specific as you can. How would you describe yourself as a discussion participant? What do you think a discussion could look like in an online classroom?

The post survey would be in a similar format using Google Forms. I would provide the survey after the classroom discussion, and ask them to be completed 2 to 3 days after the discussion. I made the window of response time shorter since I do not want the students to forget their feelings and insight as to how the discussion went. The types of questions I would ask include: How do you feel about your participation in the discussion? Do you feel everyone was able to participate? Did the discussion feel inclusive? What didn't go as well in the discussion? If you could modify or change anything about the discussion, what would it be? Are discussions still a useful tool for online learning?

Considering the notes, I would create a table labeling each box with the students name. Each time the student spoke, I would make a note of what was said, how they participated, and how this contributed to the conversation at large. I would use bullet points, make the notes, and tally the amount of times the student spoke or wrote in the chat.

When analyzing the data and summary of the collected tools, I would read over the student answers and highlight common themes. Initially I would keep the pre and post survey analysis separate to really pick apart the answers provided. Then, I would look at the common themes from the pre survey, particularly what students think a successful discussion would look like, and compare it to the post survey of how it actually went. It would also be interesting to compare from the pre survey question “what do you think a discussion could look like in an online classroom,” to the post survey question, “how do you feel about your participation in the discussion?” This then would reflect if the student felt comfortable in the discussion environment. I would use a chart to reflect the themes found in each survey, and add pull quotes to reflect what students had said in relation to that theme. When comparing my data from the surveys combined, a Venn diagram would be a strong visual representation of the two surveys and how they overlap in emerging themes. While I think the notes compiled from my co teacher and I would be a useful tool, I am wondering how this would influence what the students provide. I am wondering if it would be valuable for us to take the same survey, then we could reflect on the same questions in relation to what we saw the students do.

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I will be studying engagement with a focus on how various definitions of engagement affect the disaggregated data in terms of demographics. I will study this in my own classroom (grades 6-8 Spanish Language Arts DLI) and by polling teachers in my school (also grades 6-8). For data collection, I will use polls and quantitative data including grades and attendance profiles. These tools will allow me to assess engagement from various perspectives and compare the results. This problem is important to me, as a classroom teacher, because engagement is at the heart of the practice, and often contributes heavily to my decisions, and other teachers' decisions, around grading.

Research question:
How do various measures of engagement compare in terms of demographics in their disaggregated data?

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Andrew and Darin inquiry project focus statement

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Andrew and Darin inquiry project focus statement

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We will be studying whether schools can do a better job of maximizing instruction time to reach students whose schedule does not fit the traditional 9-4 school model.
The problem we are running into is that many students cannot always attend in-person schooling during traditional hours due to work, family responsibilities, social anxieties etc. Are schools failing these students by not offering a more a la carte attendance model?
This research will take place at Open School East, where we both teach. Open is an alternative high school in deep southeast Portland.
We will be using polls and quantitative data tools including attendance logs during traditional school and remote learning, where students can attend at any hour they choose and get attendance credit based on different tiers of engagement.
For example, we will be able to tell which students struggled to attend in person classes due to other obligations and whether that attendance increased with a more flexible (online) model.
We have been seriously considering offering a weekly evening class for students who cannot make it to the 1:30-2:30 live class. This class counts for a percentage of their grade. It just doesn't seem fair.
We think this issue is important for schools and education in general if we are to offer a more equitable approach to learning.

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Research question:
What culturally responsive strategies are effective for building community in the classroom?

The focus will take place within my school Cesar Chavez and in my 8th grade Spanish world language class. This is a class in which I did not know the students last year and where creating community is so crucial. For data collection I am going to measure which lessons/materials/strategies gauge more interest, as well as polls and exit tickets where students can give me feedback on what went well and how we can improve.

2. Literature and Asset Review

My document is attached below.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Critical Question:
How does an OWL-based curriculum impact student learning? Will the OWL methodology benefit students equally given students' varying skill levels in the target language, personalities, and abilities in general?

Mario and I are working on this inquiry project together.

Focus Statement:
The teacher that held Mario’s position before him uses OWL in his teaching almost exclusively. From what he tells me, he always seemed to get a lot of engagement from this strategy, and teachers working around him have also mentioned that. When he left, he left Mario with notes, a syllabus, sub-plans, and student interviews, which is what led us to be interested in this strategy. Funny enough, I’ve subbed in that teacher’s new position and his classroom is very much geared towards this kind of teaching (no tables at all in the classroom). This strategy, when implemented well, seems like it can do wonders for students’ comfortability in speaking in their target language, which is a great goal to have in a language classroom. It seems like a great tool and although it may seem different from the typical classroom we’re used to, I think that I want to experience it and see how well students do with it. Like we often read in our book, doing our own research can be a vehicle for growth and development as teachers, and I think that we are both hoping to achieve this through this work.

This teaching strategy is referred to as OWL (Organic World Language) and it centers around these six fundamental goals:
- To build relationships and community.
- To foster intrinsic motivation and student ownership.
- To take risks and break down the filter (make mistakes!).
- To create an immersive environment, 100% in the target language.
- To be fearless in an immersive environment.
- To be able to infer, circumlocute, and negotiate for meaning.

In short, this teaching style relies on ‘hooks’, engaging media that will transfer into conversation builders to build vocabulary.

Mario and I have begun our research by talking to people who have experience with this work. Mario has been in the process of gathering insights from teachers currently using this methodology today. He has interviewed his predecessor to gather field experience information, and we have both reached out to our professors Bernd and Yasin to get some insight as WL teachers and teacher trainers. We've also taken a deep look at the website dedicated to OWL and have watched a number of informative videos on the topic. Mario and I are in the works to collaborate and fuse our findings for this research project. We both consider this a viable strategy for our own teaching practices, even if just for some portion of our class time. It's been interesting learning more about OWL and hearing the perspectives of those experienced with it. It seems fun, so I hope that we are able to get some positive results from our research.

Literature & Asset Review:
Found in Google Doc attached below.

Data Collection Tools:
Although Mario and I are still working on trying to figure out what are the best methods for collecting data for our inquiry project, we have some solid ideas that we will be using and some that we've already started to use. Both of us know quite a few people who are at least familiar with this relatively new teaching strategy, Organic World Language, which was actually created here in Oregon. We've been having informal interviews and conversations with teachers that use this method as their primary tool for teaching Spanish, our professors who are quite familiar and are proponents of the OWL strategies, and other teachers who are aware of it, but are a little bit more reluctant to use it. This has given us a good perspective and a wide view of the strategy from the educator perspective.

If we were using physical class space, we would enthusiastically try this method in the classroom; however, in our online classrooms, this will be a difficult strategy to accomplish. We are still trying to determine what the best way to get student data about OWL is. Perhaps there are some aspects that can be replicated in the online space, but we are still working on that. One thing that we will definitely be making use of is surveys. We are thinking that it would be a good idea to teach students about the strategy and its benefits and then to follow up with a survey about how individual students feel about it, what experience they have with it (if any), if they think it would be effective for their own learning, if they feel that the strategy causes too much pressure, etc. This type of qualitative data will be valuable for us, especially since any quantitative data may be a bit unreliable with online learning.

Action Plan:
Found in the document attached below.

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Research question:
Focus Statement and Research question

Before I even decided to be a teacher I was always interested in helping our historically underserved students succeed. I am aware of the statistics regarding academic achievement, graduation rates and college attendance and success among this population of students. Socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity and even the neighborhoods that these students are a part of seem to determine their academic success. I grew up in St. Johns, Portland, Oregon, where I did not know a single person who had attended college besides my teachers and not one of them was from Portland. I am one of the very few people I know that have attended and graduated from college and I believe I couldn't have done it without the support of my High School Spanish teacher. I did not have a teacher of color until my Freshman year of High school, and this teacher really seemed to believe in my peers and I. She seemed to really understand the obstacles I was facing as a first generation college student, but she did not cut me any slack because of it. Instead, she pushed me to rise to her expectations and I did. I have observed the difference it makes for students to feel represented in their schools and have the ability to work with someone who they can relate to. I have seen the importance of students having staff whom they feel understand them and they are able to connect with. I would like to look into the impacts teachers and staff that represent the demographics of historically underserved communities have on historically underserved students, or ways in which we as educators can best support those students. I think it is our job as educators to tend to those that need the most support and bridge the achievement gap.

My research question is ¨ Does representation of historically undeserved students in schools staff matter for student success?¨ I plan on conducting my research at two schools, Roosevelt High School and Cesar Chavez K-8. I am looking to work directly with middle school and High school students and staff who work at both schools. The data I plan on collecting are attendance rates, grades, demographics, and student and staff surveys I will be creating.

Literature and asset review

Links:

https://educationnorthwest.org/northwest-matters/how-teachers-color-can-make-difference-classroom-and-beyond

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/16/05/where-are-all-teachers-color

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10/upshot/teacher-diversity-effect-students-learning.html

In these three articles you will find valuable information on the impacts of having teachers of color among students of color. All articles mention positive impacts and the importance of having Teachers of color in the classroom. In the article written by Moss, J. (2016), a woman of color shares her memories in school in which she mentions most of her classmates were students of color, but all of her teachers were white, except the Puerto Rican teacher she had in kindergarten and her High School PE teacher. The article goes on to high light educators of color and ways in which they positively impact their students. It is mentioned that teachers of color hold higher expectations of students of color. According to Miller, C. C. (2016), ¨ Students tend to benefit from having teachers that look like them, especially nonwhite students.¨ This statement is an idea that is shared among all articles. Greenberg Motamedi, J (2019) references research that suggests students of color are more likely to have better test scores and less disciplinary issues by simply having at least one teacher of color.

Citations:

Greenberg Motamedi, J. (2019, February 27). How Teachers of Color Can Make a Difference in the Classroom and Beyond [Web log post]. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://educationnorthwest.org/northwest-matters/how-teachers-color-can-make-difference-classroom-and-beyond

Miller, C. C. (2018, September 10). Does Teacher Diversity Matter in Student Learning? New York Times.

Moss, J. (2016). Where Are All the Teachers of Color? Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/16/05/where-are-all-teachers-color

Relevance to teacher education:

This year at roosevelt we have been a part of affinity groups in which we meet to discuss ways in which we can best support our students and ways in which the system and we fall short. We also have affinity groups with students in which they meet to also talk about school; the school climate, changes they would like to see and ways in which we can best support them. 4 years ago Roosevelt´s black student union came up with a list of demands among those demands were hiring more staff of color and more equity in representation. I am doing this research because I want to bring awareness to schools and communities about the impacts having representation and equity in our schools has on our students' success.

INQUIRY PROJECT – METHODS AND DATA COLLECTION TOOLS

The data tools I would plan on using are

1. Questionnaires: I plan on creating a questionnaire for students, teachers and staff members who are not teachers. This questionnaire will be different for each group. These questionnaires will be used to collect data such as the demographics of the school, the quality of the relationship between students, teachers and school staff, representation, equity, student voice, student needs and so on.

The purpose of these questionnaires is to collect information to gain knowledge on the schools climate and specifically regarding historically underserved students. I would like to see what staff members and teachers have to say in regard to how they serve these students and ways in which they bring equity and representation to the school. The impacts they have seen of different programs and whether or not there is a difference in student success and the quality of the relationship between staff and teachers that are representative of their historically underserved communities.

I plan on creating a pie chart for each group so there is a visual representation of the responses to each question and it is easy to identify which demographic of participants and how many responded similarly or differently and to see which demographics are being impacted the most by particular events/topics.

1. Grades and attendance, grades and attendance are used as the indicator of a student's success. If a student is not receiving passing grades it is deemed that they are not achieving success. Students with low attendance are less likely to pass classes and succeed in school

The purpose of collecting the grades and attendance of all student participants is to establish a relationship/connection with whether or not having more representation in schools impacts a student's success in school. I may also look at the demographics of each school, including their staff. To see how students of different races perform in academics and see if there is a difference when there are more teachers and staff from historically underserved communities.

I would create a bar graph inorder to compare the grades of each group of students.

1. Collect data on students who are part of after school programs and information about the after school program through a google form.

The purpose of this is to compare students who are part of after school programs with students who are not as well as gain information about the support the students are provided with in those programs to see whether or not they are successful and what students like and don't like about them.

I will be displaying the percentage of students who are in after school programs, and the percentage of students who choose a particular answer for each question. I believe a pie chart or bar graph would be appropriate.

Inquiry Project 1-4 with action plan

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CRITICAL QUESTION
What are some best practices in online language classes for incorporating the principles of UDL into lesson design?
FOCUS STATEMENT
I am interested in studying the best ways to implement UDL into instruction given that learning is now fully online. I will be studying this phenomenon in my own classroom as a Spanish 1-2 and 3-4 teacher at Jackson Middle School and Odyssey Program at East Sylvan (both Portland Public Schools). I plan to use literature review and to implement my own UDL practices in lesson design in order to collect data. Literature review will help me gather data because it is important to see what research has already been done in this regard in relation to online learning as well as traditional, in-person learning. The design of my lessons and how I implement UDL may be influenced by best practices already established by previous research. Collecting data from my own lessons will be useful because it shows on a micro level what the effect of using UDL practices can be on an online classroom as well as being a convenient way to see it in action. I have created several projects and written several papers in the GTEP program regarding UDL, and I think it is one of the most exciting and morally imperative practices that all teachers should incorporate into their own professional practices. By identifying the best practices regarding UDL in the online environment, future teachers can have an implementable and practical guide to what specific practices work, thereby increasing the amount of UDL being used across the field.

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Focus Statement: As an international student, what knowledge and skill should I acquire in order to become a culturally responsive teacher in the US?
Unfortunately, not much valuable information on this topic as I did lots of research. Resources were either from cultural integration perspectives or cultural comparison perspectives. I will keep looking more relevant data and resources.
With that being said, I decided to be the author, conductor and my work since last year would be my data. I am also thinking to conduct a survey and analyze information in order to expand my thoughts.
It takes place in my spare time when I am not in the classroom. I want to summarize and analyze my experiences as the program goes on. By the time when I graduate, it should be completed.
I did lots of lesson observations for the past two days and gained a taste of online teaching environment. I was also amazed by students' Mandarin and their critical thinking which I was lack of when I was their age. I am glad that they can expand their thoughts. I am happy for them.

Literature And Asses Review is below:
Methods and Data Collection Tools are here.
First of all, my survey and my prior assignments since the first year of GTEP will be my main data collection tool. Because the original purposes of these chosen tools are reflections of my own growth. I would like to compare myself with the old version to see how much I have improved in the program. Lots of assignments I have done so far are more like journals to me. I shared lots of my cultural identity, reflections and differences of educational concepts in China and the US. They will definitely help me with my inquiry projects because my question was raised up from my practice and learning process. To make it more inclusive and accessible, I would love to conduct a survey and collect my colleague’s perspectives whose experiences and feeling are similar to mine.

Once I receive more feedback in terms of wording or formats for my survey, I will distribute it as soon as possible. Then I collect data via google form and see how many percentages or the numbers of people they are in the different category. I will try to find some common themes that are showing up in the survey. I will use graphs that are shown in the google form as my data summary display.

The google form best represents the data because I can see percentages and numbers of people select specific answers. The circle graph and bar graph help me find the theme and patterns of participants.
Action Plan Is Here:
I finally distributed my survey to my colleagues and I am looking forward to their ideas and thoughts. I would first analyze the data and summarize the theme and key words. Their sharing and experiences will expand my ideas or might surprise me at the same time. I will dig deeper and think more about it. I also found another dissertation that is related or helpful to my inquiry project. I will find more connections between teacher identity and my project. I am really excited to figure out whether or not these data can prove what I was thinking before.

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Critical Question:
How does teacher treatment of Standard English affect student engagement?

Focus Statement:
The focus of this project is to assess the ways classroom conversations and writing procedures involving students' personal voices affect student engagement in writing assignments. The idea is that by having an open conversation about the realities of the power dynamics and socio-academic nature of SE, a space in class is opened up for students to explore their own unique writing voices outside of the typical judgement rubric of standardized English, deepening engagement as interpersonal language doorways are opened and presented in class.

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Critical Statement: How does an OWL-based curriculum impact student learning? Moreover, will the OWL methodology benefit students equally given their different levels and abilities?

This methodology has piqued my interest as a world language teacher for some time now and I would love to adapt this teaching style into my own practice in the future. My predecessor used this teaching approach, students and coworkers noted rich engagement and interaction often seen in his classroom. I was fortunate to read through some of his notes, syllabus, sub-plans and student interviews when I took over his old post. As teachers, I think it is good practice to reimagine and constantly improve upon our teaching styles and curriculum to develop a classroom learning community that is dynamic, relevant and infused in real life scenarios that help stimulate learner interests.

This teaching methodology is referred to as OWL (Organic World Language), centers around six fundamental goals:
- To build relationships and community.
- To foster intrinsic motivation and student ownership.
- To take risks and break down the filter (make mistakes!).
- To create an immersive environment, 100% in the target language.
- To be fearless in an immersive environment.
- To be able to infer and circumlocute, negotiate meaning.

In short, this teaching style relies on ‘hooks’, engaging media that will transfer into conversation builders to build vocabulary.

I am in the process of gathering insights from teachers currently using this methodology today. I have interviewed my predecessor to gather field experience information, reached out to my professors Bernd and Yasin to get some insight as WL teachers and teacher trainers, plus I have found a robust amount of information on Youtube and a website dedicated to this methodology. Eddie and I are in the works to collaborate and fuse our findings for this research project. I am investing a good deal of time and effort as I intend on applying this teaching style into my own practice someday.

Updated 11.20.20

Data Collection Tools:
Eddie and I are collaborating on this inquiry project and we are still working on trying to figure out what are the best methods for collecting data for our inquiry project. So far, we have some leads that we'll be using and some that we've already mentioned. Both of us know quite a few people who are at least familiar with this relatively new teaching strategy, Organic World Language, which was actually created here in Oregon! We've been having informal interviews and conversations with teachers that use this method as their primary tool for teaching Spanish, our professors who are quite familiar and are proponents of the OWL strategies, and other teachers who are aware of it, but are a little bit more reluctant to use it. This has given us a good perspective and a wide view of the strategy from the educator perspective.

If we were using physical class space, we would enthusiastically try this method in the classroom; however, in our online classrooms, this will be a difficult strategy to accomplish. We are still trying to determine what the best way to get student data about OWL is. Perhaps there are some aspects that can be replicated in the online space, but we are still working on that. One thing that we will definitely be making use of is surveys. We are thinking that it would be a good idea to teach students about the strategy and its benefits and then to follow up with a survey about how individual students feel about it, what experience they have with it (if any), if they think it would be effective for their own learning, if they feel that the strategy causes too much pressure, etc. This type of qualitative data will be valuable for us, especially since any quantitative data may be a bit unreliable with online learning.

Literature and Asset Review:

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Research question
How can I plan language instruction that focuses on differentiation and language development through rigor and meaning and how might I provide equitable opportunities for language learners to participate in high complexity tasks?

The focus will take place in my own classroom composed of novice high language learners, more specifically students in Spanish 3-4 in Lincoln high school. They are mostly freshman and sophomores. As a student and teacher I’ve noticed that the bar on standards and expectations has often been set low with the belief that it's better for low achieving students and anxious learners,  and the result is that students are not being challenged enough to acquire meaningful language skills. It is my belief that in increasing the bar and offering several supports and scaffolding while differentiating, the students who struggle will meet me somewhere in the middle and will be able to participate in high complexity tasks in the language they are learning.

The main data collection tools will be comparing struggling students’ scores at the beginning of the year and at the end, as well as observation of their speaking and writing abilities in the target language to determine their progress. These tools will serve to compare students before and after being exposed to a rigorous curriculum and being instructed in 90% of the target  language.

Literature and Asset Review

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Research Question

What are some of the intrinsic motivators that aid language students in fostering deeper engagement and commitment for successful language acquisition?

Focus Statement

I’d like to look deeper into what intrinsically motivates teenagers to study/learn a new language and how teachers might be able to help support, encourage or reinforce those motivations. I’d also like to look into some extrinsic motivators and compare and contrast how they affect attitude and learning in regards to language acquisition.

I’m planning on gathering data from English Language Learners (ELLs) and also native or English-proficient speakers who are learning Spanish. I have experience working in English Language Development (ELD) classrooms and now I’m student teaching in Spanish language classes. To start my research, I’d like to create a survey for both second year English language students and Spanish language students and compare the intrinsic vs extrinsic motivators these students may have surrounding their language acquisition, which highly influences their learning attitudes and abilities. Depending on what kind of data I receive from the first survey, I’ll then find a way to conduct more active investigation and gather more data on the topic.

I’m going to mainly focus my research on student beliefs and experiences about what they find motivating, but I will also focus on what teachers can do to create content and a classroom dynamic that will help foster intrinsic motivation.

My interest in this topic grew from my experience and observations in both ELD and Spanish classes. I see obvious differences in some of the extrinsic motivators for an ELL learning English within a society they now live in that is English-dominant as opposed to an English-native student deciding to take Spanish to fulfil the two-credit foreign language requirement for graduation. I also see differences in the ways the two language classes and other learning opportunities are structured, with ELLs in a more immersive setting (ie not only exposed to English in their ELD classes) and Spanish students with much less language exposure time.

I’m very curious if the obvious extrinsic motivator of necessity (for an ELL)  influences a students’ intrinsic motivation. I don’t necessarily think I will be able to find the answer, but I think it will be interesting to delve deeper into what makes a person passionate about and/or dedicated to learning another language!

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Update, 11/17/20:
- I have created an engagement tracker for students: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L4zLfZKkYiqkWsGVxTpfCdo6XgbiBWfe2PFJJtA8kGM/edit?usp=sharing
There are 4 domains: HE- Highly Engaged, Engaged , DE - Developing Engagement, NE - Not Engaged.
Highly engaged includes (4):  Attends class, participates in class discussion, completes & turns in all assignments, attends office hours.
Engagement includes (3): Attending almost all classes, completing and turning 80%+ assignments, participates in the chat, checks in for office hours.
Developing Engagement (2):  Attends some classes, Occasionally responds in the sometimes, completes and turns in 50%+ assignments, does not come to office hours/ask questions to support their thinking.
Not Engaged (1):  Student shows little-to-no evidence of engagement.  Misses the majority of classes, is missing all-to-most assignments, does not come to office hours.

- I will correlate this engagement with different strategies I am trying to boost student engagement.

Basic concept: I will examine student engagement before and after utilizing specified, differentiated, culturally-responsive and SAMR-oriented strategies.

- - -

Culturally Responsive Teaching, Positive Relationships & Student Engagement

Part 1: Correlation between strong, positive relationships and student engagement

For my inquiry cycle, I would like to focus on student engagement and its correlation with positive relationships. This past spring I was keeping data on students concerning their attendance and engagement in the ‘classroom’, and I found it to be quite low.  The students with whom I had already established strong relationships would come to class and turn in their work, they were engaged.  The students with whom I was not as close ended up being less engaged! I spoke with my colleagues and they echoed similar experiences. With this in mind, I would like to do a deep dive into the correlation between positive relationships and communication, and student engagement.

I believe that one of the most essential modalities of CRT is relationships.  Students must feel safe and encouraged in order to connect with the content and contribute in a meaningful way.  I feel that ‘good teaching’ comes down to relationships in the end, because without them, students tend to shy away.

This will be my 3rd year as a middle school teacher and I am still trying to remember what it was like to be 13, and to connect with my students as individuals in this very challenging time in their lives.  I would focus on relationships because to middle-schoolers, connections are everything!  I have seen drastic changes in student work after simple positive and constructive interactions.  Additionally, positive connections with families and making ‘good news’ calls can do wonders for student self-esteem and subsequent engagement in school.  I am excited to continue in this middle school, especially at such a deeply vulnerable time as we are in during Online School for the pandemic.  Students need positive relationships more than ever, because if we don’t connect with them in an authentic way, we are at the risk of losing them behind the screen.

This information matters to me as a teacher and to education as a whole, because the more we know about the deep need to establish good relationships with students and families, the more that will be put on the forefront.  Content is essential, standards are important, but before all of that one must bridge a connection in order to have a truly culturally responsive classroom, and ultimately successful and happy students.

Part 2: Literature Review Culturally Responsive Teaching, Relationships & Engagement

Texts:

How Student-Teacher Relationships Impact Student Engagement and Learning

Why Strong Teacher Relationships Lead to Student Engagement and a Better School Environment

Zaretta Hammond outlines 'Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain'

The consensus of this literature is that yes, in fact, having a positive, authentic and meaningful relationship with students is the #1 way to facilitate a CRT classroom and to encourage student engagement. Zaretta Hammond, author of 'Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain', suggests that teachers engage in cycles of inquiry with themselves to check to see if the interactions they are having with students are actually through a lens of humanity and compassion.

This literature is helpful because it affirms my initial query and gives some examples of possible modes for bridging these connections.  What I feel inspired to figure out is what types of connections /interactions/ positive-relationship building work for my students, and then try to understand why.

Part 3: Methodology: Data Compilation

For this project, I would like to use multiple types of data, most notably observation & interview.  The observation would be an assessment of student engagement (Camera on, raising hand, contributing to conversation in chatbox & aloud, turning in work, responding to check-ins, etc.).  This observation would come at  definitive intervals represented by  different techniques for building positive relationships with students.  Some of these intervals might consist of:  Positive phone calls home, 1-1 check-ins, celebrations of student achievement, classroom community building activities and games.  Other techniques might include creating content relevant to student interest, choosing representational materials, responding with quick and descriptive feedback, reliability and clarity.

In looking at this data, I hope to cross-reference student engagement and work output with the intervals of positive relationship building.  I also hope to use student surveys to inform my research by seeking to understand what makes students feel most supported and close with their teachers.

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mALNkoWTdvhvPXAaU8lscd0-TzDo1i1QlgRQEXrY6P0/edit?usp=sharing

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For my first data collection tool I’m going to create a Google form and survey language students in Span ¾ (second year) and also language students in ELD 2. The survey will ask about why they decided to take the class, what they like/don’t like about it, what is working/not working for them with learning the new language, what activities they think help them feel/not feel interested and engaged, and their plans/desires for continuation of learning the language. I also want to ask what, if any, activities they engage in outside of class that expose them to the language they’re learning. I’m really interested in seeing the potential differences and similarities between the two classes and student body, which will help me get a better understanding of how teenagers are approaching their language classes and acquisition in general. Because I don’t know yet what kinds of responses I’ll get, I will have to wait to see to plan out a follow-up questionnaire. But, regardless, I want to take a few students from each class whose responses cover a variety of positions and follow up with some personal interviews to gather more information. I’m thinking I want to find some quotes having to do with motivation of some sort to read to them and have them talk about how they may relate/not relate to the quotes. This is just a though, though, and that may change once I review their responses. Anyhow, so, one-on-one student interviews, over Google Meets, is my second data collection tool. And for the third tool I’d like to incorporate a self-assessment. It may take the form of another questionnaire, but I want to leave it more open-ended and just give students the opportunity to talk about how successful they feel like they’re doing not only in the class but also with understanding and being able to generate the new language. I also want to hear their opinions and aspirations around language and their future, so gauge if they anticipate using this language in their lives outside of high school. Maybe I would use the motivation quotes here if we didn’t talk about that in the interviews.

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CRITICAL QUESTION

What are some best practices in online language classes for incorporating the principles of UDL into lesson design?

FOCUS STATEMENT

I am interested in studying the best ways to implement UDL into instruction given that learning is now fully online. I will be studying this phenomenon in my own classroom as a Spanish 1-2 and 3-4 teacher at Jackson Middle School and Odyssey Program at East Sylvan (both Portland Public Schools). I plan to use literature review and to implement my own UDL practices in lesson design in order to collect data.

Literature review will help me gather data because it is important to see what research has already been done in this regard in relation to online learning as well as traditional, in-person learning. The design of my lessons and how I implement UDL may be influenced by best practices already established by previous research. Collecting data from my own lessons will be useful because it shows on a micro level what the effect of using UDL practices can be on an online classroom as well as being a convenient way to see it in action.

I have created several projects and written several papers in the GTEP program regarding UDL, and I think it is one of the most exciting and morally imperative practices that all teachers should incorporate into their own professional practices. By identifying the best practices regarding UDL in the online environment, future teachers can have an implementable and practical guide to what specific practices work, thereby increasing the amount of UDL being used across the field.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Part 1: Findings & Information

Article 1:

Waitoller, F. R., & King Thorius, K. A. (2016). Cross-pollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy and universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ability.

This article explores the importance of and methods for incorporating UDL and CRSP into one’s educational practice, particularly in terms of lesson design. The article contends that there are four characteristics of inclusion of UDL and CRSP into lesson plans:

●          Characteristic 1: Critical centering on dynamic community languages and valued knowledges

●          Characteristic 2: Student and community agency and input

●          Characteristic 3: Historicize content and instruction

●          Characteristic 4: Capacity to contend with internalized oppression

The authors include a case study of a particular lesson plan that incorporates UDL and CRSP, and analyzes it as a model for best practices.

Article 2:

Baglieri, S., & Shapiro, A. (2017). Instructional design for inclusive education. Disability studies and the inclusive classroom (pp. 207-241).

Baglieri (2019) recommends that content should be taught in units, which are then broken down into “big ideas”, which are in turn explored through answering “essential questions”. Then, students should be provided support and scaffolding when engaging with the content. Additionally, students should be given multiple ways to engage with the content (representation, action/expression, engagement). The primary rationale behind the UDL framework for pedagogy is creating a classroom that is accessible to “the broadest possible constituency” (p. 178). By fusing UDL principles to the foundations of curriculum that is presented, educators are removing barriers before they’ve been presented, saving both time and discouragement among students. Planning for such a classroom that applies UDL methodology involves insight and foresight into barriers that inhibit the mutually beneficial goal of including experiences and perspectives of our unique student populations.

Article 3:

Burgstahler, S. (2009). Universal Design of Instruction (UDI): Definition, principles, guidelines, and examples.

This online resource outlines the basic principles of UDL Framework and the foundations of its effectiveness in the classroom. There are in-depth studies including peer-reviewed data sets that constitute meaningful research of UDL Framework. This website also includes resources and guidelines to help format and construct UDL into lesson plans and teaching strategies, and offers an extremely clear, concise rendering of the theoretical framework.

Part 2: Demonstrating Relevance to Teacher Education:

“To resist normative practices educators may critique existing curriculum and teaching practices to discern embedded assumptions about the nature of knowledge and understandings about diversity of culture and experience. Engaging in criticality requires applying a consciousness of cultural privilege and marginality to examine the ways that curriculum likely centers, for example, Whiteness, ability, heteronormativity, masculinity, or Anglo-European language and culture” (Baglieri, p. 174).

Because UDL Framework is a methodology that has to be applied with care and attention to creating multiple forms of representation, action/expression, engagement, our text set research demonstrates opportunities for applying UDL to lesson planning and teaching strategies in effective ways that have been analyzed and supported with data collection. In the new distance-learning environment, it is of the utmost importance that educators use proven UDL techniques and develop methods for adapting instruction to the online environment. Learning online is a challenge for many students, so it is a moral imperative for educators to provide students the most opportunities for success.   Our research will explore the efficacy of various methods of implementing UDL through the distance-learning context.

DATA COLLECTION TOOLS/METHODS

Teacher Interviews:         Google Survey (numerical) ---> graphs

10-minute in-person interview

1. What tools do you use that you can identify as UDL framework options?

2. How do you currently align your practice with UDL principles?

3. In the digital landscape, what tools/methods/approaches do you take to create multiple means of representation?

4. In the digital landscape, what tools/methods/approaches do you take to create multiple means of action/expression?

5. In the digital landscape, what tools/methods/approaches do you take to create multiple means of engagement?

6. How have you adapted your practice to be more effective in the online environment?

ACTION PLAN

Overview

Describe the preparation, processes, implementation, and expected outcomes
of your inquiry project with sufficient detail so that another researcher could
replicate your study.

The research conducted in this Inquiry Project will lend itself to the study of UDL Framework as it pertains, in this school year, to the remote/distance learning environment and will seek to acquire data regarding methods for seamlessly incorporating UDL Framework principles into daily teaching practices. By compiling surveys, interviews, and statements from seasoned teachers, this Inquiry Project will seek to identify best practices and methods for including UDL Framework in the classroom. Preparing for this research will include categorizing different aspects of UDL Framework that will be closely looked at (specifically in the context, at present, of remote/distance learning environments) and how UDL can be implemented in the digital landscape.

This research will focus on the most essential
tenets of UDL Framework: 1. Representation: different ways of
presenting the content (lecture, video, etc.)  2. Action/Expression: formative assessments using
different tools and 3. Engagement: how can students
access the content in a way that is authentic to them (or how can they explore
the content in a way that relates to their specific and unique perspectives)?
Due to the length of time to implement formal research, this Inquiry Project
will focus specifically on Action/Expression. The focus for
this research will center on collecting perspectives and insights from a
cross-section of current secondary-level teachers to facilitate analyzing the
surveys and interview statements for patterns, themes, successful tools, and
methodologies.

The expected outcome of this research is a compilation and running list of modifications, strategies, and useful tools (including EdTech Platforms) that facilitate the incorporation of UDL Framework in Lesson Planning. The data will explore the effectiveness of these tools based on qualitative and quantitative information that will reflect the process of interpreting survey results, interview questions, and data collection from key assessments and assignments that students have submitted which can lend speculative and elucidating insight through student achievement. The most essential outcome of this research will render as much information about methodology for incorporating UDL Framework in Action/Expression (formative and summative assessments) for students.

Proficiency Targets

Part 1: Preparation & Processes

·
What action/s (e.g., strategy,
tool, technique, investigation, etc.) will you take to deepen and improve your
practice?

o
By compiling surveys, interviews,
and statements from seasoned teachers, this Inquiry Project will seek to
identify best practices and methods for including UDL Framework in the
classroom.

·
In what ways does
the action plan relate to the literature that you reviewed and synthesized?

o
The action plan
relates to the literature by comparing current currently established best
practices in a traditional, in-person learning environment with cutting-edge
reports from current teachers who have had to adapt to a 100% distance-learning
environment.

·
What (two or three) data collection
tools will you use to gather information related to your area of focus? How
will they help you find answers to your research question about your area of
focus?

o
This inquiry project will include
interviews with and online surveys of current teachers. This will shed light on
what strategies teachers have been using to adapt to comprehensive distance
learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

·
How will your analysis of the data
help you to refine your area of focus?

o   The analysis derived from data collected through surveys and
interviews will render patterns,
themes, useful tools, and successful methodologies for incorporating UDL
Framework in Action/Expression (formative and summative assessments) for
students.

·
What were the processes in which
you engaged to develop this action plan?

o
Cassie Morgan and David Goldstein
met weekly to collaborate on their projects because they are very similar.

Part 2: Implementation &
Outcomes

·
What is the timeline and timeframe
for implementation of this action plan?

o   Research from this Inquiry Project will begin during Winter Break
with interviews and surveys administered to a collection of secondary-level
instructors from different content areas. Once compiled, the researchers will
meet to outline and categorize the data, looking for patterns and themes. The
surveys will yield some degree of quantitative data that can be interpreted
through the lens of demographic research, and the compilation of tools
(including EdTech platforms) will take the form of a methods list that
corresponds to UDL support scaffolding.

·
What do you hope to accomplish with
this action plan?

o
This research is intended to serve
as a snapshot into how current teachers are adapting their practices to the
novel challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and distance-learning. It
is the hope of the researchers that the results of this research will aid
teachers in aligning their educational practices with the principles of
Universal Design for Learning.

·
What kind of outcomes do you
expect?

o   The most beneficial and informative outcome will be authentic and
useful teaching practices that can be applied to lesson planning. By
collaborating with a range of teachers and gleaning from their experiences, the
analysis derived from data collected will render patterns, themes, useful tools, and successful
methodologies for incorporating UDL Framework in Action/Expression (formative
and summative assessments) for students.

·
How will this action plan inform
your teaching?

o   This action plan will create a scope for further research that
will be carried out throughout the duration of our teaching careers. To enrich
our understanding of UDL Framework and best practices used by other instructors
to incorporate it, we will seek peer support and collaboration as a model for
future development in our career pursuits.

References

Baglieri, S., & Shapiro, A. (2017). Instructional design for inclusive education. Disability studies

and the inclusive classroom (pp. 207-241). New York: Routledge Publishing.

Burgstahler, S. (2009). Universal Design of Instruction (UDI): Definition, principles, guidelines,

and examples. DO IT. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED506547.pdf.

Waitoller, F. R., & King Thorius, K. A. (2016). Cross-pollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy

and universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ability. Harvard Educational Review, 86(3), 366-389. Retrieved from

https://edspace.american.edu/culturallysustainingclassrooms/wp-content/uploads/sites/1030/2017/09/culturally_sustaining_pedagogy_andUDL.pdf

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Sahara's Action Plan (And Essential Question)

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Sahara's Action Plan (And Essential Question)

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Im not sure why I couldn’t edit my original post, but here is my Action Plan for Part D of the Appendix! As well as my revised essential question.

Essential Question

What styles of discussion are most effective in an online classroom though synchronous distance learning? The discussion styles addressed include: Socratic seminar, randomized small group and  small group with the same group members each week.

Part 1: Preparation & Processes

The research tools used to conduct this research include surveys given to students on their discussion style preferences, as well as notes I take during discussions. This will inform my research as I will get first hand information from the students I am working with, and real time documentation of the discussions as they take place. The literature I have found influences my research as they look at discussion techniques that have worked for online school. However, because they primarily focus on college courses, and the discussions were focused on an online forum, my research will provide different results. I think implementing check-ins, similar to the ones outlined in the Rovai article, will help me gauge my students ability to gain insight from discussions.

When analyzing the data I collect, I will be looking at discussion styles that “work” or “didn't work”. While this sounds like a subjective standpoint, I think educators can tell the difference between a successful lesson and one that isn’t. Some indicators I will look for if the discussion is successful include: Majority of students have participated in either in the chat or by speaking, students comment on each other's comments, students do not have long pauses and need for routine intervention by the instructor, and, potentially, most of the students have their camera on. Additionally, the responses from check ins will influence my analysis to see if the students felt engaged, comfortable speaking, and that they learned something during the discussion.

To develop this lesson plan, I considered the struggles I was experiencing in my own classroom. In a traditional literature classroom you would normally engage students in discussions. It is a fairly easy way to see the students display their knowledge of the class materials, and can inform the educator where there is still uncertainty in the students' learning. However, in this new distance learning environment, students feel uncomfortable talking in front of their large group of peers. It makes them feel awkward to be the first one to start talking, and they are lacking the human connection that makes talking to each other engaging. While it will always be a slight challenge to get students talking over Zoom, I think testing new discussion platforms and seeing what students respond to positively will enhance our understanding of teaching.

Part 2: Implementation & Outcomes

The timeline for this action plan begins now. I have been taking notes on discussions in my class on the students behaviors and the amount of people who participate. I will soon develop my surveys to give to students, but I plan to give those out in the next two weeks. From this action plan, I hope to learn more about what students do and do not enjoy when having class discussions. I hope to find strategies that work and can be used when I take over a classroom, so I am not having to recreate the wheel. I really enjoy discussions, and want my students to enjoy them as well. In terms of outcomes, I am wondering if whole class discussions are worth the time, or if working in small groups is the best course of action. With the breakout room feature, I can bounce between the rooms, but ultimately I would like to engage the whole class together. In the future, this will give me insight into what effective discussion techniques are if we continue teaching in a virtual classroom. Ideally, we would be in person, but for the time being it is so important to find ways to connect with students using their voice. I am not one for giving lots of written work to then give written feedback. I think students are capable to engage in discussion, but the process needs to be tweaked to meet the new demands of a virtual classroom.

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Sorry for the delay in uploading my proposal. I thought I had posted an earlier version a few weeks ago but I guess not...Linked is a Google Doc. containing all 4 parts. Cheers!

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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My entire project is attached in one google doc here! Please let me know if there are problems accessing it.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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All parts of this project are included in this google document

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.