May 11, 2004
Action Research Report: "Is One-on-One Coaching an Effective Model of Staff Development?"
Area
of Focus
Research Questions
Membership
Description
of Intervention
Triangulation
Matrix
Data Analysis
Setting:
Sagebrush Elementary is
located in Aurora, Colorado. Students feed into Laredo Middle School and Smoky
Hill High School. All are part of the Cherry Creek School District. There are
approximately 620 students that attend our school in grades K-5. Sagebrush is
also a magnet school for students in the ELA program, consisting of
approximately 50 students that are bused from other elementary schools in the
North/Central area of our district.
(For a complete
demographic breakdown of the student population and test scores of Sagebrush
Elementary, please CLICK HERE
for the 2003-2003 Accountability Report)
A majority of teachers in
our building are older, and these typically are the ones who are the most
resistant to technology. I would estimate that 65% of teachers on our staff do
not have students using computers in the classroom. 20% of teachers use
computers for their own productivity, but students do not have access, and the
remaining 15% have attempted to use computers with students, with only limited
success, mostly due the limited amount of computers available.
Instead of adding more
desktop computers to each classroom, I decided to use our technology budget to
purchase an iBook cart with 14 laptops. This has had a significant impact on
the 15% of teachers who are comfortable with technology. There has been some interest among
other staff members to use the iBook cart, but there is still a lot of fear
involved. The most common resistance is the lack of time available to learn how
to use this new technology. I feel that if teachers can learn how to use the
two computers in their room more effectively, this will lead them to use other
types of technology such as the iBook cart.
Area of Focus:
Teachers
in our building have not been using their classroom computers effectively.
Even though each
teacher has two computers in their room, they do not get used. When they are,
it is simply a Ôgame stationÕ that students go to when they finish work
early. Others do not even turn on
their computers during the day. When teachers are using the computer, it is for
checking email, entering grades, and creating letters or worksheets. During my
visits to classrooms throughout the day, mostly to ÔfixÕ computers or to
install software/hardware, I noticed that students do not have access to the
computers as much as the teachers do.
This is a significant problem, one that I hope to change so that
teachers can find ways to integrate their classroom computers with students in
a way that enhances learning.
The purpose of this study
was to find ways to help teachers use their classroom computers more
effectively. I set out to determine whether a one-on-one coaching model is an
effective model of staff development.
Research Questions:
á Does one-on-one coaching as a staff development model lead to effective instructional integration of technology by teachers?
á Are teachers willing to work with a Ôtechnology coachÕ in a one-on-one setting?
á What measurement can be done to determine the effectiveness of this type of staff development?
Membership:
|
ÒMs. WÓ:
|
ÒMrs. TÓ:
|
Description of Intervention:
The coaching I did with
members revolved around teaching advanced PowerPoint techniques in order to
expand on current curriculum being taught in the classroom. The specific techniques I showed each member are
listed below:
|
ÒMs. WÓ:
¥
Find appropriate graphics on the
Internet and insert them into a PowerPoint slide
¥
Create animations for each element
on a slide
¥
Choose a design template for a
presentation
¥
Record narration in order to create
a self-timed, narrated slide show presentation
|
ÒMrs. TÓ:
¥
Create an image collage on a
PowerPoint slide by inserting graphics obtained from the Internet
¥
Insert captions for each image that
appears on the slide by using a text box
¥
Create a link to this PowerPoint
document using Inspiration 7.5 that relates to the web students created
|
Data Collection Techniques:
1) Questionnaire to Carole Martinez, Teaching Learning Technology Specialist, for Cherry Creek Schools. Carole is my direct supervisor in my position as Student Achievement Specialist (SAS) at Sagebrush. She is responsible for supporting 12 schools in the North/Central area of our district. I consider Carole a mentor, and value her opinions. I asked Carole several questions pertaining to staff development and how other schools are training teachers in technology integration.
2) Instructional Technology Needs Assessment will be given to members of our school Technology Committee, including the two participants in this project. The purpose of this needs assessment is twofold: (1) identify strengths and learning gaps in order to design and implement professional development. (2) document growth through a pre/post survey.
3) Evolution of Thought and Practice Self-Assessment will be given to two members of our Tech Committee. I will give this self-assessment rubric before and after our one-on-one coaching sessions in order to measure the effectiveness of this professional development model.
4)
Classroom
Observation Rubric was used to observe each teacher in the classroom,
delivering instruction to students that was taught to them during my coaching
sessions. I observed teachers
using technology in the classroom, then we met to review the rubric, comparing
my scores with their own self-evaluations
Triangulation Matrix:
Data
Source |
||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Does one-on-one coaching as a staff development
model lead to effective instructional integration of technology by teachers? |
TLTS Questionnaire |
Online IT Needs Assessment Survey |
Classroom Observation Rubric |
|
Are
teachers willing to work with a "technology coach" in a
one-on-one setting? |
Online IT Needs Assessment Survey |
Evolution of Thought and Practice Pre-test and Post-test |
Classroom Observation Rubric |
|
What measurement can be done to determine
the effectiveness of this type of staff development? |
TLTS Questionnaire |
Evolution
of Thought and Practice Pre-test and Post-test |
Classroom Observation Rubric |
|
Data Analysis:
The data I collected
during my Action Research each provided some significant information. Each data
collection technique is listed below, with a brief narrative included that
highlights how I used this information in my research:
Email questionnaire of Carole Martinez, TLTS (Teaching
Learning Technology Specialist), CCSD Office of Technology
I asked Carole several
direct questions regarding her opinions on how professional development is
being implemented in the district. Her candid responses to my questions
provided the framework for deciding upon an effective method of providing
training to teachers in my school.
In your opinion, why are some staff development classes more
effective than others?
The most effective staff development is ongoing over a
period of time, not just a one-time event. Secondly, the staff development has
to be relevant to the needs of the teachers. There must be an expectation that
teachers apply what they learned with their students. Teachers need time to
reflect upon and share their experiences with others. They need to see that
their practice promotes higher student achievement.
This response led me to develop a model of coaching that can be used on an ongoing basis. I have continued to work with the two members of my study in order to help them learn more strategies that can be used in the classroom.
How
is professional development being transferred into improving classroom
instruction? What measurement is being done to determine the effectiveness of
professional development?
The
feedback is generally informal and anecdotal. This is a huge issue, one that
would merit your attention and perhaps become the main focus of your action
research project.
We do use both formative and summative assessments of our programs, the
formative one being the Evolution of Thought and Practice. We also have
instrument based upon the NETS standards, which we administer to our C4T
participants at the beginning and at the end, to determine growth.
CaroleÕs response leads me
to believe that this issue is one that everyone in our district is struggling
to understand. IÕm hoping that by providing ongoing coaching and follow-up,
teachers will continue to use technology in innovative ways. I also used
CaroleÕs comments about the Evolution of Thought and Practice survey as an
important piece in determining teacherÕs attitudes towards technology.
Technology Needs Assessment Online Survey
The questions most relevant to this study were:
á
Use presentation
software such as PowerPoint to create a multimedia presentation
á
Design and teach a
lesson in which students use presentation software to share knowledge and
expertise with classmates
á
Adapt to a variety of
teaching environments such as one computer in the classroom, mobile laptops,
and computer labs
I focused my coaching on
PowerPoint with both members of my study. Each teacher had specific needs that
I hoped to address through training, such as how to use PowerPoint in conjunction
with other software (Inspiration) and how to create a narrated slide show that
would demonstrate that research was done on a famous person in history. I encouraged the use of our schoolÕs
iBook cart, as well as suggesting ways to use the two computers in their
classrooms, and signing up for the computer lab. My training focused on
specific skills using PowerPoint, and culminated in observing and assisting
while each teacher showed students how to use these newly acquired techniques.
After seeing how each
teacher used PowerPoint with their students, I am confident that they now see
the benefits of this program. In our post-observation meetings, both members
began to think of other curriculum areas that students could use PowerPoint to
show their work. These discussions have already led to more coaching
opportunities, and I feel confident that these two members can now begin to
share their knowledge with teammates and other teachers.
(http://www.ccsd.k12.co.us/admin/technology/sag_techneeds/survey.lasso)
Evolution of Thought and Practice Survey
This spreadsheet was adapted from AppleÕs Classrooms of Tomorrow study (http://www.apple.com/education/k12/leadership/acot/library.html). It asks teachers to rate their own professional practice through three phases: 1) Adoption 2) Adaptation 3) Appropriation. My goal through this coaching project was to move the participants from ÔadaptationÕ to appropriationÕ as it pertains to two areas from the survey:
ADAPTATION--Sometimes my
instruction is aligned with content standards and technology standards. A few
of my units are project based.
APPROPRIATION-- My
instruction is purposefully aligned with content and technology standards. Most of my instruction is taught in the
context of projects.
ADAPTATION-- Students use
productivity software (Such as PowerPoint, Inspiration and Word) to demonstrate
their understanding of curricular skills and concepts.
APPROPRIATION-- Open-ended
projects, productivity software, and simulation technology is used to teach,
model and understand curricular concepts in my classroom.
Based
on the coaching model that was implemented, I feel that the two members
of my study are
beginning to move from Adaptation to Appropriation in these areas. They now see
how PowerPoint can be a useful tool to help students use higher level thinking
skills. Members are also beginning to see how open-ended projects stimulate
discussion among students. For example, students researching famous people of
the Civil War began using GoogleÕs image search to find maps from the 1800Õs.
They recognized the need to refine their searches in order to find exactly what
they were looking for. What began as a simple two-word search (ÒVirginia mapÓ) turned into an
advanced vocabulary-building activity as students began to modify their
searches by using specific search terms (Òauthentic Virginia map from the 1800ÕsÓ).
Both
teachers rated themselves in the Adaptation phase on most questions. Ms.
W rated herself
lowest (Adoption) in ÒProblem SolvingÓ and highest (Appropriation) in
ÒDifferentiated InstructionÓ and ÒTeacher Collaboration.Ó This tells me that
she would be a good candidate to coach other teachers and show how she groups
students through differentiated instruction.
Mrs.
T did not rate herself in the Adoption stage for any areas. She rated herself
highest in ÒTeacher Collaboration,Ó ÒMultidisciplinary Instruction,Ó ÒFrequency,Ó and
ÒClassroom Organization.Ó This tells me that she, too, would be willing to
share her knowledge and ideas with others in the building.
Observation Rubric
Finally,
I created an observation rubric that was used to evaluate the effectiveness
of each
teacherÕs lesson. The results of my evaluation and each teacherÕs
self-evaluation are included in the references section.
The results of the rubric
shows that even though teacher directions and modeling may have been unclear,
students were still able to complete their task and demonstrate that they
learned how to use technology effectively.
After observing each
lesson, I realized that I should have done more coaching before teachers began
showing students how to use PowerPoint.
With
Ms. W, I should have spent time teaching her how to work with sound files
more effectively, how to
link narration to individual slides, and saving sounds in an external folder
in
order to avoid Ònot enough memoryÓ errors. I also learned that with each new
recording, old sound files need to be deleted to avoid overlapping narration.
Using narration with PowerPoint was a new process for me, too, and as I began
coaching Ms. W, I learned that memory errors occur when sounds are not saved
separately. Going through a
process like this helped me to understand what to focus on the next time I
coach a teacher with PowerPoint narrations.
With
Mrs. T, I should have spent more time explaining the importance of moving
back and forth between
Inspiration and PowerPoint, and knowing which application is active. I observed
several students having difficulty remembering which program was open, making
Mrs. TÕs directions harder to follow.
My
rubric ratings were consistent with what each teacher thought of their
lesson. Part of my
post-evaluation was to ask each teacher how she could apply what she learned
to
future lessons. They mentioned items such as using more hyperlinks to
PowerPoint in other applications, creating narrated book reports, digital
storytelling, and creating autobiographies. All of these are excellent ideas,
and I plan to continue this coaching model with teachers. I also asked each
teacher if theyÕd feel comfortable enough to share what they learned with other
teachers in the building. They said yes, but with more training in order feel
more knowledgeable with using PowerPoint. I plan to continue coaching these two
teachers to reinforce the skills IÕve shown them, and help them use technology
for other class projects.
Summary of Findings:
As a result of conducting
action research to determine the effectiveness of one-on-one coaching as a
model of professional development, I found that this model is an excellent
method to assist teachers to use technology in their classrooms. Both members
of this study felt that they benefited from individualized instruction, and
that more progress is made through this type of training as opposed to group
settings. Teachers were able to ask for specific techniques to help them
deliver instruction to students.
Does one-on-one
coaching as a staff development model lead to effective instructional
integration of technology by teachers?
Yes, this model
helps to provide instruction based on the needs of the individual, making the
training more meaningful to participants. I have noticed both members using
PowerPoint more with students, and they are coming to me with questions to help
develop technology-based lessons.
Are
teachers
willing to work with a Ôtechnology coachÕ in a one-on-one setting?
I
found that teachers are MORE willing to work with a coach as opposed to
attending
group-training sessions. Both participants were willing to stay after school
for training. They were also coming up with other PowerPoint techniques that
theyÕd like to begin using with students. Each member was interested in what
I
was showing the other member, which opened up opportunities for further
training.
What
measurement can be done to determine the effectiveness of this type of staff
development?
The
Evolution of Thought and Practice survey is one method to show growth. Members
scored themselves as moving from the Adaptation to Appropriation phase with
their PowerPoint skills and their ability to use presentation software to
increase student achievement. They
also felt ready to collaborate with other teachers related to common goals and
interests.
Recommended Actions:
Since
I found that one-on-one coaching is effective, I plan to continue training
teachers in our
building with this model. One-on-one coaching was written into my building
Technology Plan for next year, so I will begin to work with other members of
our Technology Committee, as well as the two C4T (computers for teachers)
participants. In addition, I will conduct Ôreinforcement trainingÕ with the
original participants of this study so they can begin training other members
of
their team. By spreading the knowledge base of technology to other staff
members, it is my hope that more teachers will begin to see the benefits of
using technology in the classroom.
IÕd like to continue to focus on the use of PowerPoint as a specific
tool to help teachers develop meaningful projects and activities with students.
References:
Articles
NCREL. "Technology
Professional Development." NCREL 2000. 1/24/2004 http://www.ncrel.org/tech/tpd/index.html
Richardson,
Joan. "Build a Bridge Between Workshop and Classroom." NSDC / Tools for Schools 10/31/2003.
01/24/2003 http://www.nsdc.org/members/tools/tools10-03.pdf
Supporting Documents
Evolution
of Thought and Practice Survey
EvolTaP.doc (96k)
EvolTaP.pdf (92k)
Interview
with Carole Martinez, TLTS, Office of Technology, Cherry Creek Schools
Carole Items.doc (32k)
Carole Items.pdf (68k)
Classroom Observation Rubric
Observation Rubric.doc (48k)
Observation Rubric.pdf (48k)
SagtechNeeds.xls
SagtechNeeds.pdf (32k)