Comments on: MA Project – What do YOU think? (please)

By: daibarnes

daibarnes — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:38:18 +0000

Interestingly enough, all these comments come out with two front-runners. The PLN as teacher CPD (seems as though quite a few people are doing something similar elsewhere) and the Library with independent learning and computers.

My initial thoughts are with the library because it is an inspection point in my school report and therefore might contribute towards addressing that issue as well as some kind of wider research about what constitutes independent learning and how it might be supported outside the classroom (not to mention getting pupils to do it which strikes me as something other than obvious). However, that is not necessarily part of my job. And a clear message from the comments and the EdTechRoundUp last night is to make it something I am passionate about and that overlaps with my full-time role or part thereof.

Many thanks for all the comments. I am touched. And, what’s more, I am informed by my peers.

By: David Rippon

David Rippon — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:34:18 +0000

How about lookinmg at some institutions that are using e-learning and identifying which aspects of their journey have led to success or failure?

By: Nick Dennis

Nick Dennis — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:37:59 +0000

I think it should be about how tech supports learning – narrow enough to begin with and then using different tools as case studies.

By: Chris Allan

Chris Allan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:31:07 +0000

Dai
An extensive list with lots of different options. Quite a few have been done by others, with the handheld option an example. I would suggest option 4, as a teacher who has looked into these different options to extend the classroom and use some of these to collaborate with students.

Good luck!

By: Zoe Ross

Zoe Ross — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:16:16 +0000

I would go for the library one too, as it combines a few key factors – inspection recommendations (might be v. useful to school/you), increasing use of ICT (practical & again useful) & one of my favourite topics – independent learning! IMO there is a real issue in secondary schools in terms of giving students the skills they need to be able to learn independently and therefore be able to go on to further study / work effectively. Lots of scope there I think, but equally a very focussed project using one of the IT tools you mention would be easy to measure. Good luck – look forward to reading about it whichever you decide on!

By: David Rogers

David Rogers — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:06:51 +0000

I would go for option 3 – lots of possibility for real progression and impact based upon a baseline.

Best of luck!

By: Tony Sheppard

Tony Sheppard — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:01:40 +0000

It might be a bit of a surprise but I would opt for the examination of the library as a place for independent learning … but can you clarify whether you mean for using ICT during *your* subject or as a cross-curricular tool? Presuming the latter then what you are looking at is the measurement of the use of ICT as a cross-curricular tool and looking at how the library fits into the usage, who you an shift the use of the library and whether it is appropriate to all subjects.

It could be the least amount of work of the lot, as I presume that it would not mean having to do that much more recording of data about ICT usage (other departments should be doing it already) and the same with independent learning. It just means that you have to formalise the collection and analysis, state a few premises as to what you would expect and then lead into a few heavily researched statements about how certain changes would improve independent learning when using the library as a resource. Would you also be expected to follow through to see if those changes had the benefits you proposed (always look to close a research project … the only open ended ones are those that need continued funding !)

By: Sarah Brownsword

Sarah Brownsword — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:00:05 +0000

How big is the project?
I’m also doing an MA and having similar issues with deciding what to research! For my 1st research project I wrote about Wallwisher because 1. I was interested in what my class thought about using it and 2. I was using it anyway, it’s so much easier to research something you’re already doing or were going to do anyway. My advice would be to pick something you’re personally really interested in, which one of those is *your* passion? (even if it may seem the least ‘useful’ to other people)and something which will be easy to fit in with your daily work life.
For my dissertation next year I’m probably going to write about something related to your #5, although probably in the form of a case study because that fits best with my own writing style and preferred research methods. What kind of research do you like doing? What kind of a writer are you? It was thinking about those things that helped me make my decisions, maybe it will help you too?

By: Kerry Turner

Kerry Turner — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:54:51 +0000

Number 1 – without a doubt. Bernard is your “baby”. You constructed it, developed it, shared it and are in an excellent position to assess its impact on your staff. You’re equally able to investigate whether staff have grown in their use of Bernard, whether they haven’t and why, and whether it has had an impact on the nature of students’ learning – or not.

Point 3 of 1 is a tricky one; different teachers, class groupings, access to reources and exam courses all have an impact on students’ success (and here one has to refer to annual academic results). It would therefore be difficult to assess the success of ONLY the VLE in any learning environment. However, flagging these up as part of an investigation might be worthwhile.

The best response I ever heard on assessing whether a VLE had been successful in a school was a reply from a teacher who said, “I didn’t change anything else.”

Whatever you choose, good luck, and hopefully you’ll enjoy the process!

By: Alison Green

Alison Green — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:12:19 +0000

My vote would be for PLN – my Twitter one has transformed my teaching since I joined properly in October. Could you perhaps get together a Twitter list of ‘good’ follows and get your staff to follow them and then feedback after a given number of weeks.