Change/Inquiry Reasearch Project
This artifact consists of a research project I did in collaboration with another undergraduate student taking Education 346 with me in the 2010 fall semester, Abby Monaghan. The purpose of our research project, titled "Creating a Positive Classroom Experience to Promote Learning", was to investigate how classroom environment, teacher attitude, and teaching methods implemented in the classroom come together and interact to influence student learning and overall experience in an elementary school setting. More specifically we focused on how teachers who have been successful in creating positive classroom experiences for their students have structured and developed their classroom environment. As a result of our research we wished to be able to use what we found to better inform current and future educators on this topic for the benefit of their students.
Overall from our research we found that the most influential factor in terms of determining the success of students was the teacher, due to the fact that the teacher essentially "sets the tone" for the classroom in their interactions with students, teaching methods and strategies they implement, and how they construct the physical classroom environment. This creates the classroom "atmosphere" that students will respond to (either positively or negatively) which in turn largely affects their motivation to learn. Lastly we included in our research project some implications that our research has for teachers.
I included this artifact under the competency structuring the classroom environment because it showcases my efforts to produce research for a topic in education that could have a significant and meaningful impact on how I choose to structure my classroom some day and how others may choose to structure their classrooms. One important aspect of being a teacher is seeking out solutions to challenges they expect to face or are facing as teachers. When I choose this topic to conduct research on, I did so because the question of how the classroom environment a teacher creates impacts students from a many diverse backgrounds was one that was weighing heavily on my mind. At that stage in my development of a teacher I felt overwhelmed with the task of figuring out what best practices I should work to incorporate into my future classroom so that all my students would have the opportunity and resources to succeed. By conducting this research project, however, I was able to gain a better understanding of some both general and specific practices and approaches a teacher can utilize to have a positive impact on his or her students.
Change/Inquiry Project Power Point Presentation
/uploads/1/3/4/8/13486870/change__inquiry_project_powerpoint.pptx
Overall from our research we found that the most influential factor in terms of determining the success of students was the teacher, due to the fact that the teacher essentially "sets the tone" for the classroom in their interactions with students, teaching methods and strategies they implement, and how they construct the physical classroom environment. This creates the classroom "atmosphere" that students will respond to (either positively or negatively) which in turn largely affects their motivation to learn. Lastly we included in our research project some implications that our research has for teachers.
I included this artifact under the competency structuring the classroom environment because it showcases my efforts to produce research for a topic in education that could have a significant and meaningful impact on how I choose to structure my classroom some day and how others may choose to structure their classrooms. One important aspect of being a teacher is seeking out solutions to challenges they expect to face or are facing as teachers. When I choose this topic to conduct research on, I did so because the question of how the classroom environment a teacher creates impacts students from a many diverse backgrounds was one that was weighing heavily on my mind. At that stage in my development of a teacher I felt overwhelmed with the task of figuring out what best practices I should work to incorporate into my future classroom so that all my students would have the opportunity and resources to succeed. By conducting this research project, however, I was able to gain a better understanding of some both general and specific practices and approaches a teacher can utilize to have a positive impact on his or her students.
Change/Inquiry Project Power Point Presentation
/uploads/1/3/4/8/13486870/change__inquiry_project_powerpoint.pptx