4491 research plan

8/6/2019 4491 Research Plan

1/8

A.1 Your research question(s)

Main question:

To what extent does a trial in flipping a classroom and flipped learning engage,motivate and enhance the performance of students on an A/S Level Computing

course?Subsidiary questions:

What is flipping a classroom? & what is flipped learning?These will be explained with reference to :

p some pieces of formal, academic writing on the subject i. e. journals andresearch papers. There are only a few of these given that the concept of flipping is relatively new and formal research is in its infancy

p blogs, online forum posts, presentations given (largely at educationalseminars), media references such as newspaper articles and TV newsreports.

H ow does flipping affect students engagement in learning?&H ow does the use of flipping concepts motivate students on the course?These will be measured by analysis of data obtained from:

p observations of students in the classroomp interviewing students regarding their views on the trial and how they perceive

flipping has affected their engagement in learning and motivation in respectof their studies on the course

p questionnaires allowing for both qualitative and quantitative responses.

T o what extent (if any) does flipping a classroom and flipped learning affect

students performance in terms of their understanding of the course materials and their results in related assessment activities? Arguably the most difficult of the questions to prove, this will essentially be measuredby qualitative data. Proving performance in this respect, with quantifiable data in thistrial, could only really be done with a controlled experiment, e.g. having two groupsof identical students studying the same course with the same teacher, one groupusing flipped techniques and the other group not using t hese. The performance of the students in assessment activities that measure understanding could then becompared between the two groups. From this comparison, answers to the questionof whether flipping affects performance, backed up with quantifiable ev idence, couldthen be produced.

The constraints of the school setting for this trial do not allow for such a controlledexperiment, however. As such, reliance on qualitative data will essentially be themeasure for affects on student performance. Again questionnaires and interviewswill be the vehicles for this data. Yet, there will be some quantitative analysis thatcomes from judging students performance through :

p comparisons with other topics being taught by another teacher without usingflipped techniques, on the same Computing course

p comparisons of assessment results with other subjects being studied by thesame group of students at A/S Level.


2/8

Critical analysis and assumptions:

During this research, I will seek to critically analyse the concept of flipping aclassroom and flipped learning. This will involve :

p discussions on Mastery learning from which those who have been credited as

founders of flipping have developedp an examination of the contrasts and parallels with action learning .

Assumptions as to the value of engaging and motivating learners will also bechallenged with a review of relevant literature. Largely, academic material will bediscussed where the focus has been on the use of technology to enhanceengagement and motivation.

Lastly, the assessment activities that will be used to try and gain a measurement of the understanding and performance of students will be for the most part, writtentests. Thus, there is a need to challenge the assumptions such tests in two ways:

p do they provide an accurate measurement of understanding (or just a guide to

a students ability to recall facts)p are there other factors to consider when using such assessment methods,

e.g. students reactions to controlled, exam conditions

A.2 A rationale

Primarily, I want to know to what extent (if any) a trial in flipping a classroom andflipped learning engages, motivates and enhances the performance of studentson an A/S Level Computing course and I consider action research of this natureto be the best method to do this. In 2009 OFSTED praised effective schools for having an ICT curriculum carefully planned and regularly reviewed to includeinteresting activities (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/importance-of-ict-information-and-communication-technology-primary-and-secondary-schools-20052008). This praise sits well with my ethos of running a department a s Headof ICT at my current school and the findings of my research during this trial couldfurther enhance teaching and learning in the department. If there is evidence tosuggest students are motivated and engaged through the use of flippedtechniques then this broadens the involvement of interesting activities.

The syllabus covered by the unit of the A/S Level Computing course that thisresearch will be based on is intended to give general grounding in computing,including an understanding of computer systems

(http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/ict_tec/computing/index.html ) and isexternally assessed by written exam. There are great similarities in the content of this unit and previous units on A/S Level courses I have taught. On thesecourses, feedback from students has generally been negative in terms of enjoying the learning and stimulus to want to deepen/further understanding onthe content. Given these experiences, I feel that using flipped learningtechniques could engage students more in the subject. By allowing for morepractical application in lesson time of the facts and theories that are self -studiedthrough vodcasts, the learning experience could be enhanced while at the same


3/8

time more time can be dedicated to assisting students with understanding(http://www.schoolengagement.org/Newsletter/Dec08NCSENews.html )

As well as a fundamental belief in instilling independent learning techniques instudents, I want to enhance my practice to include more problem -solvingtechniques, more thinking and practical demonstrations, more studentinvolvement in their learning, group work and collaborative learning. Yet, I amalso a great advocate of the involvement of Web 2.0 technology in teaching andlearning. Web 2.0 approaches have been stated as key to developingindependent learning (Crook C and Harrison C, 2008). It has been argued thatwith the development of Web 2.0, the internet has become far more social, acommunity based tool where sharing is common place driven by theinteroperability of the software and growth in open source concepts. Theavailability and popularity of many of these technologies to students, is intendedto blend stimulating content using somewhat familiar tools. Thus, using Web 2.0technology to provide the out-of-lesson materials and setting work in lessons thatincorporates additional Web 2.0 technology, it is intended that the use of flippedlearning will boost students skills in a variety of areas not just the study of Computing.

A.3 Background

I am going to carry out the research in the school I can currently employed in,Fulford School, York. This is an 11-18, high-achieving, non-selectivecomprehensive school with specialist status in Maths and Computing and theComputing A/S Level is being taught for the first time in the school fromSeptember 2012. The target group of students for t his research will be thosestudying for this course. It is essential for the continuation of the course,

increasing success of the department, further success of the sixth form and theschool that students perform well on the course. However, it is equally and Iwould argue more important that the students lear n the fundamentals of Computing, are engaged and motivated. Using flipping techniques is an attemptto enhance learning and ultimately heighten the performance levels of studentson the course. As a dedicated education practitioner I am trying to enhance mypractice and aiming to use this trial as means to do this. By using action researchto analyse flipped learning in this context, it is intended to benefit the students,myself and the school as a whole.

The school has recently been inspected by OFSTED as outstanding(http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-

report/provider/ELS/121684/(type)/8192/(typename)/Secondary%20education ) and the sixth form that the students are part of has been judged outstandingduring the previous inspection in 2007 ( http://www.educationadviser.co.uk/ofsted-report/fulford-school ). Despite the overall quality of teaching and learning that hasbeen recognised in the school, both of these inspections p oint to improvementsneeded in teaching and learning (2011 report: increase the proportion of goodand outstanding teaching across departments;2007 report: emphasis on a modelfor 'successful lessons at Fulford School'). I believe that flipping technique scould enhance the quality of teaching and learning on this course


4/8

The school believes in enhancing independent learning particularly among sixthformers, a student can expect..facilities to assist independent learning(http://www.fulford.york.sch.uk/downloads/sixth/6formhsg.pdf ), as many of thesewill go on to university and will require those skills for undergraduate courses.Further the school gives this as a reason to choose the sixth form:

At Advanced Level there is much more focus on independent study and in -depth learning. Given this, students are required to complete considerableadditional reading and research. The learning time for each subject consistsof lessons and the independent study time required for the course. Achievement at this level largely depends on individual motivation anddetermination and the willingness to put the required time and effort into thecourses. What we do is deliver high quality teaching in a positive andsupportive environment, fostering the self -motivation to succeed.(http://www.fulford.york.sch.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=a rticle&id=255&Itemid=242 )

Given this, I believe there are strong foundations for the use of flippingtechniques that rely fundamentally on the dedication of students out of lessontime. Moreover, the techniques are intended to provide a more supportiveenvironment and a deeper understanding of material in the syllabus duringclassroom sessions. The combination of the in -class and out-of-class materialsshould provide for a more engaging and motivating learning experience.

This A/S Level is a new course for the school and as well as being a popular choice, among those applying is a considerable number of high calibre students .These are students with GCSE grades expected to achieve numerous GCSEgrades well in excess of the national average often at A and A* (results of these

will be known by the time the research starts). They are students who have for been advised as to what the course covers and the kind of students who wouldbe expected to be interested in the syllabus. Ergo, given that flipping tech niquesrely heavily on independent learning, students being motivated to use self -studytechniques and using technology to access material, the course and flippedlearning appear to marry well together.(http://fischalgebra1011.blogspot.com/2010/11/we -see-this-as-future-of-higher.html )

The A/S Level Computing course has attracted a relatively large amount of applications given the number of students in the sixth form . Given this, I feel thatthere is a good size focus group for small scale action research such as this and

for the validity of data analysis. There are also two females on the course whichwill provide an opportunity to research any issues of gender differences infindings. This supports the advice given for such projects ( M. Denscombe, TheGood Research Guide, 2007, Open University Press)


5/8


6/8


7/8

engagement, motivation and leading ultimately, to improvements in their performance.

However, technical action research according to Kemmis involves treating thoseinvolved in the research, in this case the students as third party objects who have noreal voice. Contrary to this idea, my project very much intends to embrace thefeedback of those involved. Practical action research ensures others involved alsohave a voice Kemmis (2009). In essence, in this study, I will follow this concept andthroughout, will be open to the views and responses of others Kemmis (2009). Thissupports the methods championed by Mohr M, (2001,, Drafting Ethical Guidelines for Teacher Research in Schools, Ethical Issues in Practitioner Research, New York:Teachers College Press) whereby the students in the class take on the role as co-workers, co-researchers and collaborators throughout the research. It is myintention that the students participate in this way but as in technical action research,the aims are clear and shared with those participating i.e. the students on thecourse.

Method:Questionnaires, interviews and observations are intended to be used to collectevidence in respect of engagement, motivation and learning in this trial. Yet, as thisis fundamentally a piece of empirical research, it is vital that the issue of reliability isaddressed. My bias has already been declared above and as such I am aware of theneed to corroborate views and evidence found in the research to ensure conclusionsare trustworthy. To tackle reliability- the concept of being able to replicate or repeatany observations found ( oppe M, 2000, The Research Process [Online ] Availableat: http://www.ryerson.ca/ mjoppe/ResearchProcess/ExploratoryResearch.htm[Accessed 22nd August 2009 ]) I intend to give the exact same questionnaire to allstudents involved the research, produce some set questions that will be asked of allstudents interviewed and have set criteria for all o bservations carried out.

The validity of the research methods planned will largely be based aroundtriangulation. Evidence will be analysed from varying perspectives by using differenttechniques to produce findings that the researcher can be fairly confi dent areaccurate (Denscombe M (1998), The Good Research Guide for small -scale socialresearch projects, Open University Press). As already stated, research evidence willbe collected using questionnaires, interviews and observations.

Questionnaires will be given to all students on the course. This number is more thanthe minimum set for statistical sampling by The Economist (1997) as cited in

Saunders et al (Saunders M, Lewis P, Thornhill A ,2000, Research Methods for Business Students Pearson, page 115). The questionnaires will be available tocomplete online and students will be required to fill them in during lesson timeensuring a substantial amount of feedback. The structure of the questionnaires willbe aimed at providing quantitative evidence on th e whole in the form of backgroundstatistics (Wellington ,2000) Educational research: contemporary issues andpractical approaches, Continuum, page 17). In other words, the questionnaires areintended to provide triggers for points to be raised in the interviews and lead to theobservation criteria. There will however, also be techniques used in the


8/8

questionnaires design intended to give students opportunities to also addexplanations/comments to support answers. In essence, some measure of balancebetween open and closed questions will be included as recommended byOppenheim AN (2001, Questionnaire design, interviewing and attitudemeasurement, Continuum International, page 110) . The questionnaires will alsoaddress ethical research issues by preserving anonymity as no names will berequested and the response data automatically saved.

The interviews planned should also further the depth of validity in the research. Asalready stated there will be set questions and the interviews are intended to be veryuseful as a way of trying to interpret the quantitative data produced by structuredquestionnaires (Kember D, 2000, Action Learning and Action Research. Improvingthe quality of teaching and learning, Routledge, page 47 ). Yet, the interviews will besomewhere in-between structured and unstructured as described by Bell ( Bell ,1999, Doing Your Research Project: A guide for First -time Researchers in Educationand Social Science, Milton Keynes: OUP, page 138 ). They will not be rigidlystructured i.e. be all set questions as this could, in my opinion, limit the freedom of the interviewee expression but more importantly it could be a hindrance pursuingrelevant lines of enquiry subject to answers provided and comments made.

The final method- observation is intended to be used to triangulate evidencecollected from questionnaires and interviews. The criteria will be determined by theresponses previously given in the first two research methods and I will be looking tosubstantiate findings and conclusions in ob serving students involvement in activitiesin the classroom. The objective of these observations is really to focus on how theuse of flipped techniques effects students learning, engagement and motivation onactivities that can be pursued in class time.

4491 research plan

Documents