ed final project

7/28/2019 Ed Final Project

1/35


2/35

Secondary Social Studies Websites: Web Error or Hotlink to the Future of Education

ByJoseph A. Strittmatter

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor the Masters of Education in Technology: Technology Specialist

Approved by:

__________________________________ ______________________________Jonathan R. Brown, Ph.D, Chairperson DateClarion University of Pennsylvania

__________________________________ ______________________________Committee Member Date

__________________________________ ______________________________Committee Member Date

ii


3/35

Abstract

In todays society, where there is a desire to constantly remain connected though mobile

devices such as Blackberrys, Ipads, or Kindles, teachers have been able to channel the techno-

generations excitement for technology towards education through the use of classroom Web

sites. The purpose of this study was to analyze the attitudes of secondary Social Studies teachers

from Bedford County, Pennsylvania on the use of classroom Web sitesthrough the use of a

survey administered using Google Docs. The subjects involved seventeen conveniently selected

Social Studies teachers from a rural county in southwestern Pennsylvania. A Likert survey

helped guage teachers attitudes towards the use of classroom Web sites. The findings of this

study demonstrated that a large portion of the Social Studies teachers in Bedford County do not

have class websites; but those that do, find them to be helpful. The results of this study may have

beeen impeded by a deficiency in teachers who had experimented with their own Web site as

well as the target group themselves, as the sample group was selected for this specific study and

may not reflect Social Studies teachers else ware. Additional research is recommended using this

design with a larger population.

iii


4/35

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Abstract.......................................................................................................... ii

List of Table................................................................................................... vList of Figures................................................................................................ viAcknowledgments.......................................................................................... vii

ChaptersI. IntroductionBackground...................................................................................... 1Description of Terms........................................................................ 3Statement of the Problem................................................................. 4Rationale and Need for Study.......................................................... 5Research Question and Hypothesis.................................................. 6

II. Review of LiteratureTheoretical Foundation.................................................................... 7Research Foundation........................................................................ 9Research Problem Explored............................................................. 11Research Question and Hypothesis.................................................. 12

III. MethodsSubjects............................................................................................ 13Institutional Review Board............................................................... 13Instrumentation................................................................................. 13Reliability......................................................................................... 13Validity............................................................................................. 14Materials........................................................................................... 14Procedures........................................................................................ 14

IV. ResultsData Reduction and Tabulation........................................................ 16Tables and Figures........................................................................... 16Descriptive Statistics........................................................................ 19Inferential Statistics.......................................................................... 19Research Question and Hypothesis.................................................. 19

V. DiscussionGeneral Comments........................................................................... 20Limitations of Study......................................................................... 20Theoretical Support.......................................................................... 20Implications of Study....................................................................... 20

VI. Summary and Recommendations for Future Research. 21

iv


5/35

References........................................................................................ 22

Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Approval and Forms....... 25Appendix B: Permission and Introduction....................................... 26Appendix C: Teacher Consent......................................................... 27

Appendix D: Questionnaire.............................................................. 28

v


6/35

List of Tables

vi


7/35

List of Figures

1. Line Graph: Social Studies Courses Taught

2. Pie Chart: Usefulness of Course Web sites

vii


8/35

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my wife and children for their patience throughout the research

process. Without their patience and support, this study would have been nearly impossible. I

would also like to thank Dr. Brown for his leadership in the research process. If I can someday

understand a fraction of what Dr. Brown knows about research, I will consider it a victory of

colossal achievement.

viii


9/35

I. Introduction

Background

There is no doubt that the field of education is a much different place than it was twenty

years ago. Yuen and Ma (2008) explained the importance of the Internet in education when they

wrote the past two decades have witnessed the unprecedented growth of the Internet and an

ensuing transformation in the educational landscape (p. 230).Immuculee Harushimana

(2008) agreed and stated his belief in the importance of the Internet by making the grandiose

prediction that access to technology is the civil rights issue of the new millennium (p. 289)

In order to provide students with a 21st century education, teachers are expected to have a

presence on the web. Those expectations are demonstrated through spending as school districts

are being pressured to buy even more technology and teachers are being pressured to use

technology (Gardner, 2011, p.1). Classroom Web sites that contain important classroom

information and provide access to course materials, promote communication among teacher and

classmates, develop online learning skills, and/or aid the teacher in delivering classroom

instruction are a tool that some teachers have been taking advantage of for years (Witt, 2004, p.

424).The introduction of new technologies such intuitive Web site creators, have also

revolutionized the way many universities are teaching education students the art of teaching

(Englund, 2009, p. 46). Brown and Warschauer (2006) foresaw the need to adapt higher

education courses when they commented, if Internet-based technologies are to be used to

support and enhance the development of these skills in the classroom, then preservice teachers

need to see these uses modeled in their teacher education program.

While there seems to be countless benefits to using course Web sites there must also be


10/35

drawbacks to classroom Web sites or every teacher in every school would be the editor of their

very own Web site. Barriers that block the effective use of classroom websites can be as

abundant as the possibilities of websites, ranging from the age, degree level, or workload of a

teacher (Meyer & Xu, 2009, p. 66) to the ultimate inevitable system breakdown or

unavailability of the server (Witt, 2003, p. 434).

2


11/35

Description of Terms

Blog A Web Log which is a type of a Web site which is updated easily.

Computer self-efficacy - the judgment of ones capability to use computer technology (Yuen,

2008).

CMC - Computer Mediated Communication such as email, chat, discussion board, or listserv.

(Hathorn, 2010)

Digital Immigrant - A term coined by Marc Prenskey in his articleDigital Natives; Digital

Immigrants used to describe a person who did not grow up using digital technology and

had to adopt usage of technology later in life.

Digital Native A term coined by Marc Prenskey in his articleDigital Natives; Digital

Immigrants used to describe a person who interacts with digital technology from an early

age.

E-learning -e-learning refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver a broad array of

solutions that enhance knowledge and performance. (Rosenberg, 2001)

Teaching Circles -A form of peer support in which small groups of faculty work together for at

least a semester to address specific issues related to their teaching and student learning.

(Brzycki, 2005)

Twitter An online social networking blogging site that connects people to news and

information from people that they follow.

Wiki - A wiki, which means quick in Hawaiian, is open-source software that enables a user to

create, edit, manage, and maintain Web content. (Wilson, 2011)

3


12/35

Statement of the Problem

As academia catches on to the power of technology, creative schools and teachers find

ways to adapt new technologies to help improve education. In a 2009 study, Lee, Brescia,

and Kissinger noted, there is a general belief that computers are beneficial for the academic

development of children. Consequently, many K-12 schools and higher education institutions

are investing heavily in computer infrastructure and advanced communications technology

(p.224). Classroom Web sites are one form of technology that many educators have been

finding to be extremely helpful for a variety of reasons. Classroom Web sites offer

possibilities far beyond the imagination of any teacher a generation ago. Web sites used for

education are capable of providing continuous central access to course information. (Witt,

2003, p. 433) To gain insight into the usefulness of Web sites Paul Witt conducted a study in

2004 that found that Over 90% of the instructors included in the study reported that the Web

Sites they had created were essential or convenient to the successful delivery of the

course. (p. 424) Though many teachers feel strongly about the advantages of course Web

sites, not everyone agrees that they have a place in education. Finally, as Jacob Gardner

pointed out There is a lot of research that deals with technology, but few focus on the

secondary social studies classroom (2011, p.4).

Rationale and Need for Future Research

The purpose of this study was to inquire as to the attitudes of secondary Social Studies

teachers from Bedford County on the use of classroom Web sites. This study attempted to

describe many of the benefits of classroom Web sites while and also looked at the potential

barriers that the teachers have faced in the implementation of Web sites. The focus of the study

was on secondary Social Studies teachers because a majority of the teachers participating in this

4


13/35

study had attended county-wide In-Service trainings on emerging technologies, such as the use

of course Web sites. In 2009, the Technology Directors from all six school districts in Bedford

County organized an In-Service training for the secondary teachers in the districts.

A similar study, The Current and Potential Value of Faculty Web Sites, was conducted in

2009 by Minnesota State-Mankato Professor Judy Donovan, which analyzed the use of faculty

Web sites at the university level (Donovan, 2009). In Donovans recommendation for future

research, she suggested that future researchers look into P-12 teachers and their use of Web

pages (Donovan, 2009, p. 32).

Research Questions and Hypothesis

The question driving this research is: How do 17 conveniently sampled public school

teachers from one conveniently sampled public school district in southwestern Pennsylvania

respond to a 11 item survey about classroom websites?

The predicted hypothesis for this research was that the conveniently sampled social

studies teachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania will report

favorably on the use of classroom websites.

5


14/35

II. Review of Literature

Theoretical Foundation

Harushimana stated that todays generation of digital natives has grown up so

accustomed to the Internet that it is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers who are

unfamiliar with technology to reach these students through a traditional textbook approach

(2008, p. 276) Aware of todays generations penchant to be connected to the Internet at all

times, teachers have harnessed students digital motivation though e-learning (Rosenberg, 2001).

E-learning expounds upon the vision Cleborne Maddux shared in 1999 when he saw the Internet

not just as a tool to search for information but to impact the way instructors organize and deliver

their materials such as syllabi, course handouts, as well as lecture notes, tutorials, and

procedures (1999).

Paul Witt, a professor at Texas Christian University with a Doctorate degree and two

Master degrees, has laid much of the groundwork for the examination of the use of Web sites in

classrooms. The focus of his research, as listed on TCUs Web site, is classroom

communication behaviors of teachers and students (http://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asp).

Witt has labored to stress the benefits of classroom Web sites, which provide student access to

course information and/or enhance interaction among course participants beyond the classroom

(Witt, 2003, p. 430)

Harushimana also points out that due to the wide range of capabilities of Web sites, they

target many of the various intelligences put forth in Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple

Intelligences (Harushimana, 2008). As a demonstration of Gardners Theories, John Lyons adds

that shy and timid students are more likely to participate and ask questions online than they

might be in class (2004, p. 450). Witt attributes this to the power of multimedia to teach

6
http://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asphttp://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asp


15/35

through multiple sensory modalities (2003, p. 436)

Not only are school districts making changes to adapt to the power of the Internet,

universitys are changing curriculum to better prepare future teachers to make use of this great

tool. Dolores Brzycki and Kurt Dudt of Indiana University of Pennsylvania spoke to the

shortcomings of teacher education programs in 2005 when they stated teacher preparation

programs traditionally taught technology in separate computer literacy classes (p. 623). Many

education courses taught very simple computer applications such as e-mail and the Microsoft

suite when teachers really need to see technology being applied to their specific content areas.

Research Foundation

There have been countless studies on the impact of the Internet on education ranging

from and most studies agree that the Internet can be a powerful tool in education. In a study

calledEvaluation of Online Course Websites: Is Teaching Online a Tug-Of-War, John and

Lesley Hathorn wrote that information on the Web is primarily in the form of text, but images,

animation, sound, and video can all add to the learning experience and add interest if they are

relevant (2010, p. 199). They also spoke of the benefits Web sites can allow in the realm of

communication, specifically CMC or computer-mediated-communication (p. 201). Zafer Unal

also found communication to be one of the most important advantages of Web sites in a study

called Going the Extra Step for Parental Involvement: Connecting Family and School with the

Power of Teacher Websites and stated Among the teachers that currently have a Web site,

communication with students was stated as the most popular use, followed by communication

with parents (2008, p.44).

While researchers have elaborated on the benefits of course Web sites, they have also

exposed many of the barriers that need tackled before a teacher can implement a course Web

7


16/35

site. In a study by Fethi Inan and Deborah Lowther calledFactors Affecting Technology

Integration in K-12 Classrooms: A Path Model, they hypothesized and found that a teachers

ability to proficiently use technology in the classroom was negatively affected by their age and

years of experience and as their age and years of experience increase, their computer

proficiency decrease (Inan & Lowther, 2010, p. 148). Allen Yuen and Will Ma also looked at

these barriers and decided that they may impact the technology self-efficacy level of a teacher

and impede them from having the confidence level to create their own Web site (2008). Other

researchers such as Jacob Gardner have elaborated on the discrepancies among various students

and their ability to access teachers Web sites while at home. Gardner admits that Internet in the

home can be costly, so not only is there an issue of actually having a computer, but also paying

for internet service to that computer is an issue (2011, 18). Sang Lee, William Brescia, and Dan

Kissinger looked into the socioeconomic factors involved in computer availability in homes and

found that only about 22% of children in families with annual incomes of less than $20,000 had

access to a home computer, compared to 91% of those in families with annual incomes of

$75,000. (2009, p. 225). Adam Friedman examined another barrier to the successful

implementation of course Web sites in 2006 when he studied a group of teachers who were given

training on Web development. Friedman found that Although each of the teachers surveyed had

the ability as well as the server space to create a website, the majority did not use these skills that

they had acquired from course instruction (p. 798). Through this study, Friedman was able to

postulate that sufficient time and training were not the main reason why teachers failed to use

course Web sites.

Research Problem Explored

8


17/35

There seems to be discrepancy between the beliefs and actions of teachers in regards to

course Web sites. While many of the teachers in previous research are aware of the benefits of

course Web sites, a large portion of them also fail to overcome the obstacles involved in creating

and maintaining a site. Another factor that must be considered is the attitudes of the students.

Ultimately, the success of a course Web site depends on the students ability to access the site

frequently to check for updates and new information (Witt, 2003, p. 434) and as Witt noted in

2004, it is undeniable that for a percentage of students the primary goal is to receive credit for

the course with a minimum of inconvenience to themselves (p. 434). While some students may

see course Web sites as an annoyance, others, who have become obsessed with instantaneous

access to information through Google, Twitter, or other news aggregators may expect similar

experiences in their classes (Wilson, 2011).

While a number of students may not appreciate the fact that Web sites can be an online

hub that teachers use to access other material from the Internet such as blogs and wikis. Paul

Witt stated that when virtually all relevant information is located on the course Web site, it is

easier and faster for both students and instructor to find the material they need (2003, p.433).

This research study will examine the secondary Social Studies teachers in Bedford County to get

feedback on their attitudes towards course Web sites.

Research Question and Hypothesis

The question driving this research is: How do 17 conveniently sampled public school

teachers from one conveniently sampled public school district in southwestern Pennsylvania

respond to a 11 item survey about classroom websites?

The predicted hypothesis for this research was that the conveniently sampled social


9


18/35

favorably on the use of classroom websites.

10


19/35

III. Methods

Subjects

The subjects that were involved in this study included a conveniently selected group of

Social Studies teachers from Bedford County in southwest Pennsylvania. The teachers selected

ranged from 7th-12th grade teachers who teach at least one Social Studies course. It was not a

random sampling because the researcher was interested in Social Studies teachers from a specific

location in Pennsylvania. Of the 17 teachers who volunteered, 12 of those are American History

while, a smaller portion of the volunteers teach classes such as Economics, Geography,

Government, Psychology, and World History. None of the subjects teach Social Studies classes

in Sociology.

All of the Social Studies teachers in Bedford County were delivered the survey therefore

there were 19 surveys delivered, therefore there were 19 possible subjects for this study. The

only subject that was knowingly excluded from the study was the researcher. Of the 19 possible

participants, 17 teachers volunteered to participate in the study; therefore, the return rate of this

study was 89%. There was almost an even distribution between male and female respondents

for the study as there were nine female and eight male participants. The ethnicity of the subjects

was not known as it was not included on the questionnaire. In addition, while the subjects

included their names and schools on the questionnaire, they were not included in the findings to

protect the identity of the subjects.

Institutional Review Board

Before this research process was undertaken, the application for approving this research

was sent to Clarion University Institutional Review Board (see Appendix A for form).

Instrumentation

11


20/35

The instrument that was used in this study was a questionnaire with Likert survey

questions created using Google Docs. The survey was used to gauge teachers attitudes towards

the use of classroom Web sites. The questionnaire was pre-tested on a colleague who was not

participating in an attempt to catch any errors and to allow that suggestions to improve the study.

The time to complete this questionnaire was less than ten minutes. The survey itself could raise

issues with reliability, as subjects may have been confused with some of the wording on the

items. Also, due to use of non-random sampling, sampling bias is likely present in this study.

However, experimenter bias was limited by sending the survey to all possible participants.

Identical instructions were given to all of the participants in this study.

Reliability

As I was the only researcher looking at the responses and the survey was administered

over a short period of time, between 2-4 weeks, there should be minimal rater reliability

concerns. Also, while it was expected that most of the teachers were of different ages and

educational backgrounds, the participants were all secondary education Social Studies teachers

from the same county which possibly affecting the reliability of the study. Also, the subjects

were colleagues of each other and likely discussed the surveys with each other.

Validity

The goal of this study was to determine the attitudes of teachers specifically in Bedford

County towards the use of class websites, I believe it did that and there were few concerns over

content validity. However, due to the small sample size and the specific nature of this study, the

predictive validity of this study may is low. While I was a member of the target population, I

abstained from the study to reduce bias.

Materials

12


21/35

The materials needed to complete this study included a computer that was connected to

the Internet and used any of the following browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet

Explorer2, which support Google Docs.

Procedures

The initial step, for the completion of this study, was to submit an application for

approval to the Clarion University Institutional Review Board. The next step in the procedure

was to receive written permission from all of the administrators of the schools that would be

involved in the study. (see Appendix B for the letter sent to administrators). Once given

permission to survey their employees, I e-mailed all of the secondary Social Studies teachers

asking them to participate in my research by completing a survey (see Appendix C for the letter

sent to teachers). In the letter to the teachers and again in the e-mail attached to the survey, I

assured the participants that the results of the study would remain confidential. The survey was

then conducted on the teachers computer and submitted via Google Docs form (see Appendix D

for the survey). After the teachers submitted their surveys, the researcher then analyzed the data

and created tables and figures. The purpose of this study was then to gauge the attitude of

teachers towards the use of classroom Web sites.

13


22/35

IV. Results

Data Reduction and Tabulation

The researcher used data collected from the Likert survey to assess the attitudes of

teachers towards the use of classroom websites. The results may be viewed through tables

Tables and Figures

Figure 1 will illustrate the various Social Studies courses taught by Social Studies teachers inBedford County, Pa

Figure 2 will illustrate the attitude of the participants towards the usefulness of course Web sites.

14


23/35

Figure 1.Courses taught by Social Studies teachers in Bedford County, PA.

Example:

15


24/35

Figure 2. Attitudes of the participants towards the usefulness of course Web sites.

Example

16


25/35

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics will be added to this section after the study is completed.

Inferential Statistics

Inferential statistics will be added to this section after the study is completed.

Research Question and Hypothesis

The question driving this research is: Do twenty conveniently sampled social studies

teachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania report significantly

more positive than negative survey responses in the use of classroom websites?

The predicted hypothesis for this research is that twenty conveniently sampled social


significantly more positive than negative survey responses in the use of classroom websites.

17


26/35

V. Discussion

General Comments

Limitations of Study

Theoretical Support

Implications of Study

18


27/35

VI. Summary and Recommendations for Future Research

Summary

Recommendations

19


28/35

References

Barron, A. E., & Ivers, K. S. (1998). Who's Doing What on the Internet? A Descriptive Study

of K-12 Web Pages. Learning & Leading With Technology, 26(2), 37-42.

Bonds-Raacke, J. M. (2006). Students' Attitudes toward the Introduction of a CourseWebsite. Journal Of Instructional Psychology, 33(4), 251-255.

Brown, D., & Warschauer, M. (2006). From the University to the Elementary Classroom:Students' Experiences in Learning to Integrate Technology in Instruction. Journal OfTechnology And Teacher Education, 14(3), 599-621.

Brzycki, D., & Dudt, K. (2005). Overcoming Barriers to Technology Use in TeacherPreparation Programs. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 13(4), 619-641.

Donovan, J. (2009). The Current and Potential Value of Faculty Web Sites. Journal ofLiteracy and Technology, 10(3), 2-38.

Englund, L. (2009). Designing a Web Site to Share Information with Parents. Intervention InSchool And Clinic, 45(1), 45-51.

Friedman, A. (2006). K-12 Teachers' Use of Course Websites. Journal Of Technology AndTeacher Education, 14(4), 795-815.

Fu, F., Wu, Y., & Ho, H. (2009). An Investigation of Coopetitive Pedagogic Design forKnowledge Creation in Web-Based Learning. Computers & Education, 53(3), 550-562.

Gardner, J. D. (2011, January 1). Understanding the Role of Technology in a SecondarySchool Social Studies Classroom. Online Submission,

Gibson, S., Moline, T., & Dyck, B. (2011). What Are Education Students' Perceptions of theRole of Technology in Social Studies Pedagogy?. Alberta Journal Of Educational Research,57(1), 73-87.

Hartshorne, R., Friedman, A., Algozzine, B., & Isibor, T. (2006). Secondary Schools Online:Are High School Web Sites Effective?. American Secondary Education, 34(2), 50-66.

Harushimana, I. (2008). Educating the Web-Savvy Urban Teacher: Website Evaluation Tipsand Internet Resources for Secondary Educators. AACE Journal, 16(3), 275-291.

Hathorn, L., & Hathorn, J. (2010). Evaluation of Online Course Websites: Is TeachingOnline a Tug-of-War?. Journal Of Educational Computing Research, 42(2), 197-217.

Inan, F. A., & Lowther, D. L. (2010). Factors Affecting Technology Integration in K-12

20


29/35

Classrooms: A Path Model. Educational Technology Research And Development, 58(2),137-154.

Kennedy, M. (2010). Connecting to the Future. American School & University, 82(9), 14-21.

Krach, S., & Jelenic, M. (2009). The Other Technological Divide: K-12 Web Accessibility.Journal Of Special Education Technology, 24(2), 31-37.

Lee, S., Brescia, W., & Kissinger, D. (2009). Computer Use and Academic Development inSecondary Schools. Computers In The Schools, 26(3), 224-235.

Lennex, L. (2007). The Faculty Web Page: Contrivance or Continuation?. Techtrends:Linking Research And Practice To Improve Learning, 51(5), 32-37.

Liu, X. (2010). Empirical Testing of a Theoretical Extension of the Technology AcceptanceModel: An Exploratory Study of Educational Wikis. Communication Education, 59(1), 52-

69.

Lu, R., & Overbaugh, R. C. (2009). School Environment and Technology Implementation inK-12 Classrooms. Computers In The Schools, 26(2), 89-106.

Lyons, J. F. (2004). Teaching U.S. History Online: Problems and Prospects. History Teacher,37(4), 447-456.

Maddux, C. D. (1999). A University Class in Web Design for Teachers: Content andRationale.

Meyer, K. A., & Xu, Y. (2009). A Causal Model of Factors Influencing Faculty Use ofTechnology. Journal Of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 13(2), 57-70.

Risinger, C. (2000). Social Studies Portals: More Than Just a Web Page. Social Education,64(3), 150-151.

TCU College of Communication | Department of Communication Studies. (n.d.). TCUCollege of Communication | Department of Communication Studies. Retrieved November23, 2011, from http://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asp

Tubin, D., & Klein, S. (2007). Designing a School Website: Contents, Structure, andResponsiveness. Planning And Changing, 38(3-4), 191-207.

Unal, Z. (2008). Going the Extra Step for Parental Involvement: Connecting Family andSchool with the Power of Teacher Websites. Journal Of College Teaching & Learning, 5(6),43-50.

Wilson, E., Wright, V., Inman, C., & Matherson, L. (2011). Retooling the Social StudiesClassroom for the Current Generation. The Social Studies, 102(2), 65-72.

21
http://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asphttp://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asp


30/35

Witt, P. L. (2003). Enhancing Classroom Courses with Internet Technology: Are CourseWeb Sites Worth the Trouble?. Community College Journal Of Research And Practice,27(5), 429-438.

Witt, P. L. (2004). Students' Perceptions of Teacher Credibility and Learning Expectations inClassroom Courses with Websites. Community College Journal Of Research And Practice,28(5), 423-434.

Yuen, A. K., & Ma, W. K. (2008). Exploring Teacher Acceptance of E-LearningTechnology. Asia-Pacific Journal Of Teacher Education, 36(3), 229-243.

22


31/35

Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Approval and Forms

23


32/35

Appendix B: Permission and Introduction

November 21, 2011

Dear Administration,

My name is Joseph Strittmatter and I am a high school Social Studies teacher at EverettArea High School. I am also working towards attaining a Masters Degree in education witha concentration on technology as well as an Instructional Technology Specialist Certificate.Part of my graduation requirements entails a research project in our area of concentration. Ihave chose the following research question: Do 20 conveniently sampled social studiesteachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania reportsignificantly more positive than negative survey responses in the use of classroom websites?

I hope to examine the usefulness of classroom Web sites for instruction with a focus on

school districts in our county. With your permission, I would like to send shortquestionnaires to the teachers in your social studies department. These questionnaires areestimated to take between five and ten minutes to complete.

Please respond at your convenience to allow me to begin contacting teachers toparticipate. Participation is totally voluntary and all information given by participants of thestudy will be kept confidential. If you have any questions regarding this study, please contactme at [email protected] or by phone at 814-243-1249. I look forward to hearing fromyou.

Sincerely,

Joe Strittmatter

24
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


33/35

Appendix C: Teacher Consent Form

Dear Colleagues,

My name is Joseph Strittmatter and I am a high school Social Studies teacher at EverettArea High School. I am also working towards attaining a Masters Degree in education witha concentration on technology as well as an Instructional Technology Specialist Certificate.Part of my graduation requirements entails a research project in our area of concentration. Ihave chose the following research question: Do 20 conveniently sampled social studiesteachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania reportsignificantly more positive than negative survey responses in the use of classroom websites?

I would like to ask for your participation in my study. The study will consist of one briefquestionnaire. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. All information

obtained during the study will be kept confidential and your identity will be protected at alltimes.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding this study, please contact me [email protected] or feel free to call me at 814-243-1249. Thank you so much for yourhelp and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Joe Strittmatter

25
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


34/35

Appendix D: Questionnaire

26


35/35

ed final project

Documents