1. F IRST G RADE E NGAGED A CTION R ESEARCH Stephanie Dulmage

2. S ESSION A GENDA The Why of The Wondering? Action Research Defined Inquiry Process First Grade Engaged Wondering Inquiry Design Procedures, Data Collection, Data Analysis Action Research Findings Conclusions and Next Steps Action Research Resources

3. W HY ? In many instances, secondary school has become a system based on obedience and “jumping through the hoops” that often has very little to do with the true spirit of learning. We’ve communicated to our students that school is about excelling on the test, giving the “right” answer, and memorizing and regurgitating information. School must shift toward a user-generated learning environment with the individual at the center, instead of lock-step curriculum and pacing guides. Learning must be driven by students’ interests and passions, not teacher- dictated lessons, learning plans, and assessments.

4. “It makes me feel awesome!” In response to how do you feel when you’ve learned something. It’s clear that our current system is focused on education—not learning. Learning is social and at its peak when learners collaborate, connect, and create. Learning should be purposeful and allow the learner to make a contribution. Learning is not simply about the transfer of knowledge from one individual to another; it’s generative, exciting, and inspirational. Such learning must be the norm for students—and adults. This was the drive and motivation behind my wondering.

5. A CTION RESEARCH OR T EACHER I NQUIRY P OLL A. I’m not familiar with action research/teacher inquiry. B. I have some knowledge of action research/teacher inquiry. C. I’ve engaged in some action research/teacher inquiry. D. I routinely engage in action research/teacher inquiry.

6. A CTION R ESEARCH OR T EACHER I NQUIRY Teacher inquiry is defined as a systematic, intentional study of one’s own professional practice.

7. B ENEFITS OF I NQUIRY T EACHER I NQUIRY (A CTION R ESEARCH ) Teacher Inquiry positively impacts… Professional Growth Differentiated Instruction Data-Driven Decision Making and Progress Monitoring RtI (Response to Intervention) Student Learning Educational Reform or Shaping The Profession

8. EDUCATIONAL REFORMEDUCATIONAL REFORM Your individual engagement in teacher inquiry is a contribution to larger educational reform, a transformation of the teaching profession “ (p.17) Cochran, Smith, and Lytle (1993) claim that in any classroom where teacher inquiry is occurring “there is a radical, but quiet kind of educational reform in process.” (p.17)

9. I NQUIRY P ROCESS Teacher Inquiry (Action Research) Process Questions Wonderings Research Plan Collecting &Analyzing Data Reading Relevant Literature Making Changes in Practice Sharing Findings Conclusions & Further Areas of Inquiry Stages from Dana and Yendel-Hoppey, (2009 )

10. FIRST G RADE E NGAGED Primary Wondering: What is the impact of formative assessment, the use of web 2.0 (to communicate, create, and collaborate their learning) and a STEM/PBL focus on student engagement and the achievement of first graders?

11. Secondary Wonderings: How might user- generated learning opportunities impact engagement and achievement levels? What is the relationship between student engagement and "ownership of learning" to achievement? What does it mean to "own learning" and can first graders demonstrate their understanding and evidence of "ownership"? What does student engagement look like?

12. S TUDENT E NGAGEMENT P OLL Student engagement is high in my classroom: Yes – click the green No – click the red x

13. S TUDENT E NGAGEMENT Engaged learners "show sustained behavioral involvement in learning activities accompanied by a positive emotional tone. They select tasks at the border of their competencies, initiate action when given the opportunity, and exert intense effort and concentration in the implementation of learning tasks; they show generally positive emotions during ongoing action, including enthusiasm, optimism, curiosity, and interest" (Skinner & Belmont, 1993) Engaged Learners "use cognitive, meta-cognitive and self-regulatory strategies to monitor and guide their learning processes. In this view, student engagement is viewed as motivated behavior apparent from the kinds of cognitive strategies students choose to use (e.g., simple or "surface" processing strategies such as rehearsal versus "deeper" processing strategies such as elaboration), and by their willingness to persist with difficult tasks by regulating their own learning behavior." (Pintrich and & De Groot,1990; Fredericks, Blumenfeld, and Paris, 2004) A more recent study by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2004), that cited many of the same studies, describes engagement in schoolwork as involving behaviors (persistence, effort, attention, taking challenging classes), emotions (interest, pride and success) and mental or cognitive aspects (solving problems, using meta-cognitive strategies). It also distinguishes between academic and social engagement (participation in extra-curricular activities, having friends).

14. E NGAGEMENT & S TUDENT O WNERSHIP S URVEYS o Google/Zoomerang Student Engagement Survey Individual Lesson Surveys Ownership of Learning Survey “Reality is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions.” Gary Zukov “Reality is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions.” Gary Zukov

15. L EARNING E NVIRONMENT Learning Team time & Formative Assessment STEM & PBL 1:1 netbooks and Web 2.0 Student Engagement

16. I NQUIRY D ESIGN 25 first grade students used 1:1 netbooks and engaged in learning and activities that were characterized by the use of web 2.0 tools (to communicate learning, create, and collaborate), formative assessment, user-generated learning opportunities, and STEM/PBL. Students interacted in virtual learning via Twiducate, SymbalooEdu, and Kidblog and used other technology (Ipods, digital cameras, FLIP videos etc) to communicate, create, and collaborate their learning and thinking. Formative assessment strategies were embedded throughout the day to monitor progress in specific curricular areas.

17. I NQUIRY D ESIGN C ONT ’ D Results of the formative (and summative/work samples) assessments were utilized during Learning Team Time to set personal learning targets, develop and execute learning plans (individual and team plans are written), reflect and graph progress, and provide evidence of a secure level of understanding. Weekly student reflections were posted on Kidblog and student PLNs were created on SymbalooEdu. During the study, the students’ overall level of engagement in school and for specific activities or instructional approaches was assessed. Student achievement data was collected for math and reading.

18. N ETBOOKS AND W EB 2.0 1:1 Netbooks Embedded and utilized throughout the day to enhance and extend learning Web 2.0 – SymbalooEdu, Kidblog, Twiducate, Google Surveys, PollEverywhere Ipod Apps FLIP and Digital Cameras

19. STEM/PBL Project Based Learning: “ students go through an extended process of inquiry in response to a complex question, problem, or challenge. While allowing for some degree of student "voice and choice," rigorous projects are carefully planned, managed, and assessed to help students learn key academic content, practice 21st Century Skills (such as collaboration, communication & critical thinking), and create high-quality, authentic products & presentations. ” Buck Institute For Education You Are What You Eat Energy, Energy, Energy Great Bean Race Engineering Design Challenges and Wind Turbines

22. L EARNING T EAM T IME AND F ORMATIVE A SSESSMENT Learning Team Time (LTT): A system of using formative assessment and student-generated learning targets where students’ work on individual or group learning targets. The following are components of the system: Student (with support) generate personal learning targets/goals Graphing of current levels of achievement by students (beginning, developing, secure) Creating learning teams with students that have similar goals Developing and recording learning plans for both team and individual learning goals Independent execution of the learning plan (students can add me to their plan for support. I also using this time to provide individualized interventions for students – at all levels) Student generated evidence to indicate secure levels of attainment and monitoring progress

23. Daily 45-50 minute period Embedded technology to support learning Embedded mini-lessons on growth and fixed mind sets, the 7 habits, and habits of mind Two-week learning targets (students do continue to work on goals that are not secure by the end of the 2 week period.

25. I NQUIRY F INDINGS Student Engagement Claim 1: Student engagement is high with instructional approaches or activities that are student-led/user- generated and give the students’ voice and choice. Claim 2: Monitoring student engagement levels is a critical part of individualization and ensuring optimal learning. Claim 3: Using a PBL instructional approach and involving students in STEM activities, particularly science and engineering, produces high-levels of engagement Claim 4: Engagement levels can vary based on a student’s mood or comfort interacting with peers. Peer relationships and emotional state is an often overlooked but important part of engagement.

26. Student Achievement Claim 1: Increasing levels of engagement, voice and choice, ownership of learning, STEM/PBL activities, and formative assessment strategies (student generated learning targets) increases overall achievement. Formative Assessment and Learning Targets Claim 1: Giving students voice and choice on learning targets increases motivation and effort toward attainment of the goals. Claim 2: First grade students can generate effective, accurate learning targets, evaluate levels of performance (beginning, developing and secure) and provide evidence of attainment. Claim 3: It’s important to have a variety of work samples and assessments (formative and summative) for students to review to generate learning goals.

27. Claim 4: First graders can create learning plans but they need direction on how to write a plan to reach a secure level. Claim 5: First grade students can evaluate levels of performance (beginning, developing and Secure) and give evidence to support their decisions. Claim 6: Students with a growth mindset or that are very engaged find it easier to generate personal learning targets than those who don’t. Embedded Technology Claim 1: Web 2.0 and technology tools increase student engagement levels and are an effective tool for learning, communication, creation, and collaboration. Claim 2: Embedded technology and the use of web 2.0 tools increases independence in learning.

28. Ownership of Learning Claim 1: Ownership of learning increases when students are given voice and choice, are involved in the learning process (through formative assessments/learning targets), and are given opportunities to make a contribution, communicate their learning, and collaborate. Claim 2: This group of first graders understands and demonstrates ownership of learning.

29. E VIDENCE TO SUPPORT T HE C LAIMS “I put my favorite tiles on my Symbaloo page. I love Symbaloo.” “Symbaloo helps me learn.”

30. “My passion project is so good. I am learning about crystals. Can I do a digital story on Little Bird Tales?”

31. “We had to persevere and never give up to do the tower challenge.”

32. “I love engineering challenges. It’s so cool. I can’t wait to make my design better. When do we get to work on it again.”

33. “I used to like morning work time because of all the stuff you get to do and now I like learning team time because you get to learn stuff a lot and you get to have goals and set goals for yourself.”

34. “My goals are perfect for me because they’re challenging for me. These are my goals: Do multiplication up to 10 times and write a synonyms book.” “We love learning and we love to learn at LTT and LTT stands for learning team time and we love it.” “I use websites and I read books, too LTT, my parents, my teacher, math rotations, and my goals.” (in response to how do you learn?) I have fun at L.T.T. that stands for learning team time. Also there is something else you can learn from. It’s math activities. I learn lots of things there. You can play on the Ipods and a math game on the floor.” “You really need a team and you need counterweights to balance a tennis ball on a paper tower.”

35. C ONCLUSIONS The claims and evidence positively support the primary (and secondary questions of this inquiry): A learning environment characterized by formative assessment, the use of web 2.0 tools (to communicate, create, and collaborate on learning and thinking) and a STEM/PBL focus increases student engagement and the achievement of first graders. The March student engagement survey indicated an increase in all areas of engagement. On most items, 22-25 students chose the highest rating. 100% of the students rated all areas as “sometimes or yes” in March compared to some “no” ratings on the February survey. Reading scores in May, 2012 indicate that 100% of students are reading at a secure level and 92% are reading significantly above grade level (68% are reading at a third grade level) compared to last year (80% May, 2011; below grade level 13%). Math data indicates that 99% of students have demonstrated mastery on the secure math GLCE for the past three math units of study.

36. B RINGING I T A LL T OGETHER … C REATING C LASSROOM C ULTURE Mind Set Smart is Something You Get Not Something You Are 7 Habits Habits of Mind Student Voice and Choice Inquiry, Problem-Solving, Strategic, Making Connections Brain-based Learning Strategies Teacher as Facilitator of Learning Analyzing student engagement and Perception Surveys Ubiquitous and Purposeful

37. D EFINING 21 ST C ENTURY S CHOOLING Future Wonderings: Can you create a highly individualized, user-generated learning environment, where students master standards, but with very different learning pathways and opportunities to pursue their passions? How might we create a learning environment that is flexible and fluid in nature and can easily respond to the needs of all learners? What role does technology play in creating these types of learning environments? How should the role of the teacher shift to accommodate this type of learning? What needs to happen for all educators to become masters of their craft and facilitators of a fluid, multi-faceted, global learning environment? Can school become a learning environment for all stakeholders (students, parents, educators) where the teacher/learner role is not static?

38. 21 st Century Learner Graphic

39. R ESOURCES Dana, Nancy Fichtman and Yendel-Hoppy, Diane. (2009) The reflective educator’s guide to classroom research. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin Press Brookhart, Susan M and Moss, Connie M. (2009) Advancing formative assessment in every classroom. Alexandria, VA. ASCD Buck Insitute For Education (n.d.). Project-based learning definition. Retrieved from www.bie.org/ Dweck, Carol S. PhD. Mindset: the new psychology of success. (2006). New York, NY. Ballantine Books Klimek, Karl J. and Ritzenhein, Elsie. (2008) Generative Leadership: shaping new futures for today's schools. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin Press Covey, Stephan R. (2008) The leader in me. New York, NY. Free Press Costa, Arthur L. and Kallick, Bena. (2008) Learning and leading with habits of mind: 16 essential characteristics for success. Alexandria, VA. ASCD

40. T HANK Y OU ! Contact Information: Stephanie Dulmage Gretchko Elementary West Bloomfield School District dulmage@wbsd.org Twitter: stephe1234 http://educationvisionleadership.edublogs.org http://usergeneratedlearning.edublogs.org http://firstgradeengaged.edublogs.org