1. Hilton Rose Hall, Montego Bay Best practices in Teacher Education
Jamaica Teachers’ Association International Best Practices in Education Conference 2014
Hilton Rose Hall, Montego Bay
Wednesday April 23,2014
DR Knola Oliphant, PhD.
Best practices in Teacher Education
Introduction:
Moderators for this session colleagues. Welcome to this presentation.
2. Next slide.
Dr.Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

2. Topic
Integrating Microsoft Word Advanced Formatting Features with APA to Prepare Academic Papers at the Tertiary Level
Notes:
1. The topic of my research is (Read slide)
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

3. Definition of Terms APA:
APA is the publication manual by the American Psychological Association that provides style rules, guidelines, and new standards in publishing ,and new practices in information dissemination. (APA,2000).
Notes:
I have selected and defined three terms which are crucial to understanding this research.
Mastering APA Style (2002) defines APA as a manual that provides rules and standards in publishing, and new practices for disseminating information.
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

4. Microsoft Word Microsoft Word:
Microsoft Word is a full-featured word processing
programme for Windows that contains desktop
publishing capabilities. Word files are used as the
format for sending text documents. (PC Enclopedia
2000).
Notes:
1.Enclopedia (2000) says Microsoft Word (READ SLIDE)
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

5. APA style
APA style: APA style is a documentary style for research papers and all aspects of scholarly writings.(ERIC 2012)
Notes:
(READ SLIDE)
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

6. Background to the Study
1. The year three student teachers under study were introduced to APA style during their second year. 2. The duration of the period of training for student teachers is four years. 3. Information technology is currently not a compulsory subject in most high schools.
READ NOTES ONLY:
1. All the students selected for this study were 3rd year students in training at a selected institution in central Jamaica.
2. The period of training is 4 years, and yet in their third year students struggle to format papers in APA style
3. With information technology currently not a compulsory subject in most high schools there is need for curricular to integrate Microsoft formatting
features within the first year.
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

7. Background to the Study
4.There is the generational differences in the tertiary classrooms. 5. Lecturers assume that student teachers entering tertiary institutions have experience with computer technology. 6. Student teachers experience challenges mastering routine exercises involving APA style.
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

8. Statement of the Problem
1. Curricula of Teachers Colleges of Jamaica lacks explicit teaching of APA style.
2. Student teachers experience problem determining how to translate APA style into the commands necessary to format word processing documents.
3. Student teachers are not able to ‘make” the computer format pages in APA style.
Read Notes ONLY:
The salient issues identified are these :
The curricula of Teachers Colleges of Jamaica lacks explicit teaching of APA style.
2. Students waste a lot of time trying to get a document to look right, when the formatting features if taught would speed up their formatting chores
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

9. Triangulation Matrix Research Questions
1.To what extent do Data Source Data source Data source 3
the Teachers’ Colleges
of Jamaica curricula include Documents Interviews with
explicit teaching of APA? IT teachers
2. How do student teachers
perceive and understand Focus group Journaling Open
the reasons for poor citation Interview Questionnaire
style and inattention to
accuracy ?
3. What would a curriculum Lecture
programme for student Demonstration Question and
teachers that include Answer Worksheets
Microsoft Word Advanced Session
formatting features look like?
Notes:
1.To guide the study towards the achievement of the purposes of this research, I developed and sought responses to three research questions.
(Read the questions)
2. To ensure reliability and validity of the data collected, I employed the process of triangulation which according to Sagor (2000), is the use of multiple
data sources to corroborate /support or confirm the findings.
3. In the triangulation matrix, I identified the data sources used to collect answers for each of the three research questions.
4. The data sources are:documents,journaling,interview with IT teacher, focus group interviews lecture demonstration,worksheets and open
questionnaire.
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

10. Review of Literature:Theoretical
1. Constructivism (Brookfield, 1995) 2. Symbolic Interaction (Blumer,1969), Denzin (1987),and Prus (1969). 3. American Pragmatism (Brookfield (1997)
Notes:
Three philosophical and pedagogical theories inform this research.
1. The first is constructivism. Brookfield (1995) says constructivism views learning as an active process where learners reflect upon their current and past knowledge and experiences to generate new ideas and concepts.
2. The second is symbolic interaction supported by Blumer (1996),Denzin (1987), and Prus (1969).It is favoured for studying lived experiences.
3. The third philosophical theory that shape APA style of referencing while integrating it with Microsoft word advanced features is American Pragmatism. Brookfield(1995) says pragmatism is responsible for emphasizing active implimentation,testing and refining ideas through experience.
Dr.Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

11. Review of Literature: Empirical
Criteria for selecting participants 1. Participation in year group sessions on APA conducted during year 1 and year Presently pursuing the course Introduction to Educational Research Methods, in year3 semester1. 3. Differences in specialization and gender.
Notes:
1. The selection of the student teachers for the empirical review was based on the following criteria: (Read slide)
2. (Next slide)
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

12. Review of Literature: Empirical
1. Chism and Shrinika (2012):Task performance analysis
2. Gelfand and Walker (1990) :Workbooks and guides to simplify the Publication Manual.
3.Smith (1992):Guide to use with Microsoft Word.
4. Niles and Associates (1988): Computer programme EndNote to create computer formatted references in word perfect.
Notes:
Read slide
2. Read slide
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

13. Methodology
Research Tradition: Qualitative Research Type: Qualitative Interpretive Research Sampling: Purposeful
Notes:
Read slide
Merriam (1998) says that in a Qualitative Interpretive Research, “education is considered to be a process and the school is a lived experience”, (p.4).It
is interested in understanding the experience.
2. According to Merriam (1998), “purposive sampling is based on the assumption that the investigator wants to discover, understand and gain insight and therefore must select a sample from which the most can be learned”. (p.61).
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4/15/2017

14. Methodology
Sample 5 students teachers A. Enrolled at a teacher training institution. B. All are in their third year of training. C. Currently pursing The Introduction to Educational Research Methods course. Study site: A teacher training institution in Central Jamaica
Notes:
Five student teachers were selected to participate in the study because they were students enrolled at a teacher training institution. These students
were in their third year of training.
The study site was a teacher training institution in Central Jamaica.
(Next slide)
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

15. Analysis of Data
Procedure 1. Read and reread the interview transcripts and notes. 2. Identified patterns in the data 3. Use participants words to develop themes
Notes:
Read notes first.
Analyzing Qualitative data requires preliminary reading and reflecting, the development of descriptions and themes, representing the information in
pictures, and making interpretations of the information.(Cresswell,2002,p.257).
2. Read the slide
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

16. Analysis of Data
4. Choose themes that answered research questions 5. Examined themes for relationships and patterns 6. Reviewed database to organize information in study
Read the slide
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

17. Findings Research Question 1
1. The Teachers Colleges of Jamaica curricula reflected a lack in the explicit teaching of APA in all its courses. 2. There is no Student Handbook stipulating guidelines and mechanics of APA format for writing academic papers.
Research question 1
To what extent do the teachers colleges of Jamaica curricula include aspects advanced formatting features? (READ SLIDE)
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

18. Findings: Research question 2
1. Student teachers perceptions of APA –advanced formatting features revealed 1. personal views 2. critical questioning 2. Their understanding of the mechanics of APA format was provided through opportunities to practice page formatting mechanics
Research question 2
How do student teachers perceive and understand the mechanics of APA?
(read the slide)
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

19. Findings: Research Question 3
Model for Learning APA Advanced Formatting Features 1. Curriculum Guide 2. Handbook 3. Student Workbook and Training Guide 4. Training Model 5. Video reviews of training episodes 6 Performance results
Research question 3
What should training programme that include APA advanced formatting features look like?
It looks like a Graphic Organizer of an affective Based Teaching Model
Read slide
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

20. Recommendations
1. Teachers Colleges of Jamaica training institutions should make explicit in their curricula a one (1) Credit course to undertaken by all year 1 students during Orientation week.
Notes:
In the research I made five recommendations. Here I chose two for this presentation.
Read recommendation 1.
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

21. Recommendations
2. College administrators as instructional leaders should facilitate the process by planning staff development workshops and seminars on APA standards.
Note:
Read recommendation 2
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

22. Recommendations for Further Research
1. Colleges should do Content Analysis of student teachers reflective journals about their APA style experiences. 2. Another study could examine the learning patterns of students as they use worksheets.
Notes:
I made 6 recommendations for further research. Here, only 2 are presented,They are::
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Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017

23. Research Presentation
Jamaica Teachers’ Association International Education Conference 2014 Hilton Rose Hall, Montego Bay,St. James Wednesday April 23,2014 Dr. Knola Oliphant, PhD. Presenter
Notes:
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.
Dr. Knola Oliphant
4/15/2017