Wicked Problem Project-PART D: Findings and Implications

An indication of a good educator is the amount of reflecting they do on their students' learning and the teaching strategies they employ in their classrooms. If the learning is not at the desired level, teachers need to identify the actual problem before they can begin thinking about any types of solutions. Once a solution has been chosen and implemented, it should then be assessed as to its level of success in resolving the problem.


For this CEP 812 project, I have identified a "wicked problem" in my classroom - that of finding a more accurate assessment tool that can be used in all subject areas to determine my students' level of learning. I have chosen to use Glogster EDU, a free online educational tool, as my solution, not only because it can be used as an assessment tool but also because it often becomes a motivational factor for students in taking a more active role in their learning which is also a desired response to the use of this tool.


In determining if Glogster has been an effective solution for my problem, it will be important for me to begin collecting data on my students' learning as well as their levels of involvement in lessons and discussions before fully implementing my solution. I can do this by keeping a daily record on who is contributing answers, comments, or questions during our whole class discussions and plotting scores from pretests, conferences, and tests administered during their first science unit. This will provide me with a baseline for the level of daily involvement that is occurring in science as well as the level of knowledge being displayed by my students at the beginning of the school year without the use of Glogster. I will continue to keep the same ongoing records during our second science unit which will run congruently to when my students are learning to use Glogster. I am expecting to see some type of improvement in scores and involvement in discussions at this point because students will be aware that they need to show me some type of learning on the pencil and paper outline before being allowed on the computer to make their glog.  Upon our return back from winter break in January, we will be starting our third science unit, and when students will be using Glogster on their first independently completed glog. Again, records will be kept during this third unit. 


Although any improvement in scores and active involvement in classroom discussions will be an indication of some type of success, ultimately, I'd like to see 80% of my students (16 of my 20 students) demonstrating mastery of the GLCE's outlined in the Michigan Curriculum Standards for that science unit. I plan to keep records and daily journal entries through the entire 2011-2012 school year and chart the results for each of the four science units. I will then report the final outcome on the effectiveness of my solution to our dean at the end of the school year and discuss with her what other factors may have contributed positively or negatively to the results. I would then like to find an appropriate forum for presenting my findings and our class' experience in using this particular technology tool in the classroom with staff and parents from our school.