I think I can help...maybe...

Hello Friend,
I thought I had replied to your polling question but alas I guess not.  I am pretty sure you have admin rights on our blog so if you go to the top right where it says design it will take you to our design page.  Then you click on Add a Gadget and a list of 24 items comes up.  If you scroll down the list you should see add a polling question and you will be good to go.  Should this not work just let me know your question and I can add it no problem at all.  I have one as well for the next week.

I have been busy but I am never too busy for your questions!  Hope this helps and let me know if it doesn't and I will add your question.
Chat soon as we will have our new discussion topic tonight:)
Sheila

Polling Questions Postings

Good morning my friend,
Hope your week is going well. You must be really busy as I asked a question in the comment section and I haven't heard from you yet. That being said, I decided to pose it here. Is it possible for me to post polling questions or does this have to be done by you? I have an idea and don't know what to do with it. Haha! Let me know when you get a chance.
Have a fabulous day!

Just a few tweaks...

Good Morning Catherine,
I just wanted to let you know I have made a few changes to our blog page so please do not panic.  When I have a few minutes I like to play around a little and try to add some new things.  The popular blogs running down the right side of our page are just the blogs that we've received comments on.  I am trying to keep our polling questions together and I am stuck thinking about a new polling question so if you can think of one please let me know.

Our group discussions are quite interesting this week.  I find I am gleaning some new ideas that I can possibly use next year.  I love logging in and reading the posts several times a day - it helps me stay on top of all of the posting.  Did you have any interesting topics you would like to share?  My group mentioned independent spelling programs, motivating students to write, promoting healthy snack choices, fractions at the middle level and PBS schools to name a few.

Hope you have a sunny Saturday,
Sheila

One Step Ahead

Well Hello Catherine,
Good for you this week to get your post in ahead of me!  I am finding it quite challenging balancing 2 courses and my new school assignment, while attempting to be a good mom and wife (my husband is the one who lacks attention right now!)  Before I get into your new post, I just want to let you know that my school is a buzz with students engaging in different forms of research.  The Grade 4 and 5's are working on a graphing project and are busy collecting first hand data.  The Grade 5's are also in the planning stages of their heritage fair projects so they are googling, reading texts and asking experts.  I am enjoying their discussions because it parallels so nicely with our course.  It is really fun to be both a teacher and student!  The Grade 4's also told me today that when they research they have different ways to collect information so I am including their suggestions:  the radio, the environment, You Tube, museum, ask an expert.  Gee I wish I had these suggestions when I made our new polling question.  What an insightful group of young researchers!

I must admit that I enjoy reading our textbook because I find it clear and easy to follow.  I caught myself smiling at the technology section because like Dr. Cranton said, it is rather outdated even thought the text is not really that dated it does go to show how quickly technology changes.  I agree with you when you comment on the fact that the chapter does give many different sources for good resource tools.  I know that when I first entered the Masters program our friend Yvette showed me how to access ERIC and EBSCO.  This was very helpful. 

I too appreciated the simplified layout on pg. 47 and found it helped me when I had to post my topic and subtopics for this week.  I think I am catching on to how to create a research topic and then work within the guidelines.  It is funny, I never thought I would ever want to write a thesis but the more I look into inquiry based mathematics and the more direction I get from our course I become braver each day.  Who knows what I will decide in the end....

It is very helpful that this course will help support your learning in other courses.  I, like you, need to make the connection between theory and practice.  For my post this week I chose to look at "authentic" problem solving in math.  By authentic I mean real world problems that are engaging for students.  Looking into their interests and build word problems around these.  I firmly believe that this helps support engagement.

If you think of a new polling question, please let me know.  If there are any links that you want to add as you do your own research feel free to add them.  I think our blog page is looking very good and I am enjoying our chance to chat about the course and what we are learning.

Enjoy the weekend friend,
Sheila

Looking at Literature

Hi Sheila,

We haven't "talked" for awhile and I decided I had better get something written for this week's topic before you thought I had dropped off the face of the earth. Sometimes things happen for a reason, so that's my excuse. Let me explain.
Today, I met with my Math professor. I had to try to come up with a plan for something I could do beyond the regular expectations of the course since it is a 5000 course. After some discussion, it was decided that I would do a research paper instead of the final reflection required of the other students in the class. I'm like, "Wow. This is exactly what we are talking about in my Research course this week." So, how cool is that? I actually got quite excited because, as you know, I really like to be able to use/apply the things I am learning in my practice and this is giving me the perfect opportunity.
I felt this chapter reviewed ideas I was familiar with but at the same time went in great detail about the hows and whys of the process which is going to be a huge benefit to me. I really liked the fact that the authors choose to include specific reference books, data bases, etc., relating to topics in education, which will be a tremendous time saver for anyone needing this type of information. I also thought the Sample of the Chart Method on pages 44-45 of the text may be of value to me when I need to organize the resources I find.
Many of the strategies for writing the review are ideas I am familiar with, however, I really appreciate the suggestions and samples on page 47 of how to organize the body of a research paper. I am quite sure this is going to come in rather handy. Finally, the guidelines for doing the review are a good summary of the process and, I feel, can be used as a checklist to make sure all aspects of the literature review have been covered. I believe all of the ideas I have mentioned, as well as other suggestions in the chapter, are going to make the writing of my paper just a little bit easier. That being said, I know this textbook will be close by when I begin to write.
Hope your week is going well. Looking forward to hearing from you.

On The Right Track

Hi Catherine,
I had a blog all ready to go at lunch today but alas I had a technical glitch and lost it.  I think this is better to loose than a class set of report cards:)  Thanks for your blog and your honesty with trying to grasp the terminology.  I must say that while I am thoroughly enjoying my educational journey, I feel understanding the terminology is by far the most challenging part for me - I often have to have my computer up and running so I can google a term that I don't know.  I was fortunate Wednesday night because my son Christopher's Kindergarten teacher has just joined our section last week.  She spent some time on the phone simplifying the paradigms and putting them into "Sheila friendly language."  Not an easy task when you are wordy like me and processing new information takes a long time!


It is interesting to read your 3 questions and I am struck by the similarities between your discussion group and mine.  The Critical research questions about home reading and about getting parents involved with math fact practice are excellent in my humble opinion.  I like how you tweaked your Interpretive research question.  I attended a PBIS meeting today at the school where I am currently coaching and we talked about the importance of being proactive with children with anger issues.  I received 2 interesting articles along with some websites I can forward to you if you would like...just let me know.  As our District psychologist was presenting she spoke of the importance of data collection and she used the word research often in her presentation...the whole time I was listening I wanted to ask "where does your research come from?"  "How is it conducted?"  

To get back on track, your question for Empirical-Analytical research fits the criteria as well.  Several people in my section had research questions that centred around the importance of getting students started off on the right foot by making sure their basic needs are met.  At one of my schools they have the Toast and Milk program and there are many, many students who are hungry and take advantage of this service.  It would be interesting to research whether having a program like this does affect student achievement.  Similarly I wonder if having access to a head start or pre-school program does advantage students when they enter Kindergarten?


My questions required a little re-working but this is fine as it helps me along on the learning process.  Dr. Cranton gave me sound advice as to how I could make my questions align more with the definitions of the different paradigms.  Thank you for your suggestions and it is funny because your suggestions to me mirrored Dr. Cranton's!


I have included our new polling question so please put in your vote.  I was happy to see that our first poll is closed but is still on our home page.  I have also added a link to a website called "polleverywhere."  I thought it looked interesting.  If you think of a question we can ask for our next poll please let me know.  I am so happy that we have our blog up and running so smoothly.  I also appreciate your comments and suggestions.  You say that you are not very tech savvy but I am very impressed with your computer skills.


Wishing you a very happy birthday friend,
Sheila

Perplexing Paradigms

Hi Sheila,

I have decided to entitle my post "Perplexing Paradigms" since I have just spent the last 3 1/2 hours learning about them. When I read the information from Patricia, I was rather confused but certainly not ready to give up. I was going to check your latest post, to see if that would clarify things for me, but decided to look at the posts of others first. When I entered the first discussion question, regarding the "critical research paradigm", I found that Patricia had given an explanation, in everyday language, and included some examples. Whew! What a difference that made to my understanding. From there, I began reading the different questions posed by our peers. This really helped also, as did the comments and/or suggestions Patricia made. That being said, I feel much more confident in my understanding of the three paradigms and hope the questions I created and posted fit the criteria for each paradigm.

Since the critical research paradigm deals with improving a practice of some kind, your question, to me, appears to be fine since the research would be discovering ways in which how something can be used (authentic experiences) to improve something else. (problem solving skills)

The second paradigm, interpretive research concerns itself with understanding/determining current conditions, how things are, or is a description of what is at the present time. I think the question you have created, "In Mathematics, how do we move students forward to be able to explain their mathematical thinking in words?", may need to be tweaked slightly. Since this research wants to know what is happening now, your question might be better stated as, "What strategies are being used to move students forward in their ability to explain their mathematical thinking in words?"

Your third question for the empirical analytic paradigm, which deals with cause-and-effect scenerios looks good to me since you are delving into how using manipulatives affects the understanding of concepts, in other words the cause being manipulatives and the effect being the understanding of concepts.

The questions I came up with for each paradigm are stated below. Please tell me what you think of mine and if you believe I am on my way to understanding each of them

Critical Research - (I made up 2 for this one.)

"How do I improve parental support of struggling students with their home reading program?"
"How can I help parents understand the value and necessity of practicing math facts, at home, with their child?"

Interpretive Research -

"What remedial strategies are in place, at school level, to assist students with anger issues?" After further reflection, I wondered if the question should be, "How are students with anger problems assisted at the school level?"

Empirical Analytical -

"Has the implementation of the Breakfast Program resulted in stronger academic achievement of low functioning students?"

Like I said earlier Sheila, I would really like your feedback to move me along this learning curve.

I want to add, before I end this post, that including your students in our blog is an amazing idea, for them, for us and for any of those who view our blog. What a fabulous method in which to engage students, a real life situation and one they are involved in creating, as well as for educators to see how easy it can be to improve student involvement and interest. Kudos to you, Sheila!

Looking forward to hearing from you and getting your feedback.

Creating Reseach Paradigm Questions - Have I done this correctly?

Hi Catherine,
It is hard to believe we are posting on Topic 2 and I feel a little worried that I might have missed the boat with my 3 different research paradigm questions.  I am going to include them in this blog so you can see where I am coming from and perhaps let me know if you think I am on the right track with my questions.  I think part of my insecurity is that these terms are "loaded" with quite a bit of unfamiliar language.  It usually takes a person to comment on my post to make me feel a little more confident about the questions/statements I discuss.  I find that as I journey through this course I can relate more and more to the students I work with each day, especially the ones that need a little validation that they are doing what is expected (I was going to say right but after some discussion in my section - being always right is not really important...) 

I have a keen section and many of us were quick to get our questions up in the discussion area tonight.  My game plan is to post early each week as I have no idea how the late "posters" keep their head above water when they log on and see 30-40 new posts each day!

Since I am surrounded by Mathematics each day I do hope to maintain a mathematical focus as our blogging continues.  Below are my research questions - do they sound ok?

Empirical-Analytical Paradigm:  In mathematics, how does the use of models (manipulatives) help support student understanding of curriculum outcomes?
Interpretive Research Paradigm:  In Mathematics, how do we move students forward to be able to explain their mental math thinking in words?
 
Critical Research Paradigm:  In mathematics, how can authentic learning experiences be used to teach problem solving?

I am currently working in a Grade 4 class (Hi Mrs. Baker's Class) where I collaborate nicely with the classroom teacher.  Tomorrow I am showing the students our blog page and asking them to help me establish our poll question for next week.  I am not sure what they will come up with but they are currently finishing up their Statistics and Probability unit and I am always looking for ways to connect math to "the real world."  I think the students think it is neat that I am going back to school, they like the idea that I am a student too!  I always tell them that even if I wasn't going back to school I think it is very important for me to learn something new everyday.
I can't wait to read what your thoughts and questions are for the week and I will reply to any comments you make in a post this way we keep the dialogue flowing. 
Thanks for the suggestion...
Until we chat again,
Sheila

Research Is...and Interesting Words

Well, Sheila, I really don't want to burst your bubble but my section has made 362 posts already. Whew, it sure is a challenge to keep up on all of them. What I tend to do is read them, or as many as I can, and then post replies to the ones that really speak to me. That's my strategy and it allows me to know what's going on in the minds of others in my section.

I must say that, initially, I didn't think my feelings about what research was had changed after reading the chapter but I quickly had a change of opinion after reading the posts of my peers. I had thought of research as the seeking out of information, on a topic, to gain more knowledge. This new knowledge would then be synthesized with ones own personal knowledge and feelings in order to compile a report or to solve a problem. This is all true but it has been extremely interesting and surprising to discover that research actually comes in many forms, one being the simple act of observation. I now understand that any time one seeks the information about what is, what should be and how to get there, is actually researching. Also, I certainly had never considered intuition as being a form of research. Had you?

I really loved the way some people in my section described research. The word "inquiry" caught my attention and it seems much less formal than "research". I wonder if the word inquiry might be somewhat less intimidating, to some people, than research. This word makes sense as when one is researching they are inquiring about something. "Journey" was also used and this makes me feel like I must keep going until I reach an end of something. While researching, one can be led in any number of directions and it is ongoing until finally a destination is reached which, I guess, would be when enough information has been gathered and, if needed, synthesized to answer the initial question or solve the initial problem.

Sheila, my students do seem to enjoy gathering information when we are involved in the Data Management. Some of them can be seen doing their own research long after we have completed the unit. It is really exciting to know they have taken an interest and independently choose to extend their knowledge.

As stated in my first post, I can talk. I have decided this post is already too long so I am going to end it now!

What is Research? Topic 1

So here we are 2 days into Topic number 1 and my section has already made 112 posts so it looks as though we are off to the races.  I am really trying to keep my posting down and dialogue with colleagues who share similiar thoughts because the number of unread posts can be daunting after a long day of work...

I have learned a lot from reading the chapter as well as engaging in dialogue with my discussion group.  I am even inticing some of my colleagues to read Marion Small's work on good questioning techniques in Math classrooms.  My on-the-side PD in the hopes of bringing math to the forefront since I have worked so hard in my district to build teacher's math capacity and now I have a brand new audience!  I will let you know how it works but you know me Catherine wherever I can get people "wondering" I am bound to do it.

One of the biggest things I have gleaned from the discussions in my group is that I need to do some further digging into the "source" of the research.  Where is it coming from?  Who holds a vested interest in the data?  Does the research come from a reliable/valid source?  Can the data be skewed and manipulated?  I am sure there are more questions and I look forward to future discussions about the background.

Catherine how are the discussions in your group so far?  What is one thing you have learned?  I am wondering if you found your students liked collecting data as part of Statistics and Probability strand in math class?

As always I am interested in your perspective and I should go as my dog Bella is pawing at the computer in the hopes I might be able to snuggle her:)

-

Catherine Gets Going

First of all, I would like to thank Sheila for the positive comments she has made about me. It is hard for even me to believe, that after so many years in the classroom I still love what I do. That certainly says something about finding one's passion. If you are doing what you truly love to do, time passes without you being very aware of it. I feel blessed everyday to be able to do what I love. Sheila has a very bubbly personality and also displays a passion for teaching as well as for learning. I am confident this endeavour together will be a very positive experience for both of us.

As Sheila mentioned in her post, these are the first entries in our blog and also the first time either one of us has been involved with a blog. So, we will not only be learning about Research in Education but also about blogging and how it works. Blogging is definitely a 21st century skill and one I hope I will learn to be comfortable using so I am able to incorporate it in my classroom and with my students.

I found it interesting that Sheila wondered whether or not I liked to "chat" or not as she knows that it is something I do quite well. That being said, hopefully our dialogue will bring up some good questions, good answers, be of interest to others and most importantly be a place where our peers will share their questions, insights and ideas. I have always felt that the best way to learn is in collaboration with others and this format provides all of us with that opportunity. Happy Learning!

Sheila, after reading Chapter 1, reading the discussion questions on Blackboard, and paying particular attention to #3, I tend to think that we are researching all the time, with situations all around us but the type of research tends to vary. Sometimes it is formal and sometimes it is informal depending on its purpose. What do you think?

Getting Started

This is my first blog entry and I am so happy that I will be doing this in partnership with my friend and colleague Catherine.  I was fortunate to take Curriculum Development with Catherine and found we shared a similar interest in elementary math as well as a pursuit in life long learning.  I admire the 2 year journey Catherine has been on and I am impressed with the commitment she has made to learning at this stage in her career...I can only hope I will be as lively after 30 years of teaching!

When selecting a research project I was excited to see that setting up a dialogue journal was an option and am pleased that we can put our 21st century skills into practice and make this an online venture.  This is a big step for me and I think I can safely say, for Catherine as well.  I am sure there will be many glitches along the way but I actually look forward to learning how to troubleshoot them.

So on the eve of our first discussion topic "What is Research?" I am thoroughly looking forward to the learning process that lies ahead of me.  I am interested in hearing the ideas put forth by the participants in section 2 and hope to bring to light the thoughts and ideas of section 4.  I have diverse group members in my section that come from varied backgrounds and I am sure we will have interesting discussions about the role of research in education and in life in general.

I hope you like to chat Catherine because I find I am at the computer now more than ever...I used to be a phone person but I am advancing with the times.

Stay tuned for topic #1!
Sheila