What impact does service learning paired with technology, specifically Web 2.0 tools, have on our disenfranchised and disengaged middle school students?

 

Since 1992 I have utilized service learning yearly to some extent in my classrooms, whether it was an elementary social studies classroom, a high school English Language Learner classroom, or, my current assignment, an eighth grade English Language Arts classroom. I have personally watched students who have figuratively dropped out of school become engaged in the classroom and find success in the school setting. Through interviews, written reflections, and process evaluation, one clearly sees the correlation between service learning and student engagement. However, my goal is to have clear evidence to support this claim in order to bring other colleagues in my district on board.

In 1994, as a third through fifth grade social studies teacher, I wrote a grant to obtain a computer as well as access to a social learning program through National Geographic. I can still recall the entire classrooms of twenty to twenty-five students gathered around the one computer engaged in the exchange they were having with students around the globe. Now, my students have access to one computer per student on our, at least, weekly visits to the computer lab. Also, I have thirteen computers in my classroom for easy access. Through wikis, Glogster, and other Web 2.0 tools, my students can interact in a social learning manner familiar to many of them. Using these competencies in the classroom is compelling, engaging, and empowering.

 

In summary pairing service learning with social learning may lead to powerful experiences for our middle school students in our Title I district.

The Purpose of My Action Research

     "I hate reading."  "School sucks."  "Are we gonna do anything today?"


     Unfortunately, these are all statements heard from middle-school students in today's classrooms.  My classroom is not exempt from it either.  In the early adolescent years, students struggle to find their purpose in life and, often, do not find any relevance to that purpose in our school buildings.  With little support at home, many of the students I have taught in my 24 years feel strongly that school is a place that only benefits certain students:  those with background experiences, places to do homework, support at home, and no learning difficulties.  Furthermore, if a student enters middle school speaking a language other than English, his or her frustration level quickly leads him or her to believe that school holds no relevance to life. 

     As a teacher of fellow human beings who inhabit the same space I live in, I feel compelled to offer all students a sense of purpose and belonging when they enter school.  Therefore, the purpose of my Action Research for my current class is to discover the impact that service-learning paired with technology has on our disenfranchised students.  My challenge will be to offer the support that the staff needs to see that our students may need more than what is currently offered in our school.  I expect pockets of resistance, but, with the help of my principal/site mentor and like-minded colleagues, I believe we can offer our teachers the resources necessary to make this possible.

     

Educational Leadership and Blogs

Blogs create a platform in which educational leaders may create community. One of my favorite blogs by a principal is Principal Reflections (http://billcarozza.com/). Within this space, Principal Bill Carozza explores professional literature, educational trends, and personal insights that can spark interest and discussion between other administrators, teacher leaders, and families within his school. Used effectively, blogs can be a powerful communication space.

Action Research: Not Only About the Action and the Research

During the past week, my readings and learning for my graduate class have transported me into an Action Research journey. This place is familiar and comfortable for me which bodes well for the remainder of the class. As I have visited with other teachers within this course and outside of this course, at workshops, conferences, and other educational settings, I have begun to realize how fortunate I am to have had the experiences I have had as a teacher. While teaching at an elementary school in San Angelo, my campus was chosen as an elite group of schools known as the Partnership Initiative Schools. Our task was daunting but exciting: we were to take a Title I, mediocre performing school and elevate it to a level of excellence. To do this, we, as a staff guided by an incredible principal-learner, became true investigators of our school environment. We studied attendance trends, population trends, test data, and teacher burnout. We gathered surveys from parents, students, and staff members. We spent most of a summer as a professional learning community reading about the best practices for schools that mirrored our school. Finally, after our investigation was complete, we created a plan unique to our school that we believed would accelerate learning and create an environment of positive change. The year began, and we pushed forth in our efforts. The entire school community became involved and invested in this initiative. With some wheedling, we were able to rely on school board members and upper administrators in the school system to come to our campus and substitute while we as teachers and principal took a day each six weeks for professional development. The professional development consisted of about 75% reflection (pre- and post-) and 20% action. 5% of our time was spent celebrating our successes and creating a school family. To this day, and my experience at this school was over 14 years ago, this elementary school continues to be a model of excellence. Although we did not call it Action Research at the time, what we participated in was Action Research. The result was a school that continues to excel and educators who have continued to tout Action Research in their new positions outside of that school. Some of the teachers have gone on to become principals; some have gone on to become educational consultants; many have remained in a classroom teaching other teachers how to become true teacher leaders through Action Research. In my role as a teacher-leader at my present school district, I lead my teachers through an Action Research process throughout the school year. This practice is invaluable to me as a teacher and a leader in my school district.