Stacy's+Research

Student Need: (In what areas do you see a gap in student achievement or behaviors? What is the present reality in your classroom? Describe your students- academics, demographics, behaviors) I see a real disconnect in my classroom between my students' rapidly increasing knowledge and use of advanced communication and internet technologies and the lack of those technologies in the classroom. The classroom, my classroom, is also lagging behind contemporary scientific researchers, in academic, government, and private sectors, use of the same technologies. The more relevant my classroom is to the modern scientific world, I expect student behavior and outcome to improve.

Research Question: How will the use of internet technology (Web 2.0, webquests, blogging, wiki'ing) improve student transition to scientific thinking and communication? How can we integrate advanced technology and communications, expected and demanded in contemporary scientific into my high school earth sciences classroom?

Literature Review: (What literature/articles/books have you looked at to support your question and to help guide you in your intervention?) "Blogging biology: A high school biology teacher brings Web 2.0 into the classroom" http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/55349/ & [|www.missbakersbiologyclass.com]

Intervention Plan: (What do you plan to do in the classroom?) My first step is going to be a webquest transitioning student knowledge of atmospheric currents to ocean currents. As a segue between atmospheric sciences and oceanography, they are going to research both through a directed webquest with the goal of understanding how the two are different and similar in their mechanisms AND how they are interrellated.

Evaluation Measurements: (How will you measure success? Quantitatively (with data) and qualitatively (by asking students) and by observation?)

Results: