Conclusions
Students were able to engage in all technologically based projects regardless of whether those projects were centered on academically based online programs or on socially based online programs. Students were able to continually engage in Ning and Twitter technologies in a meaningful way. Projects resulted in high quality products that the students were able to reference in later projects.
Students utilized non-academic technological tools in academic settings, but required redirection to remain engaged. When students were given assignments to be completed on the EECHS Ning, they also engaged in non-academic tasks. They would complete their assignments and then add photos and modify their home pages. When students were given reminders through Twitter, they regularly checked their computers for updates.
Future Research
While there are benefits for students at EECH to be utilizing non-academic programs, are there benefits for all students to be using technologies such as Twitter and Ning? Do underachieving students see an increase in academic performance because they are able to utilize technology in a more familiar way? Are academically proficient students engaging lessons in a more intellectual manner?
Another research question regards the New Literacies. Do students benefit from an increase in technological literacy by regularly engaging in activities such as Ning and Twitter, or are those programs catering to an already abbreviated attention span and cognitive process? Finally, do students improve the quality of their work if they perceive the tool that they are using to be less academically based?
While these vignettes represent a trial portion of the semester, the programs will be an integral part of subsequent coursework for AVID. Students will be completing their homework assignments online through Moodle, and will have opportunities to engage in peer tutoring through Twitter and Ning. Video competitions will be peer judged through use of the EECHS Ning, and there will be another blog assignment where students are asked to prepare their thoughts before posting the material to the web.
About the Authors
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Jonathan S. List is an AVID teacher at Edgecombe Early College High School. He participates in several online communities which are focused on learning new technologies and developing those technologies for use by a wide variety of people. Technologically, Jonathan engages primarily in open source conversations regarding how to utilize freely available software to improve the lives of everyone. His research concerns include introducing non academically based software into academic settings and learning how to engage students in computer based activities.
Jonathan Lives in Tarboro, NC with his Wife, Carrie, and son Xeno.
Email Jonathan S. List
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Brent Bryant: is the Technology Facilitator at Edgecombe Early College High School. He facilitates all technology integration at EECHS, and encourages all teachers to be actively engaging the students through technological means. While not teaching teachers how to best integrate technology, Brent spends his time with his family.
Email Brent Bryant |
References
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Bianchini, G. (2008). About our company. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http://about.ning.com/
"Captain Crunch" (2008) Web log posted on a private network. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
Cowan, P. (2007). Encouraging reflection on pedagogical practices through the use of MOODLE. In C. Montgomerie & J. Seale (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (pp. 29-36). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Herman, T. & Banister, S. (2007). Face-to-Face versus Online Coursework: A Comparison of Learning Outcomes and Costs. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 7 (4), 318-326.
Leu, D.J., Zawilinski, L., Castek, J., Banerjee, M., Housand, B., Liu, Y., et al. (2008). What is new about the new literacies of online reading comprehension? In A. Berger, L. Rush, & J. Eakle (Eds.), Secondary school reading and writing: What research reveals for classroom practices. NCTE/NCRLL: Chicago, IL.
Merrett, F. (2006). Reflections on the Hawthorne Effect. Educational Psychology , 26 (1), 143-146.
"Twitter Rules" (2008) The EECHS-AVID Wikispaces. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from http://eechs-avid.wikispaces.com/search/view/what+is+twitter
