Professional Rounds in Education - Thesis Example

Professional Rounds in Education Action Research Proposal Dustin Robinson Dr. Charla Rudd Louisiana College 21 December This action research proposal seeks to investigate how instructional rounds directly influence instruction in the class room. The study will specifically focus on the teachers since some of them are stuck in their old ways, refusing to try new approaches while others are willing to give a try to anything new. The studies that have been conducted in the same field will form the basis of the literature review section. The research will utilize both qualitative and quantitative research methods to collect data which will be analysed in order to get answers from the research question posed. Content analysis will be used for analysing data that is going to be obtained from the study. Table of contents i. Title and context 4 ii. Literature review 5 Literacy development through teaching 6 Teaching in multicultural classrooms 7 Instructional rounds in improving teacher student partnership 8 Quality teaching rounds 9 iii. The project-Research question 10 Timeline 10 Situations in which instructional rounds are used 11 iv. Methodology 11 Research design 12 Data collection 12 Sampling technique and sample size selection 13 Data analysis 14 v. Description of pre and post assessment 15 vi. Conclusion 15 Bibliography 17 Appendix 1: interview questions 20 I. Title and context There is a lot of information on Instructional Rounds about how to do them, prepare them and the reasoning behind them. However, there is little information that gets directly back to the teacher. It is because of this, I find it necessary to conduct research in order to establish how instructional rounds directly influence instruction in the class room. In this study, I will specifically focus on the teachers since some of them are stuck in their old ways, refusing to try new approaches while others are willing to give a try to anything new. However, most teachers fall between the two categories and this is the reason why this study seeks to investigate the measures that can be taken to implement instructional rounds in order to improve instructional competencies in teaching students from different backgrounds. The study will also investigate how instructional rounds in teaching can enhance the teaching profession in different contexts. The study will mainly focus on Union Groove Middle School which has a current enrolment of 876 with a composition of 416 males and 460 females. The ethnicity composition of the students is as follows: White (325), Pacific Islander (10), Black (224), Asian (45), Indian (6) and Hispanic (200). The number of students with 504 plans stands at 82, and the number of at risk students is 224. The total number of students in special education is 85. The composition of the total population of the students is ideal for conducting a study about the effectiveness since it is comprised of six ethnic groups as mentioned above. Usually, teaching students from diverse ethnic backgrounds can be challenging since these people have different levels of understanding by virtue of their experiences. Elements such as language and cultural differences also contribute to the level of understanding of the students in as far as teaching is concerned. Teachers need to take all these factors into consideration in order to improve their instruction and effectiveness in teaching students from different backgrounds. II. Literature review Research has shown that various studies pertaining to this topic have been carried out which can give insight into the extent to which instructional rounds can improve the of the teachers in instruction. As such, this section of the study will review different forms of literature drawn from other studies related to the topic so as to gain a clear insight about how instructional rounds can improve the instructional experience among teachers. A review of literature from published studies also helps to give insight about how other researchers perceive this notion of instructional rounds on the teaching profession. Significance of collaboration in case of teachers’ professional development A review of literature in the research study by Chew (2013) titled “Instructional rounds as professional development for teachers” shows that the study mainly focused on how instructional rounds can be implemented in order to enhance professional development among the teachers. The main focus of the study is about how participation and collaboration can help develop the teachers in a professional manner. The study has found that dialogue among the members of the teaching profession is very important since it can help them to reflect on different aspects of their careers. The paper has found that instructional rounds provide a lot of teaching experience that is grounded in real life experience. The theoretical framework of the paper is about adult learning and organizational learning theories. Popularized by Senge, learning is a process that is constructed by the learner (Chew, 2013). The learners particularly adults know what they want to learn and this is very important in as far as teaching is concerned. The teacher should be aware of the fact that the students are cognizant of what they want to learn. Organizational learning theory is also applicable to the concept of instructional teaching rounds. Teaching itself ought to be organized so that the desired results can be achieved. This study also reviewed literature that involves instructional rounds in education, teacher collaboration for professional development, as well as medical rounds in the healthcare sector. The main findings of the above mentioned study have indicated that certain skills are enhanced through instructional rounds and the teachers can also develop professionally. Collaboration is the main theme that emerged from the study and indicates that the teachers can develop the much needed knowledge in their teaching profession if they collaborate their efforts with their colleagues. Learning can also be enhanced through collaboration and this plays a pivotal role in improving the professional development of the teachers. Literacy development through technology A review of literature in the journal article by Milton (2013) titled “Digital literacy and digital pedagogies for teaching literacy: Pre-service teachers’ experience on teaching rounds” has indicated that pre-service teachers who go on teaching rounds in classrooms experience different environments to those experienced by the students hence the need for them to adapt to the new teaching and learning environments. The study has also indicated that pre-service teachers ought to explore the importance of technology to enhance their professional development. Teaching groups as noted by the study are very effective since they help to improve the teachers’ skills. There is need for pre-service teachers to improve their digital literacy and understanding of digital pedagogies in order for them to improve their abilities. Exposure to different forms of literacy pedagogies can play a very important role in improving the capabilities of the teachers. Understanding of different literacy pedagogies can also enhance the implementation of teaching rounds in classrooms. This also enhances interaction between the teachers as well as their students. Through the use of different forms of technology, it can be seen that interaction between those involved is likely to be improved as well. Essentially, interaction is very important since it enhances the exchange of information among the parties involved. Teachers are in a position to understand what students expect from them if they engage them in meaningful dialogue. New information and communication technology can enhance this type of relationship. Teaching in multicultural classrooms Another journal with important literature related to this area of the study is titled “Preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms” by Premier & Miller (2010). The study sought to establish the measures that can be implemented in order to improve the performance of the teachers who teach in multicultural classrooms. The paper mainly focused on how professional rounds can improve the needs of the students who come from different backgrounds. Research has shown that teacher student interaction is very effective in improving student performance. Essentially, interaction helps to create a free communication environment whereby the teacher and students can get to know each other better. This helps the teacher to clearly understand the needs of the students such that they can implement the best teaching methods that can improve the performance of the students. Teaching multicultural students can also be enhanced by implementing teaching rounds that help the teachers and the students to closely interact. In this study, it has been observed that the composition of the students’ ethnicity is comprised of mainly six ethnic groups of students. By any standard, it can be seen that the level of understanding of these students in regards to teaching vary significantly. Cultural factors impact the way students learn, as well as the way they perceive the world around them. For example, factors such as attitudes, cultural understanding, and practices ought to be taken into consideration by the teachers who teach students from multicultural backgrounds. (Giambo & Szecsi, 2005; Youngs & Youngs , 2001). Interaction between the students and the teachers is likely to be improved significantly if the teachers are aware of the cultural factors that shape the behavior of the students from different backgrounds. It is essential for the teachers to understand the factors that shape the behavior of the students and this can be achieved through instructional rounds. This helps the teachers grasp the needs of the students which also enhances teaching. Instructional rounds in improving teacher student partnerships Teacher student partnerships are very important for instruction to be effective. This is revealed through a review of an article by Petti (2013) titled “Successful Leaders Beating the Odds: Leveraging Instructional Rounds with Professional Development in School–University Partnerships.” In financial crisis, it can be noted that the education sector is also impacted in a negative way since the responsible authorities are forced to downsize the teaching workforce in order to operate viably. Thus, leveraging on instructional rounds has been observed to be a very effective strategy as a result of the fact that the teachers who already have large classes can improve their level of interaction with their students. Information can be easily exchanged between the teachers and the students regardless of the size of their classes. This kind of interaction also helps to close the gap that may exist between teachers and their students. Interaction is a very special ingredient that can improve learning among different students. During a financial crises, the number of students in a single class can increase as a result of the shortages of teachers. In this current study, the aim is to establish the extent to which teaching rounds can encourage student teacher interaction. This also helps to investigate the level of student participation in class as a way of trying to measure the extent of their understanding in class. The teacher is in a position to understand the needs of the students through participation in class. Those who fail to participate in class help the teacher understand the measures that can be taken in order to help them catch up with others in terms of participation. Teachers can also improve their teaching skills if they understand the needs of the students in their classes. Quality teaching rounds The research study by Gore, Bowe & Elsworth (2010) titled “Changing teachers, changing teaching: Exploring the relationships among teachers’ perceptions of Quality Teaching Rounds, their teaching, and their identity as teachers” is also useful in the study of instructional rounds among the teachers with regards to their teaching experience. The main focus is about Effective Implementation of Pedagogical Reform (EIPR) so as to ascertain the quality experiences of teaching practice. The paper is grounded in the following theoretical approaches: professional learning communities, instructional rounds, and quality teaching. These approaches are very important since they help to improve the quality of teaching for the benefit of the students, as well as the teachers. The other important dimension highlighted in the paper is related to teacher intervention where student performance is concerned. There is a need for the teacher to intervene to give quality instructions to the students in order to improve their performance. There are quite a few intervention techniques that can be implemented by teachers and these include remedial exercise s. These constitute instructional rounds since the aim is to improve the abilities of the teachers in establishing the needs of the students in class. The quality of education is also likely to improve significantly when there is mutual understanding between the teacher and the students. Information exchange can also be enhanced between the two groups involved. Thus, different sections of the literature reviewed for this current study are related since the aim is to investigate the significance of teaching rounds in order to improve the teaching profession. III. The project Research question To what extent do instructional rounds improve teaching experience among teachers? A case of Union Groove Middle School. I would like to engage other teachers so that I can obtain their views with regards to their perceptions about the effectiveness of instructional rounds in teaching and how their instruction has changed as a result of the information gained from the instructional rounds process. I would encourage the participants to list the points they think can improve teaching through the use of instructional rounds in class, as well as any ideas for facilitating the transfer of lessons learned back to the individual teacher. Time line I began collecting data in October 2014. I also engaged other teachers in discussions regarding instructional rounds in October and I expect this process to take about six months. Altogether, I expect this process to be completed at the end of March 2015. This is when I will begin to analyze the data collected so as to be in a position to get the findings that can provide an answer to the research question in this current study. I believe that this time frame is justified since data collection forms the crux of the study. Elements such as validity and reliability ought to be taken into consideration with regards to data collection. Basically, validity and reliability are concerned with checking the status of the data collected if it is valid and reliable (Hofstee, 2006). Getting feedback from a supervisor will help to ensure that the data being collected is valid and reliable. Triangulation techniques will be used to validate the data that will be collected through interviews where different questions will be asked to the respondents. Situations in which instructional rounds are used Instructional rounds can be used in different situations. For instance, they can be used in regular classrooms since the aim is to establish the effectiveness of encouraging teacher student interaction as a method of teaching. Essentially, the aim of instructional rounds is to improve student teacher relationships so as to improve the performance of both. It can also be noted that the strategy of instructional rounds can be used in AP/Talented and Gifted classrooms. The strategy of instructional rounds can also be implemented in classrooms with inclusion and special education students. Interaction between the teacher and these groups can often be improved significantly. This strategy is especially effective on students with special needs since the teacher is in a position to identify what really needs to be done in order to improve performance. Mutual understanding is likely to be improved as well and this can expand the instructional methods utilized by others. IV. Methodology The study will make use of both qualitative and quantitative research. The section below outlines the major components of the methodology to be used in this study. 1. Research design 2. Data collection 3. Sampling technique 4. Data analysis Research design A research design is a conceptual structure which outlines the blueprint of what the researcher will do in the study to obtain data that can be used to solve the research problem or answer the research question (Oppenheim, 1992). The research will be designed in a survey based form meant to obtain information from a limited number of participants believed to have the information being investigated in the study. A survey will be conducted to gather data from the selected respondents and a section of studies will be reviewed to gain insight of their main findings in relation to the current study. In this case, the study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of instructional teaching rounds. Data collection Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to collect data for this study. Qualitative research method is useful for studying a limited number of cases in detail, and tends to collect data in realistic settings (Oppenheim, 1992). In this current study, primary data will be gathered through interviews from the participants in the study. The interviews that will be incorporated in this study will be conducted face to face with the respondents and the questions will be maintained at a simple level that is easy to understand. The advantage of the interview is that first hand information can be obtained from the respondents with regards to their opinions and views about the subject. The questions to be used in this study will be open ended and exploratory in nature and focus on gathering information about the topic under investigation. (See appendix 1 for the sample of interview questions that will be used for this study). Quantitative data can also be obtained from focus groups that will be engaged in this study. Numerical figures will be obtained so as to establish the different views of the participants with regards to the way they perceive instructional rounds as a strategy for improving student performance. Qualitative data will also be obtained from secondary sources such as journals, as well as other published literature that is relevant to this area of study. This data is very important since it gives us insight about what other researchers have found with regards to investigating the effectiveness of instructional rounds in teaching. This method of data collection is reliable since it is based on official studies that have already been conducted in the same field. This data is authentic since it has been authorized for publication which implies that it meets the standard expectations of a research study that is meant to generate knowledge about a particular subject that is of interest to the readers. Sampling technique and sample size selection The sampling method used for primary research that will be conducted using interviews will be based on non probability sampling procedure. The respondents that will be available will be chosen to participate in the study. The sample will cover the schools in my district and the teachers will be randomly selected for participation in the study. The other important aspect is that data will be collected from regular classroom teachers with at least one full year as a classroom teacher at the middle school level, grades 6-8. I am proposing to use pre and post interviews of teachers, students, collecting data on rounds conducted in my district, and keeping a personal account of my own experiences with instructional rounds. I will particularly look at what I did before instructional rounds vs. what I am doing now. This will give me insight and a clear understanding of the effectiveness of instructional rounds at the classroom level. The method of selecting teachers to become participants in this study is very effective given that they are the ones with knowledge and experience in the teaching field such that they can provide meaningful results from the data that will be gathered. It is a good strategy to target people with knowledge in the same field of study in order to get authentic results from the research. Data analysis The analysis of the qualitative research conducted for the paper will be done in a descriptive manner. The descriptive approach is the most ideal since data collected using qualitative methods cannot be numerically categorized. A descriptive analysis is effective for this study because it will give me the opportunity to present a personal reflection from the experience I will gain from the study. This will also give me the opportunity to describe the data in such a way that I can simplify the terms for easier understanding. This technique will also help me interpret different views that will be given by the participants in terms of their perceptions towards instructional rounds in class. With secondary data obtained from journals, I will use content analysis to discuss the findings from the data collected. This strategy is effective because it helps me analyze the content obtained from other studies. The main advantage of this technique of data analysis is objectivity. These studies are mainly based on reliable information that has been qualified by the researchers. Statistical data will be computed and the data will be described in such a way that a clear understanding is likely to be achieved by the readers. Data showing similar characteristics will be classified in the same group and it can be computed where necessary to show a certain trend about the perceptions of the respondents in the study. A subjective analysis of the data will also help me express my experience with regards to the way I perceive the concept of instructional rounds. This strategy can also give me the opportunity to interpret data so that the readers can understand answers to the research questions. This will also help me to be objective in terms of suggesting the areas that require further study as well as any measures that can be taken in order to conduct the research. V. Description of pre and post assessment For my pre-assessment analysis, I will start by listing all the probable questions that can be asked in the study. This will give me the opportunity to explore all the avenues that can be used to solicit information that can lead to reliable results in terms of investigating the effectiveness of instructional rounds. In my post assessment, I will try to compare my composition notebook to the ones belonging to the students in order to gain a clear insight of whether the strategy of instructional rounds has been effective or not. For post assessment, I will also try to establish if there has been any notable change in the academic progress or behavior of the students after the teachers implemented changes that resulted from instructional rounds. VI. Conclusion There is a lot of information on Instructional Rounds, how to do them, prepare for them, and the reasoning behind them. Little information exists about how the results get to the teacher and this has compelled me to carry out a research that is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of instructional rounds at the classroom level. In this proposal, I have indicated that I will focus on the teachers since some are closed to trying new approaches while others are eager to implement new strategies. This study will utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods for gathering data that can be used to obtain answers to the research questions posed in the study. The sample of the study will include teachers who have more than one year teaching grades 6-8 in my district. The study will also utilize secondary research where published articles will be reviewed in order to gain insight about what other researchers have found in the same field of study. Both content analysis and descriptive analysis will be used for analyzing data for the study. Bibliography Chew, C. (2013). “Instructional rounds as professional development for teachers.” Education Doctoral Thesis. Paper 85. Viewed from: http://iris.lib.neu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1084&context=education_theses. Gore, J., Bowe, J., & Elsworth, W. (2010). “Changing teachers, changing teaching: Exploring the relationships among teachers’ perceptions of Quality Teaching Rounds, their teaching, and their identity as teachers.” Viewed from: http://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2010/2445aGoreBoweElsworth.pdf. Hofstee, E. (2006). Constructing a good dissertation. CT:Sandton. Milton, M. (2013). “Digital literacy and digital pedagogies for teaching literacy: Pre-service teachers’ experience on teaching rounds.” Journal of literacy and technology. Volume 14, No.1. Petti, A.D. (2013). “Successful Leaders Beating the Odds: Leveraging Instructional Rounds with Professional Development in School–University Partnerships” Ypsilanti, MI: NCPEA Publications. Viewed from: http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=edu_fac. Premier, J.A. & Miller, J. (2010). “Preparing teachers for multicultural classrooms.” Australian Journal of teacher education. Volume 35. Issue 2. Oppenheim, A.N. (1992), Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement, New Edition. New York: Pinter Publishers. Struwig F. W. & Stead G.B. (2004), Planning, Designing and Reporting Research. CT: Pearson Education. Bean, R., &Dagen, A. (2011). Best Practices of Literacy Leaders: Keys to School Improvement. Guilford Press. Jackson, Y., & McDermott, V. (2012).Aim High, Achieve: How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Leadership. Alexandria, Va. Lyons, N. (2010).Handbook of Reflection and Reflective Inquiry: Mapping a Way of Knowing for Professional Perspective.Springer Science & Business Media. Marzano, J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction. Alexandria, Va. Marzano, R., Frontier, T., & Livingston, D. (2011).Effective Supervision: Supporting the Art and Science of Teaching. ASCD Publishers. Reid, D. (2014). Dilemmas in Educational Leadership: The Facilitator’s Book of Cases. Teachers College Press. Chauncey, C. (2010). Spotlight on strategic priorities for school improvement. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Education Press. City, E. A. (2009). Instructional rounds in education: a network approach to improving teaching Prete, T. (2013). Teacher rounds: a guide to collaborative learning in and from practice. Roberts, J. E. (2012). Instructional rounds in action.Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.and learning. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Education Press. Teitel, L. (2013). School-based instructional rounds: improving teaching and learning across classrooms. Troen, V., & Elmore, R. F. (2014). The power of teacher rounds: a guide for facilitators, principals, & department chairs. Gore, J., Bowe, J., &Elsworth, W. (2010) “Changing teachers, changing teaching: Exploring therelationships among teachers’ perceptions of Quality Teaching Rounds, their teaching, and their identity as teachers.” Viewed from: http://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2010/2445aGoreBoweElsworth.pdf. Appendix 1: Interview questions 1. Do you think instructional rounds are effective in teaching? 2. What do you believe are the benefits of instructional rounds? 3. Do you see any long term benefits of implementing instructional rounds in teaching? 4. Do you think enough is being done to improve teacher performance? 5. Do you believe instructional rounds can be implemented at any level? 6. Do you think encouraging instructional rounds will improve student performance? 7. Do you think instructional rounds can change the behavior of the teachers and students? 8. Regarding the instructional rounds recently conducted at your school, what information did you find useful? 9. How did the instructional rounds influence your instruction and the performance of your students? 10. Do you believe the results from the instructional rounds had an immediate influence on your instruction? If so, what did the data pertain to and how did it impact your instruction? 11. What suggestions would you make for the use of instructional rounds to improve instruction in your classroom? Read More