Week Four April 24

I spent this week rewriting my Pre-thesis after working with Dr. Baek. I finally decided upon my three sections and subsections. I worked on refining them and refined them again today with the suggestions from Dr. Baek. Having the definite areas decided has helped me in the literature search. I have found some relevant articles. I have become so interested in reading some of them that I forget to write down the notes. I am now trying to decide just how to keep my notes organized. This will be my focus during the upcoming weekend.

Issues affecting at risk students in reading and Effective Strategies

A. Issues in Reading

B. Effective Strategies

Reading and Technology

A. Advantages and Challenges in Using Tech for Reading

B. Examples of Tech for Reading

DVD design guidelines and Instructional Design

A. DVD design guidelines

B. Instructional Design

Week Three Pre Thesis Development

I spent this weekend finishing up the Test Your Best DVD. I have just completed 20 copies to send home with my students tomorrow. I watched it today and realized that I spent so much time learning to edit it (22 hours) that I almost can't stand to watch it right now. Learning a new program is a very slow process. I showed it to the students today and they enjoyed it. They are really excited to get a copy tomorrow.

I then wrote my Pre Thesis

Chapter One: Background
Introduction
Students today encounter a variety of problems acquiring additional support and reinforcement of skills and strategies learned during the classroom experience.
Statement of the problem:
families that are working two jobs
parents are not yet fluent in English
students tend to fall behind in the academic areas

Purpose of the Project:
To review the skills and strategies
Houghton Mifflin Reading Program.

Significance of the Project:
It will allow students to practice at home.

Limitations:
Some students may not have a DVD player in their homes.

Chapter Two: Review of Literature
Introduction:

I. Issues affecting at risk students in reading.

A. Homework has become a method for students to practice of a multitude of skills required by No Child Left Behind, but many times at risk students do not have the support needed to complete this homework.

B. Parents often lack the training, skills, or finances to support their children’ s learning when they are falling behind.

II. Current techniques and strategies to teach reading to at risk students.

A. How technology can assist in teaching students skills.

B. Areas of reading that seem to create the greatest challenge.

C. At Risk Reading Programs that demonstrate successes.

III. DVD design guidelines and Instructional Design

A. DVD design guidelines

B. Instructional Design

Chapter Three: Design and Development Processes
Analysis:
Design:
Development:
Implementation:
Evaluation:

Week Two

This week I have continued working on locating research for my literature review. I found three articles that have real potential. The first article deals with a research project relating to timing students while they were exposed to flash cards with sight words and phrases. The students were asked to read these words aloud. Group one was not told that they were being timed. Group two was told that they had to read the words and phrases in three minutes. The results demonstrated in this project that explicit timing increased accurate response rates. The article demonstrates the process to use while using this with students. The second article deals with the Accelerated Reading Program and the effects it has had on the student’s ability to be successful on tests based on the amount of books read and tests taken by students. This report deals with fourth grade students, but the article did have some useful information. The third article that I discovered dealt with the effects of high-stakes testing on students and methods one teacher used to teach reading using good teaching techniques while still trying to meet student’s needs. I need to find out how to access this article beyond the abstract because it is only available in the library. I read one other article that was not at a peer review level, but it did have some interesting methods to use technology to teach elementary students. I am going to see about incorporating some of these into my project.

I finished the first half of my video with the students. I then spent one day learning how to use the DVD editing program. I was frustrated in the beginning just trying to save the video on my computer. I have done it in the past, but not in the editing portion. I then read the help section several times and began using the editing program. I worked for two days editing the first portion and managed to get a 29.35 DVD out of it. I learned how to use the tools in the program, but I also discovered some ways to get a better quality of resources into the DVD. I have really enjoyed experimenting with different things in this project. It is helping me get a really clear picture of the actual project that I will begin during the state testing time to use as my prototype for the final project.

I am really quite happy with the DVD so far. I will be showing it to the students tomorrow to hopefully inspire their acting in the second part of the DVD.

Week One: What is my project?

My master's project will be to create a DVD program that second grade students can use at home to practice and reinforce the skills they have acquired in reading at school. The DVD will consist of selected reading skills that these students will be learning during the school year. The lessons will match each of the 6 themes in the Second Grade Houghton Mifflin Reading Program. This DVD will also include a Test Prep Section which is a review of each of the skills used during the year that are on the blueprint for the CST on the Department of Education Webpage. Students will be the actors in this DVD.

I have chosen this project because of the consequences that students face under the high stakes testing required by NCLB (No Child Left Behind). I find that many parents are working, or have other conditions that do not allow them to assist their children with review and practice at home. I want to create a way that students can review and practice on their own.

I have created the script for the Test Prep Section of the DVD and have already begun filming this portion. I have filmed two thirds of the DVD and will be editing it over the next week.

ETEC 644 Start Blog Practice Page

I started my blog. This is the practice page.