College of Education and Human Development
21st Century Teacher Interactive Network GMU Graduate School of Education
Teacher Research
Technology Projects

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Glossary
What is action research?
What is teacher research (TR)?
The development of local knowledge
Comparing TR to other forms of educational research
Comparing TR to other forms of professional development
Teacher research process
Question cycle
Casting a question
Types of data collection
Reflective practice
Data analysis
Triangulation
Drawing conclusions and implications
Writing a draft
Getting published
TR project examples
Reflective practice project examples
Group leader
Starting a TR group
Funding sources
Schedules for meeting
Bibliography
Conferences
Site goals
Credits
Site feedback

These teacher research projects focus on aspects of the use of technology in the classroom:

  • Painter, Diane (2005). Activ Board. Two second grade teachers at Deer Park Elementary School studied how the use of the ActivBoard interactive whiteboard transformed their teaching and contributed to student learning.
  • Bryan, Sally (2000). SWAT Savvy. Students at Lemin Road Elementary School formed "Student Workers Applying Technology" (SWAT) teams to help train students and teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum, troubleshoot problems, and prepare the school's technology lab for use each day. Sally Bryan conducted a teacher researchproject to find out what happens when students take on such responsibilities.
  • Chmura, Gail (1999). "What do students think about computer ethics? Gail Chmura's teacher research project conducted with high school computer science students raises serious questions about how and when educators should address issues related to ethical uses of computers and copy right laws.
  • McInerney, Patrick (1999). "A picture is worth a thousand words." Deer Park School, Centreville, VA. Fairfax County Public Schools. McInerney won a 1999 mini-grant from the Virginia Society for Technology in Education to purchase a digital camera to use with his fourth grade students. Since he was interested in using the camera to enhance learning in a variety of subject areas, he thought the project would also make a great teacher research inquiry. The following article not only talks about what he found when he used the camera in his students, but he gives wonderful ideas about its implementation in the classroom.
  • Painter, D., Whiting, B., & Wolters, B. (2005). The use of an Interactive whiteboard in promoting interactive teaching and learning. Presentation given at the Annual VSTE Conference. Norkfolk, VA. This link leads to a PDF file.
  • Painter, D. (2004). What do they need to know about cyber safety? This study was conducted with the Business Software Alliance to determine what students know, and what they need to know about staying safe in cyberspace.
  • Painter, D. (2004). What Do You Mean COPYRIGHT Does Not Mean I Have the Right to Copy? This study was conducted with the Business Software Alliance to determine what students know, and what they need to know about cyber ethics such as copyright and fair use laws.
  • Painter, D. (2002). What benefits occur when schools engage in keypal exchanges? Painter investigated what students learn when key pal exchanges are made between her school in Virginia and students in an English school.
  • Painter, D.(2001). The cyber citizen partnership. Painter wanted to find out what students understand when they construct their own knowledge about about cyber safety and cyber ethics.
  • Painter, Diane D. (2000). The thinkquest challenge: A study of a constructivist learning environment through an after-school computer club." Deer Park School, Centreville, VA. Fairfax County Public Schools. Painter wanted to find out what happens when sixth grade students work on student development teams to create a web page for ThinkQuest, Jr. competition. She documents their interactions and the roles the students take on when working in a constructivist environment.
  • Shekmer, Jeanne. (1996). Implementing computer skills in the first grade classroom. When Shekmer introduced computers into her first grade classroom she was faced with many challenges. This research project talks about what her students learned, but most importantly, what she learned from her students!
  • Tagge, M. (2004). How Can Knowing the Music Aptitude of Students Help Plan for Better Music Instruction? http://www.fcps.edu/DeerParkES/TR/music.htm This elementary music teacher wanted to see how knowing the music aptitude of her students would help her better plan instruction. Part of the project involved testing out a music aptitude test called the PMMA (Primary Measure of Music Audiation) and the IMMA (Intermediate Measure of Music Audiation) with her elementary students.

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Home | Teacher research projects | People involved with teacher research | Research about teacher research | Current issues in teacher research | Links | Search and site map |


Contact information:


Dr. Diane Painter

Coordinator,
M.S. in C & I Special Education
Hood College

ddpainter@gmualumni.org


phone: 301-696-3766



Dr. Leo Rigsby

Initiatives in Educational Transformation
Graduate School of Education
George Mason University

lrigsby1@gmu.edu
tel. (703) 993-8318
fax: (703) 993-8321

10900 University Blvd. MS 4E4
Manassas, Virginia 20110 USA


This web site is a dynamic representation of teacher research activity.
As such, it is constantly being revised, reshaped, and extended.
If you see confusing or missing material,
please contact us with your suggestions.
We do not expect this site to ever become static.
We need your help to maintain its dynamism.

Last updated:

17 October 2007 10:24