Patterns of training results

Patterns of training results emerge from the study?
 
Has training and technology-improved student’s classroom behavior?
 
Has training and technology improved teachers’ pedagogical skills/
 
Which training programs have been the most successful?
 
People and research sites I would study
 
I would study the classrooms and the teachers since they were the ones who lacked previous technical skills. My focus would, in particular, be on the students since the programs were devised to improve their class performance and increase their attention.
 
The secondary problem was teacher’s lack of teaching skills. I would wish to investigate whether students’ classroom behavior has improved as a result of the new technology and training programs and whether teachers have improved their teaching skills and, if so, how much can be contributed to the introduction of the technology.
 
Steps to gain permission to enter and study people and site.
 
Principal has already authorized me to investigate. I would request a formal letter of permission. I would then approach each teacher separately showing the letter and requesting permission to observe in a way that is inconspicuous and non-disturbing to teacher. I would explain the purpose of the observation and query teacher regarding possible concerns.
 
According to Yin (1994), my case study has 4 objectives and it is recommended that I keep these in mind whilst conducting study:
 
1. To explore whether causal links exist
 
2. To describe the real-life context in which the programs occur
 
3. To describe the training program itself
 
4. To explore the situations in which the program have no clear trace of outcome.
 
I will use multiple souses of evidence: survey instruments, focus groups, interviews, and documents.
 
Survey instruments
 
I will design a brief list of questions where both students and teachers will be separately asked regarding their experience with the training programs and how they think it affected their interest in learning. Questions will also elicit their opinion on programs that they found most and least helpful to their progress and characteristics of those specific programs. Most questions will be closed-ended (requiring students / teacher to select a certain item as response or to mark it on a continuum of 1 or 5. A Likert scale will be used in that case where 1 stands for ‘greatly improved and 5 for ‘ not at all’. Responses will be totaled.
 
Focus groups.
 
This will be done in an indirect manner where I will act as though I were guest lecturer and, presenting a class on technology, would elicit student’s impressions whether technology has improved their performance. I may elicit even more interesting results by introducing some element of debate in the discussion and having students / teachers vociferously defend their perspective. This may be done in the way by staffing a debate for / against technology where one student insist that technology has not improved academic situation, whilst another refutes that stance. A joint discussion amongst students / teachers on subject can follow.
 
Interviews
 
I will hold informal interviews with all teachers involved in program as well as principal(s), director(s) of program and random students. I will query teachers on program’s possible outcome to their instructional skills and to student’s behavior. I will ask principals whether principals noted any improvement in school as result of programs and, if so, to elaborate. I will sound students on their reaction to programs and whether they feel it contributed to greater academic enjoyment and success.
 
Documents
 
I will request permission from principal to compare previous and present report cards on students’ progress to see whether any progress has been observed since start of training programs.
 
I may also request to see scores of exam results both 6 months prior and 6 months following introduction of training programs in school.
 
Observation
 
I will attend classrooms where training programs are in session to observe level of interest and occupation with programs as well s to see which programs students tend to use most often.
 
I will also randomly observe a well-distributed mix of lessons where I will focus on extent to which teacher employs, or does not employ, computer-assisted aids in their classroom instruction, which aids she employs, and whether outcome is improved as a result of her using these tools. I may also request same teacher to conduct one lesson in her previous manner (without computer tools) and another lesson (on same subject at same hour with same students) with computer tools and observe to assess whether differnce occurs.
 
Data collection and analysis
 
Data will be collected in all instances by transcription, recording, and perhaps video photographing sessions.
 
Transcripts will be reviewed closely and thoroughly with 3 objective assistants before thematic conclusions are reached. These will then be shared with teachers and students for feedback before being collated into final report.
 
Sources
 
Blaxter, l., Hughes, C.,