Research topic : The effectiveness of teaching grammar to F.1 students by using web-based program
Research Question : 1. To what extent will the students benefit from the Web-based Language
Learning Program – ‘Online English Grammar’ ?
2. Is the teaching strategy of using Web-based Language Program more effective
than the traditional teaching strategy?
Why is the topic important to be studied ?
Compared with traditional means of teaching, the Web can be a better tool to arouse students’ interest in learning English, by incorporating multimedia into tests and exercises in a way that would not be possible on paper. It can stimulate authentic use of the target language and make teaching and learning interactive even after class hours. Sometimes, it can save time and effort by helping teachers with marking and give students immediate feedback and help them learn more effectively. Some course tools can help analyze results directly on the Web and generate instant reports. It creates new learning spaces and expands learning hours. It can help develop and strengthen student autonomy, introduce up-to-date, comprehensive, and easily accessible language input. It is hoped that this research result can ensure the English Teachers to make better use of such teaching strategy.
Samples and sampling method :
Experimental group
The experimental group has 40 F.1 students ( a class of mixed ability ) from a local secondary school. At the beginning of the research period, the whole class has to take a pre-test in which some grammar knowledge is tested. Then, the class is introduced with the Web-based Language Learning Program – ‘Online English Grammar’ so as to help them to familiarize with the system. When all the students are sure how to operate the system, they have to learn the grammar taught by the program during the English lessons. After one month, the students have to take a pro-test in which the grammar knowledge will be tested.
Control group
The control group has 40 F.1 students ( another class of mixed ability ) from the same school. They all took the pre-test which is identical to that for the experimental group. During the research period ( one month ), the teacher will teach the class with the same content taught by the ‘Online English Grammar’. After one month, the class will sit for the same post-test as that for the experimental group.
How will the data be collected and analyzed ?
The students’ progress will be studied by comparing the Pre- and Post-test results of both groups and analyzed by the significance t-test respectively.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Reading activities and students' borrowing rate
Reading activity and students’ borrowing rate
RQ: Which kind of reading activities encourage students’ borrowing rate? Which is the most effective?
Participants: About 400 F.2 & F.3 students from a school, grouped into 10 classes (5 for F.2, 5 for F.3)
Importance:
Different reading habit in the internet ageBorrowing rate of our library is dropped in this school year.
Library need to pay extra effort in the next year to promote reading and rise the rate.
Therefore we need to know which is the best method.
Methodology:
Classes are randomly distributed into following groups (2 to 3 classes each):
1. Control group (nothing required)
2. Reading report (2 per year, about 200-300 words each)
3. Reading record (collected 2 times per year)
4. Reading sharing session (each student attend 2 times per year)
Borrowing rates of the groups in 07/08 (before treatment) and 08/09 (after treatment) are compared.
Friday, July 11, 2008
MITE 6025 - Do cataloguers have advanced computer skills increasing and facilitating cataloguing achievement and productivity? How?
Below is the 'Word' document of my presentation:-
Topic:
A case study of catalogers having advanced computer literacy knowledge or computer technology skills achieved huge contribution to cataloguing.
Initial Research Question:
Do cataloguers have advanced computer skills increasing and facilitating cataloguing achievement and productivity? How?
Research sub-questions:
1. Could cataloguers with little or without any computer knowledge / skills survive?
2. Are cataloguers with computer knowledge directly having impact to the productivity and achievement?
3. Why do cataloguers have computer skills only influence on specific nature of cataloguing (for example, batch download bibliographic records) or also on original cataloguing records (create one by one)?
4. How could the computer skills reflecting on the productivity of bibliographical records?
Hypothesis:
Catalogers have advanced computer literacy knowledge or computer technology skills achieving huge contribution to batch bibliographical records rather than original cataloguing records.
Literature Review
Buschman (2007)A Rough Measure of Copy Cataloging Productivity in the Academic Library.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1140&context=libphilprac
Importance of this study:
- the influence to the future of increasing cataloguing of electronic materials or huge electronic databases (70% of whole collection) of most academic libraries in the world
- the impact of costs and budgets of bibliographical records cataloguing
- the indirectly employment requirements of cataloguers
- Would traditional cataloguers survive?
Methodology
Participants
Voluntary participants (6 male & 17 female)in Catalouging Dept.
Data collect
Questionnaires (5 points Likert style)
- send to participants directly
- Closed-ended questions
Interviews
- Face to face
- Talk
- Get their opinions
Observation
- direct observation (I prefer to set it as 3 years (2005-2007)due to the productivity extremely high after frequently using computer softwares and programming on catalouging. However, I need to explore the difference level of influences by it on different categories of bibliographical record nature)
Data Analysis
- Analysis the collected data
- Triangulation method
- Grounded theory developed
Friday, July 4, 2008
Another case study review
Topic : Case studies of Mathematics Teachers’ Learning in an online study group
Purpose of the study :
The purpose of the study is to shed some light on the nature of mathematics teachers’ learning when participating in an ALNs* ( a social network ) study group focused on the discussion of reform-oriented mathematics pedagogy (NCTM, 1989, 2000). The study describes the learning pathways of two different teachers who participated in such an ALN. The two cases are presented in order to provide some empirical ground that can be used to inform the design of instruction for mathematics teachers.
ALNs* - Asynchronous learning networks have recently been explored as environments for supporting the sort of discourse needed to sustain teacher study groups. Their defining characteristics include: (1) many-to-many communication; (2) place independence; (3) time independence ( that is, time-flexible, not temporal ); (4) text-based; and (5) computer-mediated interaction (Harism, 1990, p.43). Shotsberger (1999) reported that an ALN environment allowed mathematics teachers to engage in prolonged and thoughtful exchanges of ideas relating to reform-oriented pedagogy. In another discussion of ALN-based professional development for mathematics teachers, it is noted that holding a discussion over a period of days or weeks allows time to reflect, experiment with new ideas, share successes and failures, and receive feedback from others who are undergoing the same experiences. It is also found that asynchronous discussions among preservice mathematics teachers enhanced the quality of their reflections on teaching.
Literature review :
Arbaugh ( 2003 )
Zevenbergen ( 2004 )
Methodology:
The investigation is a collective case study. The cases of two different teachers participating in the same ALN
Study group focused on the discussion of middle school mathematics pedagogy are considered. The researcher adopted a participant-observer stance. Therefore, the study should be understood as the search for insights from that particular perspective. The methodology is also grounded in the idea that learning should be examined within its discourse-context rather apart from it. Since the ALN transcripts contained a comprehensive record of the online discourse, they were drawn upon in order to describe the participants’ learning.
Participants:
The two case study participants, Yvonne and Maura, were full-time mathematics teachers at two different middle schools in the district. Yvonne had 12 years of teaching experience, and Maura had 16. Yvonne taught sixth grade and Maura taught seventh. Both participated extensively in the study group and, therefore, generated a substantial amount of data for analysis.
Procedure :
ALN interaction took place over a 13-week time period. Each participant was required to post at least four messages into the discussion board every week, and at least three were to be replies to posts made by others, so that the group would not become a collective monologue. Yvonne posted 59 messages to the discussion board and Maura posted 74.
Data analysis :
The researcher read each post, and data analysis had ongoing and retrospective phases. Each discussion board post was analyzed and coded, messages with common characteristics were clustered together and were assigned a qualitative descriptor.
Results and Conclusion :
Learning in an ALN study group can be thought of as collaboration and competition with others in the environment. ALNs are noted for their potential to facilitate collaboration, build community, and share knowledge. It is found that asynchronous discussions can provide forums for teachers to raise critical educational issues and engage in lively debates about them.
Reference :
Groth, R.E. (2007). Case studies of mathematics teachers’ learning in an online study group. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 7(1), 490-520.
Purpose of the study :
The purpose of the study is to shed some light on the nature of mathematics teachers’ learning when participating in an ALNs* ( a social network ) study group focused on the discussion of reform-oriented mathematics pedagogy (NCTM, 1989, 2000). The study describes the learning pathways of two different teachers who participated in such an ALN. The two cases are presented in order to provide some empirical ground that can be used to inform the design of instruction for mathematics teachers.
ALNs* - Asynchronous learning networks have recently been explored as environments for supporting the sort of discourse needed to sustain teacher study groups. Their defining characteristics include: (1) many-to-many communication; (2) place independence; (3) time independence ( that is, time-flexible, not temporal ); (4) text-based; and (5) computer-mediated interaction (Harism, 1990, p.43). Shotsberger (1999) reported that an ALN environment allowed mathematics teachers to engage in prolonged and thoughtful exchanges of ideas relating to reform-oriented pedagogy. In another discussion of ALN-based professional development for mathematics teachers, it is noted that holding a discussion over a period of days or weeks allows time to reflect, experiment with new ideas, share successes and failures, and receive feedback from others who are undergoing the same experiences. It is also found that asynchronous discussions among preservice mathematics teachers enhanced the quality of their reflections on teaching.
Literature review :
Arbaugh ( 2003 )
Zevenbergen ( 2004 )
Methodology:
The investigation is a collective case study. The cases of two different teachers participating in the same ALN
Study group focused on the discussion of middle school mathematics pedagogy are considered. The researcher adopted a participant-observer stance. Therefore, the study should be understood as the search for insights from that particular perspective. The methodology is also grounded in the idea that learning should be examined within its discourse-context rather apart from it. Since the ALN transcripts contained a comprehensive record of the online discourse, they were drawn upon in order to describe the participants’ learning.
Participants:
The two case study participants, Yvonne and Maura, were full-time mathematics teachers at two different middle schools in the district. Yvonne had 12 years of teaching experience, and Maura had 16. Yvonne taught sixth grade and Maura taught seventh. Both participated extensively in the study group and, therefore, generated a substantial amount of data for analysis.
Procedure :
ALN interaction took place over a 13-week time period. Each participant was required to post at least four messages into the discussion board every week, and at least three were to be replies to posts made by others, so that the group would not become a collective monologue. Yvonne posted 59 messages to the discussion board and Maura posted 74.
Data analysis :
The researcher read each post, and data analysis had ongoing and retrospective phases. Each discussion board post was analyzed and coded, messages with common characteristics were clustered together and were assigned a qualitative descriptor.
Results and Conclusion :
Learning in an ALN study group can be thought of as collaboration and competition with others in the environment. ALNs are noted for their potential to facilitate collaboration, build community, and share knowledge. It is found that asynchronous discussions can provide forums for teachers to raise critical educational issues and engage in lively debates about them.
Reference :
Groth, R.E. (2007). Case studies of mathematics teachers’ learning in an online study group. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 7(1), 490-520.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Seminar 6 - Independent Learning
Qualitative case study
Topics:-
This case study is studying a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context. The author studied (1) what are the roles of subject specialists and reference librarians in the age of electronic resources? And (2) would the decision making process is shifting from librarians to vendors or even removed from the librarians or individual libraries.
Hypothesis:-
Print titles with electronic access would experience a larger decline than electronic titles with no print counterpart
Predictions:-
Roles of specialists and reference librarians play in selecting titles of library collections.
The author elaborated and used a case study to describe and explain the reason why there is still a need of subject specialists or reference librarians in this electronic age. Titles in print, electronic aggregators, licensing negotiations and consortia agreements subscription by librarians and venders should balance and supplement to each other.
Qualitative research has been conducted in this study:-
Particpants: subject specialists and reference librarian
Independent variable: title cancellation list appear in print and electronic formats were reviewed
Dependent variable: some cancellation titles reserved and “wish list” of new titles created
Data collection
The reference librarian selects titles in BPI in 2001 for the research and reviewed the titles for cancellation. It circulated to subject specialists for the determination of cancellation titles. The list of cancellation titles was done by comparing AACSB-I self-study 1990s and BPI (Business Periodicals Index) in 2001.
Participants’ observation
Subject specialists and librarian themselves observed through their routine duties.
To be concluded, roles of subject specialists or reference librarians are significant and played a vital part in areas of collection development but it is less important for them to select titles.
Problems of different needs of selection titles appeared in different faculties and students needs (selection by librarians and subject specialists). If title selection shift to vendors, aggregators and consortium decisions then some popular title would be missed.
References:-
Welch, J. M. (2002). "Hey! What About Us?! Changing Roles of Subject Specialists and Reference Librarians in the Age of Electronic Resources." Serials Review 28(4): 283-286.
Topics:-
This case study is studying a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context. The author studied (1) what are the roles of subject specialists and reference librarians in the age of electronic resources? And (2) would the decision making process is shifting from librarians to vendors or even removed from the librarians or individual libraries.
Hypothesis:-
Print titles with electronic access would experience a larger decline than electronic titles with no print counterpart
Predictions:-
Roles of specialists and reference librarians play in selecting titles of library collections.
The author elaborated and used a case study to describe and explain the reason why there is still a need of subject specialists or reference librarians in this electronic age. Titles in print, electronic aggregators, licensing negotiations and consortia agreements subscription by librarians and venders should balance and supplement to each other.
Qualitative research has been conducted in this study:-
Particpants: subject specialists and reference librarian
Independent variable: title cancellation list appear in print and electronic formats were reviewed
Dependent variable: some cancellation titles reserved and “wish list” of new titles created
Data collection
The reference librarian selects titles in BPI in 2001 for the research and reviewed the titles for cancellation. It circulated to subject specialists for the determination of cancellation titles. The list of cancellation titles was done by comparing AACSB-I self-study 1990s and BPI (Business Periodicals Index) in 2001.
Participants’ observation
Subject specialists and librarian themselves observed through their routine duties.
To be concluded, roles of subject specialists or reference librarians are significant and played a vital part in areas of collection development but it is less important for them to select titles.
Problems of different needs of selection titles appeared in different faculties and students needs (selection by librarians and subject specialists). If title selection shift to vendors, aggregators and consortium decisions then some popular title would be missed.
References:-
Welch, J. M. (2002). "Hey! What About Us?! Changing Roles of Subject Specialists and Reference Librarians in the Age of Electronic Resources." Serials Review 28(4): 283-286.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Experimental research
Research Question:
"Morning Reading" or "Morning Radio", which better improve students' English level?
Subjects:
Form 1 students from 2 secondary schools, totally 10 classes. Classes randomly assigned into the following groups.
Groups:
A: "Morning Reading" group: having 30 mins to read English books at the start of every school day.
B: "Morning Radio" group: having 30 mins to listen English radio channel at the start of every school day.
C: Control group: having 30 mins to read Chinese books at the start of every school day.
(Note 1: It might be better to have a "control" group not having any treatment, but it is difficult to arrange in schools to let a class not having any activity for 30 mins long. So reading Chinese book could be regarded as a treatment not related to "English learing".)
Time span: 1 year
Data collected:
M1: Students' English subject scores in the entry examination (the one which school used for dividing classes)
M2: Students' English subject scores in F.1 final examination
M2-M1 = improvement in English level
By comparing the improvement in English level of students in different groups, we may determine if "Morning Reading" or "Morning Radio" did bring improvement to students' English level, and which brings better improvement.
Implication:
Schools can make better arrangement to English learning activities.
(Note 2: Some people may doubt if the differences between schools and classes bring bias to the experiment. Because the classes are distributed into different groups randomly, classes from both schools are mixed into groups, so that systematic differences about subjects' background between groups should not exist.)
"Morning Reading" or "Morning Radio", which better improve students' English level?
Subjects:
Form 1 students from 2 secondary schools, totally 10 classes. Classes randomly assigned into the following groups.
Groups:
A: "Morning Reading" group: having 30 mins to read English books at the start of every school day.
B: "Morning Radio" group: having 30 mins to listen English radio channel at the start of every school day.
C: Control group: having 30 mins to read Chinese books at the start of every school day.
(Note 1: It might be better to have a "control" group not having any treatment, but it is difficult to arrange in schools to let a class not having any activity for 30 mins long. So reading Chinese book could be regarded as a treatment not related to "English learing".)
Time span: 1 year
Data collected:
M1: Students' English subject scores in the entry examination (the one which school used for dividing classes)
M2: Students' English subject scores in F.1 final examination
M2-M1 = improvement in English level
By comparing the improvement in English level of students in different groups, we may determine if "Morning Reading" or "Morning Radio" did bring improvement to students' English level, and which brings better improvement.
Implication:
Schools can make better arrangement to English learning activities.
(Note 2: Some people may doubt if the differences between schools and classes bring bias to the experiment. Because the classes are distributed into different groups randomly, classes from both schools are mixed into groups, so that systematic differences about subjects' background between groups should not exist.)
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