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Transcript of Ed 578 Research Project
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Secondary Social Studies Websites: Web Error or Hotlink to the Future of Education
ByJoseph A. Strittmatter
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor the Masters of Education in Technology: Technology Specialist
Approved by:
__________________________________ ______________________________Jonathan R. Brown, Ph.D, Chairperson DateClarion University of Pennsylvania
__________________________________ ______________________________Committee Member Date
__________________________________ ______________________________Committee Member Date
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Abstract
In todays society, where there is a desire to constantly remain connected though mobile
devices such as Blackberrys, Ipads, or Kindles, teachers have been able to channel the techno-
generations excitement for technology towards education through the use of classroom Web
sites. The purpose of this study was to analyze the attitudes of secondary Social Studies teachers
from Bedford County, Pennsylvania on the use of classroom Web sitesthrough the use of a
survey administered using Google Docs. The subjects involved seventeen conveniently selected
Social Studies teachers from a rural county in southwestern Pennsylvania. A Likert survey
helped guage teachers attitudes towards the use of classroom Web sites. This study showed that
teachers who have experimented with class websites find them to be helpful. As expected, the
results of this study were impeded by a deficiency in teachers who have experimented with their
own Web site as well as the target group themselves, as the sample group was selected for this
specific study and may not reflect Social Studies teachers else ware. Additional research is
recommended using this design with a larger population and with a different survey.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Abstract.......................................................................................................... iii
List of Figures................................................................................................ viAcknowledgments.......................................................................................... vii
ChaptersI. IntroductionBackground...................................................................................... 1Description of Terms........................................................................ 3Statement of the Problem................................................................. 4Rationale and Need for Study.......................................................... 4Research Question and Hypothesis.................................................. 5
II. Review of LiteratureTheoretical Foundation.................................................................... 6Research Foundation........................................................................ 7Research Problem Explored............................................................. 9Research Question and Hypothesis.................................................. 9
III. MethodsSubjects............................................................................................ 11Institutional Review Board............................................................... 11Instrumentation................................................................................. 12Reliability......................................................................................... 12Validity............................................................................................. 12Materials........................................................................................... 13Procedures........................................................................................ 13
IV. ResultsData Reduction and Tabulation........................................................ 14Tables and Figures........................................................................... 15Descriptive Statistics........................................................................ 21Research Question and Hypothesis.................................................. 21
V. DiscussionGeneral Comments........................................................................... 22Limitations of Study......................................................................... 22Theoretical Support.......................................................................... 23Implications of Study....................................................................... 23
VI. Summary and Recommendations for Future Research. 21References........................................................................................ 22
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Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Approval and Forms....... 25Appendix B: Permission and Introduction....................................... 26Appendix C: Teacher Consent......................................................... 27Appendix D: Survey......................................................................... 28
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List of Figures
Figure Page
1. Classes Taught by Social Studies Teachers in Bedford County 15
2. Pie chart: Do Teachers Implement a Class Website 16
3. Time to Construct Original Website 17
4. Usefulness of Websites 18
5. Extent that Which Goals Were Accomplished 19
6. Pie Chart: Attendance at 2010 County-Wide In-Service 20
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my wife and children for their patience throughout the research
process. Without their patience and support, this study would have been nearly impossible. I
would also like to thank Dr. Brown for his leadership in the research process. If I can someday
understand a fraction of what Dr. Brown knows about research, I will consider it a victory of
colossal achievement.
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I. Introduction
Background
There is no doubt that the field of education is a much different place than it was twenty
years ago. Yuen and Ma (2008) explained the importance of the Internet in education when they
wrote the past two decades have witnessed the unprecedented growth of the Internet and an
ensuing transformation in the educational landscape (p. 230).Immuculee Harushimana
(2008) agreed and stated his belief in the importance of the Internet by making the grandiose
prediction that access to technology is the civil rights issue of the new millennium (p. 289)
In order to provide students with a 21st century education, teachers are expected to have a
presence on the web. Those expectations are demonstrated through spending as school districts
are being pressured to buy even more technology and teachers are being pressured to use
technology (Gardner, 2011, p.1). Classroom Web sites that contain important classroom
information and provide access to course materials, promote communication among teacher and
classmates, develop online learning skills, and/or aid the teacher in delivering classroom
instruction are a tool that some teachers have been taking advantage of for years (Witt, 2004, p.
424).The introduction of new technologies such intuitive Web site creators, have also
revolutionized the way many universities are teaching education students the art of teaching
(Englund, 2009, p. 46). Brown and Warschauer (2006) foresaw the need to adapt higher
education courses when they commented, if Internet-based technologies are to be used to
support and enhance the development of these skills in the classroom, then preservice teachers
need to see these uses modeled in their teacher education program.
While there seems to be countless benefits to using course Web sites there must also be
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drawbacks to classroom Web sites or every teacher in every school would be the editor of their
very own Web site. Barriers that block the effective use of classroom websites can be as
abundant as the possibilities of websites, ranging from the age, degree level, or workload of a
teacher (Meyer & Xu, 2009, p. 66) to the ultimate inevitable system breakdown or
unavailability of the server (Witt, 2003, p. 434).
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Description of Terms
Blog A Web Log which is a type of a Web site which is updated easily.
Computer self-efficacy - the judgment of ones capability to use computer technology (Yuen,
2008).
CMC - Computer Mediated Communication such as email, chat, discussion board, or listserv.
(Hathorn, 2010)
Digital Immigrant - A term coined by Marc Prenskey in his articleDigital Natives; Digital
Immigrants used to describe a person who did not grow up using digital technology and
had to adopt usage of technology later in life.
Digital Native A term coined by Marc Prenskey in his articleDigital Natives; Digital
Immigrants used to describe a person who interacts with digital technology from an early
age.
E-learning -e-learning refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver a broad array of
solutions that enhance knowledge and performance. (Rosenberg, 2001)
Teaching Circles -A form of peer support in which small groups of faculty work together for at
least a semester to address specific issues related to their teaching and student learning.
(Brzycki, 2005)
Twitter An online social networking blogging site that connects people to news and
information from people that they follow.
Wiki - A wiki, which means quick in Hawaiian, is open-source software that enables a user to
create, edit, manage, and maintain Web content. (Wilson, 2011)
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Statement of the Problem
As academia catches on to the power of technology, creative schools and teachers find
ways to adapt new technologies to help improve education. In a 2009 study, Lee, Brescia,
and Kissinger noted, there is a general belief that computers are beneficial for the academic
development of children. Consequently, many K-12 schools and higher education institutions
are investing heavily in computer infrastructure and advanced communications technology
(p.224). Classroom Web sites are one form of technology that many educators have been
finding to be extremely helpful for a variety of reasons. Classroom Web sites offer
possibilities far beyond the imagination of any teacher a generation ago. Web sites used for
education are capable of providing continuous central access to course information. (Witt,
2003, p. 433) To gain insight into the usefulness of Web sites Paul Witt conducted a study in
2004 that found that Over 90% of the instructors included in the study reported that the Web
Sites they had created were essential or convenient to the successful delivery of the
course. (p. 424) Though many teachers feel strongly about the advantages of course Web
sites, not everyone agrees that they have a place in education. Finally, as Jacob Gardner
pointed out There is a lot of research that deals with technology, but few focus on the
secondary social studies classroom (2011, p.4).
Rationale and Need for Future Research
The purpose of this study was to inquire as to the attitudes of secondary Social Studies
teachers from Bedford County on the use of classroom Web sites. This study attempted to
describe many of the benefits of classroom Web sites while and also looked at the potential
barriers that the teachers have faced in the implementation of Web sites. The focus of the study
was on secondary Social Studies teachers because a majority of the teachers participating in this
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study had attended county-wide In-Service trainings on emerging technologies, such as the use
of course Web sites. In 2009, the Technology Directors from all six school districts in Bedford
County organized an In-Service training for the secondary teachers in the districts.
A similar study, The Current and Potential Value of Faculty Web Sites, was conducted in
2009 by Minnesota State-Mankato Professor Judy Donovan, which analyzed the use of faculty
Web sites at the university level (Donovan, 2009). In Donovans recommendation for future
research, she suggested that future researchers look into P-12 teachers and their use of Web
pages (Donovan, 2009, p. 32).
Research Questions and Hypothesis
The question driving this research is: How do 17 conveniently sampled public school
teachers from one conveniently sampled public school district in southwestern Pennsylvania
respond to a 11 item survey about classroom websites?
The predicted hypothesis for this research was that the conveniently sampled social
studies teachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania will report
favorably on the use of classroom websites.
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II. Review of Literature
Theoretical Foundation
Harushimana stated that todays generation of digital natives has grown up so
accustomed to the Internet that it is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers who are
unfamiliar with technology to reach these students through a traditional textbook approach
(2008, p. 276) Aware of todays generations penchant to be connected to the Internet at all
times, teachers have harnessed students digital motivation though e-learning (Rosenberg, 2001).
E-learning expounds upon the vision Cleborne Maddux shared in 1999 when he saw the Internet
not just as a tool to search for information but to impact the way instructors organize and deliver
their materials such as syllabi, course handouts, as well as lecture notes, tutorials, and
procedures (1999).
Paul Witt, a professor at Texas Christian University with a Doctorate degree and two
Master degrees, has laid much of the groundwork for the examination of the use of Web sites in
classrooms. The focus of his research, as listed on TCUs Web site, is classroom
communication behaviors of teachers and students (http://www.commstudies.tcu.edu/105.asp).
Witt has labored to stress the benefits of classroom Web sites, which provide student access to
course information and/or enhance interaction among course participants beyond the classroom
(Witt, 2003, p. 430)
Harushimana also points out that due to the wide range of capabilities of Web sites, they
target many of the various intelligences put forth in Howard Gardners Theory of Multiple
Intelligences (Harushimana, 2008). As a demonstration of Gardners Theories, John Lyons adds
that shy and timid students are more likely to participate and ask questions online than they
might be in class (2004, p. 450). Witt attributes this to the power of multimedia to teach
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through multiple sensory modalities (2003, p. 436)
Not only are school districts making changes to adapt to the power of the Internet,
universitys are changing curriculum to better prepare future teachers to make use of this great
tool. Dolores Brzycki and Kurt Dudt of Indiana University of Pennsylvania spoke to the
shortcomings of teacher education programs in 2005 when they stated teacher preparation
programs traditionally taught technology in separate computer literacy classes (p. 623). Many
education courses taught very simple computer applications such as e-mail and the Microsoft
suite when teachers really need to see technology being applied to their specific content areas.
Research Foundation
There have been countless studies on the impact of the Internet on education ranging
from and most studies agree that the Internet can be a powerful tool in education. In a study
calledEvaluation of Online Course Websites: Is Teaching Online a Tug-Of-War, John and
Lesley Hathorn wrote that information on the Web is primarily in the form of text, but images,
animation, sound, and video can all add to the learning experience and add interest if they are
relevant (2010, p. 199). They also spoke of the benefits Web sites can allow in the realm of
communication, specifically CMC or computer-mediated-communication (p. 201). Zafer Unal
also found communication to be one of the most important advantages of Web sites in a study
called Going the Extra Step for Parental Involvement: Connecting Family and School with the
Power of Teacher Websites and stated Among the teachers that currently have a Web site,
communication with students was stated as the most popular use, followed by communication
with parents (2008, p.44).
While researchers have elaborated on the benefits of course Web sites, they have also
exposed many of the barriers that need tackled before a teacher can implement a course Web
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site. In a study by Fethi Inan and Deborah Lowther calledFactors Affecting Technology
Integration in K-12 Classrooms: A Path Model, they hypothesized and found that a teachers
ability to proficiently use technology in the classroom was negatively affected by their age and
years of experience and as their age and years of experience increase, their computer
proficiency decrease (Inan & Lowther, 2010, p. 148). Allen Yuen and Will Ma also looked at
these barriers and decided that they may impact the technology self-efficacy level of a teacher
and impede them from having the confidence level to create their own Web site (2008). Other
researchers such as Jacob Gardner have elaborated on the discrepancies among various students
and their ability to access teachers Web sites while at home. Gardner admits that Internet in the
home can be costly, so not only is there an issue of actually having a computer, but also paying
for internet service to that computer is an issue (2011, 18). Sang Lee, William Brescia, and Dan
Kissinger looked into the socioeconomic factors involved in computer availability in homes and
found that only about 22% of children in families with annual incomes of less than $20,000 had
access to a home computer, compared to 91% of those in families with annual incomes of
$75,000. (2009, p. 225). Adam Friedman examined another barrier to the successful
implementation of course Web sites in 2006 when he studied a group of teachers who were given
training on Web development. Friedman found that Although each of the teachers surveyed had
the ability as well as the server space to create a website, the majority did not use these skills that
they had acquired from course instruction (p. 798). Through this study, Friedman was able to
postulate that sufficient time and training were not the main reason why teachers failed to use
course Web sites.
Research Problem Explored
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There seems to be discrepancy between the beliefs and actions of teachers in regards to
course Web sites. While many of the teachers in previous research are aware of the benefits of
course Web sites, a large portion of them also fail to overcome the obstacles involved in creating
and maintaining a site. Another factor that must be considered is the attitudes of the students.
Ultimately, the success of a course Web site depends on the students ability to access the site
frequently to check for updates and new information (Witt, 2003, p. 434) and as Witt noted in
2004, it is undeniable that for a percentage of students the primary goal is to receive credit for
the course with a minimum of inconvenience to themselves (p. 434). While some students may
see course Web sites as an annoyance, others, who have become obsessed with instantaneous
access to information through Google, Twitter, or other news aggregators may expect similar
experiences in their classes (Wilson, 2011).
While a number of students may not appreciate the fact that Web sites can be an online
hub that teachers use to access other material from the Internet such as blogs and wikis. Paul
Witt stated that when virtually all relevant information is located on the course Web site, it is
easier and faster for both students and instructor to find the material they need (2003, p.433).
This research study will examine the secondary Social Studies teachers in Bedford County to get
feedback on their attitudes towards course Web sites.
Research Question and Hypothesis
The question driving this research is: How do 17 conveniently sampled public school
teachers from one conveniently sampled public school district in southwestern Pennsylvania
respond to a 11 item survey about classroom websites?
The predicted hypothesis for this research was that the conveniently sampled social
studies teachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania will report
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favorably on the use of classroom websites.
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III. Methods
Subjects
The subjects that were involved in this study included a conveniently selected group of
Social Studies teachers from Bedford County in southwest Pennsylvania. The teachers selected
ranged from 7th-12th grade teachers who teach at least one Social Studies course. It was not a
random sampling because the researcher was interested in Social Studies teachers from a specific
location in Pennsylvania. Of the 17 teachers who volunteered, 12 of those are American History
while, a smaller portion of the volunteers teach classes such as Economics, Geography,
Government, Psychology, and World History. None of the subjects teach Social Studies classes
in Sociology.
All of the Social Studies teachers in Bedford County were delivered the survey therefore
there were 19 surveys delivered, therefore there were 19 possible subjects for this study. The
only subject that was knowingly excluded from the study was the researcher. Of the 19 possible
participants, 17 teachers volunteered to participate in the study; therefore, the return rate of this
study was 89%. There was almost an even distribution between male and female respondents
for the study as there were nine female and eight male participants. The ethnicity of the subjects
was not known as it was not included on the questionnaire. In addition, while the subjects
included their names and schools on the questionnaire, they were not included in the findings to
protect the identity of the subjects.
Institutional Review Board
Before this research process was undertaken, the application for approving this research
was sent to Clarion University Institutional Review Board (see Appendix A for form).
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Instrumentation
The instrument that was used in this study was a questionnaire with Likert survey
questions created using Google Docs. The survey was used to gauge teachers attitudes towards
the use of classroom Web sites. The questionnaire was pre-tested on a colleague who was not
participating in an attempt to catch any errors and to allow that suggestions to improve the study.
The time to complete this questionnaire was less than ten minutes. The survey itself could raise
issues with reliability, as subjects may have been confused with some of the wording on the
items. Also, due to use of non-random sampling, sampling bias is likely present in this study.
However, experimenter bias was limited by sending the survey to all possible participants.
Identical instructions were given to all of the participants in this study.
Reliability
As I was the only researcher looking at the responses and the survey was administered
over a short period of time, between 2-4 weeks, there should have been minimal rater reliability
concerns. Also, while it was expected that most of the teachers were of different ages and
educational backgrounds, the participants were all secondary education Social Studies teachers
from the same county which possibly affecting the reliability of the study. Also, the subjects
were colleagues of each other and likely discussed the surveys with each other.
Validity
The goal of this study was to determine the attitudes of teachers, specifically in Bedford
County, towards the use of class websites, I believe it did that and there were few concerns over
content validity. However, due to the small sample size and the specific nature of this study, the
predictive validity of this study may was surely low. While I was a member of the target
population, I am abstained from the study to reduce bias. Also, a non-participant was used to
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field test the survey in an attempt to increase validity through peer examination.
Materials
The materials needed to complete this study included a computer that was connected to
the Internet and used any of the following browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet
Explorer2, which support Google Docs.
Procedures
The initial step, for the completion of this study, was to submit an application for approval to the
Clarion University Institutional Review Board. The next step in the procedure was to receive
written permission from all of the administrators of the schools that would be involved in the
study. (see Appendix B for the letter sent to administrators). Once given permission to survey
their employees, I e-mailed all of the secondary Social Studies teachers asking them to
participate in my research by completing a survey (see Appendix C for the letter sent to
teachers). In the letter to the teachers and again in the e-mail attached to the survey, I assured the
participants that the results of the study would remain confidential. The survey was then
conducted on the teachers computer and submitted via Google Docs form (see Appendix D for
the survey). The purpose of this study was then to gauge the attitude of teachers towards the use
of classroom Web sites.
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IV. Results
Data Reduction and Tabulation
Tables and Figures
The results were obtained from a survey sent to Social Studies teachers in Bedford
County, Pennsylvania. The projected hypothesis was that teachers would report favorably on the
use of classroom websites. The results may be viewed in Figures 1-6.
Figure 1 uses a bar graph to show the various courses that are taught by Social Studies
teachers in Bedford County. These courses range from history courses, such as American and
World History, to behavioral sciences, such as Sociology.
Figure 2 helps to show, via pie chart, the number of Social Studies teachers from Bedford
County who have already created a class website.
Figure 3 is a bar graph that looks at the number of hours that Social Studies teachers from
Bedford County spent creating their initial class websites.
Figure 4 is another bar graph which shows how the participants responded when asked to
rate the overall usefulness of their class website.
Figure 5 shows a pie chart that illustrates the responses from Social Studies teachers from
Bedford County when asked to rate the extent to which their goals for a class website were
accomplished.
Figure 6 is a pie chart that illustrates the answers from the respondents on whether they
attended the Bedford County in-service in 2010.
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Figure 1.Survey responses of 17 Social Studies teachers from Bedford County on courses
they teach.
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Figure 2.Survey responses of 17 Social Studies teachers from Bedford County verifying if
they have a class website.
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Figure 3.Survey responses from 17 Social Studies teachers in Bedford County on the
estimated time that it took to create their class website.
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Figure 4.Survey responses from 17 Social Studies teachers in Bedford County on the
usefulness of their class website.
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Figure 5.Survey responses from 17 Social Studies teachers in Bedford County on the extent
that which their goals for their class website were accomplished.
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Figure 6.Survey responses from 17 Social Studies teachers from Bedford County on whether
they attended the county-wide technology In-Service at Chestnut Ridge in 2010.
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Descriptive Statistics
Visual representations Figure 2 and Figure 4 demonstrate the challenge of gauging
teachers attitudes towards class websites. The visuals show a large range in attitudes towards the
use of websites, making the results unclear. Median scores showed that a majority of Social
Studies teachers in Bedford County do not use class websites. However, from those that do have
class websites, the median response shows that they find them to be convenient, though not
essential. The median amount of time teachers who created class websites spent building the
websites was between 3-20 hours. It is possible then that the amount of time that is required to
create a website is a barrier for many teachers.
It would appear that, while almost twice as many Social Studies teachers in Bedford
County do not use class websites, those that do use course websites find them to be helpful.
Research Question and Hypothesis
The question that drove this research is: How do 17 conveniently sampled public school
teachers from one conveniently sampled public school district in southwestern Pennsylvania
respond to a 11 item survey about classroom websites?
The predicted hypothesis for this research was that the conveniently sampled social
studies teachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania will report
favorably on the use of classroom websites.
Due to the results, the study was not statistically significant. The large amount of Social
Studies teachers who did not have websites made it hard to determine the overall attitude
towards classroom websites.
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V. Discussion
General Comments
The projected hypothesis for this study was that Social Studies teachers in Bedford
County would report favorably towards the use of class websites. However, since there was a
large number of teachers who do not employ the use of class websites, it was difficult to gauge
the attitudes towards websites. While there were only 6 out of the 17 participants who have used
websites for classroom purposes, it can be concluded that those that have used class websites
find them to be useful.
The survey given to the participants consisted of 11 items, gauging the courses they
teach, their technology background, and their experience with implementing websites into their
curriculum. Surprisingly, 35% of the teachers surveyed did not attend the technology training at
Chestnut Ridge in 2010, which may explain the low number of teachers who use class websites.
Limitations of Study
There were several limitations that impeded the overall success of this study. One of
those limitations was the short time frame in which the study was conducted. While a large
portion of Social Studies teachers from the county participated in the study, with more time, the
researcher could have followed up with those that did not participate. With that said, out of the
22 recipients of the email asking for participation in this study, there were 17 that responded to
the survey for a 77% response rate.
Also, in hindsight, the study was possibly flawed from the start. The survey itself could
have caused confusion or at the very least been worded differently. The wording of the questions
and choices offered could have been changed to allow those do not use class websites, but have
surely had experience with other websites, to offer their opinion.
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Theoretical Support/ Implications of Study
This research study was designed with the work of Paul Witt, Immaculee Harushimana,
and Cleborne Maddox in mind. Not only have they addressed the power of technology, theyve
each specifically identified the significant influence that class websites can have on teachers and
students. Maddux (1999) identified the Internet as a tool that could potentially help teachers
with organization, as well as an provide an avenue to help deliver their materials, such as course
handouts. With that said, the findings of this study were disappointing in the sense that there
were so few teachers who actually have course websites and can therefore offer their opinion on
them. Implications of this study are that while only a small percentage of Social Studies teachers
in Bedford County actually have class websites, those that do either find them to be essential or,
at the least, helpful. Future research studies on this topic could ask those that do not have
websites reasons why they do not have websites.
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VI. Summary and Recommendations for Future Research
Summary
The data suggests that a large portion of Social Studies teachers in Bedford County do
not implement the use of class websites. While there is a relatively small number of teachers
from the study that have employed class websites, it seems clear that there is potential for
teachers in Bedford County to make use of this powerful tool. None of the teachers surveyed in
this study believed that class websites were not that helpful or more trouble than they are worth.
While there were only 6 teachers in the study that have experience with using websites in their
classes, another 6 teachers did not attend the Bedford County in-service centered around the use
of technology. It is possible that with more training on the use of websites, the number of
participants that would use class websites would increase.
Recommendations
If this study were to be conducted again, I would recommend rewording the questions to
allow those teachers who do not have websites to share their opinions. Also, future researchers
could build upon this study by identifying barriers to the creation of class websites and determine
if there are ways to build upon the number of teachers who use websites. It seems clear that those
teachers who are employing websites are experiencing the rewards that go along with their
proper use, however, it could be very important to understand why many teachers choose not to
utilize websites.
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References
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Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Approval and Forms
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Appendix B: Permission and Introduction
November 21, 2011
Dear Administration,
My name is Joseph Strittmatter and I am a high school Social Studies teacher at EverettArea High School. I am also working towards attaining a Masters Degree in education witha concentration on technology as well as an Instructional Technology Specialist Certificate.Part of my graduation requirements entails a research project in our area of concentration. Ihave chose the following research question: Do 20 conveniently sampled social studiesteachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania reportsignificantly more positive than negative survey responses in the use of classroom websites?
I hope to examine the usefulness of classroom Web sites for instruction with a focus on
school districts in our county. With your permission, I would like to send shortquestionnaires to the teachers in your social studies department. These questionnaires areestimated to take between five and ten minutes to complete.
Please respond at your convenience to allow me to begin contacting teachers toparticipate. Participation is totally voluntary and all information given by participants of thestudy will be kept confidential. If you have any questions regarding this study, please contactme at [email protected] or by phone at 814-243-1249. I look forward to hearing fromyou.
Sincerely,
Joe Strittmatter
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Appendix C: Teacher Consent Form
Dear Colleagues,
My name is Joseph Strittmatter and I am a high school Social Studies teacher at EverettArea High School. I am also working towards attaining a Masters Degree in education witha concentration on technology as well as an Instructional Technology Specialist Certificate.Part of my graduation requirements entails a research project in our area of concentration. Ihave chose the following research question: Do 20 conveniently sampled social studiesteachers from six targeted school districts in Bedford County Pennsylvania reportsignificantly more positive than negative survey responses in the use of classroom websites?
I would like to ask for your participation in my study. The study will consist of one briefquestionnaire. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. All information
obtained during the study will be kept confidential and your identity will be protected at alltimes.
If you have any concerns or questions regarding this study, please contact me [email protected] or feel free to call me at 814-243-1249. Thank you so much for yourhelp and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Joe Strittmatter
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Appendix D: Questionnaire
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