Data Analysis Reflection

Data analysis reflection on mixed method research (as of November 3, 2013):

I am still busy analyzing the data and fine tuning how it will all be put together in the mixed method part of my study, but I do have some initial thoughts.

The survey I am using is adapted from one used by my committee chair. As I expected, the teachers I am studying (the science department at my school) rated all of the barriers to technology integration as more of a problem than the teachers in her study.  They also rated themselves lower on technology beliefs, learner-centered beliefs, and learner-centered practices. Even though comparing my results to Dr. An’s is not part of my study, I was happy to see that, as I expected, my data shows that my teachers are not all that keen on the idea of integrating technology in learner-centered ways. I don't mean that I am happy they are not keen on integrating technology, I mean I am happy to see that the survey results match my gut feelings. And, since we have a relatively lower starting point, it will be interesting to see the effects of the mentoring program I’m conducting as part of my dissertation research.

I've been collecting quotes from the teacher interviews into different files that correlate with the four areas for the survey:

• technology beliefs
• learner-centered beliefs
• learner-centered practices
• perception of barriers - this one is divided into specific types of barriers (time in class, time to plan, PD needed, support needed, work environment, access to technology, classroom management, assessment, complex subject)

This will help me give meaning to the survey results by providing specific examples. So far, the qualitative results seem to match up pretty well with the quantitative results. In addition, I've been coding the interviews for more specific themes that emerge. Here is a list of the themes so far:

• Covering content – issues with too much or too difficult content. Equating teaching with lecturing.
• Aware of problem with too much lecturing
• Teacher as facilitator, guide
• Teacher as motivator – make it interesting
• Lack of maturity on part of students. Including cheating or misuse of technology.
• Students reluctant to use technology
• Students not used to learner-centered methods
• Not enough time (to plan or in class)
• Misunderstanding of learner-centered methods (interviewee)
• Value collaboration between students
• Inquiry
• Positive things about online learning
• Assessments
• Technical difficulties
• This is how I did it
• Not enough access to technology
• Labs are not necessarily learner-centered
• Need to understand more about what and how
• Difficulty assessing
• References to PD (mentoring and other)
• Feeling that low-tech is better for learning
• Tech not necessary or not helpful
• Don’t believe in it (technology-enhanced or learner-centered methods)
• Other barriers

I’m still coding the interviews but have run across several interesting things already.  For example:

• Time (both time to plan and time in the classroom) is perceived as the biggest barrier to integrating technology in learner-centered ways.

• Science teachers tend to call all labs learner-centered – but they aren’t necessarily. One of the teachers pointed this out in her interview.

• Having different LCD projectors and different sound systems, etc. in each room was a significant barrier to using technology for teachers who float from room to room (everyone in science). I have already acted on this (since I really am doing action research!) and gotten the technology committee to decide that tech should be made consistent in each room at the same time as the classrooms computers are upgraded (every 3-4 years – and by department). This will be put into the budget for next year.

• One teacher pointed out that the flipped classroom model (which some teachers are using) isn’t learner-centered in itself but it allows the class to be more learner-centered because the teacher doesn’t need to spend class time lecturing and can more easily facilitate leaner-centered instruction.

So far I'm finding pretty much what I expected. No big surprises. But the survey and interview results helped me to be more specific about the state of the teachers attitudes (beliefs and perceptions of barriers) and practices. My new questions are exactly what I plan to ask in my dissertation research:

• Will the teachers’ practices with regard to integrating technology and learner-centered instruction improve after participating in the mentoring program?
• Will the teachers’ attitudes toward integrating technology and learner-centered instruction improve after participating in the mentoring program?
• Will the teachers’ perceptions of the barriers to integrating technology and learner-centered instruction improve after participating in the mentoring program?

My assumptions about this topic have not really changed, but I have been pleasantly surprised with how much the teachers have shared with me about their teaching philosophies and experiences. I'm sure I have a bias toward the value of using technology that is not shared by all of the teachers. But, they know this about me already, and I think I've done a pretty good job (in the interviews) of letting them know that we don't have to agree - I still respect them! On reflection, I kind of wish I had added a section to the survey on technology practices, but I think the observations I will do as part of my dissertation research will add valuable data to what I've gotten from the interviews, and hopefully this will be better than teachers' self-reporting about their technology use anyway.