Week 2 Update

I've learned a great deal this past week from both the inteviews and the Dana text. I feel much more comfortable with the concept of action research and how to effectively apply it in my position as an Educational Technology Trainer. The most difficult part of this week's assignment was selecting just one action research topic to pursue. I started with four proposals, all of which piqued passion in me.

1. Wi-Fi on buses – What effect does the installation of Wi-Fi on school buses have on student behavior problems?
2. ActivExpressions – In what ways does the immediate feedback provided by student-response systems such as ActivExpressions increase the effectiveness of classroom instruction? What impact do student-response systems have on student engagement and performance?
3. ActivJourney – How does the ActivJourney step training provide teachers with the required skills and confidence to independently and effectively integrate the new technology equipment in their classroom?
4. iPod Touches - How does the use of the iPod touch affect the performance of ELL students in the 5^th and 8^th grade sheltered science classes? Would it be beneficial to send the iPod touches home with the students?

Even though I must select just one for this class, I plan on conducting at least two or three of them during the course of my internship. My site supervisor has even agreed to fund a pilot of Wi-Fi on buses!

I'm excited that I've found so many passions to research. Now I just hope I can find the time to conduct the research!