Standard+9

**Standard 9 - Teachers Are Able to Evaluate Themselves **  The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on pupils, parents, professionals in the learning community and others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

** Evidence 1 ** Action Research Paper

Essentially, the action research paper that I wrote for my graduate program in Educational Technology at Marian University is a written reflection and evaluation of my classroom decisions. The action research project was designed to analyze the affect of a teacher designed online learning community on student achievement. The online learning community was implemented in my seventh grade language arts class and continues to be a part of our regular classroom curriculum. I compared the student outcomes of a class who had access to the online learning community to a class who did not. In this way I was able to look at specific choices that I made concerning instruction and evaluate the effects those decisions had on student performance. Not surprisingly, this action research project validated what I anticipated might be true. I suspected that my students would engage more readily with a language arts unit of study if it was presented on the online learning community.
 * Rationale **

According to the data, those students who participated in the online learning community experienced greater academic gains than those who did not, thereby confirming my predictions. Thorough analysis of the data revealed that the technology enhanced classroom had outperformed the control group at the culmination of the action research project. In fact, the control group actually experienced a //decrease// in achievement.

This project confirmed the importance of using technology in the classroom and supported my growth as an instructor who is willing to implement digital learning in the classroom. Students achieve when subject matter is presented in an engaging and relevant manner. Best-practice use of technology can be that tool. Finally, it should not go unnoted that I was also more excited about instructing and working with my students. The extended use of technology in my classroom proved to be an equally engaging method of teaching.

Much of my action research project was inspired and influenced by the work of researchers like William Draves, Marc Prensky, Ian Jukes, and Ted McCain. In addition, every course I took in Marian University’s Educational Technology Master’s Program introduced me to current thinking and literature in the field of technology. This influx of information helped to guide my decision making when it came to classroom pedagogy and methodology.
 * 9.K.3 The teacher is aware of major areas of research on teaching and other resources for professional learning (e.g. professional literature, colleagues, professional associations, professional development activities). **

The data that I collected from my action research project helped me to better understand my current practices as a language arts instructor and their successes and failures. It has encouraged me to revise how I deliver content to my students. One thing that I always need to keep in mind is that students are not empty vessels waiting for me to fill with knowledge; rather they are individuals who bring distinct life experiences to the classroom. It is crucial that I assist students in connecting what they know to what they are learning in order to create meaningful educational outcomes.
 * 9.S.2 The teacher uses classroom observation, information about students, cultural, social, and philosophical frameworks, and research as sources for evaluating the outcomes of teaching and learning and as a basis for reflecting on and revising practice. **

The action research project has strengthened my commitment to reflection, assessment, and professional development as essential elements of my career. Without this process in place, my skills and relevancy as a classroom teacher will languish. In order for my students to be successful learners, it is crucial for me regularly reflect upon my teaching and become a lifelong learner.
 * 9.D.2 The teacher is committed to reflection, assessment, and learning as an ongoing process. **

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