What comes around, goes around.

Module 2 of the Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction has started at SNU. What does the mean for me as a student in the program? It means that all of the things I have been asking my students to do are now being asked of me. One of the major goals of the Educational Research Module is to "Be able to identify and formulate research questions and hypotheses."  Not entirely surprising  that a graduate level class would be having us do this kind of higher-level thinking.  If the rigor were not in the program, I wouldn't be in it. (on a side note: I was a little worried about it - I mean it's one night a week!)

This week I have to come up with a research question (it probably wouldn't surprise you that I am considering looking at the effect of social media on student learning would it?), decide what I am going to study during our "ethnographic foray at Penn Square Mall, and find 5 citations of scholarly articles from 3 different databases.

Of course I should have talked to my in-house research expert before beginning my homework (@mishelleyb). She has already taken the class and has had a plenty of practice since she is an innovator at her school. Half way through, she suggested that I use every homework opportunity to build my research for the major project. Now why didn't I think of that?!?

So at least I got one resource that will fit nicely with my research question. Oh, did I not mention that? Here goes: something like "Does social media positively affect student learning?" Do any of you have any insight on this project?  The specialist and I discussed (briefly) what I am going to have to cover in my literature review:

• student learning, i.e. styles and processes


• cognitive development


• multiculturalism


• change implementation


• staff development

Talk about a daunting task! I have a lot of work to do. Looking at this list, its easy to see how they all need to be integrated (especially the first three). The last two are easily integrated; I have to think about how I will "convince" other teachers and administrators that this type of interaction with students is useful and needed. Not only that, I have to decide how to approach the teaching of the teachers once I have convinced them change is necessary.

My purpose here is multi-faceted. I also am the chair of a sub-committee on the Putnam City Technology Committee and have been tasked with exploring this very subject. I still can't believe agreed to do that!

Now that I have rambled on...the point of my whole post was to say (for myself as much as for anyone else) I am only being asked to do the same things I am asking my students to do: think critically.