Future Research

Here are some areas we each think would be interesting to do future research on.  

Karen's Pick for Future Research:

Science Inquiry and Continuous Assessment.  I think that learning more about the possible frameworks teachers can use to conduct assessment on students' engagement in Science inquiry would be very interesting.  This year for my PLC work, we read Carlson, Humphrey, and Reinhardt's Weaving Science Inquiry and Continuous Assessment.  This year we completed a yearlong Inquiry with our grade four classes focusing on the Big Question of How Do We Reduce our Environmental Footprint?  We grappled with measuring our students' success in this Inquiry process.  Here are some articles and resources that I am looking at for future research.

Marx, R., et al. (2004). Inquiry-Based Science in the Middle Grades: Assessment of Learning in Urban Systemic Reform - JOURNAL OF     RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, VOL. 41, NO. 10, PP. 1063 – 1080.           

Myron J. and Coffey J. (2003). Everyday assessment in the science classroom  By, National Science Teachers Association

Trish S., Abrams R.,  Gasper E., and Canaday D. (2000). Concept maps as assessment in science inquiry learning - a report of methodology. 

Tracy's Pick for Future Research:

Cooper’s Backward Design process and Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design model relate closely to Richard DuFour’s Professional Learning Community (PLC) research.  He states that a PLC should ask:

1.       What do we want each student to learn? (Identify the big ideas)

2.       How will we know when each student has learned it? (Plan a culminating assessment task that will allow students to demonstrate their learning)

3.       How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?

The answer to the third question is something that I feel needs further research in my practice.  What DO we do when a student has not mastered the learning?  Does the school have a common policy for helping students who are struggling with learning?  If mastery of  learning is the goal, does the struggling student continue working on the concept while others who have mastered the content move on?  I believe that this is a foundational question that needs to be addressed in our schools.

 DuFour, R. (2004).  What is a Professional Learning Community?  Educational Leadership, 61(8), 6-11.

Kathleen's Pick for Future Research:

Our junior high social studies department has been working on some reallly good planning in our PLC groups. Assessment is planned at the beginnng of each unit and individual interviews are key in assessing stage one learning before students move on to the next stages.They are using ideas based on Dr. Kathy Nunely's layered curriculum ideas and brain research. Dr. Kathie Nunley's Layered Curriculum Web Site for Educators looking at Differentiate Instruction with Layered Curriculum.  

• Two Simple Principles guiding Cooper's work
• Summary of Damian Cooper's 8 Big Ideas
• Backward Design
• Formative Assessment
• Future Research
• Links
• Videos
• List of Resources
• Using Technology to Enhance Assessment