Running head: IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

Script
Candidate Introduction including name of Ed.S. Program
~ Visual: Close-up of me talking ~
Hello, this is Shanna Irving reporting from a neighborhood where school-aged children
took it upon themselves to sell freshly squeezed lemonade in the heat of a July afternoon.
Sales were low because so few people are outside in the heat. The kids tested and
exhausted new strategies, including house to house sales. The stifling heat, however, sent
them indoors to play after earning $10 profit to split between the three of them. If only
there were some kind of tool they could use to reach a wider audience
These school-aged children have the energy and desire to implement sales strategies, but
they need guidance if they are to reach their collaborative sales goals. These children are
in need of teacher leaders who understand and are ready to help students utilize current
technologies to maintain that energy and meet their goals. My capstone project,
completed in partial fulfillment of my Education Specialist of Instructional Technology
degree at Kennesaw State University, is predicated upon the understanding that what
happened this morning in this neighborhood happens all over the world, as students
energies are drained through inefficient pedagogy and educators reluctance to help them
use technology tools to meet academic and personal goals.

Title of Applied Field Research Project

~ Visual: Research infographic in presentation mode ~
The title of my capstone research project is Fumbling toward Improving Student Desire
to Attend Public School: A Quantitative Study on the Impact of Technological Difficulties
on Students Attitudes and Performance in Two Ninth Grade English Classes.
Introduction to the Study
~ Visual: Various Creative Commons licensed school comics~
What began as research into the increasing number of students seeking alternative modes
of education took me down a path of exploring several modes of education then focusing
on two predominant and current modes: charter schools and online schools. Conflicting
evidence both supporting and denouncing charter and online schools, particularly for
learners typically also unengaged by public school curriculum, led me to a final research
concern.
How can we public school educators re-engage learners with public school? Is the answer
in an increase of collaborative technology-enhanced learning experiences?

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

~Visual: Close-up of me talking~

Something to understand before delving into my research is that, sadly, a direct answer to
this question was not found. Instead, problems with implementing the collaborative
technology enhancements forced my hand into changing the research focus, the literature
review, and the analysis methods in order to ultimately address a new concern: Do
problems implementing technology impact the attitudes and performance of students in
9th grade English?
Overview of Literature
~ Visual: Various Creative Commons licensed school comics~
A review of current literature revealed that the number of parents and students who are
dissatisfied with public school education is growing rapidly. Of the dissatisfied student
population, many are considered at-risk of failure due to previous failures, poor
attendance patterns, mediocre test results, or behavior problems. Many are male.
Unfortunately for those dissatisfied students and their parents, the preponderance of the
research suggested that the male, at-risk population fares no better in online or charter
school education either. Some researchers claim that the increasing dissatisfaction stems
from a modern misperception that US schools are failing students more than they once
did. They claim that US public schools are not failing students at all, but that the recent
trend toward disaggregating test data makes people believe that at-risk students are doing
worse now than before, when really nothing much has changed for the students or the
public school system. The real problem, then, is an old one. School is boring. And
isolating. And disconnected to the world. Changing the way public school is done would
change the way public school is perceived, and that just might be a new way to solve this
old problem.
Some researchers claim that things have actually changed in public schools, and not for
the better. Increased pressure on schools has not led to better teaching, they argue; it has
led to weakened graduation requirements, inflated grades, massaged egos, unearned
diplomas, and an under-educated but graduated population. Whether public school hasnt
changed at all or has changed for the worse, there is no question that the student and
parent population want positive change now.
~ Visual: Various Creative Commons licensed school comics~
They turned to charter schools for such change. Charter schools in some areas have
reported positive trends in student learning to support their twenty-plus year mission, but
some researchers question the validity of those reports, citing cherry-picking and
lemon-dropping as methods used to inflate their academic performance data. Lack of
accountability oversight, they argue, as well as lack of resources has resulted in little
impact on student learning.

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

~ Visual: Various Creative Commons licensed school comics ~

Online schools have come a long way in the last ten years. Researchers have found
significant value in effectively-implemented online education. One researcher and
professor found that her online students were able to work independently and in greater
depth (Irving, 2014) in the online version of her course. Does this work for at-risk
learners, though? The ones pushing away from public school? Researchers say, No.
Online education requires self-motivation, and some students simply dont work without
the continued support of a teacher. Of course, the same problem exists in online education
if online education uses the same behaviorist ideology as face-to-face instruction, just
without a teacher hovering. The behaviorist ideology underpinning the dominant
pedagogy, then, is where the change must happen.

~ Visual: social constructivism image ~

Social constructivism posits that peoples zone of proximal development is extended
when working in collaboration with others and that people are motivated to learn by both
external and internal stimuli. The external stimuli is provided through positive interaction
with others exploring a common knowledge concept, and internal stimuli is the learners
desire to learn something new. At-risk students are note intrinsically motivated, so they
require extrinsic motivation to get them going. Social constructivism theorist Vygotsky
would argue that collaboration can provide that. My research sought to add the assertion
that digitization can increase that motivation and extend the potential resources beyond
the confines of the classroom, effectively improving students academic performance and
increasing their desire to attend public school.
~ Visual: Close-up of me talking ~
This lofty goal was unreached in the research implementation process, though, but an
important related question was able to manifest an initially perplexing but ultimately
encouraging answer. Infrastructure problems and delays gave teachers good reason to
revert to their traditional, non-technology methods, and students unused to using their
mobile devices for academic purposes were happy to continue reserving their battery life
for text messaging and SnapChat. Because the data could not address the initial
contention that collaborative technology would enhance student performance and
increase their desire to attend public school, I looked at the data we collected to
determine instead whether problems implementing collaborative technology would
negatively impact student performance or attitudes.

Overview of Methodology
~ Visual: PowerPoint slide listing major points in a few words and images of the assessments ~

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

To address the ultimate question, I enlisted two teachers, each of whom teaches the same
course and the same units to two 9th grade Literature & Composition inclusion classes
with ten or more students considered at-risk in each class. The total number of student
participants from their classes was 134. Of those 134, 42 were considered at-risk for
failure either through an Individualized Education Plan or through teacher identification.
Both the control group and the treatment group of students were given a pre-unit survey
which asked questions relevant to their enjoyment of school. Of particular interest at the
end of the research became the question Do you enjoy school? and the Likert-type
scaled statement Please indicate how much you enjoy English class. This same survey
was administered after the unit was implemented as well to determine how the unit
affected student attitudes.
Students in the control group were taught the unit entitled Internal and External Monsters
with minimal technology use, exactly as the teachers designed it and had taught it before.
The treatment group were supposed to be taught the same unit through three tiers of
collaborative technology: (1) small group short story analysis and research via Google
Docs log; (2) whole class video blog debate; and (3) all-classes unit exam study guide via
Google Docs. Unfortunately, their attempts to implement the treatment variables met with
problems, and instructional time was lost for the treatment groups. Still, performance
data on the unit exam were collected to determine whether a significant difference in
performance existed between or within the two groups.
Overview of Analysis
~ Visual: Data logs and analyses ~
For survey question 1, Do you enjoy school/, students answered Yes or No. For
data analysis purposes, Yes was dummy-coded as 1, and No was dummy-coded as
2. For the Likert-type scale statement, students were able to choose a number between
1 and 5 to represent their enjoyment of English class. Students survey responses to the
question and the statement were disaggregated into data sets for four groupings: At-Risk
Non-Tech, At-Risk Tech, Not At-Risk Non-Tech, Not At-Risk Tech. Paired t-tests were
used to identify statistical differences in the groups responses before and after the
implementation of the treatment variable.

Overview of Results
~ Visual: PowerPoint slide listing main points ~
My research had identified associations between at-risk status and public school
dissatisfaction. Pre-survey results were analyzed to determine whether the research

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

findings were substantiated in this school. A paired t-test comparing the at-risk and not atrisk populations determine that no statistical significance in attitudes toward school or
toward English class existed between at-risk and not at-risk students before application of
the treatment variable, and the same results were found at the end of the unit as well.
After the treatment variable, students performance on a unit exam was studied to
determine whether the loss of instructional time and frustration with the technology
infrastructure had an impact on student learning. The mean for the technology group
grades was slightly higher than that of the non-technology groups, but no statistically
significant difference was found between the groups. A performance gap of twenty points
was evident, however, between the not at-risk and the at-risk groups overall.

Reflection on the Capstone Project

~ Visual: Close-up of me talking ~
The alarming finding that lost instructional time did not result in lower performance by
the treatment group espouses more questions about the efficacy of instructional time in
these and similar classrooms, but it also suggests that even fumbled attempts at
technology integration may be beneficial to students. The slightly higher mean score
despite the lost instructional time in the treatment classes actually implies that they
learned slightly more in less time, and that trying this study again and pushing through
the technological difficulties may present an answer to the original question after all. It is
a question I have not given up on, and one that I plan to answer for myself by the end of
next semester.
As I head back into the classroom, I will keep in mind what I learned through watching
the attempted lemonade sales in my neighborhood and its implications for technologyenhanced leadership. I know that collaborative technology will be the crux of my
curriculum, and I am confident that doing so will prove powerful for student engagement
and learning.
~Visual: The Lemonade Squad~
~References~
~The End~

References
Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, F. (2011). Team with ladder illustration. Creative Commons Attribution
Noncommercial license. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1IUpOp2.

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

Alizo, M. (2014). Categories of disability under IDEA. Retrieved from

www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/categories/.
Aguino, P. (2014). Integration of Mobile Devices into High School Classrooms: Engagement or
Distraction? Unpublished manuscript, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC.
Atherton, J. S. (2013) Learning and teaching: Constructivism in learning [On-line: UK]
Retrieved 5 December 2014 from
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/constructivism.htm
Bibik, J. M., Goodwin, S. C., & Omega-Smith, E. M. (2007). High school students' attitudes
toward physical education in Delaware. Physical Educator, 64(4), 192-204.
Booker, K., Sass, T. R., Gill, B., & Zimmer, R. (2011). The effects of charter high schools
on educational attainment. Journal of Labor Economics, 29(2), 377-415.
Barbour, M. K., & Siko, J. P. (2012). Virtual schooling through the eyes of an at-risk
student: A case study. European Journal of Open, Distance And E-Learning, (1),
Butler, J. S., Carr, D. A., Toma, E. F., & Zimmer, R. (2013). Choice in a world of new school
types. Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, 32(4), 785-806.doi:10.1002/pam.21711
Cote, J.M. (if 1901) or Villemard (if 1910). France in 2000 year (XXI century). Future school.
Retrieved from

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning#/media/File:France_in_XXI_Century._School.jpg
Deming, D. J., Hastings, J. S., Kane, T. J., & Staiger, D. O. (2014). School choice, school
quality, and postsecondary attainment. American Economic Review, 104(3), 991-1013.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/aer.104.3.991
Farhi, P. (2012). Flunking the test. American Journalism Review, 34(1), 26-31.
Fernndez, M., & Valverde, J. (2014). A community of practice: An intervention model based
on computer supported collaborative learning. Comunicar, 21(42), 97-105.
doi:10.3916/C42-2014-09
Field. L. (2011, September 14). Grant targets at-risk students. The Marietta Daily Journal.
Retrieved from http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/15509081/articleGrant-targets-at-risk-students.
Foster, A. (2014). Time for dtente between charter and traditional public schools. Phi
Delta Kappan, 95(5), 18-23.
Gould, A. (2014). Doing humanities scholarship online: A case study for the literary digital
humanities writing course. Interdisciplinary Humanities, 31(1), 23-41.
Gray, N. L. (2012). School choice and achievement: The Ohio charter school experience.

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

CATO Journal, 32(3), 557-579.

Grigg, J. (2012). School enrollment changes and student achievement growth: A case study
in educational disruption and continuity. Sociology of Education, 85(4), 388-404.
doi:10.1177/0038040712441374
Hallinan, M., & Kubitschek, W. N. (2012). A comparison of academic achievement and
adherence to the common school ideal in public and Catholic schools. Sociology of
Education, 85(1), 1-22. doi:10.1177/0038040711431586
Hill, P. T. (2005). The supply side of choice. Journal of Education, 186(2), 9-25.
Irving, S. (2014). Fumbling toward improving student desire to attend public school: A
quantitative study on the impact of technological difficulties on students attitudes and
performance in two ninth grade English classes. Unpublished manuscript, Department of
Education, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.
Knaak, W. C., & Knaak, J. T. (2013). Charter schools: Educational reform or failed initiative?.
Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 79(4), 45-53.
Koford, A. (2012). Laugh-out-loud cats #1988. Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial
license. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1CyLAO8.
Kolikant, Y. B. (2009). Students' Perceptions of the Appropriateness and Usefulness of the

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

Internet for Schoolwork and the Value of School. Journal Of Educational Computing
Research, 41(4), 407-429
Krebs, D. (2012). 2012-240 #6WordMission. Creative Commons Attribution license. Retrieved
from http://bit.ly/1HAjzkL.
Laferrire, T., Hamel, C., & Searson, M. (2013). Barriers to successful implementation of
technology integration in educational settings: a case study. Journal Of Computer
Assisted Learning, 29(5), 463-473. doi:10.1111/jcal.12034
Loeb, S., Valant, J., & Kasman, M. (2011). Increasing choice in the market for schools: Recent
reforms and their effects on student achievement. National Tax Journal, 64(1), 141-163.
Miller, N.W. & Lassman, M.E. (2013). What are we teaching our students?. Education,
134(2), 167-171.
Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and well-being. Oxford Review Of Education,
35(3), 391-403. doi:10.1080/03054980902934993
Streeter, B. (2009). Story time A thank you to teachers. Creative Commons Attribution
Noncommercial license. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1L0RKsP.
Swan, K., Garrison, D. R. & Richardson, J. C. (2009). A constructivist approach to online
learning: the Community of Inquiry framework. In Payne, C. R. (Ed.) Information

IRVING CAPSTONE VIDEO SCRIPT

10

Technology and Constructivism in Higher Education: Progressive Learning

Frameworks. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 43-57.
Thompson, N.L., Miller, N.C., & Franz, D.P. (2013). Comparing online and face-to-face
learning experiences for nontraditional students: A case study of three online teacher
education candidates. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 14(4), 233251.

U.S. Army. (2007). Army photography contest - 2007 - FMWRC - Arts and crafts - I can see you
Now. Creative Commons Attribution license. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1La5Dna.
Vanderweeen, B. (2007). Ready for school. Creative Commons Attribution-NoncommericlaNoDerivs license. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1NZh7cs.
Wolf, J. (2011). The wonderful world of teaching. Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs
license. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1JZYgQB.