Web 2.

0 Technologies 1

Running Head: WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES

Web 2.0 Technologies and Student Engagement at

Colorado’s Finest Alternative High School

Dylan Dyer

May 1, 2010

University of Colorado Denver

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Introduction and Problem Statement

My name is Dylan Dyer and I am a high school social studies teacher in

Englewood, Colorado. Currently, there is a strong push from our district to integrate

Web 2.0 tools, such as Wikispaces and Google Docs, into the classroom in order to

increase student engagement and achievement. This is an excellent objective for our

district to have, but because of budget cuts and time issues, there has been a lack of

professional development and training when it comes to using Web 2.0 tools such as

Wikispaces and Google Docs for educational purposes.

In my school, we have an abundance of technology, including eMacs and

Netbooks, all for student use. These resources should be put to their fullest potential, and

with the advent of Web 2.0 technologies, there has never been an easier time to use them

than right now. Because of these reasons, I decided to research the impact that Web 2.0

tools, specifically Wikispaces and Google Docs, have on student engagement.

Since there has been no concrete training on how to use Wikispaces or Google

Docs in my school, my staff members are left with no clear information as to how to use

these tools in their instruction, or which tools have the most impact on student

engagement. The research I completed has proven to be useful because it has provided

evidence as to whether or not Wikispaces and Google Docs positively or negatively

affect student engagement.

Purpose and Intended Audience

My coworkers desperately want to learn how to use technology that benefits them

and their students. Web 2.0 technologies like Wikispaces and Google Docs provide

endless opportunities for educators to engage students, but without the proper training
 Web 2.0 Technologies 3

and basic understanding of their uses and functions, they may not be used in engaging

ways. The purpose for my action research project was to research Wikispaces and Google

Docs in order to discover how these tools are impacting student engagement.

For my research project, I surveyed students about the use of Wikispaces and

Google Docs in their educational experience and used this information to benefit my self

and my fellow co-workers. My findings have provided me with answers to how students

feel about using Wikispaces and Google Docs in the classroom. I have also shared this

information with my other staff members to encourage them to make use of these

powerful tools in their classrooms.

Research Questions

The purpose of my action research project was to discover how Wikispaces and

Google Docs impact student engagement.

• How can my school use Wikispaces and Google Docs in ways that benefit our

students the most?

o If I question students about the impact Wikispaces and Google Docs have

on their engagement in learning, in what ways, if any, will the information

influence the way these tools are used at my school?

o Between Wikispaces and Google Docs, which tools do students believe to

have the highest impact on their engagement? And why?

o How do students feel about the use of Wikispaces and Google Docs at our

school?

It was important for me to define what “engagement” in learning means for the

students. I decided to use five different criteria to define how students can be “engaged”
 Web 2.0 Technologies 4

in their learning. See questions seven and eight of the student survey (table three) in the

appendix section to review the five different criteria that defines student engagement.

Context of Study

I work for Colorado’s Finest Alternative High School in Englewood, Colorado.

Our school has been in existence for over 20 years and has a strong reputation among the

other alternative high schools in the state. The system that we operate under has proven

to be very successful with the population that we serve. The majority of the students that

come to Colorado’s Finest represent the “at-risk” population of students from around the

Denver-Metro area. For many of our students, it is their last chance at graduating and for

this reason their attitude towards school and overall behavior has changed. For the most

part, our students want to be at school and are motivated to graduate.

However, our students, just like all other “traditional” students, have problems

becoming motivated about completing schoolwork and applying themselves in the

classroom. To combat these issues, the staff and students are very fortunate to have

excellent technological resources within our building. All students utilize the computers

at least one to two hours a day at the minimum.

Since our students are using the computers frequently throughout the day, it is

important that these resources are being used in the best possible ways and have the

maximum amount of impact on our students. This requires special knowledge and skills

on the part of the teacher in order to design curriculum that properly infuses the use of

computers into daily lessons.

These reasons have motivated me to conduct research that will inform my staff

about the types of technology (specifically Wikispaces and Google Docs) that have the
 Web 2.0 Technologies 5

most significant impact on our students and how these tools are being used in our

classrooms, from a student perspective.

Literature Review

Literature Search Question

This literature review addressed the research question: How can my school use

wikis and Google Docs in ways that benefit our students the most?

Search Procedures

I performed numerous searches on the Auraria Library Website searching for

articles from respectable educational journals, such as the Educational Researcher and

The Education Digest. I searched for key words and topics relating to my literature

search question including the benefits and overall impact of Web 2.0 tools and

technologies in an educational setting. Some of the key words I used were: Web 2.0,

tools, benefits, education, classroom, instruction, wikis, Google Docs.

Findings

After examining the literature surrounding the current issue of Web 2.0

technologies being integrated into the educational setting, it is clear that these

technologies are a trend that will continue to play a major role in how students are

educated in the future. The research suggested that these tools have the potential to

dramatically change the instructional methods and strategies that teachers employ along

with changing the learning behavior of students (Mills, 2007, p.4).

Benefits of Web 2.0

According to Magolda and Platt, “Web 2.0 technologies enable hybrid learning

spaces that travel across physical and cyber spaces according to principles of
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collaboration and participation” (Magolda, & Platt, 2009, p. 247). Web 2.0 tools

strongly encourage, facilitate and most often times require mandatory practices of

“sharing thoughts and information through self-publishing and harnessing the collective

intelligence of all users to generate information and solve problems” (Mills, 2007, p. 4).

With the implementation of these new tools, teachers have the ability to “create exciting

new learning opportunities” and “empower students” in the classroom by providing them

with creative, interactive and media oriented academic experiences (O’Hear, 2006, p. 1).

Student Demand

Another powerful trend that was apparent throughout the literature has been that

of student demand of new technologies in their learning experiences. The 21st century

student is often called a “digital native” that feels relatively at ease with Web 2.0

technologies because they are constantly using them in their personal lives. This has

created a demand by the students to use these types of technologies in the classroom and

meet their “technological expectations” (Hartshorne, & Ajjan, 2009, p. 184).

Integrating these new tools into the classroom has proven to be a challenge because the

majority of teachers do not fully understand Web 2.0 applications, let alone how they

could be used in an educational environment (Greenhow, Robelia, & Hughes,

2009, p. 247).

Realities of Web 2.0 in the Classroom

The literature provided many examples of how Web 2.0 technologies could be

used in the classroom and the benefits that can possibly be gained from using these tools

to “empower” students in their learning. However, one last trend throughout the research

I gathered was a lack of concrete evidence that suggested that these tools have the ability
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to increase student engagement. All of the research suggested possible uses for these

tools and the wonders they can achieve, but it is not clear yet whether or not it has truly

accomplished these things. According to a Learning, Media and Technology journal

article, “there is little evidence of ground breaking activities” related to Web 2.0 tools

transforming education. The authors of this article also reported that “few learners were

familiar with the complete spectrum of Web 2.0 activities and only a small number were

engaging in more sophisticated activities, such as producing and publishing self-created

content for a wider consumption” (Luckin, Clark, Graber, Logan, & Mee, 2009,

p. 1-3).

These findings directly related to the research question I was focused on regarding

Web 2.0 technology (specifically wikis and Google Docs) at my educational institution. I

was motivated by this research because it provided me with deep background knowledge

on the history, purpose and possibilities of Web 2.0. However, it encouraged me to

complete my own research in order to answer the question of “how are Web 2.0 tools

impacting student engagement.”

Quality of Literature

I believe that the literature I reviewed was credible and trustworthy. I performed

multiple searches for literature through the Auraria Library Website and pulled articles

from respectable educational journals. The literature I used was also very recent. With

the exception of two articles, all literature reviewed was published in 2009. Web 2.0 is a

relatively new topic and it is a topic that changes frequently, so I was encouraged to find

the latest and most current information.

Gap in Literature
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My findings enforced my belief that there is a lack of information when it comes

to concrete evidence that supports that Web 2.0 technologies impact student engagement

in learning. I believe my study was necessary because I was interested in gathering data

that would help explain whether or not Web 2.0 tools (specifically wikis and Google

Docs) impact student engagement in learning.

Literature Review Summary

Throughout the last century, the question of whether or

not innovative technology contributes positively to the educational

experience has been at the center of the educational world. It is

certain that the 21st century has provided a wide variety of different

technologies that possess educational potential, which greatly surpass

those of the past. The technology of the present that is making a

powerful statement in the educational world is Web 2.0. It is apparent

is that these tools are a trend in the educational world that will be

around for a long time and will play an increasingly significant role in

the classroom of the future. However, determining whether or not this

technology has clear benefits and positively impacts student

engagement remains a debatable question.

Methods

Participants

I chose to use students as my participants and collected data from them because it

is them who ultimately should be benefiting from the use of Wikispaces and Google Docs

in the classroom. I wanted to know what they had to say about technology use at our
 Web 2.0 Technologies 9

school by learning what their reactions were in terms of how wikis and Google Docs

impacted their engagement in learning.

Data Gathering Procedures

Originally, I planned on creating a survey using a Google Doc form/spreadsheet. I

changed my plan and used the SurveyMonkey online service instead so I could use the

data analysis tools. I included questions about the student’s familiarity with and

knowledge of Wikispaces and Google Docs, specifically, how these tools have been used

in their classes. I collected information regarding the student’s perceptions about how

these tools (wikis and Google Docs) impact their engagement in their academics. Also, I

collected data from students in my classes and other classes where teachers are using

wikis and Google Docs.

Data Analysis Procedures

I originally planned on analyzing my data using charts and spreadsheets and

collecting my data using a Google Doc form. However, I altered my plan in order to use

the online survey tool, SurveyMonkey. This provided me with an easier way to collect

and analyze my data.

Quantitative data from students:

• Number of students that are familiar with/used Wikispaces and Google Docs

• Number of students that use both of these tools on a daily basis

• Number of students that have never used these tools in a class at my school

• Number of students that feel like using Wikispaces and Google Docs increase

their engagement in learning

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• Number of students that feel like using Wikispaces and Google Docs has a

negative impact on their engagement in learning

• Number of students that feel like they have more control, ownership and

responsibility over their learning by using Wikispaces and Google Docs

• Number of students that feel like they have less control, ownership and

responsibility over their learning by using tools

Schedule

For the most part, I was able to remain on schedule with the demands of the

course and my proposed schedule for data gathering and analysis procedures. See table 4

in the appendix to view the original schedule with few modifications.

Ethical Procedures

By participating in the survey, students shared their perceptions and beliefs about

how Wikispaces and Google Docs are used at our school. Some students might have had

negative perceptions about these topics and felt uncomfortable sharing their opinions. I

made sure that all participants knew that the surveys they completed were confidential

and that they would not be contacted about the information they shared.

Checks for Rigor

I originally planned on interviewing several different students in different classes

with different teachers along with interviewing some staff members as well to ensure

different perspectives and viewpoints. However, I altered my plan by focusing on the

student survey to collect my data. I wanted students to offer honest information that was

not influenced by an “in-person” interview. I believe that this strategy still allowed a

well-rounded perspective of how Wikispaces and Google Docs are being used in our
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school and how they impact student engagement.

Findings

After reviewing and categorizing my data utilizing these steps, I was able to draw

meaningful conclusions that helped address my research questions. Based on the themes

in my data that directly correlated to my research questions, I have made the following

conclusions.

Frequency of Web 2.0 Use

A large majority of students surveyed at CFAHS are familiar with Wikispaces and

Google Docs and are currently using both of these tools on a daily basis in order to

complete course work and assignments. Eighty-nine 89.3% of students surveyed have

used Wikispaces and 92.9% of students surveyed have used Google Docs to complete

class work and assignments. 67.9% of students use Wikispaces and 61.8% of students

use Google Docs at least twice a day to complete class work and assignments. These

findings make it clear that these two Web 2.0 tools have a large presence in our

organization.

Impact of Wikispaces on Student Engagement

The majority of students surveyed believe that utilizing Wikispaces impacts their

engagement in class work and assignments by doing the following:

 Increases control over completing class work and assignments – 69.1%

 Increases responsibility of completing class work and assignments – 56.4%

 Increases understanding of class work and assignments – 58.2%

 Increases ease of completing class work and assignments – 60.0%

The majority of students surveyed believe that utilizing Wikispaces does not
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impact their motivation to complete or their interest in class assignments. I believe that

this is a significant finding in my data. Motivation and interest are two important factors

that encourage engagement in learning and are not being impacted with the use of

Wikispaces. After completing my survey, I feel strongly that Wikispaces do impact

student engagement in a positive way. However, it is not a perfect solution to combating

lack of student engagement in learning. The results of this survey question can be seen in

table one in the appendix.

Impact of Google Docs on Student Engagement

The majority of students surveyed believe that utilizing Google Docs impacts

their engagement in class work and assignments by doing the following:

 Increases control over completing class work and assignments – 63.6%

 Increases responsibility of completing class work and assignments – 56.4%

 Increases ease of completing class work and assignments – 56.4%

Similar to Wikispaces, the majority of students surveyed believe that utilizing

Google Docs does not impact their motivation to complete class assignments, their

interest in class assignments, in addition to their understanding of class assignments. It is

clear that Google Docs, just like Wikispaces, can only provide so many benefits to their

users. However, I believe that both of these technology tools are worth using in the

classroom if they have the ability to increase student engagement in even a small way.

The results of this survey question can be viewed in table two in the appendix.

Best Web 2.0 Tools

The last theme in my data collection was which tool is more liked by the student

population. From the surveyed students, 56.9% believe that the Web 2.0 tool that
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provides them with the most help and assistance completing class assignments is Google

Docs. In accordance with this data, 69.1% of students simply like using Google Docs

more than Wikispaces when completing class work and assignments.

Implications for Practice

My research has suggested implications for next steps at my school and actions

that should be taken among my fellow staff members. My research has been encouraging

because it clearly proves that using Web 2.0 tools like Wikispaces and Google Docs

positively impacts students learning. My major recommendation for my organization is

simply that teachers begin utilizing these tools in their classrooms as frequently as

possible. However, this is easier said than done. There are many teachers in my building

who do not feel comfortable using technology in their classroom. Therefore, I believe

that further research must be completed in order to understand what teachers need in

terms of professional development so that they can successfully implement the use of

Wikispaces and Google Docs into their instruction.

Conclusions

I have concluded that several different teachers at my organization are using Web

2.0 tools, specifically Wikispaces and Google Docs, on a consistent basis. Because of

this fact students have become familiar with these two types of learning tools and feel

comfortable using them to complete class work and assignments. I have also concluded

that the use of Wikispaces and Google Docs are positively impacting the majority of

students at CFAHS and that teachers should continue using these tools in their

classrooms for educational purposes. It is clear that these tools are increasing student’s

engagement in learning, especially by providing students more control, access and

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understanding of course materials. This conclusion can also be linked to the findings in

the literature I reviewed that state that Web 2.0 tools can be powerful tools in the

classroom.

However, even though these tools do have an impact on student engagement in

terms of student’s control, access, responsibility and understanding of course materials,

these tools do not appear to increase student’s motivation or interest in course work or

assignments. I believe that this is an important thing that I might be overlooking. It is

important to remember that engagement in learning can mean many different things. I

believe that if Web 2.0 tools have the ability to increase some aspects of student

engagement in learning, it will hopefully have a direct affect on student achievement in

other areas as well.

My data is reliable and valid because all students that were chosen to take the

survey were randomly chosen. Students that happened to be at school on the day that the

survey was given participated. Students were monitored while taking the survey and it

was only possible for a student to take the survey once, guaranteeing that a student didn’t

take the survey twice and invalidate the data. Student participation was not mandatory, so

only students willing to take the survey actually responded and gave their input. Also,

the survey was anonymous. Therefore, students did not feel like they would be held

accountable for unfavorable responses or punished if they answered a question in an

incorrect manner.

I believe that my research is limited because it is difficult to measure the idea of

student engagement. My research does not focus on a specific subject or content area.

This might be a limitation because student engagement may vary from topic to topic.
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This would alter my data and possibly produce different results.

Overall, I am happy with the results of my data because they have given me

confidence in Web 2.0 use in the classroom for educational purposes. It is clear that

Wikispaces and Google Docs have clear benefits for students and have the potential to

positively impact student engagement in learning.

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References

1. Greenhow, C., Robelia, B., & Hughes, J.E. (2009). Learning, teaching, and
scholarship in a digital age: web 2.0 and classroom research: what path
should we take?. Educational Researcher, 38(4), Retrieved from
http://edr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/38/4/246

2. Hartshorne, R., & Ajjan, H. (2009). Examining student decisions to adopt

web 2.0 technologies: theory and empirical tests. J Computer High
Education, 21.

3. Luckin, R., Clark, W., Graber, R., Logan, K., & Mee, A. (2009). Do web 2.0
tools really open the door to learning? . Learning, Media and
Technology, 34(2), Retrieved from
www.informaworld.com.skyline.cudenver.edu/smpp/section?
content=a912649623&fulltext=713240928

4. Magolda, P.M., & Platt, G.J. (2009). Untangling web 2.0's influences on
student learning. Wiley InterScience , Retrieved from
www.interscience.wiley.com

5. Mills, L.B. (2007). The next wave now: web 2.0. The Education Digest,
73(4), Retrieved from http://0-
vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.skyline.cudenver.edu/hww/results/results_singl
e_ftPES.jhtml

6. O'Hear, S. (2006, August 8). E-learning 2.0 - how web technologies are
shaping education. Retrieved from
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e-learning_20.php

7. Stringer, E. (2007). Action research, third edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, Inc.
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Appendix

Table 1. Wikispaces – Impact on Student Engagement

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Table 2. Google Docs – Impact on Student Engagement

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Table 3. Student Survey

1. Have you ever been in a class where the teacher uses a Wikispace to create a
course website that students are able to access?
a. Yes
b. No
c. I’m not sure

2. Have you ever been in a class where you have used Google Docs to complete
your class work?
a. Yes
b. No
c. I’m not sure

3. How many times do you access a course Wikispace during a school day to
complete class assignments?
a. Never
b. 1-2 times a day
c. 3-4 times a day
d. Over 5 times a day

4. How many times do you access Google Docs during a school day to complete
class assignments?
a. Never
b. 1-2 times a day
c. 3-4 times a day
d. Over 5 times a day

5. How many of your teachers during 5th session are using Wikispaces in their
classes?
a. 0
b. 1-2
c. 3-4
d. 5 or more

6. How many of your teachers require you to use Google Docs to complete class
assignments?
a. 0
b. 1-2
c. 3-4
d. Over 5

7. Do you feel like having access to a Wikispace/course website increases,

decreases, or does not affect your engagement in class work and assignments?
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Increases Decreases No Change

Motivation to
complete
assignments
Control over
completing over
class assignments
Interest in class
assignments
Responsibility of
completing class
assignments
Understanding of
class assignments
Ease of completing
class assignments

8. Do you feel like using Google Docs to complete class assignments increases,
decreases, or does not affect your engagement in completing class work and
assignments?
Increases Decreases No Change
Motivation to
complete
assignments
Control over
completing over
class assignments
Interest in class
assignments
Responsibility of
completing class
assignments
Understanding of
class assignments
Ease of completing
class assignments

9. Between Wikispaces and Google Docs, which tool do you believe to help you the
most when completing class assignments?
a. Wikispaces
b. Google Docs

10. Do you like using Wikispaces and Google Docs in school?

Like Dislike No Preference
Google Docs
Wikispaces
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Table 4: Action Research Schedule

1. Finalize survey questions * I decided to use

2/22 2. Create student survey using Google Doc form SurveyMonkey.com
3. Create a wiki that will house the Google Doc rather than using a
surveys so that it may be easily distributed to Google Doc.
students
4. Get permission from other teachers that they
will survey their students using my student
survey
1. Begin interviewing students in my social studies * I decided not to do
3/1 classes student interviews
2. Instruct other teachers to interview their students
3. Begin searching for literature that may be used
for literature review assignment
1. Finish interviewing students * No changes
3/8 2. Begin reviewing data
3. Continue work on literature review in order to
submit on March 13, 2010
1. Begin compiling and analyzing data * No changes
3/15- 2. Draw meaning and conclusion from the data and
3/22 incorporate into my research report
1. Analyze and compile data in charts * No changes
3/29- 2. Draw conclusions from data and begin work on
4/12 Data Analysis Assignment
1. Submit Data Analysis * No changes
4/19 2. Begin writing Final Action Research Report

4/26- 1. Revise Final Action Research Report * No changes

5/3 2. Submit Action Research Report