Thesis Project Proposal

Thesis Project Proposal
Summer Weirich

I created my own major, “Science, Technology, & Society,” that will allow me to acquire adequate knowledge of these three areas that will then allow me to integrate content and technology in the classroom. I have always been more interested in my classes when topics have been introduced in alternative forms whether it be creating papier maché globes, nature photo hunts, or creating PowerPoint presentations. I believe that technology is a wonderful aid in the classroom, but how can I integrate technology into my classroom in an effective manner?

I would like to conduct research on elementary education and the way that children learn with and without the use of technology. Perusing Gina Cervetti’s Seeds of Science / Roots of Reading curriculum has helped me to see what is necessary to form a challenging curriculum. This curriculum integrates science inquiry with content-rich literacy instruction; the curriculum emphasizes what is helpful in making students think for themselves and grow as learners.

I believe that technology of all sorts can aid in student learning in the classroom. I would like to research the types of technology that would be helpful in integrating science and technology in the (3rd-5th) classroom. I plan on creating a curriculum inspired by Seeds of Science / Roots of Reading that will be practical for students in elementary school. I will be conducting a research project beginning next semester that will investigate the extent to which technology aids (or doesn’t aid) classroom learning. I will have a control group of students that will be learning the content without the use of additional technology; the test group will be taught the same content but with the integration of technology.

One of my ideas is to create a website that leads children through my curriculum. The control group will have static images to teach the standards (e.g., Colorado Science Standard 4.9: The rotation of the Earth on its axis, in relation to the sun, produces the day-and-night cycle and the orbit of the Earth around the sun completes one year) while the test group will be looking at dynamic images online and using computer simulations when necessary to learn the same content.
I addition to the different kinds of models, students will be able to wear headphones to hear what the reading says while they are reading it. I predict that this feature of the website will allow students to decrease their cognitive load and in turn they will learn more. I will also include links to definitions of vocabulary words and the aforementioned demonstrations that will allow students to quickly increase their knowledge.

I will be researching effective methods of instruction, different types of curriculum, and technology integration to create a curriculum that synthesizes science and technology for elementary students. I will create a website that is easy to use for elementary aged students and that is also an effective tool for instruction. After completion of this project I will conduct my research in an elementary classroom over the course of a few weeks with the test and control groups. When I complete the research phase I will then analyze my data and write my thesis on the effects of technology in the classroom.