Today was a tedious but productive day, consisting of a lot of spreadsheet organization and data analysis. I decided that even though I lack the kind of sample size I would like, I would begin data synthesis on the quantitative portions of the survey such that I can easily add more subjects in as they come along. It is a very long process, but one that pays off when you take the time to set up your spread sheets correctly. Also, the online survey provider we use makes spreadsheets that are rather difficult to view without extensive modification.
Things that are currently driving me nuts while working with these data include: Why are people skipping so many questions? There not hard, thier not invasive, and there are no identifiers! Also, had it been my choice, I would have reformatted the survey to be more quantitative.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
June 17th
Udiscover, Presentation of doctoral student on Nanoparticle technology.
Reading materials provided by Doctor Ezrailson on "Semi formal Interviewing techniques"
Reading materials provided by Doctor Ezrailson on "Semi formal Interviewing techniques"
June 16th
Finished remainder of standard correlation, preparing to send electronically to teachers that attended workshop. Somewhat disappointed with a few of my colleagues that were supposed to assist me with the correlation process. Completed mostly by myself, but pleased with the result.
Dr. Ezrailson has proposed that I might teach a short course on the hands on aspects of what we learned at PAN during the South Dakota Governor's Camp meeting on July 24th. I am hopeful that this may also present an opportunity to survey and perhaps interview some science teachers who will already be on campus.
I am going to try to learn more about how I might obtain an audience for focus grouping. I also intend to write a timeline that I must have results, and what results I would like to have, soon, because I feel this will help Dr. E and I communicate better.
Dr. Ezrailson has proposed that I might teach a short course on the hands on aspects of what we learned at PAN during the South Dakota Governor's Camp meeting on July 24th. I am hopeful that this may also present an opportunity to survey and perhaps interview some science teachers who will already be on campus.
I am going to try to learn more about how I might obtain an audience for focus grouping. I also intend to write a timeline that I must have results, and what results I would like to have, soon, because I feel this will help Dr. E and I communicate better.
June 9-13th
PAN Underground Workshop on nuclear physics, Daily from 9-5:00.
This was an excellent experience for me, it was not only very rich in content that I was previously unfamiliar with, but presented me with on opportunity to observe the environment and format of a teacher education program. I was pleased to be able to help design some of the materials for the workshop, Including correlation of National, South Dakota, and Nebraska state educational standards to the new material presented. I would be pleased to provide anyone with a copy of this document; this would be a great way to find out what was covered during the workshop. Finally, I was able to gather much insight from being around so many experienced professionals.
I was also given the opportunity to practice my small group focus skills near the end of the workshop with the teachers that were present.
This was an excellent experience for me, it was not only very rich in content that I was previously unfamiliar with, but presented me with on opportunity to observe the environment and format of a teacher education program. I was pleased to be able to help design some of the materials for the workshop, Including correlation of National, South Dakota, and Nebraska state educational standards to the new material presented. I would be pleased to provide anyone with a copy of this document; this would be a great way to find out what was covered during the workshop. Finally, I was able to gather much insight from being around so many experienced professionals.
I was also given the opportunity to practice my small group focus skills near the end of the workshop with the teachers that were present.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
June 5
PAN Underground Workshop Prep
Created a daily debriefing flow chart and plans for creating a blogging network for workshop feedback, questions, and inter member communication.
Finished writing focus questions and implementation charts with Dr. E.
*If any are interested in viewing these materials, send me an e-mail.
More discussion on how we can help make the workshop meaningful to teachers, I know it probably does not make much sense to a casual reader, but the problem is that even though nuclear physics, particle physics, and radiation are very interesting to students and can be taught a level appropriate to them, most standards just do not address these areas in any depth. Teachers have a ton to teach already, and they will not, and can not, simply add on to their already crunched curriculum.
Created a daily debriefing flow chart and plans for creating a blogging network for workshop feedback, questions, and inter member communication.
Finished writing focus questions and implementation charts with Dr. E.
*If any are interested in viewing these materials, send me an e-mail.
More discussion on how we can help make the workshop meaningful to teachers, I know it probably does not make much sense to a casual reader, but the problem is that even though nuclear physics, particle physics, and radiation are very interesting to students and can be taught a level appropriate to them, most standards just do not address these areas in any depth. Teachers have a ton to teach already, and they will not, and can not, simply add on to their already crunched curriculum.
June 4
Called Jordan, met at 1:00 in Sioux City to talk about how we wanted to correlate the standards to what would be done in the workshop. We were both a little confused, as neither of us was one hundred percent sure what would be in the workshop based on the schedule alone. However, we were able to decide on a basic format for the draft. (Which I would later come to change many times)
At this point, I must say that I had some uncertainties as to the relevance of this teachers workshop on nuclear and particle physics to my research (remember I am still catching up in my journal and this is all over now) but, in addition to being an overall great experience in general, I got to help with, participate, and observe everything that goes into creating a continuing education program, the ultimate goal of my research.
At this point, I must say that I had some uncertainties as to the relevance of this teachers workshop on nuclear and particle physics to my research (remember I am still catching up in my journal and this is all over now) but, in addition to being an overall great experience in general, I got to help with, participate, and observe everything that goes into creating a continuing education program, the ultimate goal of my research.
June 3
U discover, meeting 2
Creation of Online Research Log (almost caught up!) and E-portfolio.
Talking with Dr. Ezrailson about the PAN Underground workshop for teachers coming to USD. She has signed me up for a week of nuclear physics... Dr Ezrailson is collaborating with the instructors of the workshop to help make the material more pertinent to teachers, she has also received the okay to do a "focus group style" session near the end of the workshop with the goal of brainstorming plans for how teachers can bring what they have learned to the classroom. I will be facilitating this group, and am currently working on an outline for participants.
I feel in a strange position, however, as I am an undergrad and these people are experienced teachers. I guess the important thing to remember is that I will be there learning with them and from them and that I am not there to teach them anything, just help them communicate with each other and bring collaboration into fruition.
I am supposed to contact Jordan, he may be helping us with some standards correlation and perhaps even attending the workshop.
Creation of Online Research Log (almost caught up!) and E-portfolio.
Talking with Dr. Ezrailson about the PAN Underground workshop for teachers coming to USD. She has signed me up for a week of nuclear physics... Dr Ezrailson is collaborating with the instructors of the workshop to help make the material more pertinent to teachers, she has also received the okay to do a "focus group style" session near the end of the workshop with the goal of brainstorming plans for how teachers can bring what they have learned to the classroom. I will be facilitating this group, and am currently working on an outline for participants.
I feel in a strange position, however, as I am an undergrad and these people are experienced teachers. I guess the important thing to remember is that I will be there learning with them and from them and that I am not there to teach them anything, just help them communicate with each other and bring collaboration into fruition.
I am supposed to contact Jordan, he may be helping us with some standards correlation and perhaps even attending the workshop.
June 2
Left for Sioux Falls 6:00 AM. Presented our safety seminar to a disappointingly small crowd of teachers at 9:20, yet the small crowd allowed us to gain some quality insight into the problem of inadequate teacher safety education. A couple of problems that we had not foreseen were brought to our attention:
Science teachers often are in possession of very old, very dangerous chemicals that should not, by their very nature, be in a school laboratory. However, many are unaware of how to dispose of them or are afraid to because of fear of consequences for exposing the school's poor safety practices.
Because I was already there and 2 hours from home, I went to a couple more seminars at the symposium. Understanding Hispanic Culture and Science Teaching Redefined.
I nearly fell asleep several times on the way home, thank Heaven for those bumps on the side of the road.
*Anyone may contact me for a copy of the materials we presented (there are a few extras!)
Science teachers often are in possession of very old, very dangerous chemicals that should not, by their very nature, be in a school laboratory. However, many are unaware of how to dispose of them or are afraid to because of fear of consequences for exposing the school's poor safety practices.
Because I was already there and 2 hours from home, I went to a couple more seminars at the symposium. Understanding Hispanic Culture and Science Teaching Redefined.
I nearly fell asleep several times on the way home, thank Heaven for those bumps on the side of the road.
*Anyone may contact me for a copy of the materials we presented (there are a few extras!)
May 30th
Continuing with Monday's Educational Symposium plans.
Finished schedule and group safety activity.
Stayed very very late copying, collating, stapling, placing U stickers, and filing materials in folders for participants in our survey. I have never felt more like a teacher, I'm not sure I like it!
Finished schedule and group safety activity.
Stayed very very late copying, collating, stapling, placing U stickers, and filing materials in folders for participants in our survey. I have never felt more like a teacher, I'm not sure I like it!
May 29
Began preparing for a classroom safety seminar at the Educational Symposium in Sioux Falls. I will be presenting with Dr. Ezrailson.
Finished Agenda of Events
Began "equipment safety and scenario" activity
Lots of planning
Finished Agenda of Events
Began "equipment safety and scenario" activity
Lots of planning
May 27
U-Discover Orientation.
Radiation Safety Certification Training
Bioinformatics
Ethics in the Laboratory
Human Subjects Research
Radiation Safety Certification Training
Bioinformatics
Ethics in the Laboratory
Human Subjects Research
May 21
Arrived at Vermilion and was given several documents to read regarding how to lead focus groups. Included information on setting a proper focus group atmosphere, meaningful questioning strategies, proper note taking.
Of particular interest, a method of systematic analysis was discussed, making the daunting task of interpreting a vast quantity of qualitative data seem not so impossible.
1. After first preliminary steps, when a few days have passed, read all transcripts and notes in one setting for a broad scope understanding.
2. Lay large papers on a table, one for each question or theme, divided by group types.
3. Cut out relevant quotes, the most telling of your data, and tape them on the papers, you may mark the source of the quotes.
4. For each paper, write a statement paragraph after observing what quotes you have placed.
5. Write follow up descriptive paragraphs explaining anything not explained in main paragraph.
6. Use all of your main paragraphs to synthesis a final report.
Questions I still have are related to just how one might go about organising a group of professionals, in this case, teachers, to participate in a focus group. It seems that typically incentives are given, but I do not know how this will work as I can't provide funding.
Of particular interest, a method of systematic analysis was discussed, making the daunting task of interpreting a vast quantity of qualitative data seem not so impossible.
1. After first preliminary steps, when a few days have passed, read all transcripts and notes in one setting for a broad scope understanding.
2. Lay large papers on a table, one for each question or theme, divided by group types.
3. Cut out relevant quotes, the most telling of your data, and tape them on the papers, you may mark the source of the quotes.
4. For each paper, write a statement paragraph after observing what quotes you have placed.
5. Write follow up descriptive paragraphs explaining anything not explained in main paragraph.
6. Use all of your main paragraphs to synthesis a final report.
Questions I still have are related to just how one might go about organising a group of professionals, in this case, teachers, to participate in a focus group. It seems that typically incentives are given, but I do not know how this will work as I can't provide funding.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
May 19th
Finals over, first significant meeting after school dismissal.
So far, to my great displeasure, we have received only 11 responses to our survey. This does not even seem possible, considering the network we used to send invitations should have contacted somewhere between 600-800 subjects. I am concerned that something has gone wrong and that the survey has not reached its intended audience. Dr. Ezrailson says she will try to follow up on this. We are also going to remove all identifiers, perhaps this will help, and I think it should be done anyway.
In the mean time, we are discussing other possible alternatives for collecting data on teacher needs for a safety program should the survey prove inadequate.
Spent the majority of my time today, approximately 5 hours, becoming certified to do exempt research on human subjects (CITI Training.) I was quite pleased with the experience, though it was time consuming.
So far, to my great displeasure, we have received only 11 responses to our survey. This does not even seem possible, considering the network we used to send invitations should have contacted somewhere between 600-800 subjects. I am concerned that something has gone wrong and that the survey has not reached its intended audience. Dr. Ezrailson says she will try to follow up on this. We are also going to remove all identifiers, perhaps this will help, and I think it should be done anyway.
In the mean time, we are discussing other possible alternatives for collecting data on teacher needs for a safety program should the survey prove inadequate.
Spent the majority of my time today, approximately 5 hours, becoming certified to do exempt research on human subjects (CITI Training.) I was quite pleased with the experience, though it was time consuming.
May 2nd
Continuing research into experimental design (pre-test, post-test, true experiment.) Source: online social research textbook at http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/design.php. Latter ran by preliminary statistical analysis method by my biostatistics teacher, he approved, but suggested an alternative method of two plot anova as an alternative to my proposition of paired t-tests. Will have to look into further as I am unfamiliar with that type of anova.
Other reading included a basic review of how to best maintain validity, examples of foils to the validity of an experiment, etc...
Survey has been field tested by two teachers by now, recommendations noted and survey sent to list of k-8 teachers provided by the Dean. Both Dr. Ezrailson and I are a little worried that the survey may be going out a little late in the school year for teachers to take it seriously...
Other reading included a basic review of how to best maintain validity, examples of foils to the validity of an experiment, etc...
Survey has been field tested by two teachers by now, recommendations noted and survey sent to list of k-8 teachers provided by the Dean. Both Dr. Ezrailson and I are a little worried that the survey may be going out a little late in the school year for teachers to take it seriously...
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
April 30th (Survey online)
Dr. Ezrailson has informed me that an online draft of the survey is up. I will be taking the survey myself under the code of test 4 in order to check for errors. We have thankfully received funding from the Dean of Education for a one year full membership to surveymonkey.com.
Two small errors noted and corrected on survey. Quite impressed with how professional it looks.
Dr. Ezrailson has given me some reading on experimental design and statistics to get started on.
Two small errors noted and corrected on survey. Quite impressed with how professional it looks.
Dr. Ezrailson has given me some reading on experimental design and statistics to get started on.
April 22, 2008 (Survey Provider Research)
After viewing several options for potential free online survey providers, it has become apparent that these free services will not be acceptable for our purposes. Free survey access generally has a limited number of invitations, usually less than 100, that can be sent to subjects. Other downfalls of free services include limited data access, limited survey configuration, limited question quantity, and advertisements.
I believe that it would be well worth the small fee to subscribe to one of these online survey companies instead of try to make the free services work. The prices are quite reasonable, and many of them offer an academic discount. I will recommend several possible providers to Dr. Ezrailson, and if need be, pay the small fee myself, as this will make my job much easier in the long run.
*www.esurveypro.com
*www.surveymonkey.com
*www.freeonlinesurvey.com
-Completed project summery for Dr. E's report
I believe that it would be well worth the small fee to subscribe to one of these online survey companies instead of try to make the free services work. The prices are quite reasonable, and many of them offer an academic discount. I will recommend several possible providers to Dr. Ezrailson, and if need be, pay the small fee myself, as this will make my job much easier in the long run.
*www.esurveypro.com
*www.surveymonkey.com
*www.freeonlinesurvey.com
-Completed project summery for Dr. E's report
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Previous Work, Intro
The purpose of this entry is to inform those who may be concerned of the previous efforts that have been taken before the start of the Udiscover program.
As you know, our ultimate research goal is to develop and test a program to enhance the safety training of k-8 science teachers. On ongoing and critical directive in the development of this program must naturally be to become as expert on laboratory and general safety practices as possible, therefore, even prior to Udiscover acceptance, a great deal of time and effort has been devoted into researching these "best practices" from a variaty of sources. Sources range from the NSTA (National Science Teacher Association) to university safety recommendations to industrial laboratory specifications, and all efforts to site specific information will be made.
Secondly, it is our hope to obtain valuable insight and further conformation of our suspisions that additional safety training may be necessary for K-8 teachers via analysis of an online survey created primarily by undergraduate researcher Rachel Kludt in collaboration with Dr. Ezrailson. This survey was the subject of Miss Kludt's IdeaFest presentation, and if you would like to view it, please contact either myself or Dr. E.
In addition to the survey, we hope to gain some additional qualitative data on what type of a program teacher's would like to attend and what they believe should be included in such a program through a series of focus group sessions. In this way, we will be better able to fulfill the needs of our final audience.
*Note: You are welcome to view my full Udiscover research proposition, please contact me
I am now going to begin my E-log, backtracking to about April 22nd, a couple of weeks after I started working with Dr. Ezrailson. Look at posting title for actual date.
Thank You
Phillip G Millard
USD, Biology Education
As you know, our ultimate research goal is to develop and test a program to enhance the safety training of k-8 science teachers. On ongoing and critical directive in the development of this program must naturally be to become as expert on laboratory and general safety practices as possible, therefore, even prior to Udiscover acceptance, a great deal of time and effort has been devoted into researching these "best practices" from a variaty of sources. Sources range from the NSTA (National Science Teacher Association) to university safety recommendations to industrial laboratory specifications, and all efforts to site specific information will be made.
Secondly, it is our hope to obtain valuable insight and further conformation of our suspisions that additional safety training may be necessary for K-8 teachers via analysis of an online survey created primarily by undergraduate researcher Rachel Kludt in collaboration with Dr. Ezrailson. This survey was the subject of Miss Kludt's IdeaFest presentation, and if you would like to view it, please contact either myself or Dr. E.
In addition to the survey, we hope to gain some additional qualitative data on what type of a program teacher's would like to attend and what they believe should be included in such a program through a series of focus group sessions. In this way, we will be better able to fulfill the needs of our final audience.
*Note: You are welcome to view my full Udiscover research proposition, please contact me
I am now going to begin my E-log, backtracking to about April 22nd, a couple of weeks after I started working with Dr. Ezrailson. Look at posting title for actual date.
Thank You
Phillip G Millard
USD, Biology Education
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