EDLD 5326
AR Project Summary


For me this has been the most overwhelming part of the program. I am always second guessing myself, and am unsure if I am doing this right, collecting the correct data, or representing it correctly. Time has flown by and I have not been as diligent about writing up my findings as I should.  I have plenty of notes; I just need to find the time to finally put it all together in paper format, thus one of the reasons for taking off the next class to get caught up. 

My action research is based on the effects of including Smart phone technology into the classroom. I wanted to see if teacher frustration with smart phone devices could be relieved if provided with professional development on how to integrate them into lessons.  In the meantime, my school went 100% one to one iPad integrated.  I thought this was the end of my project, but we still have students whose parents do not want them to have an iPad, or refuse to pay the insurance fee. We do still have a few students who do not, nor will not, have an iPad. So I have been able to continue my project with an inclusion of the iPad. I have been able to observe classes, interview and survey teachers and students on how they use the smart phone in place of the iPad. I have given teachers professional development on the smart phone and various APPs to use in the classroom. For the most part, the APPs discussed mirrored the APPs on the iPad, or had web addresses that could be accessed just as on the iPad. I have discovered that the smart devices have provided an excellent addition to the iPad, particularly when a student does not have their iPad, or never had one.  Several of my personal students never missed a beat has the lesson progressed, because they used their smart phone. By providing teachers with additional information on another useful tool in the classroom, students are more engaged in the lesson, and less distracted by the smart phone.