Examining the Potential for Flipped Literature Units

This chapter discusses a case study of an eleventh-grade American Literature course in the Southwestern United States using flipped teaching approaches with technology for the first time. The study's purpose was to investigate the effects of flipping using technology on how the teacher and students worked, learned, and engaged with English Language Arts (ELA) content. Specifically, the researcher hoped to study the effects of flipped coursework on homework and classwork, the students' and teacher's responses to flipped strategies, and the impact of technology on a two-week unit on The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald, 1925). The teacher worked with the researcher to choose four activities in the unit to flip, which involved a webquest, Google quiz, blog, and online PowerPoint. The participants in the study included the teacher: Mr. Riggs, a veteran ELA teacher with over 20 years' experience and four eleventh grade students: Simone, a bi-racial female; Omar, an African-American male; Garrett, a Caucasian male; and Audrey, a Latino female. Through open-coding analysis of interviews with each participant during the study, field notes taken throughout the unit, and documents collected from online and paper artifacts, three major categories were established. The major categories included perceptions of changes in classwork and homework, impact of technology, and appeal of flipped classrooms. The findings of this study revealed that the flipped unit had an impact on the amount of homework, the type of homework and classwork, homework completion, time spent in class, and the way technology was used. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation played an important role on whether flipped assignments were completed on time or were engaging for students. A final important finding showed that teacher flexibility was necessary for the flipped unit to be successful. This study provides insight into how flipping could work and look in an ELA classroom.

Exploring Creativity in Social Studies Education for Elementary Grades: Teachers’ Opinions and Interpretations

Creativity is the critical point to developing innovative and effective citizens and children in learning social studies. The purpose of this study is to explore how creativity is promoted in social studies classrooms for young children and to research teachers’ opinions and interpretations of creativity in Turkish elementary schools. The study was conducted with in-depth interviews, teacher observation, and teacher drawings. The participants included 33 Grade -1 to Grade 4 (K1-K4) teachers, all of whom taught “life science” which is a key and preliminary subject for social studies from Grade 1 to Grade 3, and social studies for Grade 4 in central Turkey. The case study was used as a qualitative methodology. The data was analyzed using MAXQDA-11. The findings revealed that teachers were highly motivated and eager to nurture creativity in their students’ social studies learning in their implication for practice. They also indicated some obstacles regarding low-quality curriculum and instruction, teachers’ negative perceptions in promoting creativity, and finally a lack of teacher flexibility, freedom, and well-qualified professional development.

Examining the Potential for Flipped Literature Units

This chapter discusses a case study of an eleventh-grade American Literature course in the Southwestern United States using flipped teaching approaches with technology for the first time. The study's purpose was to investigate the effects of flipping using technology on how the teacher and students worked, learned, and engaged with English Language Arts (ELA) content. Specifically, the researcher hoped to study the effects of flipped coursework on homework and classwork, the students' and teacher's responses to flipped strategies, and the impact of technology on a two-week unit on The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald, 1925). The teacher worked with the researcher to choose four activities in the unit to flip, which involved a webquest, Google quiz, blog, and online PowerPoint. The participants in the study included the teacher: Mr. Riggs, a veteran ELA teacher with over 20 years' experience and four eleventh grade students: Simone, a bi-racial female; Omar, an African-American male; Garrett, a Caucasian male; and Audrey, a Latino female. Through open-coding analysis of interviews with each participant during the study, field notes taken throughout the unit, and documents collected from online and paper artifacts, three major categories were established. The major categories included perceptions of changes in classwork and homework, impact of technology, and appeal of flipped classrooms. The findings of this study revealed that the flipped unit had an impact on the amount of homework, the type of homework and classwork, homework completion, time spent in class, and the way technology was used. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation played an important role on whether flipped assignments were completed on time or were engaging for students. A final important finding showed that teacher flexibility was necessary for the flipped unit to be successful. This study provides insight into how flipping could work and look in an ELA classroom.

Using Office Simulation Software in Teaching Computer Literacy Using Three Sets of Teaching/Learning Activities

[The final form of this paper was published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology.] The most common course delivery model is based on teacher (knowledge provider) - student (knowledge receiver) relationship. The most visible symptom of this situation is over-reliance on textbook’s tutorials. This traditional model of delivery reduces teacher flexibility, causes lack of interest among students, and often makes classes boring. Especially this is visible when teaching Computer Literacy courses. Instead, authors of this paper suggest a new active model which is based on MS Office simulation. The proposed model was discussed within the framework of three activities: guided software simulation, instructor-led activities, and self-directed learning activities. The model proposed in the paper of active teaching based on software simulation was proven as more effective than traditional.

Using Office Simulation Software in Teaching Computer Literacy Using Three Sets of Teaching/Learning Activities

The most common course delivery model is based on teacher (knowledge provider) - student (knowledge receiver) relationship. The most visible symptom of this situation is over-reliance on textbook’s tutorials. This traditional model of delivery reduces teacher flexibility, causes lack of interest among students, and often makes classes boring. Especially this is visible when teaching Computer Literacy courses. Instead, authors of this paper suggest a new active model which is based on MS Office simulation. The proposed model was discussed within the framework of three activities: guided software simulation, instructor-led activities, and self-directed learning activities. The model proposed in the paper of active teaching based on software simulation was proven as more effective than traditional.

The Influence of Personality Composition in Applied Piano Groups

A one-session study of six four-student groups investigated problem-solving and performance in piano as influenced by a judging-perceiving personality preference of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Three group types were formed from the freshman music majors of nonkeyboard concentration: predominately judging, predominately perceiving, and equally mixed. The task involved both the harmonization and performance of the melody. Groups were scored on two factors of performance: aesthetic-expressive and accurate. Group process was evaluated by dividing the sessions into time segments and encoding verbal activity into six problem-solving behaviors. As a measure of student perception, each student completed a questionnaire. No difference was found in performance results; however, each group type developed its own problem-solving process. Significant differences were found in the amount of total verbal activity, specific verbal behavior, and student perception of group process. Data suggest the importance of teacher flexibility in developing an optimal problem-solving process.