Effective Use of
Classroom
Management Systems
Lori Moore
University of West Georgia
Introduction
Is a Classroom Management System
such as Edmodo
an effective tool in the classroom?
Introduction Cont…
A program such as Edmodo is a new
technology that, if able to be introduced through
barriers that exist, can possibly help teachers be
more efficient teachers in several areas
… and help eliminate barriers that exist to learning
other technologies.
CMS and Edmodo will be used interchangeably throughout this presentation
Introduction Cont…
Research Questions:
1. Do teachers feel Edmodo is an effective tool for
them in the classroom?
2. What are teacher perceptions on whether
Edmodo helps most teachers be more effective
in the classroom?
3. What barriers have teachers faced with
integrating Edmodo in teacher practices?
4. What features of Edmodo do teachers feel are
most valuable?
Introduction Cont…
Possible barriers include:
• Lack of technology specific training
• Lack of time
• Lack of basic computer knowledge
• Lack of access to computers
• Equipment issues (hardware and software)
• Feeling that Edmodo is not an effective tool
Introduction Cont…
Features of Edmodo:
• Collaboration: secure chat – student/student or
student/teacher
• Group Discussion
• Instructional Materials (documents, videos, web
links, etc.)
• Turn in Assignments
• Individual Classes with Secure Codes
• Post Grades
• Poll Students
• Create Quizzes and Show Results
Literature Review
Importance of schools keeping up
with technology
• Common Core GPS - To prepare students for
success in college and/or the 21st century
workplace.
• Teacher Evaluation Tools – Expectations of
teachers to use technology.
Literature Review
Twenty-First Century
Workforce Commission
“With each day that passes, the impact of new
technologies on American jobs is intensifying.”
“The effects of these technological changes on the
workplace and the workforce have been pervasive
and dramatic in size and speed”.
Literature Review
Role Technology Should Play
In the Classroom
•
•
•
•
•
How much of a difference does it make?
What types of technology are most effective?
What strategies are most effective?
Do teachers buy in?
How many resources should be dedicated?
Literature Review
Role Technology Should Play
In the Classroom
The GADOE recently released over 400 GPS aligned
performance tasks for the integration of the
National Educational Technology Standards for
Students (NETS-S) for K-8 for college and career
readiness and 21st century skills.
Literature Review
Barriers to Technology Usage
There is not a shortage of literature pertaining to
common barriers such as lack of time, equipment
and software costs, teacher training.
Studies vary as to what barrier is most critical.
Literature Review
Classroom Management Systems
Examples: Edmodo, Moodle
• A way to allow a teacher to create and deliver
content, monitor student participation, and
assess student performance.
• Allows teachers to easily meet new technology
and social communication requirements.
Literature Review
Classroom Management Systems
One study showed that some features such as
access to course documents and instructional
materials, grade book, and announcements were
used consistently.
Features not used as consistently were email and
discussion.
Methodology
Sixty-eight teachers were invited to attend
a mini-workshop from Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe
High School to learn more about how classroom
management systems could help them become more
effective teachers in the classroom in order to
examine:
•
•
•
•
Current usage
Interest
Barriers
Various features related to classroom management
systems
Methodology
Mixed methods study
• Qualitative – observation & interview
• Quantitative – online survey
Qualitative research strengthened the research by
adding validity and richness to the quantitative
results.
Methodology
The teachers that were originally invited
represented all areas including academic, career
technology, arts, special education, and physical education.
A total of twelve teachers and one CTAE Supervisor were in
attendance at the workshop:
• Ten of the participants were CTAE teachers - mandated to
attend by the CTAE Supervisor.
• Two teachers were from areas outside CTAE (Special
Education) – attended by invitation.
• One participant was the CTAE Supervisor - only included in
the qualitative portion of the study.
• Participants were equally matched in gender and ranged in
age and experience from new teachers to pre-retirement.
Methodology
Procedure
•
•
•
•
Invitation to come to the mini-workshop
Mini-workshop was held after school
Observation notes were taken
Online participant survey – 2 weeks after
workshop
• Three interviews – CTAE Supervisor, CTAE
Teacher, Non-CTAE teacher
Methodology
Validation
Interpretive/Truth Value
Triangulation
 Observation – Attitudes, willingness, and ability
 Survey
 Descriptive Statistics
 Likert-type questions
 Checklist questions
 Open-ended questions
 Yes-no questions
 Interview – Keywords, common themes to analyze and
organize data
Methodology
Validation, cont…
• Neutrality/confirmability
Bias –
 Interviews strengthened survey results
 Confidentiality statement with survey
 Results anonymous (one exception with permission
was the CTAE Director)
• Consensual Validity –
 Interviews strengthened survey results
Methodology
Validation, cont…
• Referential/Outcome/Applicability/Dialogic
Interviews strengthened survey results
Confidentiality statement with survey
Results anonymous (one exception with
permission was the CTAE Director)
Methodology
LFO High School Demographics: 2011-2012
One of three high schools in Catoosa
County School District
According to the 2012-2013 School Improvement plan:
2011-2012
• Approximately 1,150 students
• 53.1% of students on free and reduced lunch
Results
Edmodo was found to be a tool that is
valuable to teachers and students in the classroom.
Even though a few participants felt Edmodo might
not be a tool that they wanted to utilize now, all
participants felt that it was a tool that would help
teachers overall.
Results, Cont...
Teachers Who Used a Classroom Management
System
36%
64%
Yes
No
Results, Cont...
Edmodo Helped Me Be a Better Teacher
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Results, Cont...
Perceptions and Attitudes about Edmodo
6
5
4
I Will Use Edmodo (CMS) In The
Future
3
Overall, Edmodo Helps
Teachers Be More Effective In
Classroom
2
1
0
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Results, Cont...
Teacher Obstacles
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
None
Lacking in
training
Lack of time
Lack of
knowledge
Lack of
computers
Equipment
Problems
Won't
improve
learning
Results, Cont...
Features Most Valuable
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Posting
materials
Discussion
Turning in
assignments
Polling
Quizzes
Grades
Discussion
Edmodo was found to be a great, effective
tool, but barriers existed that kept teachers from
using Edmodo.
Some barriers were evident through observation of
the mini-workshop such as:
• Lack of time – not attending & verbal comments
• Equipment or software issues
Discussion, cont…
Validity - Not enough participants in study.
This demonstrated how difficult it is to implement
a new technology, even when that technology
might help eliminate barriers such as lack of time.
Solutions:
CTAE Director:
Discussion, cont…
Solutions to implementation:
Interview of CTAE Director:
• Mandate professional development
• Follow-up with evaluation
Discussion, cont…
Principal investigator:
• Professional development should be timeefficient
• Online options should be used when appropriate
to allow teachers flexibility with training.
• Provide choices for technology
• Choose wisely tools, such as Edmodo that
eliminates largest barriers.
References
Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. (2008). Enhancing
child safety and online technologies: Final report of the internet safety technical
task force to the multi-state working group on social networking of the state
attorneys general of the united states (Research Report). Retrieved from
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/ISTTF_Final_Repor
t.pdf
Cavucci, L. J. (2009). An analysis of barriers and possible solutions in integrating
computer technology into middle school curriculum: Findings from a mixedmethod approach. (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations
and Theses database. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/305156994?accountid=15017
Cuban, L. & Hurgadon, S. (2006). Oversold and underused: Computers in the
classroom? Edtech Live. Podcast retrieved from http://www.edtechlive.com
References
Edmodo. (2012). Edmodo features. Retrieved from https://www.edmodo.com
Friedman, T. L. (2005). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century.
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Georgia Department of Education. (2011). Nets-s performance tasks. Retrieved
from https://www.georgiastandards.org/standards/Pages/NETS-S-PerformanceTasks.aspx
Hew, K. F. & Brush, T. (2006). Integrating technology into k-12 teaching and
learning: current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research.
Education Technology Research Development, 55, 223-252. doi:10.1007/s11423006-9022-5
Lopes, V. M. (2008). Course management systems and campus-based learning.
Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education 29,1-74. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/education/docview/203488455/fulltext/137CEA9573
B6D9118C0/1?accountid=15017
References
National Science Foundation (2008). Fostering learning in the networked
world: The cyberlearning opportunity and challenge. Washington, DC:
National Science Foundation. Retrieved from:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08204/nsf08204.pdf
Reinhart, J. M., Thomas, E., & Toriskie, J. M. (2010). K-12 teachers:
Technology use and the second level digital divide. Journal of Instructional
Phychology. Retrieved from
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCG/is_3-4_38/ai_n58615479/
Rosen, L.D. (2010), Rewired: Understanding the igeneration and the way
they learn. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Shapley, K., Sheehan, D., Maloney, C., Caranikas-Walker, F., (2010). Effects
of technology immersion on teachers’ growth in technology competency,
ideology, and practices. J. Educational Computing Research, 42(1), 1-33.
References
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (2012). Teacher Workload:
Juggling the increasing demands of the job. PRS Matters Bulletins.
Retrieved from
http://www.etfo.ca/ADVICEFORMEMBERS/PRSMATTERSBULLETINS/Pages/
Teacher 20Workload 20- 20Juggling 20the 20Increasing 20Demands 20of
20the 20Job.aspx.
Thorburg, R., & Hill, K. (2004). Using internet assessment tools for health
and physical education instruction. TechTrends, 48(6), 70.
Twenty-First Century Workforce Commission (2000). A nation of
opportunity: Building america’s 21st century workforce. Retrieved from:
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&co
ntext=key_workplace
Special Thanks
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Dr. Linda Haynes
Dr. Laura Willox
Sharon Synan
Donna Eskutt
Dr. Edward Helton
Dr. O.P. Cooper
Mr. Wayne Weaver
Administrators and Faculty of LFO High School
Catoosa County School System