Action Research

Research provides the basis for this workshop to provide you with quality resources to help you integrate filmmaking technology in your classroom.  The research addresses the Middle School curriculum but has been effectively utilized in K-6 and 9-12 classrooms.  Results posted here focus specifically on the effectiveness of this site as an inservice tool and resource.  Films included in the research are hosted here with the express permission of http://glef.org . The Guides, surveys, and literature reviews form the foundations of the workshop and address the basic question of whether or not we could develop a satisfactory workshop focusing on 6-8th grade social studies integrating filmmaking in the curriculum to document and scaffold learning.

How did we get started?  During the 2001-2002 school year we faced 9-11.  The complexities of 9-11 required a new mixture of strategies to meet the challenge.  Multiple strategies and intelligences were our answer.  Fortunately we were just beginning the IMET program at California State University.  In addition, our school was utilizing Inquiry Based learning and lesson development training from the International Baccaleaurate Organization.   We utilize six themes per year which are planned on a flexible basis.  We post unit plans in the room and on the Internet.  We invite students, parents, teachers and community to add questions to our units.  This gives us the flexibility to be open to current events.  This inquiry process allowed us to incorporate 9-11 into the curriculum.  All strategies apply across demographics. For more detail on this planning see our Heroes site in the intermediate section.    Many teachers in California received directives from the Media, Districts Offices and Administration cautioning and giving guidance.  Information flew from many directions.  The traditional delivery system was determined to be not effective.  As teachers we had done extensive research as a group.   We wanted to employ these strategies integrating technology.  Our foundation came from the IMET Program at California State University in Sacramento.  Dr. Larry Hannah, Dr. Mike Menchaka, Bruce McVicker, and MaryAnn Pomerleau were our professors, mentors, and support.  Their program gave us the outline for our action. 

Our goal was to develop *Action Research, which according to Geoffrey Mills (2000) defines action research as "... any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers, principals, school counselors, or other stakeholders in the teaching/learning environment, to gather information about the ways that their particular schools operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn."  Mills identifies four main steps in the process:

 Our area of focus was the idea that students could organize, interpret, and connect new information with their existing knowledge base in new ways with technology. 

Our group wanted the following;