Capstone Log EDS

EDRS 8000 & EDRS 8900

Instructional Technology Department
Candidate:
Larry Singleton

Mentor/Title:
Gwen Thibadeau0/Medial
Specialist

School/District:
McIntosh High School
Fayette County

Research Project Title:

Pairing Students in CAD Training to Improve Spatial Visualization Ability

You are not required to reflect after each entry. Reflections can address one or more
entries in the log.
Just delete the reflection row if you do not use it.

Date

Activity/Amount of Time
(Please total the time after the last entry.)

8/23 &
24/2014

Research - Find and read/review articles

10.0

8/30 &
31/2014

Research - Find and read/review articles & Research Analysis

8.2

9/14/2014

Literature Review (outline)

1.8

PSC/ISTE Standards

1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6

2.7, 2.8, 3.2, 3.6, 5.3, & 6.1
Reflection: This initial planning and research phase of the project requires deep thinking, comprehensive
review of numerous resources and much evaluation. This process also requires thinking about many
aspects of the project that will affect student learning which is why a large number of standards are
considered to be aligned with this activity.
1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6
2.7, 2.8, 3.2, 3.6, 5.3, & 6.1
Reflection: Continuation of this initial planning and research phase of the project requires deep thinking,
comprehensive review of numerous resources and much evaluation. This process also requires thinking
about many aspects of the project that will affect student learning which is why a large number of
standards are considered to be aligned with this activity. The Research Analysis represents a synthesis of
every resource selected as significant to the topic and useful for incorporation into the project and a
summary of that synthesis.
2.3, 2.4 & 3.6

Reflection: The outline for the Literature Review which is a major section of the Research Project is
developed from the Research Analysis previously completed.
9/20/2014

Methodology Review
2.1

1.2 & 2.2

Reflection: After careful review of a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods for consideration this
document which justified the method chosen is an important step in the research planning process.
10/4/2014

Qualitative Methodology Review

1.9

2.8

Reflection: Because the author of our text book was an advocate of mixed methodology research this
review of qualitative methodology was required. It was an exercise that failed to convince me that there
was any reason to mix qualitative data with the data I was planning to quantify in my study.
10/12/201
4

Research Analysis - Qualitative

1.4

2.8

Reflection: This exercise served as an important step in the planning. Here I aligned the resources I had
identified for my project with the project structure and plans. Identification of the ways that my project
could be positively influenced by the various resources chosen.
10/19 &
21/2014

Literature Review
25.5

2.3, 2.4 & 3.6

Reflection: This activity was focused on the preparation of an important section of the Research Project.
Greater details of the information gleaned from the various resources identified in the previous activities
are extracted and synthesized into this section which will set a tone for the seriousness and validity of the
study that will be conducted.
11/19/2014

Research Proposal (draft)

2.2

12/7/2014

Research Proposal
1.9

1/2/2015

Purchase PSVT-R License and acquire test documents

2.0

1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6

2.7, 2.8, 3.2, 3.6, 5.3, & 6.1
Reflection: With the Literature Review completed, the first draft of the Research proposal that includes the
planned methodology is the focus here. This draft was, for me, the simple compilation of a few different
elements that I had already written. This step in the process was to tie everything worked on so far into a
comprehensive Research Proposal.
1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6
2.7, 2.8, 3.2, 3.6, 5.3, & 6.1
Reflection: After comments from the instructor, changes and revisions were made to the draft and the final
proposal was complete. As described in reflections of the research process, this document is prepared
with consideration and in alignment with many different standards as shown.
3.2

Reflection: The availability of a well know assessment instrument, proven valid and reliable, and in use
for decades was a great enhancement to my project. The fact that I was able to secure the license for $25
because of a non-profit organization that is funded by the National Science Foundation was very good
news as well. This accomplishment gave me a lot of confidence in what I was planning.
1/3, 4 &
6/2015

Prepare for test administration in Blackboard LMS

6.0

2.7 & 3.2

Reflection: The Blackboard Learning Management System that I had planned to use for the pre and posttest administration and delivery of the experimental learning unit was new to me and the learning curve
caused some difficulty. There was no possibility for a seamless point and click integration of the test into
the LMS. I actually had to do a tedious cut and paste operation.
1/5 &
13/2015

Research Proposal (revisions)

0.6

6.1

Reflection: Continuous learning is why there is always room for revisions and improvement. As I began
the second Educational Research Course in the Ed.S. ITEC Program I was compelled to make a few
refinements to the proposal completed previously.
1/6/2015

Administration of PSVT-R pre-test

1.3

2.7 & 3.2

Reflection: With the 20 minute assessment installed in the Blackboard LMS course, administration and
grading was a painless, simple 26 minute task for each of the three classes taking the test.
1/7/2015

Assign random student pairs and record pre-test scores

1.0

1.2 & 2.8

Reflection: After administration of the pre-test I used the randomization function in MS Excel to generate
the student pairs who would be assigned together throughout the 3D Assemblies learning unit of
instruction. Many of the pairs were in different classes because all students from the three classes were
combined for the experiment. This method of random selection was important for the design of the study.
1/8/2015

Inform students of partners and assignments

0.3

3.7

Reflection: A simple task; a list of student pairs was published on the LMS.
1/9/2015

Analysis of PSVT-R pre-test scores for student pairs

3.0

2.8

Reflection: After the pairs were selected the scores were entered into a spreadsheet set up with those pairs
delineated.
1/11/2015

Project Timeline and Activity Log

1.6

6.2

Reflection: This was just a simple assignment that was turned in to verify that we had plans in place and a
schedule for execution of those plans. I started my project immediately after the end of the Christmas
Break because the classes were ready for the 3D Assemblies Unit of Instruction. I would have been nice to
delay the project a couple of weeks until I could get started with the second research course but that was
not possible. The pre-test was administered before the semester at KSU had even started.
1/17
2/8/2015

Prepare LMS with lesson content for weeks of 1/12, 1/20, 1/26,
2/2, and 2/9/2015
27.3

2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1,

3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.2, & 4.3

Reflection: The effectiveness of teaching this unit on 3D Assemblies in CAD was instrumental to affecting
student growth in Spatial Visualization skills over the course of 5 weeks time between the pre -and posttests. I was confident that I could affect those skills because of the nature of the lessons and cognitive
processes required to successful complete the assignments. The greater challenge here was to create
assignments that would lend themselves to completion by pairs of students, and furthermore, pairs that
would be working virtually because they were in different time periods. In honest analysis I would have
to say that I was partially successful in these efforts at best. Most of the projects required students to share
the work and collaborate with files stored on Google Drive, however the nature of those assignments did
not necessitate much communication by email, and consequently, the non significant results of the project
are likely the result of that issue.
2/8/2015

Prepare unit of learning summative assessment

2.0

2.7 & 3.2

Reflection: A simple task using the tools available on the Blackboard LMS.
2/12/2015

Administration of unit assessment

1.5

2.7 & 3.2

Reflection: A simple task using the tools available on the Blackboard LMS.
2/13/2015

Administration of PSVT-R post-test

1.3

2.7 & 3.2

Reflection: A simple task using the tools available on the Blackboard LMS.
2/14 &
22/2015

Preparation of pre & post-test scores for analysis, and quantitative

analysis of parings data
6.0

2.8

Reflection: Number crunching and spreadsheet analysis has always been something I am good at and
enjoy. This analysis was fun! Charts and graphs for inclusion in the final research report were an
important part of this analysis because they help to communicate complex results in ways that are easier to
understand.
3/4/2015

PSVT-R Results Summary for distribution to students

2.0

2.8 & 3.7

Reflection: This is something that many researchers fail to do. It was important to me that students see
their results. A summary of average Spatial Visualization gains by students was posted on the LMS, and
individual students were told how their scores between pre- and post- tests changed.
3/29/2015

Data Analysis section of Research Plan

2.1

2.8 & 3.7

Reflection: Writing this section of the Research Project requires careful wording to be clear, concise, and
statistically accurate. The clarity of the report here and the conclusions drawn can make or break the
studys credibility. This report requires a working knowledge of statistical analysis tools such as t-test and
ANOVA which I find easy to understand and implement.
4/14/2015

Data Analysis (update)

0.5

2.8, 3.7 & 6.1

Reflection: After review by the professor I needed to make a few simple adjustments in order to finalize
this section for addition to final Research Project paper.
4/26/2015

Research Presentation (PowerPoint)

6.2

3.7

Reflection: This is where a good communicator who understands research findings can explain things with
the help of visuals and publish results to a much wider audience than might normally take the time to read
a 20+ page report. I enjoyed preparing this PowerPoint with voice-over and I believe it clearly
communicates the purpose, structure and results of my study.
4/29/2015

Research Project Report (final update and revisions)

3.0

1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6

2.7, 2.8, 3.2, 3.6, 5.3, & 6.1
Reflection: With the addition of the updated Data Analysis Section the Final Research Report is complete
and, at this point I am relieved and determined to continue my teaching practice with a spirit of
willingness to experiment and seek ways to improve student learning. I am convinced that virtual
collaboration is a worthwhile skill for students to develop and I will continue to refine the strategies I
follow in several project assignments where this element can be included. My discovery of the significant
gains that all students make in spatial visualization skills by learning CAD, and the positive correlation
between those skills and achievement in STEM as identified in research, gives great purpose to what I
teach. I now know that I can make a difference!
Total Hours: [## hours ]:

122.4 HOURS

DIVERSITY
(Place an X in the box representing the race/ethnicity and subgroups involved in this capstone.)
Ethnicity
P-12 Faculty/Staff
P-12 Students
P-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
P-2
3-5
6-8
Race/Ethnicity:

9-12

Asian
Black
Hispanic

X
X
X

Native American/Alaskan Native

White
Multiracial
Subgroups:
Students with Disabilities
Limited English Proficiency
Eligible for Free/Reduced
Meals

X
X
X
X