Gale Resource Efficacy Study

Bringing Gale into
the Classroom
Gale Resources Efficacy Study
McKinley Tech High School

Julie Evans, Project Tomorrow CEO
March 7, 2013

Today’s Discussion Topics

 About Project Tomorrow
 Research Study Questions & Methodology
 Introducing McKinley Technology High School
 Research Study Findings
 Year 1 Focus
 Year 2 Focus and Results

 Lessons Learned
 Questions?
© 2013 Project Tomorrow

Project Tomorrow, a national
education nonprofit organization
Programs:

• Research & evaluation studies
• School and community programs
• Events for students

Speak Up National Research Project:
Collecting and reporting on the views of K-
12 and higher ed students on their digital
learning activities and aspirations

Research Study Questions

 What is the impact of using Gale in the classroom?
 Can Gale improve students’ 21st century skills including
research skills?
 What factors influence the adoption of digital
resources in the classroom?
 What are the lessons learned from this project that
can impact other implementations?


Research Study Methodology

 Mixed methods two year study (2010-11, 2011-12)
 Select group of teachers at McKinley Tech HS
 Data collection components included:
o Pre and post surveys
o Student focus groups
o Teacher and administrator interviews
o Classroom observations
o Student achievement metrics

 Speak Up data benchmarks
 Collection usage statistics


McKinley Technology High School



 STEM magnet school in Washington DC
 College – going environment
 Six STEM academies
 Enrollment of 689 students
o 93% African-American
o 54% qualify for federal lunch program
 Mixed bag in terms of technology access and teacher
usage of technology
 Typical challenges of most urban high schools



 Study participants:
o 283 high school students
o 8 teachers
 Teachers were provided with access to Gale,
training and support
 Instructions were to integrate Gale into daily
instruction


Research Study Methodology

 Collections:
o Biography in Context
o Global Issues in Context
o Global Reference on the Environment, Energy and
National Resources
o Literature Resource Center
o Opposing Viewpoints in Context
o Student Resources in Context
o US History in Context
o World History in Context


• 8 Teachers in the Study Project in year 2
o 5 from year 1, + 3 new teachers in year 2
o Content disciplines:
• Biology
• English
• Global Perspectives
• Human Geography
• Issues in Bio Tech
• Physics
• US Government
• World History


Research Focus: Year 1

Classroom use of Gale resources:

 Impact on student outcomes
 Teachers’ value proposition on usage
 Impact on teacher productivity
 Development of workplace ready skills


Research Findings: Year 1

Ways to use Gale resources in the classroom:

 Activate students’ prior knowledge
 Assess student knowledge
 Facilitate class discussion
 Introduce a lesson
 Illustrate a concept Primary
 Differentiate instruction
 Homework assignment
usage by
 Class project the
 Independent study teachers
 Student research
 Background information



Classroom use of Gale resources
(formal and extra-curricular):

 Integration of the resources into instruction
 Resulting changes in teacher practice
 Support of student self-directed learning
 Development of college level research skills



Ways to use Gale resources in the classroom:

 Activate students’ prior knowledge
 Assess student knowledge
 Facilitate class discussion
 Introduce a lesson
 Illustrate a concept
 Differentiate instruction
 Homework assignment
 Class project Project
 Independent study Based
 Student research Learning
 Background information



 Class project
Project
 Independent study Based
 Student research Learning

What is Project Based Learning?

An instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities
that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are
designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally
reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday
world outside the classroom.



Gale resources support Project Based Learning

Case Study: Science Fair in Biology Class

 Teacher was new to Gale
 Teacher goals:
o Use outside resources to increate relevancy and quality
o Make it easy to use in class
o Support development of research skills
 Teacher and students used Global Issues in Context





39%
Sessions
Global Issues
in Context –
Retrievals 66% increased usage
2011

200%
Seaches

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

2011/Global Issues 2010/Global Issues





Sessions

Retrievals Purposeful
Sporadic

Seaches

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

2011/Global Issues 2010/Global Issues





 Results:
 Met teacher’s goals
 Increased student engagement
 Higher quality projects
 Richer class discussions
 Easy to use
 Proved case for teacher on value of Gale
 Continued teacher usage with seamless integration




Case Study: National History Day Projects

 Teachers had used Gale in year 1
 Year 1 familiarity led to this idea for usage
 Teachers’ goals:
o Support development of research skills
o Improve quality of submissions
o Provide out of school access
 Teacher and students used US and World History in
Context




4X
Sessions
US & World
History in
5X Context –
Retrievals
increased usage
2011
3X
Seaches

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

2011 US + World History 2010 US + World History





 Results:
 Met teachers’ goals
 Higher quality projects – more relevant
 Extended learning opportunities
 Opened teachers’ eyes to Gale use with projects
 Changed teacher practice



Gale resources expands learning opportunities

Case Study: Use of podcast and video in World History class

 2nd year project teacher
 Teacher goals:
o Bring real world into class
o Facilitate class discussion
o Support development of media literacy skills
 Teacher and students used Global Issues in Context



Case Study: Use of podcast and video in World History class

 Results:
 Met teacher’s goals
 Richer class discussions with increased participation
 Expanded learning opportunities
 Created memorability
 Sustained change in teacher practice


Impact of Gale resources on learning

How students said they used Gale

To better understand a school topic

To learn more about a topic on my own

To help with homework

To do indepth research

To do initial research

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

All Girls Boys


Assessment on research skills
Proficiency Teachers’ Students’ Students’
Level View View - Girls View - Boys

Expert – 0% 15% 36%
Advanced

Proficient 38% 58% 30%

Beginner 62% 7% 12%


90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Increase student Improve student Enhance quality of Students are more
engagement in research skills student work self-directed learners
learning
Teachers Students


Changing the classroom experience

Better prepared for class discussions

New ideas/perspectives are introduced

Class is more interesting

Group projects are more successful

Schoolwork is more engaging

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Boys Girls


Changing the learner

Acquired new skills for college

More control of my learning

Better learner/student

Greater confidence in sources

Improved critical thinking skills

Improved communications skills

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Boys Girls

Why Gale?

Teachers’ perspective:

1. Easier to create relevant lessons
2. Enhanced quality of student interactions
3. Increases comfort using technology
4. Opportunity to explore topics more deeply
5. Better able to address DC content standards
6. Increases comfort with subject I am teaching

Why Gale?

Students say:

1. Accuracy, credibility, reliability
2. Ease of access
3. Depth and breadth of information
4. Addresses different learning styles through text,
audio and video

Why Gale?

One of our students summed it up this way:

“Here’s the advice I would give to
freshmen coming into McKinley. Don’t
bother with Google. With Gale , you can
read it, you can watch it, and you can
listen to it! Don’t Google it, Gale it!”

So, did Gale make a difference in student
achievement at McKinley Tech High School?

So, did Gale make a difference in student
achievement at McKinley Tech High School?

Subject Area Average ECR World History Biology Class
Schoolwide Classes that that used Gale
used Gale
Social Studies 2.2 2.7 NA
Science 2.2 NA 2.6
All Subjects 2.2 2.7 2.6

Yes!


Key findings:
 Gale is most effective when supporting project
based learning
 Changes in teacher practice first require a personal
value proposition with Gale
 Teachers value Gale to enhance lessons or
improve learning experiences
 Students see Gale as way to develop workplace
and college skills
 Gale increases student achievement


Lessons learned:

o It takes time and context matters!
o Don’t overlay – but integrate
o Administrative support is critical to success
o Top down + bottom up is better strategy than
hero teacher model
o Students have great ideas – use them!


Thank you.
Let’s continue this conversation.

Julie Evans
Project Tomorrow
jevans@tomorrow.org
949-609-4660 x15

Gale Resource Efficacy Study

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