DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology

Classroom Action Research: A Case Study of AVID Strategies Merging with 21st Century Technology

Kevin Cope

Touro University California, School of Education

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology

Introduction

Background and Need

In 2007 my school district introduced a program called AVID (Advancement Via Individual

Determination). I was intrigued, not by the program itself, but by the students they were targeting. These

students wanted to be future first generation college graduates. I was to help coach them using AVID

strategies that would help students be successful in all of their academic classes. Although my academic

background was far different I still felt passionate about helping this group of students. This was my whole

reason to go into teaching profession in the first place. I enjoy helping kids getting through the road blocks

in their educational journey!

During an AVID training at the school district I heard a statistic that surprised me. In 2007 only

seven Latino students graduated at Napa High School had their A-G requirements. Napa High School

usually has 600 students graduate a year. Nearly half the graduating class was Latino and four year

universities don’t accept an individual unless you have these needed A-G classes. It seems as if there is a

need for an educational coach to target group of students reach their academic goal.

Statement of the Problem

I started noticing a trend my first year incorporating AVID strategies. The AVID strategies were OK

however lacked year long engagement for an elective class for students ages 12-14. Students were losing a

“fun” elective class in order to take this one. I needed engaging technology applications that could enhance

the AVID strategy. The high school AVID coordinator also wanted middle school AVID students to

continue taking this class four more years. How could we enhance AVID strategies to increase engagement

and possibly retention?

Purpose of the Study

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology The purpose of the study is to see if AVID strategies easily merge with technology applications. The goal is

to increase student engagement using 21st century technology. I could think of many technology applications

that were not only engaging but were very practical for all ages and could be used in current classes. Our

school was also starting to incorporate Project Based Learning that infuses technology into the curriculum. It

seemed that AVID could support these classes by using strategies that could enhance what they were doing

in their core subjects.

Research Questions

Research Question 1. Will engagement increase when combining a specific AVID strategy called

“Meetings of the Minds” with a technology application called Google Document?

Collection of Data: I collected data using a Google document form. The questions were scaled and

allowed for both quantitative and qualitative analysis targeting student engagement.

Research Question 2. Will engagement increase combining a specific AVID strategy called

“Concept Mapping” with a technology application called Mindomo?

Collection of Data: I collected data using a Google document form. The questions were scaled and

allowed for both quantitative and qualitative analysis targeting student engagement.

Research Question 3. Will engagement increase combining a specific AVID strategy called

“problem/solution journal” with a technology application called stupflix.

Collection of Data: I collected data using Google document form. The questions were scaled and

allowed for both quantitative and qualitative analysis targeting student engagement.

Review of the Literature

Introduction

The majority of my research started from the AVID homepage which led me to research to other

educational links and literature. You will see from my review that the issue of technology infused in AVID

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology strategies is one that needs to be addressed. The need to incorporate technology into AVID is one that many

educators see as a must for the future of our kids.

Theme 1: The History and goals of AVID

The purpose of (AVID -Decade of College Dreams) comes from the perspective of those from the

AVID Institute. This web site wants to prove that AVID strategies work when integrated properly at a

school site. When students are given academic rigor and support, students can be academically successful.

The procedures are different depending if you teach an elective AVID class or if you are implementing

AVID strategies within your content classes. The results after 30 years of data collection are interesting.

First, AVID students usually come from minority backgrounds. Second, three out of four AVID graduates

get accepted to a four year college or university. Finally, there was an increase in enrollment in Algebra by

8th

grade AVID students. My analysis is that AVID helps first generation college students by supporting the

need of a road map to academic success. Having a teacher role model helps the students get around and

through hurdles in the education world.

The next literature review brought me to the website (AVID Elective Standards). This site was used to list

the AVID objectives by grade level. The site concentrates specifically on the AVID elective class for

seventh graders. The procedure allows teachers to create activities that include a tutor facilitated study group

plus motivational activities and academic success skills throughout the school week. Each week should

focus on one of the objectives from the AVID institute. This site does not include results of teachers who

use these AVID standards throughout their classroom. My analysis of this web-site is that the AVID program

has broken up strategies by grade level and rigor. This helps with teachers not repeating lessons year after

year in the AVID elective.

Theme 2: Results of studies about the effectiveness of AVID

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology I next looked at a (Sparks, S. 2011, 6) article to find data about if AVID is positively helping students.

The purpose of this case study analyzed how 9th

grade AVID students compared to their 9th

grade non-avid

counterparts in Chicago city schools. The procedure of the case study looked at the GPA of middle school

students over a three year period. The results were a mixed bag. There was no major difference between

AVID and non-AVID students when just analyzing the GPA. They did find that the AVID students did have

slightly better study habits than their peers. My analysis is AVID is difficult to track and analyze as a sub

group. The benefits may show up over a longer period of time.

What about data in other parts of the country? I read an article from (Dean, J. The Middle School

AVID student). The purpose of the case study was to investigate the relationship between students in AVID

and their academic performance. The procedure first used research from three middle schools in southern

California. The study used a mixed method of measuring attendance rates, overall grade point averages, and

scaled scores on the California State Test program. They would be compared to non-AVID students sharing

similar demographic and academic profiles. In addition there would be group interviews with teacher, AVID

participants, and parents of AVID participants. The results were mixed. There was truly no statistically

significant relationship between participation in AVID and academic performance. However the focus

groups unanimously rated AVID as being effective. There was agreement that it helped demonstrate their

potential in school. My analysis is that it is truly difficult to measure AVID strategies using hard data.

AVID might just be a community of people who want to feel a connection with like peers.

Theme 3: Current Technology Being Used with AVID Strategies

Next, I read about the use of technology in some AVID classrooms from (Knaus, B. 2009, 23. Teach

Paperless). The purpose of the article was to openly talk about the serious lack of technology built in the

AVID program. Only one of the forty-two objectives included the use of technology. The author mentions

that college graduate jobs use computers on an everyday basis. The procedure begins by having every

student be given a netbook to use at school and at home. The students use programs such as Wordle, active

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology expressions, etc as a means to use AVID strategies. The article did not give details about his results. I am

guessing by his enthusiasm that it is working to his satisfaction. My analysis is that the author is saying what

everybody is internally thinking about AVID; where is the technology? College readiness must incorporate

technology or be exposed as being good strategies without a pulse for the 21st century.

Finally I investigated an article called (AVID | Decades of College Dreams. AVID | Data & Results). The

purpose of this web site is to show how the AVID institute has been trying to create 21st century tools for the

educators. The procedures used were integrating WICOR strategies with college readiness skills. Using 21st

century tools such as LinkedIn, Edmodo, Facebook, and Twitter as extensions of the traditional AVID

program and allow interaction with community members, as well as past, current, and future AVID students.

I am unclear of the results from this article. It may just be too early to find research that backs up the use of

technology within the AVID system. My analysis is that AVID understands it needs to use technology more

with its strategies. That is why we are seeing a break out secession at an AVID conference on this web site.

Summary

My conclusion is simple. AVID strategies by themselves are fine strategies. They were introduced my

Mary Catherine Swanson in the 1980’s in San Diego. Her strategies have a nice foundation however now

need to be tweaked in the new millennium. They must be partnered with different technology applications

for all students to succeed and be college ready. I feel strongly that the future of AVID is dependent on the

incorporation of technology for future success.

Data Gathering

My data gatherings used in classroom action research include the use of a scaled engagement numbering

system. This allowed me to see if they were engaged or not using this technology application with the AVID

application. Next, I asked if this specific technology application could be used with other AVID strategies to

obtain data. Finally I allowed for comments to obtain qualitative data. This format allowed for simple data

that could easily be understood by my students.

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology

Student Work using Google doc’s merging with “meeting of the mind” AVID Strategy

Findings

My findings support my theory that engagement is high when AVID strategies are integrated with

technology applications. The level of engagement was high in each of my questionnaires to the roughly 30

students in my class. The scores averaged in the 4’s (engaging) for each of the paired AVID strategies with a

technology application. Students also identified 75% of the time that the technology application could also

be paired with another AVID strategy. I don’t have data to show the same AVID strategy paired with an

AVID strategy using pencil and paper. These differences would be needed in future studies.

Taking Action

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology My AVID site team will be looking over the data. The next step is to experiment with AVID strategies

with technology as well as AVID strategies without technology. We need to see if there is truly an

engagement factor difference between the two. If it is determined that there is a huge difference with

infusing technology with AVID strategies we will need to look at purchasing laptops for our AVID students.

We would also want to share our findings with other schools across our district and to Napa Learns. Napa

Learns may be able to help us purchase the needed amount of computers for our students. Finally I would

like to create a list of AVID strategies next to proven technology applications that work appropriately.

AVID strategies paired with Technology Applications Page

AVID Strategies Technology Applications

1. Carousel Brainstorming Google Doc’s

2. Concept Mapping Stupflix

3. Consultants Mindomo

4. Cornell Notes Prezi

5. Dialectical Journal Skype

6. Pair Share Blogger

7. Parking Lot GoAnimate

8. Philosophical Chairs Twitter

9. Quick writes ScreenR

10. Problem Solution Journal Evernote

11. Quick Speak Socrative

12. Four Corners Poll Everywhere

13. Jigsaw Google Maps

Conclusions

Finding the right wine for your food is often a dilemma in the Napa Valley. It could also be said that

finding the right computer application for an AVID strategy is an educational dilemma. Let’s pair AVID

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology strategies with engaging computer applications that helps students get over the hurdles in education. This

data shows that students not only find these pairings engaging but useful in other classes as well.

References

AVID | Decades of College Dreams. AVID | Data & Results. Retrieved April 5, 2013, from

http://www.avid.org/abo_dataandresults.html

AVID | Decades of College Dreams. AVID Elective Standards. Retrieved April 5, 2013, from

http://www.avid.org/dl/eve_natcon/nc11_newweeksataglance.pdf

AVID | Decades of College Dreams. AVID | 2012 AVID National Conference. Retrieved April 5, 2013, from

http://www.avid.org/eve_nc12_concurrentsessions.html

Dean, J. The Middle School AVID student. The relationshipbetween advancement via Individual

Determination (AVID) and middle school student academic achievement and stakeholders'

perceptions: A southern California case study - Udini. Retrieved April 5, 2013, from

http://udini.proquest.com/view/the-relationship-between-goid:366338395/

Knaus, B. (2009, 23). TeachPaperless. TeachPaperless: Guest Post on Bringing Tech to the AVID

Classroom: AVID Is Awesome, But.... Retrieved April 5, 2013, from

http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2009/12/guest-post-on-bringing-tech-to-avid.html

Sparks, S. (2011, 6). McDonald Sales and Marketing, LLC -.AVID Program – Advancement Via Individual

Determination » McDonald Sales and Marketing, LLC. Retrieved April 5, 2013, from

http://mcdonaldsalesandmarketing.biz/category/avid-program-advancement-via-individual-

determination/

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology Appendix

Appendix A

Excel Spreadsheet

Appendix B

Google Drive Student Projects

DRAFT: Avid Strategies Merging With 21st Century Technology