TO: American schools in Stuttgart, Germany.
FROM: Olga Usova DATE: November 26, 2017 SUBJECT: Action Research Proposal: Implementing Pop Culture to Promote Student Engagement in Online Learning Environment. I. Introduction The action research proposal explores the relationship of popular culture and student engagement in distance education employing constructivist and collaborative theories. The study will be conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, where students are from varying backgrounds and ethnic groups with a somewhat equal 50/50 gender split. Most of the students reside in American households; however, some of the students are bilingual or consider English as their second language. A small number of students have never lived in America and have been educated in local schools in Europe and/or Asia. All students in the study groups will be required to participate in the same activities but only one group – the test subjects – will receive instruction that employs elements of pop culture.
II. Review of Literature Teachers around the country are abandoning the traditional teacher centered objective instruction and instead, opting for Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky’s student centered constructive pedagogy to activate student engagement in learning (Koonce, 2004). Ali Rahimi, Ph.D. Professor of Applied Linguistics and author of 13 published books, conducted a research study to compare the major philosophical assumptions and major characteristics of objective and constructive teaching styles and the subsequent effects each approach had on student engagement in learning (Rahimi, 2011). In his research, Rahimi examined both methods of instruction to determine the key ideas and traits of teaching and learning. Studying the components of objective teaching Rahimi determined that the transfer of knowledge is mainly from teacher to learner and relies heavily on textbook instruction to convey learning. Students are considered passive learners who submit to deliberate instruction and are expected to learn what the teacher knows to be true. Evaluating the transfer of information, Rahimi explains that students become disengaged from meaningful learning as “teachers tend to value correct answers and ignore student thinking on topics being taught” (Rahimi, 2011, p. 91-94). On the opposite side of the spectrum, Rahimi determined the instruction in a constructivist classroom is based on student centered learning; where the learner engages in study using their prior knowledge and experience to make a direct connection to the materials being taught (Rahimi, 2011, p. 96). The teacher creates a learning environment in which the students are presented with complex problems or projects that are supported by “information resources, cognitive tools, and learning support strategies,” such as teacher modeling, scaffolding, and collaborative learning (Rahimi, 2011, p. 98). Students are encouraged to analyze and evaluate information to interpret meaning based on their own experience and understanding of the world in which they live. Students engage with products of culture and use this information to construct a reality that meets specific learning goals (Rahimi, 2011, p. 96-101). The constructivist method of teaching is a learner controlled environment where students become engaged through practical responses to problems. Students engage and participate in learning by incorporating their own ideas, experiences, and individual style into classroom activities to gain the essential knowledge needed for meaningful learning. Agreeing with Rahimi’s research that a constructivist approach to teaching promotes student engagement in learning, David Childs, a professor at Northern Kentucky University, integrated aspects of popular culture into his high school social studies curriculum to explore the topic of racial stereotyping in America (Childs, 2014, p. 291). Childs observed that his students were quick to engage in conversations about “being black” but were reluctant to “read and listen and foster historical thinking” (Childs, 2014, p. 294) in relation to mandated textbooks and formal instruction. Listening to his students, and identifying their specific interests in music – rap and hip hop, Childs decided to incorporate popular music into classroom activities. Childs firsthand experience at promoting student engagement through the use of music and lyrics is testimony of how the understanding and application of popular culture is a powerful tool for engaging students in the instruction and learning in today’s classroom. III. Methodology The preliminary research and studies on the correlation between popular culture and student engagement in learning is positive. My proposal explores how schools can make similar connections to students’ lives by employing elements of pop culture in relation to text readings in distance education. This study is generated to answer the question, “Would employing elements of popular culture in pedagogy promote student engagement in meaningful learning?”
Theoretically, a good starting point would be on the topic of fashion and how society judges one another on clothing, hair, and body image. The topic of fashion is prevalent in most cultures and would ignite a discussion on how Faulkner has characterized Emily and the townsfolk in the story. Similarly, a discussion on the recent political debates would illustrate Faulkner’s depiction of a changed society. Students would be able to identify with the changes in government to the changes they will see in their own neighborhoods and communities. Borrowing from the study conducted by Duncan-Andrade and Morrell, a lesson segment dedicated to gang violence and loyalty would be an ideal pop culture reference to activate meaning in the death of Emily’s husband and necrophilia. Finally, music and or movies of any genre could be used to analyze and interpret the actions of any of the characters throughout the story. Both classes will follow the same classroom framework. In all lessons (1-10) activities will begin with a whole class discussion on the specific chapter(s) assigned that day. Before each lesson the students in both groups will be provided with a student survey form and a graphic organizer to make notes and answer questions relating to the text.
References Bates, T. (2017). Constructivism. Chapter 2 Teaching in a digital age. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/chapter/section-3-4-constructivism/ Childs, D. J. (2014). “Let's Talk About Race”: Exploring racial stereotypes using popular culture in social studies classrooms. Social Studies, 105(6), 291-300. Koonce, G.L. (2004). Taking sides: Clashing views on educations issues. Is Constructivism the Best Philosophy of Education?.18( 48-58). Retrieved from: http://thesciencelane.weebly.com/uploads/7/9/9/0/7990143/taking_sides_issue_1.4.pdf Rahimi, Ali. (2011) Constructivist vs. objectivists learning environments. Contemporary Online Language Educational Journal, (1) (89-103). Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/4696067/Constructivist_vs._objectivist_learning
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