METHODS.
Using Data
As I began my research to empower my colleagues in student work curation, I realized that my work was divided into two components: the first related to supporting teachers in project development and logistics of displaying student work and the latter was structuring and supporting the Curation Club. Since so much of my research validated the concept that student work displays can only be effective if the exhibit itself is a purposeful component of the project, this led me to conclude that I cannot simply support teachers at the end of their project. Through our weekly Professional Development staff meetings, three other colleagues and I decided to focus on supporting staff in project development and design. Through mostly the use of Exit Cards and digital surveys, my colleagues and I designed professional development meetings that we felt were meeting the needs and desires of our staff members. The analysis of each of these responses were either done individually by me or as a group with my co-planning colleagues. To obtain more specific information and feedback regarding these meetings, I had individual interviews and conversations with teachers that represented diverse grade levels, disciplines and teaching experience. Although these interviews were only done to a small sampling of the entire staff, my hope is that the diversity of the group will allow the responses to represent the entire group.
Although the Curation Club was a critical component of my project, I collected much more informal forms of data from the students of this club such as observation notes. Our weekly meetings allowed for many conversations and dialogue between the members and I. Additionally, the Curation Club can be seen more as a co-researcher as the students and I collaboratively investigated how teachers can be supported when it comes to student work displays at HTHNC. Furthermore, students outside of the Curation Club in grades 9-12 will also be surveyed to investigate whether or not student work displays affect the engagement of students and level of rigor in their work.
As I began my research to empower my colleagues in student work curation, I realized that my work was divided into two components: the first related to supporting teachers in project development and logistics of displaying student work and the latter was structuring and supporting the Curation Club. Since so much of my research validated the concept that student work displays can only be effective if the exhibit itself is a purposeful component of the project, this led me to conclude that I cannot simply support teachers at the end of their project. Through our weekly Professional Development staff meetings, three other colleagues and I decided to focus on supporting staff in project development and design. Through mostly the use of Exit Cards and digital surveys, my colleagues and I designed professional development meetings that we felt were meeting the needs and desires of our staff members. The analysis of each of these responses were either done individually by me or as a group with my co-planning colleagues. To obtain more specific information and feedback regarding these meetings, I had individual interviews and conversations with teachers that represented diverse grade levels, disciplines and teaching experience. Although these interviews were only done to a small sampling of the entire staff, my hope is that the diversity of the group will allow the responses to represent the entire group.
Although the Curation Club was a critical component of my project, I collected much more informal forms of data from the students of this club such as observation notes. Our weekly meetings allowed for many conversations and dialogue between the members and I. Additionally, the Curation Club can be seen more as a co-researcher as the students and I collaboratively investigated how teachers can be supported when it comes to student work displays at HTHNC. Furthermore, students outside of the Curation Club in grades 9-12 will also be surveyed to investigate whether or not student work displays affect the engagement of students and level of rigor in their work.