Data Collection

My research topic concerns using voice echo techniques to improve independent writing skills for emergent writers.  However, in my research I found precious little research has been done on the correlations between voice echo and memory or learning.  I had to really look to find research concerning talk to learn techniques.  While I seriously considered changing my topic, I do believe I am even more committed now to research something that so little is known about.  I do have reservations though.  Is this a dead topic because it doesn’t work?  Or is it a topic that hasn’t really been considered?  I.e., am I a dupe or a genius?

The process of hunting down information or connections to my topic has led me to consider other factors that may enhance learning.  Some of these factors are connected to my topic and need to be addressed in my research to help validate the results and data.  Furthermore, the process of research has opened my eyes to the magnitude of what this research could and should entail to be entirely valid.  As a teacher/researcher, I suppose that classroom data collection is a good start to see if the voice-echo technique has a correlation to increased learning and performance.  However, if I were to take this research to the next level; I would want to work with audiologists regarding varying sound levels, pitch, background noise, and memory or attention variants.

To begin my research, I would test this method over a 9 week period within my own classroom.  This would limit my findings, but would give me a good start to look at correlations.  If positive correlations were noted, I could then enlist the aid of fellow teachers to join me in data collection.  I would need to make three study groups: a control group, a peer mediated group, and a voice echo group.  From my research, I need to consider if the act of talking increases the level of performance and learning or if it is the sounds directly filtering into the ear that has an added benefit.  Because of the three group study, it would limit my results to a correlation of data results from 8 students.  This seems extremely narrow, but it is a start. 

For data collection I would focus on quantitative techniques: writing samples, journal samples (undirected writing responses), and parent and student questionnaires, tally the requests for teacher intervention; and qualitative methods:  video recordings/observation, informal interviews.

Here is my working Triangulation Matrix:

Research questions	1	2	3
1. keep on task	Tally	Observation	Student interview
2. improve writing word level	Running records	Journal observation
3. increase risk taking with writing- sentence level	Running records	Journal observation	Parent interview
4. decrease teacher intervention	Tally	observation
5. attitude towards writing	Parent questionnaire	Student questionnaire	observation