Diffusion+and+Adoption+Reflection+Audacity

Here is my paper on the technology tool //Audacity,// and its success at my school.





Running Head: DIFFUSION AND ADOPTION REFLECTION Diffusion and Adoption Reflection: Audacity Shadra Tomei University of West Georgia Implementation of Audacity Setting, Resources, and Stakeholders  Chapel Hill Elementary (CHES) is a school with approximately 750 students located in Douglasville, Georgia. Chapel Hill’s demographics are: 47.1% Caucasian, 39.9% African American, 4.9% Latino and 2% Asian. There are approximately one hundred staff members working at Chapel Hill to increase student achievement. These important stakeholders include a media specialist and assistant, three administrators, three special education teachers, four gifted education teachers, and teacher technology specialists. During the 2009-2010 school year, CHES implemented the co-teaching model to aid our diverse student population in meeting standards and testing goals. Students must pass reading in third and fifth grade on the Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). CHES has pushed the 25 Book Campaign and focused on reading across the grade levels. Increasing fluency and comprehension in reading have been a part of our school improvement plan over the last couple of years. A plethora of resources are available to teachers for reading including: a stocked library full of resources with a media specialist and paraprofessional available to assist, mobile computer labs, four laptops in every classroom, standards-based vocabulary cards, leveled science and social studies readers, SRA reading program, an LCD projector in each classroom, as well as teacher technology specialists. I will explain how CHES diffused a new innovation to meet the reading needs of students. How and Where Innovation Took Place  Technology has always been an important initiative at CHES, especially after the schools’ 2010 Georgia Assessment of Performance on School Standards (GAPSS) report showed minimal usage of technology by teachers. “When incorporated into classroom teaching in a meaningful way, technology may link school experiences with the outside world for students,”  ( Sichivitsa, 2007) . One new innovation CHES has adopted over the 2009-2010 school year to improve reading skills is the //Audacity// program. “Audacity is free easy-to-use software for recording and editing sounds,” (Sichivitsa, 2007). //Audacity// allows students to record their voice and play it back. Students can use this program at school and at home. Even teachers on a budget can use free software! Students feel confident using this program and they enjoy using technology to assist them with their education. Teachers at CHES have used //Audacity// to time students to read in one minute increments to promote reading fluency. It has also been used when students read plays to improve voice inflections. The students enjoy reading for different characters and playing around with their voices. //Audacity// motivates and engages students in reading. They want to read when they can use a fun, interactive computer program to read into and hear themselves back. The students can see where they need to improve after they reflect on hearing themselves. Success or Failure of Innovation  Students at CHES are tested on their reading fluency three times a year. Since the implementation of //Audacity//, there has been a definitive increase in reading scores across the grade levels. CHES 2009-2010 Reading CRCT score averages were all in the nineties this year for the first time. STAR and AR programs have also contributed to an increase in reading comprehension. Using a technological program such as //Audacity// has benefits in motivating students to read. To notice benefits of this program during its first year of being diffused has impressed teachers and caused more of them to include //Audacity// in various ways in their lesson plans. Analysis <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The implementation of //Audacity// is in its second year at CHES. There has been an increase in the number of teachers who use it. Students have used it in new and innovative ways. More students who don’t enjoy reading or writing have become engaged in recording their voices through //Audacity.// Students enjoy using technology without realizing that they are improving their reading abilities at the same time. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Audacity //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">follows Ely’s Conditions of Change Model. There was “dissatisfaction with the status quo,” (Ellsworth, 2000, pg. 67). Reading improvement has been part of the school improvement plan so CHES was not satisfied with reading achievement. Teachers also wanted to integrate technology into more lessons to motivate students. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Ely’s second condition of change is that “the people who will ultimately implement any innovation must possess //sufficient knowledge and skills// to do the job,” (Ellsworth, 2000, pg. 68). There was staff training from the media specialists on how to use //Audacity// with specific examples that teachers could use in their lesson plans. Proper training is important for implementation of any innovation. //Audacity// is simple to use and easy to download. Teachers were well-prepared to use this innovation prior to implementation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Ely’s third condition is that “resources are available,” (Ellsworth, 2000, pg. 69). //Audacity// is readily available because it is free to download and use. There are also technology specialists and a media specialist at the school to offer assistance to teachers or collaborate with in reading. The media specialist at CHES even held student training classes on how to use //Audacity// so that students could practice and become proficient at using the program. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Ely’s fourth condition is that “implementers must have time to learn, adapt, integrate, and reflect on what they are doing.” (Ellsworth, 2000, pg.69). Staff at CHES had adequate time to learn how to use //Audacity// and plan how to integrate it into lessons. The program has been used for a year and there will be an increase in using it next year. Having the time to learn new ways to use the program is beneficial to students and teachers. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Ely’s sixth condition is that “participation is expected and encouraged,” (Ellsworth, 2000, pg. 71). The stakeholders have to buy in to the innovation and try it out. The students have to use it regularly and so do the teachers. The more use of the innovation, the easier it is to tell whether it will be successful or not. Students and teachers at CHES are in their second year of using //Audacity.// Everyone will become more comfortable using this program the more they use it. More ideas will develop to promote reading for students due to increased participation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Discussion <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> //Audacity// has proved to be a successfully implemented innovation at Chapel Hill Elementary. By following Ely’s Conditions of Change Model, //Audacity// increased reading achievement in students. Students now have more motivation to read and hear themselves read. Students must be able to read to function in society. Technology is crucial in improving student learning in reading so we must embrace it and integrate it so we can meet 21st century learning needs. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References Ellsworth, J.B. (2000//).// Surviving change//: A survey of educational change models.// ERIC

Clearinghouse on Information and Technology, IR-103. Retrieved June 20, 2010 from

[]. Sichivitsa, V. (2007). Audacity in Vocal Improvisation: Motivating Elementary School Students through Technology. //Teaching Music//, //14//(4), 48. Retrieved from ERIC database.