AMPT/470 Wk 5 Research Proposal
Research Question: How does digital learning impact student engagement, learning outcomes, and overall academic performance in K-12 education?
Literature Review: The literature review will focus on exploring the impact of digital learning on student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. The review will begin with an examination of the theoretical underpinnings of digital learning, including the concept of e-learning, blended learning, and online learning. The review will then explore the literature on the impact of digital learning on student engagement, motivation, and academic performance, including the factors that contribute to successful digital learning. The literature review will examine the research on the effectiveness of digital learning for different populations, including K-12 students, college students, and adult learners. The review will also explore the impact of digital learning on student achievement and retention rates. The review will examine the different types of digital learning technologies, such as learning management systems (LMSs), online discussion forums, and virtual simulations, and their impact on student learning outcomes. The review will also examine the challenges associated with digital learning, including student motivation, engagement, and retention. The review will explore the factors that contribute to these challenges, including the lack of face-to-face interaction, technological issues, and the need for selfdirected learning. The review will examine the strategies that have been used to overcome these challenges, such as providing social support, creating engaging learning activities, and offering technical support. To sum up, the literature review will provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of digital learning on student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. The review will also identify gaps in the literature and suggest areas for future research, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a major rise in the use of digital learning technologies. The literature review will inform the research question and methodology and help to situate the findings of the study within the broader context of digital learning research. Population: The population for this research project will be K-12 students in the United States who have experienced digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample will be drawn from multiple schools across the country including both urban and rural areas, to ensure a diverse representation of students.
Method: This research project will use a mixed-methods approach to answer the research question. The quantitative component will involve administering a survey to students, asking them about their experiences with digital learning, including their engagement, motivation, and academic performance. The survey will consist of both closed-ended and open-ended questions and will be pretested with a small sample of students to ensure clarity and validity. The survey will be distributed using an online survey tool, such as Qualtrics or SurveyMonkey, and will be sent to a sample of K-12 students across the United States who have experienced digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A random sampling method will be used to select participants from a list of schools obtained from public databases. Informed consent will be obtained from both the students and their parents/guardians before participating in the study. The qualitative component of the study will involve conducting individual interviews with a subset of students who completed the survey. The interviews will be semi-structured and will focus on understanding the students’ experiences with digital learning, including their perceptions of its impact on their engagement, motivation, and academic performance. The interviews will be conducted virtually using video conferencing software and will be recorded and transcribed for analysis.
Procedure:
- Obtain ethical approval from the institutional review board (IRB).
- Develop the survey instrument and pretest it with a small sample of students.
- Select a random sample of K-12 students across the United States who have experienced digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Obtain informed consent from both the students and their parents/guardians before participating in the study.
- Administer the survey using an online survey tool.
- Analyze the quantitative data using descriptive and inferential statistics.
- Select a subset of students who completed the survey for individual interviews.
- Conduct individual interviews with the selected students virtually using video conferencing software.
- Record and transcribe the interviews for analysis.
- Analyze the qualitative data using thematic analysis.
- Combine quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of digital learning on student engagement, learning outcomes, and overall academic performance.
- Draw conclusions and implications from the study and disseminate the findings through publications and presentations.
Limitations: One limitation of this research project is that it is focused on K-12 students in the United States who have experienced digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results may not generalize to other populations or contexts. Additionally, the study relies on self-report data from students, which may be subject to social desirability bias or other response biases. Finally, the study is cross-sectional and does not allow for causal inference.
Conclusion: This research project aims to understand the impact of digital learning on student engagement, learning outcomes, and overall academic performance in K-12 education. By using a mixed-methods approach, this study will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to success.
