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Committee Matching Preparation Assignment

Student Name: Angel Winslow Comment by Researcher: Good first effort on this task! Please review all comments and edits; make revisions based on my comments. Let me know if you have any questions.

Student ID: A01033383

For the following items, please select the appropriate response from the drop-down menus.

Specialization: Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Doctoral Study Option: EdD Dissertation

Approach to the Study: Qualitative Methods

Working Title

Provide the working title for the study you plan to conduct. This should be no more than 12 words.

“The Impact of Virtual Learning on Academic Success in Early Childhood Education” Comment by Researcher: Avoid impact except when referring to a physical collision. Impact is typically a signal word for a quantitative study.

Problem Statement

Provide one to two paragraphs that demonstrates a review of recent scholarly research that has relevance to the student’s topic and field of specialization. Provide three to five current key citations and ensure the topic fits your specialization. In addition, the following is required based on the type of study:

1. Project study: Construct a logical argument for the need to address a meaningful local problem that focuses on a gap in practice with corresponding evidence to support the existence of the problem.

2. Dissertation: Construct a logical argument, with supporting evidence, that there is a current gap in the research literature about practice that is meaningful to the area of professional practice.

During the 2020-2021 school year when the pandemic forced schools to pivot to a virtual environment, school readiness goals were not met and children’s scores decreased by 25%. Lack of interaction can hinder children’s development and cause social withdrawal (Keller, 2020). Teachers used communication tools such as email, zoom, Seesaw, phone or text to communicate with students and parents. However, students continued to struggle. Learning occurs through hands-on experiences guided by an intentional facilitator (Virtual learning for early childhood students, n.d). To increase scores due to virtual learning, the learning tool Seesaw was used to teach students online virtually (Seesaw, 2014). Virtual learning has this positive impact on learning because children develop better hand-eye coordination and motor skills. These skills help them to form clearer images and improve their capabilities to solve problems (Keller, 2020). Comment by Researcher: I do not see a problem statement here. You should always prominently state the problem at the beginning of your work to ensure the reader is clear about your work. An opening sentence that begins with, "The problem for this study is ….." To identify an authentic problem based on a gap in practice, you need a substantial, current problem. The pandemic was a one time event so evidence collection is limited. Virtual learning skills are important in modern society so the topic can move forward; there is just no reason to tie it to Covid at this point.

While the efficacy of virtual learning in supporting knowledge acquisition is widely mentioned by many researchers, schools still encounter adoption challenges. In their attempt to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with remote teaching following the outbreak of COVID 19, Ferri et al. (2020) find that pedagogical, technological, and social challenges deter optimal use of such tools. Using a qualitative research model, they observe that issues such as unreliability of internet connectivity and students’ lack of necessary electronic devices pose challenges to effective virtual learning. Similarly, Gillet-Swan (2017) states that virtual learning enables institutions to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to education. However, he cautions against low engagement of learners who become physically isolated from their colleagues while using the technologies. Furthermore, he observes that such learners encounter many challenges to their full participation compared to their traditional counterparts. Such barriers may include lack of higher technical skills required to use the virtual learning tools and inability to learners to engage in effective group works (Dhawan, 2020)

Purpose Statement

Present a concise, one-paragraph statement on the overall purpose or intention of the study, which serves as the connection between the problem being addressed and the focus of the study.

· In quantitative studies, state what needs to be studied by describing two or more factors (variables) and a conjectured relationship among them related to the identified gap in practice or problem.

· In qualitative studies, describe the need for increased understanding about the issue to be studied, based on the identified gap or problem.

· In mixed-methods studies, with both qualitative and quantitative aspects, clarify how the two approaches will be used together to inform the study

The purpose is to create a form of communication with parents to increase scores for School Readiness Goals. The study aims to investigate the impact of virtual learning models on academic outcomes in early childhood educational settings. This goal is based on the need to fill the existing gaps in literature on the subject. Most researchers who investigate the relationship between virtual education and academic success often focus on higher institutions (Alves et al., 2017). As such, there is scarcity of knowledge regarding the impact of distance learning on early childhood educational success. Comment by Researcher: The purpose statement of a research study operationalizes the study. It explains what you will investigate to address the problem. The purpose statement should state the research approach, the participants, the research site, and what you (as the researcher) will do. For example, "The purpose of this basic qualitative study is to investigate the perceptions of 5th grade mathematics teachers about…..

Possible Research Question(s) Comment by Researcher: The purpose of a research study and the research questions are directly linked and aligned. A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your study. All research questions should be focused on a single problem, should be researchable, should be feasible to answer, and should be relevant to your field of study. Qualitative research questions identify the central phenomenon you plan to explore (tell in your question what you are going to describe, explore, generate, discover, understand).

List possible research questions that show potential to address your stated problem, which will lead to the development of what needs to be done in this study and how it will be accomplished. Recall that:

· The research question should not be too broad or too narrow.

· The research question must be researchable.

· The research question should be neutral and not leading.

· The research question must be directly investigable using the research tools at hand.

· The research question avoids yes/no questions no matter what the approach.

· Research questions often begin with “How” or “What.”

· How does virtual learning improve Academic Achievement?

· What are ways parents can show support for children’s academic success?

· How does lack of engagement hinder a child School Readiness Goals?

References

Include APA-formatted references for key research reviewed for the problem statement.

Alves, P., Miranda, L., & Morais, C. (2017). The influence of virtual learning environments in

students’ performance.  Universal Journal of Educational Research,  5(3), 517-527.

Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: A panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis.  Journal of

Educational Technology Systems,  49(1), 5-22.

Ferri, F., Grifoni, P., & Guzzo, T. (2020). Online learning and emergency remote teaching:

Opportunities and challenges in emergency situations.  Societies,  10(4), 86.

Gillett-Swan, J. (2017). The challenges of online learning: Supporting and engaging the isolated

learner.  Journal of Learning Design,  10(1), 20-30.

Keller, S. (2020, November 4). What effects are we seeing virtual learning has on kids, teachers,

and parents. Applied Imaging. https://www.appliedimaging.com/blog-it-services/virtual-

learning-what-teachers-and-parents-are-saying-about-the-impact-on-students/

Seesaw. (2014). Seesaw. Seesaw. https://web.seesaw.me/

Virtual learning for early childhood students. (n.d.). Www.uft.org. Retrieved August 11, 2021,

from https://www.uft.org/news/teaching/teacher-teacher/virtual-learning-early-childhood-

students.