Promoting Constructivist Learning Opportunities using Scratch with 5th Class Pupils

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Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning

Research Project Cover Sheet

Name: Conor Harrison

Student Number: 222

Student Cohort: MATL October 2010

Research Project Title:

Using Scratch to Promote Constructivist Learning

Opportunities for Fifth Class Pupils in a DEIS Band 1

School.

Word Count as per

assessment details: 15,000-16-000 words.

Research Project Word Count:The main text(exclude preliminary matters, abstract, notes,

reference list, appendices and index) 16,632 words.

Research Project Word Count:

The abstract 296 words.

Submission Date: February 4th

2013

I agree that I have researched and written the work submitted in this assessment, and that

the work submitted is my own. Any information and opinions drawn from other sources are

attributed by means of a reference to that source.


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Using Scratch to Promote Constructivist

Learning Opportunities with Fifth Class

Pupils in a DEIS Band 1 School.

By

Conor Harrison

Supervisor

Clifford Brown

Maters of Arts in Teaching and Learning

Hibernia College Dublin.

Presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award

Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning

Submitted to Hibernia College Dublin February 2013.


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Declaration

I herby certify that this material which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study

leading to the award of Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning is entirely my own work and has

not been taken from the work of others, save the extent that such work has been cited and

acknowledged within the text of my work.

Conor Harrison Clifford Brown

Dublin February 2013


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Abstract

Using Scratch to Promote Constructivist Learning Opportunities for Fifth

Class Pupils in a DEIS Band 1 School.

By

Conor Harrison

The purpose of this study was to investigate how using Scratch could promote Constructivist

learning opportunities with fifth class pupils in a DEIS Band 1 school. Scratch is a

programming language that makes it easy for youth to create interactive stories, animations,games, music, and art. Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st

century learning skills. This research studied the use of Scratch over a twelve week period

with fifth class pupils that attend a DEIS Band 1 school. The class of seventeen pupils wereintroduced to ten Scratch primary level lessons over a ten week period. During the final two

weeks pupils were planning, designing and creating a collaborative project of their choice for

a Scratch Day that was held in the school. The pupils worked in groups of two or three using

Scratch to create collaborative projects to present on Scratch Day to pupils, parents andteachers. Data were collected through a variety of research instruments which included a

researchers diary, pupil diaries, focus group interviews, pupil-pupil interviews, photographs

and screen-grabs of projects created by pupils. Results indicated that using Scratch has apositive impact on pupil motivation and engagement. Using Scratch in an educational setting

was found to have increased opportunities for pupils to engage in problem solving. Pupils

were found to persist with Scratch projects even when they considered aspects of Scratch

difficult. Scratch also provided increased opportunities for collaborative learning. Increasedopportunities for collaborative learning in this research resulted in the development of

communication skills and social skills. Scratch also enabled the teacher to assume

Constructivist teaching roles when teaching fifth class during this research. Using Scratchenabled fifth class pupils to assume control of their own learning, a key feature of

Constructivist learning theory.


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Acknowledgements

I wish to thank my supervisor, Clifford Brown, for his invaluable professional advice and

guidance throughout this research.

I would like to thank Michael Hallissy and Mary McAuliffe for co-ordinating the MATL

programme.

I wish to express my gratitude to Fionna Power, the school principal, and the Board of

Management for granting permission for this research project. I also wish to thank all my

colleagues in Scoil Chrost R, in particular Gearid Roughan and Karen Vaughan for their

advice and assistance during the project.

A special thanks to my parents Edwin and Brd. Thank you to my two brothers Noel and

Enda for their support and encouragement over the last two and a half years.

I wish to express my sincerest thanks to my beautiful wife Michelle, and baby daughter

Sophie.

Finally, a special word of thanks to the pupils in my class and their parents whose

participation in this project made it possible but also extremely enjoyable. Thank you for the

opportunity to improve my practice in the classroom.


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Table of Contents

Page

Declaration.. iii

Abstract iv

Acknowledgements ...v

Table of Contentsvi

List of Appendices...xi

List of Figures xi

1 Chapter One - Introduction

1.1 Research Rationale2

1.2 Background to Scratch..........5

1.3 The Nature of the Intervention Question..............7

1.4 The Research Question... ..7

1.5 Overview of the Research Project8

1.6 Summary ...9

2 Chapter TwoLiterature Review

2.1 Introduction .11


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2.2 Constructivism...11

2.21 The role of the Teacher and Learner12

2.22 Constructivist Learning Theory using Scratch14

2.3 Educational Disadvantage.15

2.31 Using Scratch in Marginalised Communities..17

2.4 Engagement and Motivation..18

2.41 Engagement.....18

2.42 Characteristics of Highly Engaging Teachers.20

2.43 Motivation...21

2.5 Skill Development..22

2.51 Problem Solving..22

2.6 Collaborative Learning...23

2.7 Summary.25

3 Chapter ThreeResearch Design

3.1 Introduction....27

3.2 Research Design.27


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3.21 Qualitative Study27

3.22 Action Research..29

3.23 Statement of the Problem29

3.24 Why Action Research? ..................................................................................30

3.3 Sample30

3.31 Participants and Settings.31

3.4 Research Instruments.32

3.5 Fieldwork...32

3.51 Researcher Observation...32

3.52 Researcher Journal...33

3.53 Pupil Diaries.33

3.54 Interviews.34

3.55 Screen-grabs.35

3.6 Data Analysis.. 35

3.7 Subjectivity.38

3.8 Validity and Reliability...39


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3.9 Reflexivity and Bias40

3.10 Ethical Consideration41

3.11 Limitations.41

3.12 Conclusion.42

4 Chapter Four - Presentation of Findings and Analysis of Results

4.1 Introduction.44

4.2 Overview of the Findings44

4.3 Student Profiles45

4.4 Data Finding and Analysis...46

4.5 Pupils Motivation and Engagement.46

4.51 Scratch Day...48

4.52 The Change in the Classroom...52

4.6 Changing Role of the Teacher.52

4.7 Skill Development...58

4.71 Problem Solving...58

4.72 Educational Value61


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4.8 Collaborative Learning63

4.81 What is the Value of Working in Groups? ......................................................65

4.9 Summary..67

5 Chapter Five - Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 Introduction..69

5.2 Conclusion69

5.21 Impact on Pupils....69

5.22 Impact on the Teacher...73

5.23 Limitations75

5.24 Contribution to Academic Knowledge.76

5.3 Recommendations76

5.31 Recommendations for the Classroom....76

5.32 Recommendations forFurther Study78

5.4 Concluding Statement..80

Bibliography.81


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Appendices...91

Appendix A: Group Interview Questions..92

Appendix B: Letter to the Board of Management Seeking Permission.94

Appendix C: Letter to Parents and Guardians Seeking Permission...96

Appendix D: Profile of the Research Participants.98

Appendix E: Mathematics STEN Results...103

Appendix F: Nationality of the Research Participants105

List of Figures

Figure 1.1 The Scratch Start-up Screen..6

Figure 2.1 Creative Design Spiral.15

Figure 3.1 Data Analysis Framework...36

Figure 4.1 Relationship of Emergent Themes...45

Figure 4.2 Pupil-pupil Interviews.51

Figure 4.4 Screen-grab of an earlyproject..60

Figure 4.5 Screen-grab of project at the end of the research61

Figure 4.5 Pupils Working in Groups..63


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Chapter One

Introduction


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1.0IntroductionThis research project investigates how Scratch can be used to promote Constructivist

learning opportunities for fifth class pupils in a DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in

Schools) Band 1 school. The project details the experiences of fifth class pupils following

the implementation of ten Scratch primary lessons available atwww.scratch.ie and the

holding of a Scratch Day.

1.1 Research Rationale

Schools need to offer more rigorous, relevant and engaging opportunities for students

to learn, and to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. (Partnership for

21st

Century Skills, 2007).

The traditional model of teaching based on the lecture model, known as Behaviourism, is

inappropriate for the 21st century student (Tapscott, 2008). In this model of teaching

knowledge is presented to the students in a series of well defined, structured steps by a

teacher who is an expert in the domain as advocated by Skinner (1974). Tapscott (2008)

argues that this model of teaching based on the lecture is encoded deeply into our culture. As

a result progressively more pupils today are failing to fully engage in the educational

process. Prensky (2006) describes how pupils today are tuning out because schools today

are failing to provide opportunities for pupils to become active in their learning. Tapscott

(2008) identifies moving towards a model where students can discover, and learn in a more

collaborative process as appropriate for the 21st century student. This model of teaching is

associated with the educational theory known as Constructivism.
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Constructivism emphasises the importance of the learners existing knowledge, and how it is

linked to new knowledge. Papert (1993) argues that pupils learn most effectively by finding

and generating their own knowledge and that the role of the teacher should be to assist in the

process rather than to merely impart knowledge. In a Constructivist environment the pupil is

an active creator of knowledge rather than a passive recipient. The emphasis in a

Constructivist environment shifts from a situation where knowledge is being transmitted by

the teacher to one in which the pupil assumes control of the learning experience. Prensky

(2006) maintains that schools must recognise the capacity of ICT to motivate and inspire

students to build a co-operative and interactive learning environment. This research project

sought to provide increased opportunities for Constructivist learning while using ICT

(Information and Communication Technology) as a mechanism to motivate and inspire

students to build a co-operative and interactive learning environment.

My experience as a primary school teacher in a large urban designated disadvantaged school

reflected the observations described by Tapscott (2008). Behaviourist methods of teaching

based on the lecture model were ineffective at motivating and engaging pupils in the learning

process. This resulted in some pupils becoming easily distracted in class, some pupils

engaging in off task misbehaviour and some pupils failing to achieve their full potential. In

an attempt to tackle these problems I contemplated Prenskys (2006) recommendation that

schools must recognise the capacity of ICT to motivate and inspire students to build a co-


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operative and interactive learning environment. My plan was to address these problems

using the motivational and engaging capacity of ICT.

I began to search for a professional development course that promoted the use of ICT in the

classroom. My plan was to utilise the motivational and inspirational power of ICT to help

implement the necessary changes in my classroom. I became aware of a new course the Irish

Software Engineering Centre (LERO) and the National Centre for Technology in Education

(NCTE) were promoting which involved using ICT to support teaching and learning. This

course was titled:An Introduction to Scratch in the Classroom. This courseintroduced

teachers to Scratch, a free application developed by MIT Media Lab which allows users

create and share their own interactive stories, animations and games. The course enabled

teachers to learn how to use Scratch and introduce it to their pupils to help them to explore

aspects of the primary school curriculum in an exciting and engaging manner (Lero, NCTE,

2012, p.4). Having participated on this professional development course I was inspired to

use Scratch in a research project to support the development of concepts, content and skills

of the Irish primary school curriculum (NCCA, 1999) whilst increasing opportunities for

Constructivist learning.

The research project undertaken focused on pupils in fifth class over a twelve week time

frame. The students that participated in this research attend a DEIS Band 1 school. The

majority of students come from families that experience unemployment, low income levels,

and low levels of education. Also, the majority of pupils were not working up to their


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potential, and occasionally exhibited signs that they were disinterested in school. This

research set out to explore the effects of using Scratch to tackle these issues by increasing

Constructivist learning opportunities for fifth class pupils in a DEIS Band 1 school.

1.2 Background to Scratch

Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories,

animations, games, music, and art. Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up)

develop 21st century learning skills. As they create and share Scratch projects, young people

learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think

creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively (MIT, 2004). The aim of Scratch

is that, as children work on personally meaningful products such as games, interactive art

and animated stories, they will develop mathematical and problem-solving skills,

technological fluency and greater self-confidence (Maloney et al., 2004).

Technological fluency requires the ability to create information rather than merely

understand it (Partnership for 21st Century Learning Skills, 2007). In order to achieve this

aim Scratch was designed to be very accessible using a building block concept where all the

pieces of a program literally click together on the screen, therefore avoiding complex

programming syntax (Resnick, 2007). The focus of Scratch is on making multimedia

products, and sharing them in the large and active online community hosted on

www.scratch.mit.edu. This develops childrens creativity in a fun way (Wilson & Moffat,
http://www.scratch.mit.edu/http://www.scratch.mit.edu/http://www.scratch.mit.edu/


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2010). Figure 1.1 shows the user friendly canvas of the Scratch interface. The cat character,

or sprite, can be exchanged or alternatively, pupils can import their own pictures from the

internet or a digital camera. There is also the facility to import sounds. Through these

options, children can create a much more personalised experience.In order to create a

programming sequence the pieces of code are snapped together in the centre of the screen,

the ScriptsArea.

Figure 1.1 The Scratch Start-Up Screen

Block of code

Stage

BlocksSprite


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1.3 Nature of the Intervention

The research was carried out in the classroom and in the school computer room for a period

of twelve weeks. Lessons were delivered for two thirty minute classes on Tuesdays and

Thursdays with a one hour lesson on Fridays. The thirty minute lessons were incorporated

into the pupils mathematics timetable, whilst the one hour session on Friday was

incorporated into the pupils timetabled ICT class. The pupils were shown an introductory

film explaining Scratch fromwww.scratched.mitand received ten Scratch lessons available

for primary pupils atwww.scratch.ie. Each Scratch lesson took one week to complete. Once

children had completed the ten lessons they worked for two weeks planning, designing and

creating a collaborative project of their choice for a Scratch Day that was held in the school.

The pupils worked in groups of two or three using Scratch to create collaborative projects to

present on this day to pupils, parents and teachers.

1.4 The Research Question

The title of this research project is: Using Scratch to Promote Constructivist Learning

Opportunities for Fifth Class Pupils in a DEIS Band 1 School. In order to establish how

Scratch can promote Constructivist learning opportunities for fifth class pupils in a DEIS

Band 1 school the research aimed to note the impact Scratch had on motivation and

engagement, the role of the teacher, the development of skills, and collaborative learning.

Four embedded questions emerged which supported the research question. These questions

were:
http://www.scratched.mit/http://www.scratched.mit/http://www.scratched.mit/http://www.scratch.ie/http://www.scratch.ie/http://www.scratch.ie/http://www.scratch.ie/http://www.scratched.mit/


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How does Scratch promote motivation and engagement? How can Scratch support a teacher trying to increase Constructivist learning

opportunities?

What skills does Scratch develop? How does Scratch support collaborative learning?

1.5 Overview of the Research Project

To examine the purpose of this research project the thesis is constructed as follows,

Chapter Two will present a review of the literature researched. The literature review willdiscuss the educational theory known as Constructivism. A brief discussion on the

challenges of teaching in a DEIS Band 1 school will be explained with reference to

relevant literature on Education Disadvantage in Ireland. The capacity of ICT to engage

and motivate pupils will be debated. How Scratch supports problem solving will be

reviewed. Finally, the outcomes of implementing collaborative learning opportunities for

pupils will be outlined.

Chapter Three outlines the research methodology chosen to enable the investigation ofthe research focus.

Chapter Four presents the findings of this research project. This chapter analyses anddiscusses the implications of the research findings in accordance with the literature

review


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Chapter Five presents the main conclusions and recommendations based on the researchfindings and the implications for using Scratch in Irish educational settings and for areas

of further study.

1.6 Summary

This chapter provides the context and rationale for the research project. It highlights the

research question and embedded questions which support the focus of the study. The aims

and objectives of the study are set out and an outline of the research document is provided.

The following chapter will review current literature on Scratch with reference to the research

question and the embedded questions.


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Chapter Two

Literature Review


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2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

The following chapter is a review of current literature with reference to the research

question-How Scratch can promote Constructivist learning opportunities for fifth class

pupils in a DEIS Band 1 school? The aim of this review is to synthesise, analyse and

present a clear line of argument (Burton et al., 2008, p.31) and link current literature to the

research question. After a thorough search and review process the following themes

emerged, which will form the sub-headings for this chapter:

Constructivism Education Disadvantage Engagement and Motivation Skill Development- Problem Solving. Collaborative Learning

2.2 Constructivism

Constructivism learning theory is defined as active construction of new knowledge based on

a learners prior experience (Koohang et. al., 2008, p.92). Woolfolk (1993, p.485) expands

on this definition of constructivism and states the key idea of constructivism is that learning

is active mental work, not passive reception teaching.


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The revised Primary School Curriculum (Government of Ireland, 1999) encourages teachers

to engage in Constructivist teaching in the classroom. It states that the child should be an

active agent in his or her own learning. The structure and content of the curriculum are

designed to provide opportunities for active engagement in a wide range of learning

experiences and to encourage children to respond in a variety of ways to particular content

and teaching strategies. This research project aims to use Scratch (a programming language

that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music and art,

and share your creations on the web) to achieve these stated underlying principles of learning

from the primary school curriculum and increase opportunities for Constructivist learning.

The traditional method of teaching contradicts the ideas of Constructivism as reported by

Tapscott (2008). According to Tapscott (2008), the traditional model of teaching based on

the lecture model is inappropriate for the 21st century student. He supports a Constructivist

philosophy and identifies moving towards a model where students can discover, and learn in

a more collaborative process as appropriate for the 21st century student. Tapscott (2008)

argues that schools need to embrace the change in relationship between student and teacher

and the learning process and move away from the traditional lecture model of teaching. This

research project will use Scratch to implement the changes necessary outlined by Tapscott

(2008).

2.21 The Role of the Teacher and Learner in a Constructivist Classroom.

The traditional role of the teacher and student was that the teacher imparted knowledge to

the passive student (Papert, 1980). Brooks & Brooks (1993, p. 68) similarly describe that the


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teacher has been perceived as a repository of knowledge charged with the task of handling

on deposits of knowledge to his or her pupils in a didactic manner. In this research project, I

sought to change my predominant teaching style and assume teaching roles associated with

Constructivist teaching. Kafai et al. (2009) in their study on mentoring partnerships in an

after school Computer Clubhouse identify five mentoring interactions when using Scratch

with disadvantage youth. The five roles were classified as Teaching, Facilitating, Co-

Constructing, Observing and Learning. Apart from the role of Teaching, the other four

mentoring interactions are associated with teaching roles assumed in Constructivist

classrooms. In this research I hope to emulate the mentoring interactions associated with

Constructivist teaching identified in Kafai et al (2009) in a DEIS Band 1 educational setting.

To aid my transition from a predominantly Behaviourist type teacher to a Constructivist

teacher Brooks and Brooks (1993, p. 102) provide descriptors of Constructivist teaching

behaviour. The following characteristics of Constructivist teaching behaviour influenced the

change in teaching roles I assumed during the research.

1. I encouraged and accepted student autonomy and initiative.2. When framing tasks, I used cognitive terminology such as analyse, predict, and

create.

3. I allowed student responses to drive lessons.4. I encouraged students to engage in dialogue,both with me and with one another.5. I sought elaboration of students initial responses (Brooks and Brooks, 1993, p. 103-

118).


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2.22 Constructivist Learning Using Scratch

After reviewing relevant literature it became evident using Scratch would support a

Constructivist learning environment. Screawn (2012) concurs with this idea and reports

students can construct new knowledge by designing programs or projects which are related

to their interests and experiences when using Scratch. Screawn (2012) also claims that

Scratch supports a learning-by-doing approach to education. Students are able to reflect on

their learning and collaborate with other learners as they construct knowledge.

When using Scratch, Resnick (2007) promotes a kindergarten approach to learning which is

based on Constructivist learning theory. The kindergarten approach to learning, as seen in

figure 2.1, is used to teach Scratch in Computer Clubhouses worldwide (Resnick et al.

2007). In the process, participants imagine what they want to do, create a project based on

their ideas, experiment with alternatives, share their ideas and creations with others, and

reflect on their experiences- all of which leads them to imagine new ideas and new projects

(Kafai, Peppler, & Chapman, 2009, p.21). This research used the Creative design spiral (See

figure 2.1) to guide pupils through the process of creating their collaborative projects for the

Scratch Day held in the school on November 16th

2012.


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Figure 2.1 Creative design spiral

(Kafai, Peppler, & Chapman, 2009, p.21).

2.30 Educational Disadvantage

This research project involved using Scratch with fifth class pupils that attended a designated

educational disadvantage school. Educational disadvantage is defined in the Education Act

(1998), section 32(9), as:

the impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage which

prevent students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schools.


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Educational disadvantage is seen as a complex, multi-faceted problem that can arise from a

number of different factors (DES, 1999, p. 97). Lyons et al (2006, p.20) report that socio-

economic disadvantage characterized by low income, low levels of education and poor

community resources all relate to the growth of educational disadvantage. My school is

classified as DEIS Band 1 based on a national survey of primary schools carried out by the

Educational Research Centre (ERC) in May 2005. The main focus of DEIS is to enhance

literacy and numeracy, increase teacher allocation and provide access to additional supports

for pupils that need them most.

Smyth et al. (2010) report an achievement gap for children in the most disadvantaged

schools particularly in urban DEIS band 1 schools. DEIS Band 1 schools have children with

more complex needs than pupils that attend non-DEIS schools. The school, and my fifth

class, has higher numbers of pupils that experience literacy, numeracy, emotional, and

behavioural difficulties than non- DEIS schools. The school has also seen an increase in the

concentration of pupils from newcomer and Traveller communities, pupils with serious

literacy and numeracy difficulties, and pupils with learning disabilities. According to Smyth

et al (2010), the increased numbers of children experiencing these difficulties has resulted in

many children having developed negative attitudes to school. Smyth et al (2010) contends

that negative attitudes to school can result in lower engagement levels for these pupils. This

has been a problem in my classroom. Many pupils are failing to work to their full potential

and demonstrate low engagement levels in class. If this problem is not addressed, Smyth et

al. (2010) warns this can be a contributing factor to early school leaving amongst pupils


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from disadvantaged communities. This research plans to use Scratch to develop positive

attitudes to school with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

2.31Using Scratch in Marginalised Communities

As previously stated Scratch is used with disadvantaged youth in after school Computer

Clubhouses around the world (Resnick et al. 2007). The Computer Clubhouse is an after

school club where pupils from urban low-income communities engage with creative

technologies, such as Scratch, in a Constructivist learning environment (Kafai et al., 2009,

p.2). The Computer Clubhouse organisation seeks to bridge the participation gap between

youth that know how to use technology for browsing the Internet and gaming and those who

know how to employ technology toward a more creative and expressive ends (Kafai, 2009,

p.147). The challenge in this research project is to see if findings from studies which have

used Scratch with disadvantaged youth in after school Computer Clubhouses around the

world can be emulated in an Irish DEIS Band 1 setting. An argument for trying to replicate

these findings with fifth class in a DEIS Band 1 school will now be explored.

Peppler (2010) reports as marginalised youth are engaged in the acts of building, creating

and constructing, they more deeply engage in the learning process. She found that youth

creating with Scratch in the Computer Clubhouse engaged in a new form of learning. This

had an impact on their motivation to reengage in traditional subject areas like print literacy.

Peppler (2010) claims this resulted because as youth leverage prior knowledge to sustain

their involvement in new complex subjects, they learn how to learn and increase their

general interest in the learning process. Peppler (2010) argues introducing Scratch into


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educational settings for marginalized youth could set the stage for higher levels of

engagement in the schooling process. This research project seeks to reduce the gap in the

literature, and report on the use of Scratch with marginalised youth with fifth class in a DEIS

Band 1 school.

2.40 Engagement and Motivation

2.41 Engagement

More and more of our students today lack the two prerequisites for learning- engagement

and motivation (Prensky, 2006, p.2). Prensky (2006) argues that if teachers want to have

relevance in the 21st century it is crucial that teachers find ways to engage and motivate

students in school.

Dolezal et al. (2003, p.243) define engagement as, a high degree of on-task behaviour

with tasks that are appropriately academically demanding and worthwhile for students.

How can teachers engage students? Prensky (2006) believes the answer lies with technology.

If teachers are to engage their students they must do so electronically.Once students are

actively engaged studies show achievement and motivation increase (Fredricks et. al., 2004,

p.71). Means et al. (1993, p.93) note that technology can engage students in challenging,

authentic learning:

Teachers can draw on technology applications to simulate real-world

environments and create actual environments for experimentation, so that

students can carry out authentic tasks as real workers would, explore new

terrains, meet people of different cultures, and use a variety of tools to gather

information and solve problems.


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After attending the professional development course for teachers on using Scratch in the

classroom, it became apparent to me Scratch was a suitable technology application to use

with my students which could engage them in challenging and authentic learning.

Papert (1980) considers knowledge and learning firmly grounded in contexts, and shaped by

their active and engaged users. He established some important guidelines for the use of

technology in schools which I incorporated into my ten Scratch lessons and preparation for

the schools Scratch Day. Papert (1988) encourages the use of open-ended projects when

using technology. He advocates the use of computers to solve real problems. Also, Papert

(1988) contends teachers should connect work on the computer with what goes on during the

rest of the day, and also with the students interests outside of school. Each Scratch lesson

provided the pupils with opportunities to create open-ended projects, solve real problems,

and connect their learning with passions they had outside the classroom. Preparing

collaborative projects using Scratch presented on the Scratch Day gave the pupils a new

opportunity to construct their own learning. Papert (1988) states Better Learning will not

come from finding better ways for the teacher to instruct, but from giving the learner better

opportunities to construct.

I was using Scratch with pupils for the first time. I needed to reflect on how pupils engaged

with Scratch. Were they engaged because they were using something new? Or were they

engaged with Scratch for a different reason? Martinez (2012) argues that engagement is not a

goal, its an outcome of students (or anyone) doing meaningful work. Meaningful to

themselves and to the community they are in. Meaningful because someone trusted them to


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do something good, and they shouldered the responsibility. The argument is often made that

technology is so engaging for students. Martinez (2012) believes its not the technology

thats engaging its the opportunity to use technology to create something that is valued by

the community. She poses the question that a new device can be entertaining for a while, but

when the novelty value wears off, what are you left with? I was seeking engagement that

enabled pupils to take charge of their own learning.

2.42 Characteristics of Highly Engaging Teachers

Research carried out byDolezal et al. (2003) reported thathighly engaging teachers used

numerous motivating strategies and required students to accomplish cognitively challenging

tasks. Challenging tasks were provided throughout the research through the use of ten

Scratch primary lessons. I felt the pupils would find the lessons interestingchallenging, and

playful. Motivational strategies supporting the use of Scratch included grouping the children

in table groups in the classroom and permitting children to leave their seats in the computer

room to learn from other pupils and view other pupils work. This was something new the

children had not experienced in my classroom before. Dolezal et al. (2003) report that

students desks arranged in table groups promote collaboration and cooperation and I hoped

arranging the classroom in this way would enhance the research focus of promoting

Constructivist learning opportunities.


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2.43 Motivation

Motivation is the extent to which a person is engaged with an activity (Henderlong and

Lepper, 2002). Gottfried (1990, p.525) defines academic motivation as enjoyment of school

learning characterized by a mastery orientation; curiosity; persistence; and the learning of

challenging, difficult, and novel tasks. It is believed that when motivated, children will

engage in high quality learning and conceptual understanding as well as enhanced personal

growth and adjustment. In her study, Gottfried (1990) measured motivation in subject areas

such as mathematics and reading. She found significant correlation between motivation and

academic achievement. Prensky (2006) states that students today lack motivation. A

common view ascertained by researchers is that students will experience an increase in

motivation to learn as a result of interacting with ICT. Ager (2003, p.5) claims that the

interactive nature of ICT motivates and stimulates learning. This project sought to capitalise

on the motivational capacity of Scratch to address the research problem.

Literature reviewed reporting on the use of Scratch with young people have found increased

levels of student motivation when using Scratch. Wilson and Moffat (2010) used Scratch

computer programming to teach some elementary programming to young children in their

computer class for eight lessons in all. This study reported that children were soon able to

write elementary programs, and moreover evidently had a lot of fun doing so. Some pupils

performed beyond all expectations. Wilson and Moffat (2010) report the main advantage to

Scratch is how Scratch makes learning how to program a positive experience, contrary to the

frustration and anxiety that is associated with the usual learning experience.


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Another study undertaken by Malan and Leitner (2007), claims Scratch has remarkable

potential for teaching and learning in educational settings. This study identified the ability

Scratch has to motivate students and familiarise students with the fundamentals of

programming. However, this study used Scratch with teenagers in secondary education.

Despite this fact, I had hoped to emulate these findings with fifth class pupils in a primary

DEIS Band 1 setting. Malan and Leitner (2007) study found that students described Scratch

as fun to use and really easy to learn. Similarly, Kafai (2009) found that young people

attending an after school Computer Clubhouse in the United Statesenjoyed using Scratch

and gravitated toward Scratch repeatedly in preference to other software available. A

common finding in all the reports mentioned was that Scratch promoted problem solving.

The next section will examine closely how Scratch promotes problem solving

2.5 Skill Development

2.51 Problem Solving

The reportLearning for the 21st

Century produced by the 21st

Century Partnership (2003)

identifies Problem Solving as an important skill for students growing up in the 21st

century.

Baroudi (2011) states that using Scratch teaches students to solve their own problems,

encouraging students to figure things out and discover how things work for themselves. She

argues that Scratch teaches students that they need to understand their own problems, make

mistakes and explore alternatives. She explains using Scratch can teach students to look for

solutions, attempt them, learn from their mistakes and seek new ways to solve their

individual problem. During this research project my pupils were creating Scratch projects,


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which required thinking of an idea, figuring out how to break the problem into steps and

implementing these steps using Scratch programming blocks. I had hoped my pupils would

engage in Problem Solving and persevere with Scratch when confronted with challenges.

Papert (1980) referred to students engagement with Problem Solving and perseverance in

the face of difficulty using technology as hard fun. Papert (1980) argued that children that

engaged in hard fun, not in spite of the fact the activity was hard but because it was hard.

Such engagement was a combination of intense focus on the task at hand and intense

motivation to continue.

2.6 Collaborative Learning

Scratch is designed to support and encourage collaboration and sharing (Resnick et al.,

2007). The visual objects and modular code used in Scratch supports collaboration, enabling

students to work together on projects and exchange objects and code. Resnick et al. (2007)

maintain collaboration on projects using Scratch supports communication skills development

by engaging young people in choosing, manipulating, and integrating a variety of media in

order to express themselves creatively and persuasively. This research provided

opportunities for pupils to work in small groups of two or three pupils to prepare Scratch

projects for the Scratch Day. Increasing opportunities for collaborative learning would

support the focus of this research and perhaps produce some worthwhile findings.

Collaborative learning is defined as an instruction method in which students at various

performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal (Gokhale, 1995,

p.22). Students are responsible for one anothers learning as well as their own. Thus, the


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success of one student helps other students to be successful. Studies have shown that

children who work together in a cooperative way show increased academic achievement,

improved school attendance, spend a greater time on task and display increased self-esteem

(Johnson and Johnson, 1989). If I could emulate these findings in my research I would be

improving my classroom practice considerably.

The Irish Primary Curriculum (NCCA, 1999, p.17) recognises that collaborative learning

facilitates children hearing the ideas and opinions of others and reacting to these ideas. In

order to implement effective group work during this project I stressed the importance of the

following:

Positive Interdependence: Students must understand that they are linked with othersin a way that one cannot succeed unless the other members of the group also succeed.

Face to Face Promotive Interaction: Students must explain to each other how to solveproblems.

Individual Accountability: a division of labour is identified and pupils are responsiblefor their component of the project.

Teamwork Skills: Contributing to the success of a cooperative effort requiresteamwork skills, including skills in leadership, decision making, trust building,

communication, and conflict management (Johnson et al., 2005).


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2.7 Summary

This chapter discussed the Constructivist learning theory and the role of the teacher and

pupil in a Constructivist classroom. The literature review went on to discuss educational

disadvantage and the problems associated with pupils attending DEIS Band 1 schools. The

review then examined the use of Scratch with marginalised youth in after school clubs.

Subsequently, current literature on motivation and engagement was reviewed. The chapter

noted the capacity of Scratch to engage pupils in Problem Solving. How Scratch can be

used to promote collaborative learning was discussed. The consensus of the literature in this

review is that Scratch can play a positive role in teaching and learning.


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Chapter Three

Methodology


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3.0 Methodology

3.1 Introduction

This chapter examines the research methodology employed to engage in this research. It

outlines the rationale for the design of the research, the methodology that underpins it, and

how data were collected and analysed. It describes the location and participants of the

research while taking into consideration issues of quality and ethics. The purpose of this

chapter is to use strategies that would make it possible to examine the use of Scratch to

promote Constructivist learning opportunities with fifth class pupils in a DEIS Band 1

school, in a balanced way, thus enhancing the interpretability of the data collected

(Bryman, 1984, p.31).

3.2 Research Design

3.21 Qualitative Study

Qualitative research was chosen as the most appropriate research methodology for this

research project. Qualitative research involves authentically capturing the lived experience

of people (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). It involves examining peoples words and actions in

narrative or descriptive ways (Maykut and Morehouse, 1994, p.2). In this qualitative study I

was a participant observer, focusing on the words and actions of my pupils, in order to learn

first-hand about the social world.


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A quantitative study was deemed inappropriate for the purposes of this research project.

According to Nielsen (2004) the key benefit of quantitative studies is simple. They boil a

complex situation down to a single number that's easy to grasp and discuss. The research

question could not be appropriately answered by collecting numerical data. The research

project undertaken which involved implementing ten Scratch lessons and holding a Scratch

School Day reflected the characteristics of qualitative research, namely presenting multiple

realities and a focus on the views of all participants (Creswell, 2007). I concluded a

qualitative study was appropriate for the focus of my research.

A qualitative study of this nature allowed for a wide range of data collection methods. This

research project utilised interviews, field notes, observations, participant journals,

photographs and screen images called screen-grabs of pupils projects in order to record the

experiences of using Scratch. Although qualitative research was considered the most

appropriate methodology for this study, some limitations must be acknowledged. It is

considered that qualitative research can be highly subjective and lack scientific rigour

(Marshall and Crossman, 2006). Thomas (2009) similarly criticises qualitative study and

contends qualitative studies may not generalise to other settings or participants. However, I

was cognisant of safeguarding against using a lack of scientific rigor throughout the research

project.


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3.22 Action Research

Action research is designed to deal with a concrete problem located in the immediate

situation (Cohen & Mannion, 1994, p.186) Action research is a process that involves

improvement and reform. Action research is defined:

as any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers to gather informationabout the ways that their particular school operates, how they teach, and how well

their students learn. The information is gathered with the goals of gaining insight,

developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environmentand on educational practices in general, and improving student outcomes.

Mills (2003, p.1)

According to Cohen and Mannion (1994), action research is concerned with diagnosing a

problem in a specific context, which aims at attempting to solve it in that context. The

ultimate objective of this process they argue is to improve practice in some way.

3.23 Statement of Problem

I identified that pupils in my classroom were not working to their full potential. Many pupils

exhibited signs that they were disinterested and disengaged with learning in my classroom.

In an attempt to reengage my pupils with learning in my classroom I introduced Scratch as a

mechanism to promote Constructivist learning opportunities. I felt traditional teaching

methods were failing to engage my pupils fully in the educational process, as a result I

sought to implement change to improve learning outcomes in my classroom. I proposed to

use Scratch to implement the necessary changes in my classroom. I was optimistic using

Scratch could develop enthusiasm for learning again and motivate pupils to work to their full

potential.


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3.24 Why Action Research?

For the purpose of this research project, I considered action research as the most appropriate

method to affect change in the classroom. Action research allowed me the teacher to

research within the classroom while at the same time the main focus in the classroom was

teaching and learning. I wanted to engage in creating more project based learning

opportunities for pupils and offering increased opportunities for Constructivist learning.

Action research enabled me to address the problem of pupils not working to their potential

while at the same time I was able to continue teaching the class.

3.3 Sample

The research project reports on the learning outcomes for seventeen pupils in fifth class in a

DEIS Band urban school. Purposive sampling was utilised to choose six participants to

participate in a semi-structured interview. This method of sampling was suitable for the

project as it achieved a sample that was as representative as possible of the whole class

(Burton et al., 2008). In purposive sampling, researchers handpick the participants to be

included in the sample on the basis of their judgement of their typicality (Cohen et al., 2000,

p.103). I sought to create a sample which balanced gender and academic ability.

Three boys and three girls were chosen for the sample. A mathematics standardised test

called Sigma T was used to categorise participants based on academic ability (See Appendix

E). The Sigma-T was carried out in June 2012 as the pupils finished 4th

class. The test

breaks down the results on a scale called a STEN. The STEN scale or Standard TEN is a ten


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point scale with values ranging from 1 to 10 (Wall and Burke, 2007, p.16). In establishing

criteria for purposive sampling, the STEN provided a concrete basis for the selection of

participants.

3.31 Participants and Setting

This research was undertaken in an urban co-educational primary school. As previously

stated many of the children attending the school are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Seventeen participants were involved in this research project, nine boys and eight girls from

fifth class. There was quite a diverse ethnicity in the class (See Appendix F) which

represents all the nationalities in the classroom. The purposive sample was chosen to ensure

a mix of students with regard to cultural background.

I am the pupils fifth class teacher and had access to the pupils on a daily basis. The Scratch

lessons were carried out in the schools designated computer room. The school computer

room was equipped with a teaching computer, an interactive whiteboard, and a personal

computer for each pupil. Each computer had Scratch software downloaded from

www.scratch.mit.edu. Scratch lessons were integrated into the pupils mathematics

timetable. A one hour computer room session took place on Fridays for ten weeks during

September, October and November in 2012. Two thirty minute sessions took place on

Tuesday and Thursday mornings over the ten week period also. At the end of the ten weeks

of Scratch lessons a Scratch Day was held on November 16th

2012, to allow pupils present
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projects to pupils from other classes in the school. Pupils collaborated in small groups of two

or three to create Scratch projects for the Scratch Day and presented the projects to invited

parents, teachers and pupils of the school.

3.4 Research Instruments

A range of data collection methods was carefully considered in order to find those most

appropriate for answering the research question.Researcher observations, researcher and

pupil journals, interviews, photographs and screen-grabs of students Scratch projects were

employed to attempt to gain a deeper understanding of how Scratch promoted Constructivist

learning with my students. Collecting data from a variety of sources contributed to the

validity of this study.

3.5 Fieldwork

3.51 Researcher Observations

As outlined previously, I took on the role of participant observer during this research project.

A participant observational study had many advantages for this research project over other

data-gathering methods. I was able to gather real life data from interactions with the pupils

(Robson, 2002, p.310). I could engage in unstructured observation, whereby I was immersed

in a social situation as a participant, in order to understand what was going on (Thomas,

2009, p.186). Bailey (1978) similarly states that the participant observation approach has

some inherent advantages and is superior to experiments and surveys. Investigators are able

to discern on-going behaviour as it occurs and observation studies are less reactive than


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other types of data-gathering methods which can introduce bias to the data the researcher is

trying to study.

3.52 Researcher Journal

Observations during this research project were noted immediately in my journal as

advocated by Lofland (1971). Any observations were expanded on in greater detail after

each session. Recording the observations sequentially in the diary enabled me to note

emerging trends during analysis. Thomas (2009, p.166) considers a diary or journal to be an

invaluable data-gathering tool for the researcher undertaking a small project. My journal was

utilised to record observations, direct quotes, opinions, interpretations and facts during the

research. These journal entries provided an on-going record of events. In addition to these

field notes, my journal was also used to record my own thoughts, plans and reflections on

how my classroom practice was changing

3.53 Pupil Diaries

Hopkins (2008, p.108) encourages the use of pupil diaries when carrying out classroom

research as they provide an interesting contrast to the field notes kept by the teacher on the

same topic. Hopkins maintains that pupil diaries are an excellent way of obtaining honest

feedback and provide a pupil perspective on the teaching episode. Using pupil diaries in this

research project added to the validity of the study as the pupil diaries provided a basis for

recording the experiences of the pupils and their insights into Scratch. Similarly, (Thomas,

2009) argues pupil diaries can encourage children to be more forthcoming than they might

be in a more formal interview setting. At the end of each Scratch lesson, pupils spent ten to


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fifteen minutes completing an entry in their diary. Pupils could write freely about their

experiences that day.

3.54 Interviews

Interviews were considered necessary as they enabled the researcher to expand on data

already collected through observations, work samples and journal entries. As a method of

inquiry interviewing in qualitative research is useful for gathering facts, accessing beliefs

about facts, identifying feelings and motives, commenting on the standards of actions,

present of previous behaviour, and eliciting reasons and explanations (Cohen et al. 2000,

p.146). In this research project two types of interviews were carried out, pupil-pupil

interviews and teacher-pupil interviews.

Pupil-Pupil Interviews

Pupil-pupil interviews provide a rich source of data (Hopkins, 2008, p.210). The main

advantages of using this format of interviewing according to Hopkins (2008) are that pupils

may be more candid with each other and they may produce unanticipated or unusual

perspectives. As a result I did not set any questions for the children to follow. They were free

to ask each other any question about Scratch. I had hoped to record responses that may not

have been recorded in teacher-pupil interviews. I also expected to record unanticipated or

unusual perspectives the pupils had about Scratch.


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Teacher-Pupil Interviews

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with the purposive sample of pupils.The semi-

structured interview approach was adopted in the study, so that specific responses could be

elicited from interviewees with a view to comparing and contrasting these responses

(Fraenkel & Wallen, 2001, p.25). I used five key questions which acted as prompts (See

Appendix A). According to the responses given, I either asked further questions to deepen

understanding and give greater detail or else moved on to the next key question.

3.55 Screen-grabs of Pupils Scratch Projects

Images from computer screens known as screen-grabs were taken to review pupils work on

Scratch. Work samples were obtained in order to compile a cumulative record of pupils

Scratch projects during the research. Pupils saved all their Scratch projects on the local

school computer network, and this provided data to show how pupils project complexity

progressed throughout the research. This provided a subtle means of studying the data in

context (Robson, 2002). Comparing scripts from projects at the beginning of the research

with scripts from projects at the end gave an insight into what students had achieved during

the research.

3.6 Data Analysis

In a quantitative research project Hopkins (2008, p129) describes why it is important to

establish a coherent methodology for analysing classroom research data. Hopkins argues that

studies which lack a coherent methodology for analysing data produce findings which can


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neither be fully scrutinized nor usefully emulated. Thorne (2000) maintains in order to

generate findings that transform raw data into new knowledge, a qualitative researcher must

engage in active and demanding analytic processes throughout all phases of the research.

Therefore, I utilised a data analysis framework (see Table 3.1) during this research to ensure

my findings could be fully scrutinised and researchers in the future wishing to replicate my

findings could do so. A data analysis framework advocated by Hopkins (2008, p.131)

comprising of four stages was used.

Figure 3.1 Data Analysis Framework

Data collection and the generation of categories was the initial stage carried out in this

research project. Four themes were established that began to explain what had happened in

the classroom using Scratch. The themes established included 1.Motivation and


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employed action research to improve my classroom practice. I reflected on the outcomes of

my action research and as a result, I was in a position to plan for future action (Hopkins,

2008, p.137). I considered how using Scratch had addressed my original concern that pupils

in my class were not working to their potential and were exhibiting signs that they had

become disinterested in learning. These reflections and considerations influence how I will

use Scratch with future fifth classes and what recommendations I would give to teachers

contemplating using Scratch in an educational setting. This stage is discussed in greater

detail in chapter five.

3.7 Subjectivity

Qualitative research seeks to understand the subjective experience. It is also concerned with

interpretive openness through a process by which the researcher attempts to acknowledge his

or her preformed prejudices, biases, and stereotypes and in so doing reveal the lens through

which he or she builds an interpretation of the subject (Denzin, 1978). I was cognisant of the

perils of assumption, bias, and opinion that are associated with qualitative research. Not just

my subjective experience had to be taken into consideration, but also the experiences of the

pupils. Subjectivity is something which must be limited to the greatest degree possible in

order to be able to assert a degree of generalizability in regard to the findings(Denzin,

1978). Section 3.9 Reflexivity and Bias also discusses how subjectivity was minimised

during this research.


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3.8 Validity and Reliability

Validity is an account that represents accurately those features of a phenomenon that it

intended to describe, explain or theorise (Hammersley, 1987). During this research I strove

to demonstrate that my observations recorded and analysed, matched what actually occurred

during the research. Enhancing validity in this project was achieved by implementing the

following techniques proposed by Hopkins (2009, p.142). To begin with, evidence was

gathered from multiple sources. Secondly, data were collected at different points in time

during the research. Thirdly, methodological triangulation was employed to safeguard

against false conclusions. Finally, a data analysis framework proposed by Hopkins (2008,

p.131) was employed to generating meaning from the data collected.

Measuring and accuracy play a big part in demonstrating reliability in qualitative research

(Shank, 2006). Reliability refers to the extent to which a research instrument such as a test

will give the same result on different occasions (Thomas, 2009, p.105). To ensure my

research was academically sound, four criteria proposed by Shenton (2003) were adhered to.

The criteria include Credibility, Transferability, Dependability and Confirmability. To

ensure Credibility in this research project, appropriate well recognised research methods

were employed. Transferability of this research project has been achieved with the provision

of relevant literature which allow comparisons to be made. Dependability has been ensured

in this research through the description of data collection methods which ensure the study

can be repeated. Finally, Confirmability has been achieved with my recognition of

shortcomings in the studys methods and their potential effects.


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3.9 Reflexivity and Bias

Creswell (2009) argues that in qualitative research, the role of the researcher as the primary

data collection instrument necessitates the identification of personal values, assumptions and

biases at the outset of the study. Cohen et. al (2003, p. 141) also argue that in qualitative data

the responses, opinions and perceptions of those involved always include some element of

bias. Therefore the researcher must strive to minimize invalidity and maximize validity.

As I was the participants teacher in this research, it must be acknowledged the pupils may

have offered responses to please me. As a teacher in a DEIS Band 1 school with an interest

in Scratch, I had to be careful of my own assumptions on the value Scratch has. I had to be

aware of my reactions to their responses throughout the project and remain as impartial as

possible throughout the project. For this reason and to safeguard against bias, I employed

pupil-pupil interviews as a research instrument in this project. As already mentioned this

enabled participants to offer responses which may not have been recorded in the teacher-

pupil interviews. Also to ensure that the research remained as unbiased as possible a critical

friend, as well as my supervisor, read the research project as it was written. This approach

aimed to ensure that the information was re-examined and moderated thus enhancing the

validity of the enquiry (Burton et al. 2008, p.172).


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3.10 Ethical Considerations

In this study, ethical consideration focused on voluntary participation, confidentiality and

anonymity. Permission was sought from the Board of Management of the school (See

Appendix B) and was granted.Once this permission was given, the researcher approached

the children of fifth class explaining the proposed project.Children that showed an interest

were given a letter of consent (See Appendix C) to be signed by their parents. The

participants were reassured that all information provided would remain confidential and

available to the researcher only. The letter of consentto both the Board of Management and

to the parents of participants guaranteed that confidentiality would be a primary concern and

that the anonymity of all participants would be maintained. The cover letter, which was

distributed to participants involved in the research, also made it explicit that participants,

having given their consent, were free to withdraw from the study at any time. All parents

granted permission.

3.11 Limitations

Qualitative research and action research are criticised for lacking scientific rigor as discussed

in sections 3.21 and 3.22. Further limitations acknowledged in this research project include

the relative short length of time the study was carried out over. The researcher acknowledges

that the twelve week programme was quite a short time frame. Nevertheless, I maintain that

the range of data gathered within this period allowed for rich analysis and valid findings. As

stated previously in sections 3.53 and 3.54, other limitations acknowledged in this research

includes data recorded in pupil diaries and interviews with pupils are subjective.


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Additionally, the very small sample of participants is without doubt a limiting factor in

emulating the findings of this research. However, I believe that the nature of the qualitative

research methods employed in this study provided a rich yield of in-depth findings from the

small research sample.

3.12 Conclusion

The aim of this research project was to describe, understand and interpret the opinions,

views and perceptions of pupils that used Scratch during the research project. This chapter

examined the methodologies and the data collection and data analysis used. I proposed that

action research was the most appropriate research method to address the focus of my

research. Data collection strategies employed in this action research included researcher

observations, researcher and pupil journals, interviews and screen-grabs of students work.

Limitations and the potential of researcher bias have been acknowledged and discussed.

Finally, the ethical considerations were presented. In the following chapter an analysis of the

data and interpretations of the data are discussed.


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Chapter Four

Findings and

Analysis


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4.0 Presentation of Findings and Analysis of Results

4.1 Introduction

The focus of this research project was to observe and document how implementing ten

Scratch lessons and showcasing collaborative Scratch projects at a Scratch Day promoted

Constructivist learning opportunities with fifth class pupils in a DEIS Band 1 school.

4.2 Overview of the Findings

This chapter will describe the participants of the study. The chapter goes on to outline the

data collected and discusses these findings with reference to current literature. This

discussion is divided into sections according to the validated themes which emerged. The

themes that emerged when analysing the data were:

Pupil Motivation and Engagement. Changing Roles for the Teacher. Skill Development- Problem Solving. Collaborative Learning.


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Figure 4.1: Relationship of Emergent Themes

The diagram illustrates the inter-relationship between the recurring themes that emerged

with using Scratch in this research project.

4.3 Student Profiles

As discussed in chapter two the pupils in this research attend a large urban designated

disadvantaged primary school. Smyth et al. (2010) report DEIS Band 1 schools have higher


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numbers of pupils that experience literacy, numeracy, emotional, and behavioural

difficulties than non- DEIS schools. The fifth class that participated in this research reflect

Smyths et al. (2010) observation on DEIS Band 1 schools. A profile of the entire fifth class

is available (See Appendix D). Pseudonyms have been assigned to the pupils in this

research.

4.4 Data Findings and Analysis

This section details the findings from qualitative research undertaken with fifth class pupils.

Action research was employed to address the problem identified in chapter one. This chapter

discusses data with reference to the research questionHow does Scratch promote

Constructivist learning opportunities with fifth class pupils in a DEIS Band 1 school. A

comprehensive description of the findings from the researchers diary, observation, pupils

diary, interviews, photographs and screen-grabs provides data to answer four embedded

questions outlined in chapter one which support the research question.

4.5 Pupil Motivation and Engagement

The theme of pupil motivation and engagement was identified from the beginning of the

research. After an introductory video about Scratch available onwww.scratched.mit.eduwas

shown to the pupils, data recorded and analysed showed that pupils were interested in

learning about Scratch. An entry in my diary outlines the level of interest pupils expressed

having watched the introductory video.

Today, the pupils were shown an introductory video about Scratch. The video

seems to have captured the pupils imaginations. The pupils were very excited
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about the prospect of being able to make their own video games, cartoons and

stories.

(Researcher Diary 03/09/12)

Similarly an analysis of pupil diaries after having watched the Scratch introductory video

demonstrated the following:

Mr. Harrison showed us a video today about Scratch. The video showed usthat we can make our own games, cartoons, art and music. I cant wait to

make my own game.

(Stephanies Diary 03/09/12)

Levels of motivation and engagement remained high throughout the twelve weeks. Semi-

structured interviews carried out with a purposive sample of pupils at the end of the research

revealed pupils had maintained their initial enthusiasm for Scratch. I had a concern at the

beginning of the project that once the novelty of Scratch had dissipated the pupils would

cease to engage with Scratch. The following are extracts from what pupils said during the

group interviews. The responses demonstrate that Scratch still excited and motivated the

pupils at the end of the twelve weeks.

Question: What do you like about Scratch?

Carl: I like Scratch because I like to make games by myself

Roisn: Scratch makes school fun

Stephanie: I love Scratch because its so interesting.


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As mentioned in chapter two, Martinez (2012) believes its not the technology thats

engaging its the opportunity to use technology to create something that is valued by the

community. Relating Martinez (2012) observation to the data recorded, one can argue

pupils were motivated and engaged with Scratch due to the opportunities Scratch gave to

create something valued. The Scratch Day held in November provided the pupils with the

opportunity to create a collaborative project to present to invited parents, teachers and pupils

of the school. The pupils had to choose a subject, decide on a topic, research that topic,

organise a division of labour for the project, create the project, and finally present the

project. The following are extracts from pupil diaries on how they felt after presenting their

projects on the Scratch Day.

4.51 Scratch Day

Yesterday we held our Scratch Day. I really loved showing my project to the

pupils, teachers and parents. My Dad came to see my project. He told me itwas brilliant. The second class children loved my project. They were laughing

and gave me and Shane a big clap. Scratch day was the best day ever.

(Glendas Diary 16/11/12)

My own diary recorded the following observations after the pupils presented their projects

on the Scratch Day.

The Scratch Day was a great success. The pupils presented their projects

with a great sense of pride and achievement. The audiences seemed to reallyenjoy the projects. The pupils gave their best efforts to present their projects. I

was delighted with how all the pupils applied themselves and took

responsibility for their work.



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These diary extracts demonstrate the huge motivation and engagement levels

achieved by holding a Scratch Day. The pupils had never exhibited this degree of

motivation or engagement with their learning previously in my classroom. The

Scratch Day event demonstrated the huge capacity Scratch has to motivate and

engage pupils. The Scratch Day provided opportunities for pupils to take charge of

their own learning. The following extracts from what pupils said during the group

interviews reveal how pupils were motivated to give their best efforts preparing for

and on Scratch Day.

Question: What do you think about Scratch Day?

Aidan: Scratch Day was the best day ever in school because I showed my

Scratch project to allthe classes and they loved it.

Saoirse: Scratch Day was so much fun. I loved it. I cant wait for next years.

My project will be much better

Henry: I loved Scratch Day because we never show our work off to our

parents or other classes. I loved watching other pupils show their work. I

learned a lot for the other projects.


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Preparing projects for Scratch Day enabled pupils to make connections with subjects or

topics they had a passion or interest in. This was evident in the diverse nature of topics

which pupils chose for their Scratch Day project available at

http://scratch.mit.edu/galleries/view/181591. The topics which pupils collaborated on for the

Scratch Day included History, Geography, Science, Christmas, Holidays, and Sport. The two

weeks pupils prepared their projects for the Scratch Day I witnessed prolonged engagement.

The projects created were deeply individual and personally meaningful to the pupils. Similar

observations are reported by Peppler and Kafai (2007) in their study using Scratch with

pupils in after school Computer Clubhouses. Peppler and Kafai (2007) report how Scratch

engages youths with its capacity to enable individuals and collectives build on their pre-

existing interests.

Russell et al. (2005) note that some indicators of motivation include time spent on a

particular activity; persistence in the face of difficulty; intensity of attention and time-on-

task. Ten of the participants downloaded Scratch and worked on personal projects at home.

Evidence that pupils were using Scratch at home was found in pupil-pupil interviews, semi-

structured interviews and from my observations. The following excerpt from a pupil-pupil

(figure 4.2) interview records the type of work pupils engaged in when using Scratch at

home.
http://scratch.mit.edu/galleries/view/181591http://scratch.mit.edu/galleries/view/181591http://scratch.mit.edu/galleries/view/181591


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Figure 4.2 Pupil-Pupil Interviews.

Adian: Do you use Scratch at home?

Kevin: I do actually. I go on the internet and look at a game, and I say I can

make this game on Scratch but I can do some better stuff.

This excerpt indicates that pupils were examining other projects online and observing how

these projects were made. Similarly, this next excerpt demonstrates how pupils learned from

other projects at home.

Carl: If you didnt know how to make a project what would you do?Jane: I would go online and borrow their project and see how they have done

it.

This independent, voluntary work at home indicates the childrens strong motivation and

willingness to use Scratch.


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4.52 The Change in the Classroom

As previously discussed in chapter one, some pupils in my classroom became easily

distracted in class and engaged in off-task misbehaviour as a result of poor motivation and

reduced engagement levels. This gave rise to the fact that some pupils were failing to

achieve their full potential. I found during this research project that discipline had vastly

improved. Off-task misbehaviour was never an issue in any Scratch lesson. Pupils engaged

willingly in the ten Scratch lessons. Evidence from my diary indicated that the Scratch

lessons were much calmer and quieter when pupils were working in groups rather than

individually. The data collected found that pupils asked fewer questions and sought my help

less when working together in groups. The following entry in my diary describes such an

incident.

Today, the pupils worked on an activity in groups for the first time. I noticed

as the pupils worked that I had to answer far less questions and required tosupport less pupils than when pupils worked on their own. The computer roomwas much calmer and quieter today. All the pupils were fully engaged working

in groups.


This episode depicts how increased levels of engagement using Scratch can lead to an

increase in calmness and fewer incidents of off-task misbehaviour. Collaborative Learning

using Scratch will be discussed in greater detail later in this chapter.

4.6 Changing Role of the Teacher

As mentioned in chapter two in this research project, I sought to change my predominant

teaching style and assume teaching roles associated with Constructivist teaching. This


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section reports how using Scratch facilitated this change. As described in the literature

review I wished to emulate findings from Kafai et al. (2009) in their study on mentoring

partnerships in an after school Computer Clubhouse with my class. Kafai et al. (2009)

identify Facilitating, Co-Constructing, Observing and Learning as roles associated with

Constructivist teaching in their study. An analysis of the data found evidence that replicating

the findings from Kafai et al. (2009) after school study was possible with fifth class pupils in

a DEIS Band 1 educational setting.

My role as the teacher changed considerably during the research. Early entries in my diary

revealed examples where I continued the traditional role of the teacher. This form of

teaching associated with Behaviourism was the predominant teaching style I assumed with

my pupils prior to using Scratch. An over-reliance on this teaching style was failing to

motivate and engage my pupils sufficiently. As a result pupils were failing to work to their

potential. I did engage in instructing, directing and modelling when teaching Scratch at the

beginning. I will explain why I continued with this method initially when using Scratch

further on in the chapter. The following entries from my diary were recorded after lesson

one.

I showed the pupils how to import a sprite, and then I directed them through

the process of getting a sprite to move different directions.

I told the pupils to import an underwater background and move the sprite

over and back.

Today I modelled how to paint a new background and create a new sprite.


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As the research project progressed I began to assume the roles identified as Facilitator, Co-

Constructor, Observer and Learner by Kafai et al. (2009). Entries in my diary detected the

process of change in my role from Instructor to Learner as pupils by the end of the project

were teaching me how to use Scratch. During this process of change, the data also indicated

that changes were also occurring for the pupils. They progressed from pupils that were

passive in their learning to pupils that were director

Promoting Constructivist Learning Opportunities using Scratch with 5th Class Pupils

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