Karolinka Peterka

EDS 205B
5/4/14

One-on-One Interview Analysis Assignment

Because the focus of my study is elementary education, I was interested in learning more about
how the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are being perceived at the high school level. For this
reason, I interviewed two high school sophomores about their thoughts and knowledge of the Common
Core and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). Both these girls are attending the same
public high school in an affluent area of San Diego. I chose to interview students in the tenth grade
because they will be affected by the new standards and tests before they apply for college and I wanted
to know if their thoughts about college are being influenced by the changes in education. Although I
intended to interview just one student, she brought a friend to the interview so I decided to question
them both.
I was not sure what the girls already knew about the Common Core so I decided to do an open
interview. I had made a list of topics I wanted to touch on but I did not plan out questions in case they
knew very little. I wanted the interview to focus on what they already knew about the CCSS and the
SBAC and their feelings towards each of these areas. I also wanted to know if they had already started
implementing any Common Core practices in their classes and the general opinions of the teachers at
their school.
I was surprised by how much both of these students already knew about the CCSS and SBAC. As
far as I was concerned, there were no major misconceptions as far as my knowledge of the subject is
concerned. They identified the major shifts such as the increased amount of informational text and the
need to explain your thinking in writing in content areas such as math or science. They knew that the
SBAC is going to be completely computerized and that it will test their knowledge of concepts more than
procedures. Therefore they will have to write to defend their answers and will be required to answer
different types of questions, not just multiple choice.
I was also impressed by the fact that they were generally embracing the changes in the
education system. Although one of the girls was a bit skeptical and was glad that it wouldnt affect her
education very much, they both understood the reasoning behind the changes. They both agreed that
the need to be able to write about what is being learned is important and that a solid understanding of
concepts will be more beneficial than memorization and rote procedures. However, they were not
particularly fond of the shift towards informational text. They said that they both connect to literature
and feel that they learn more through reading about someone elses experiences than they do when
reading research articles.
I was also interested in hearing their opinions about how they perceive their teachers reactions
to the CCSS and the SBAC. They said that they are sensing their teachers are worried, especially because
they are unsure about the changes and how to implement them. Furthermore, because they are at a
high school in a very affluent area, their school is doing very well under the current education system.
Therefore, they feel that the teachers do not think the system needs to change and therefore are not
excited about having to change their curriculum and teaching practices. I found it interesting that the
students are sensing this confusion and resistance even before the standards have been implemented.
Like mentioned above, I wanted to know what they already knew about the upcoming changes
in education without any influence from me. Therefore, my questions were very general and open to
discussion. Because I interviewed both girls at the same time, they fed off each others answers which
kept the conversation going without much interruption from me. I took notes on their dialogue. When I
felt their conversation was coming to a close, I would ask a follow up questions. I started by asking what
they knew about the CCSS and then followed it by asking what their thoughts and feelings were towards
the change. I asked the same about the SBAC. I ended the conversation with asking about if anything
was already being done now to implement the CCSS and what their thoughts were about teachers
perceptions of the changes. As an interviewer I wasnt sure what my role was in the conversation. If
they were confused or didnt have much knowledge about an area of implementation, I wasnt sure if I
should jump in and clarify based on my knowledge, or if I should just note their confusion and move on. I
decided to be an objective listener until the end of the interview. After I had covered all the questions I
wanted to ask (thus finishing the formal interview), I told them a little about what I know about the CCSS
as it relates specifically to elementary school. They were genuinely interested so I was glad that I could
still be part of the conversation while maintaining the validity of their answers during the interview.
For the most part I think the interview went really well. Because I was interviewing them
together, it kept the atmosphere light and casual. Also, their dialogue allowed me to take notes without
stalling the conversation. They were more focused on having a conversation with each other than on
me so I think that they were less intimidated by being interviewed. Although it would have been helpful
to have a recording of the interview, because of their particular personalities I believe it would have not
allowed them to be as open or sincere and they would not have been able to answer my questions
seriously. Overall, I think the interview style and questions that I chose were well suited for this
particular situation.