action research project

Capstone: 
 Action Research Project

10/18/14 Samantha Page provided permission to use her project as an example.

Determining an Action Research Topic 
 Step 1: Finding a starting point

Starter strategy #M5:

Individual brainstorming of starting points (Altrichter, 2008)

Starter strategy #M6:

Considering multiple starting points (Altrichter, 2008)

Starter strategy #M5

Brainstorm starting points using self-questioning and reflections

(Altrichter, 2008, p. 47)

Personal practice

• What areas cause difficulties?

Stimulating other ideas

• What can I improve upon in my practice?

Research Journal

• What has been a main topic of my journal entries?

Starter strategy #M6

Using the list of possible starter strategies, create “issue cards” to determine which is the most important.

(Altrichter, 2008, p. 48)

Card A

• I am interested in learning how to improve overall independent writing skills, focus and motivation for a specific student

Card B

• I am interested in learning how to successfully manage a classroom of students who are each doing his or her own activity while still maintaining classroom order

Card C

• While observing students, what specific observations should I be looking for and how much time should be designated for each observation

Determining an Action Research Topic 
 Step 2: Clarifying the starting point

Clarifying strategy #M12

Graphical reconstructions

Clarifying strategy #M13

Story form cards

Clarifying strategy # M12 (Altrichter, 2008, p. 77)

(A) (B) (B follows A)

Indepenedent writing The student is off task

(A) (B) (A causes B)

Environmental disruption The student to be off task Lack of knowledge of expectations Uninterested in the writing topic chosen Teacher assistance needed

Student is off task

Classroom disruption

s

Assistance needed

Uninterest ed

Unknown expectatio

ns

Clarifying strategy #M13 (Altrichter, 2008, p. 80)

Determining an Action Research Topic 
 Step 3: Viable action research topic

Question #1:

What other underlining problems are causing the student to lack the ability

to write independently?

Question #2:

What specific strategy can I implement to help this student write

independently? Will this strategy improve his independence?

Determining an Action Research Topic 
 Step 4: Pose a research question

Posed Research Question

Will implementing the focus strategy self-instructional training,

practiced three times a week, improve the student’s independent

writing skills?

Data Collection 
 Triangulation Matrix

Research Question Data Source #1 Data Source #2 Data Source #3

Will implementing self instructional training strategies improve independent writing?

Student survey Two-minute interval running record

SIT rating scale

Will the implementation of self instructional training strategies change the student’s attitude toward writing?

Student survey Two-minute interval running record

SIT rating scale

Adapted from Sagor (2000) Triangulation Matrix

Student Writing Attitude Survey Directions:

Circle a number 1 through 4 for the following questions. 1= really dislike, 2= dislike, 3= like, 4=love.

1. How do you feel about spending free time to write? 1 2 3 4 2. How do you feel about starting a new writing project? 1 2 3 4 3. How do you feel about writing during the summer when you are not in school? 1 2 3 4 4. How do you feel about writing instead of playing? 1 2 3 4 5. How do you feel when the teacher asks you questions about what you write? 1 2 3 4 6. How do you feel about writing in school? 1 2 3 4 7. How do you feel when it’s time for writing in class? 1 2 3 4 8. How do you feel about the stories you write in class? 1 2 3 4 9. How do you feel about reading your writing in class? 1. 2 3 4 10. How do you feel about writing your own? 1 2 3 4 Adapted from Elementary Reading Attitude Survey McKenna & Stahl (2009)

Student/ Environment Disruption

(D)

Assistance needed

(A)

Lack of knowledge of expectations

(E)

Uninterested (U)

Before SIT strategy

implemented

% off task

10% 9% 5% 11%

After SIT strategy

implemented

% off task

4% 2% 1% 3%

Data Organization 
 Two-minute interval running record

Data Organization 
 Before/After SIT Comparisons

% Off Task During Writing

Uninterested

Uknown Expectations

Assistance Needed

Distruptions

0 3 6 9 12

% Before % After

Literature Review 
 Highlighted points

• 1 document from a website • Intrinsic motivation and importance of setting educational goals (American Psychological

Association, 2004)

• 1 online article • Self-regulation strategy creates positive attitudes toward writing (Harris, Schmidt & Graham,

2010)

• 4 scholarly journal articles • Self-instructional training improves student independence (Bryant & Budd, 1982) • “Teaches how to think” as opposed to “what to think” (Robinson, 2007)

• 4 books • The process of self-instructional training • Effective motivational strategies: offer the student choice, writing from prior knowledge and

experience (Donoghue, 2009)

Literature Review 
 Highlighted points

The process of self-instructional training • What is it?

• It is self verbal strategies the student uses to self-instruct or change his or her behavior. • 1st Step

• The teacher models the verbal thinking out loud to the student. • 2nd Step

• The student performs the same task while under supervision from the teacher • 3rd Step

• The student completes the task while using verbal cues aloud. • 4th Step

• The student whispers the task to himself as he or she completes the task. • 5th Step

• Allows the child to use inner speech where they talk to themselves (in his or her mind) to complete a task (Kaplan & Carter, 1995)

Reporting Results

Results will be reported to: 1. 1st grade team during a grade

level meeting 2. Faculty members through a

Professional Learning Community (PLC)

3. Parents through a family literacy night

Report Results: Grade Level Meeting

• All grade level teachers would be present • Materials and handouts include: The purpose for action research, the steps

taken, the results in appropriate data form and ways to implement in the classroom • Teachers will debrief and give feedback and thoughts as to how this could

be used in the classroom. • Identification of other students in which this strategy would benefit

Reporting Results: 
 Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• The presentation to faculty members will be given using a PowerPoint presentation on the Smartboard

• Information to include: The purpose for the research, the steps taken to complete the research, results gather from the research and implications for the classroom

• Teachers will debrief and identify other students this strategy could be beneficial. Together they will discuss and make notes as a team

• Teachers will complete a survey to how this research was useful to them or make any suggestions

Reporting Results: Family Literacy Night

• Parents and community members will be invited to join the classroom for a family literacy night • Teacher will present the purpose of self-instructional training as a strategy

to use for students with struggling reading and writing skills • Other strategies for parents to implement at home will be provided and

activities will be demonstrated. • All of the information will be given to parents in an information packet to

take home

Potential Discoveries

• The student’s attitude toward writing is low because he does not enjoy the topics selected for him

Action: Complete a survey of the student’s interested topics and include these in topics he can choose from Action: Create a nine square grid, where the student has to complete a tic-tac-toe for his writing assignments. The student can select topics to choose from but some will be of his interest and others will be different.

Potential Discoveries

• Self-instructional training may help in the student’s reading achievement as well

Action: SIT strategies will be taught to use during independent reading.

Action: The same data collection process could be used in the process of using these strategies for independent reading achievement

Potential Discoveries

• Other students can be identified as struggling writers in this classroom or in other classrooms

Action: Steps will be made toward teaching other students how to use these strategies in this classroom Action: A school wide implementation of self-instructional training could be implemented resulting in staff professional development sessions, weekly meetings and modeled lessons by resource teachers

References

• Altricher, H., Feldman, A., Posch, P., & Somekh, B. (2008). Teachers investigate their work (2nd ed.). NY: Routledge.

• American Psychological Association. (2004). Increasing student success through instruction for self-determination. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/research/ action/success.aspx.

• Bryant, L. E., & Budd, K.S. (1982). Self-instructional training to increase independent work performance in preschoolers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15(2), 259-271. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC1308269/.

• Donoghue, M. R. (2009). Language arts: Integrating skills for classroom teaching. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

References

• Harris, K., Schmidt, T., & Graham, S. (2010). Strategies for composition and self- regulation in the writing process. Retrieved from http://www.IDonline.org/article/ 6207/.

• Kaplan, J. S., & Carter, J. (1995). Beyond behavior modification: A cognitive- behavioral approach to behavior management in the school. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

• McKenna, M. C., & Stahl, K. A. (2009). Assessment for reading instruction. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

• Robinson, T. (2007). Cognitive behavioral interventions: Strategies to help students make wise behavioral choices. Beyond Behavior, 17(1), 7-13.

• Sagor, R. (2011). The action research guidebook: A four-stage process for educators and school teams. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.