Grant Proposal – Peer Reviews

Running Header: PART THREE FINAL

Final Part Three: Proposed Study & Budget

Kathy Rundell

PSY625 Biological Bases of Behavior

Nicola Lucas

4/23/2018

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Proposed Study

The idea behind this study is to integrate neuroscience into the method currently used

in teaching within a young adolescent platform. This will be a longitudinal study which will take

place over time, throughout the specified groups school career. That being said, participants

include students grades 1-6, and the open format will allow for all students to be given a place

within the study, regardless of any disabilities learning or otherwise. This is important because

the educational environment, and what is perceived as important to every-day life is vital to

each and every student. Also, the study would become null and void if it only addressed the

children whom are 'set up' for success in their day-to-day life. The main goal is to find a way to

make school better, easier, and more productive for all of our students within the elementary

school program, not just those in the streamline classes. The students affected by the changes

implemented will come from the Occonomowoc School District, specifically the local

elementary school, and include all students.

The method will rely on making specific changes to the way not just the lessons are

presented within the classroom, but also the way the environment is presented in general.

More specifically, as children get older they tend to shy away from the value of education

leading to a lack of interest, and to feelings of uselessness. The goal will be to change this way

of thinking by taking into account the way kids come up with connections to value and

importance within their minds. The plan relies on using research regarding how the adolescent

brain works on a technical level to make current education more valuable. This will include

some décor changes within classrooms (such as painting walls) as well as learning resources

(from posters around the room, to the way lessons are presented) and disciplinary plans. Also

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included will be a revamp to the offered hot lunch program, allowing for a sub-study regarding

if the changes made had a real effect on the children through comparison to those who

continue eating their typical lunch choice from home. Some different things offered may

include fresh fruit, salads, and a more food pyramid geared program with the attempt to hit the

recommended nutritional values for an average day in the life of an adolescent.

The method itself will rely heavily on an age appropriate survey completed at the start

of the school year by the individual students regarding their views on school in general and

what they feel would help them to stay interested and motivated to do their best. Some ideas

may include things like integrated songs, chances for individualized lesson plans, as well as a

section regarding things they maybe did not like about the environment and/or school itself the

previous year. This will allow for information regarding what the students themselves see as

their education. A similar survey will be taken by all staff regarding specifics such as any

relevant complaints, or suggested changes to be made. Any décor changes will take place

during the summer months, while lesson and food changes can happen progressively as the

school year gets into its swing. At the end of the year we will do the survey again to see any

changes in the responses. These students will inadvertently be part of the longitudinal aspect

of the study due to notable changes in their participation and the results shown as their school

career moves forward. As the students near the completion of their high school career there

will be another survey given to those whom participate in the changes to assess how they view

these changes to have affected their views on schooling. This will allow for great insight into

the neuroscience itself behind keeping youth interested in school and continuing their

education.

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Budget Justification

Funding is requested for a full-time study assistant to be responsible for day-to-day-

operations and onsite assistance, arrangement of training, obtaining and organizing results, and

administering the surveys.

Funding for full time study lead also requested, responsibilities including overseeing the

study, analyzing data, publication and presentation of results yearly.

Funding requested for travel is for the study lead to present the yearly updated results.

Additional travel funding goes to the teachers for travel to and from training.

Funding requested for teacher training for 24 teachers. Additional funding will go to

improving the nutritional program for the school itself.

Additional funding was requested for improvements and changes made to the

classrooms, asking 500$ per classroom times 15 classrooms.

Funding is requested for a Microsoft Surface Book (13.5" 2-in-1 with 8 GB of device

storage and i5-7300U intel processor) for storage and organization of data. Additional funding

will go to extra office supplies.

*This is a 10 year study.

**See Appendix A: Budget for detailed budget figures.