Reflections on Research

In reflecting on my last five weeks of taking the course Research 5301, several things come to mind.  In the beginning I contemplated several different topics before deciding on one.  At first I wanted to focus my attention on curriculum differentiation.  I have always been interested in this method of teaching which leads teachers toward working to create different learning experiences for different students.  But after consultation from mentors and my site supervisor I decided to focus on something involving student-athletes because of my desire to be an Athletic Director at some point in my career.  I decided to base my action research on the premise that students involved in athletics and other extra-curricular activities are motivated to be more focused in their classroom therefore leading to better grades.  In discussing this topic with other students in my class, I have found that there is quite a bit of interest and support to the research.  One classmate pointed out that he had the experience of seeing how several athletes he knew during his career that quit a sport, also quit trying in class and received much lower grades from that point on.  This is great evidence toward my hypothesis.  Another classmate reported in a comment on my blog that she had seen how athletes’ grades were greatly affected by their coaches handing out grade sheets to their players.  The attention this placed on knowing their grades and putting more responsibility on knowing exactly what their status was in class, also led to higher grades. 

I reflection on Action Research itself, I have learned how administrators and teachers can gain huge insights to their profession and enhance their leadership skills in education system improvement efforts.  I have learned that the research process is a step by step process that consists of developing a question, collecting and analyzing data, sharing the results with stakeholders, and assessing the quality of the inquiry.  Through the reading I also became familiar with the nine topic areas around which most research is done.  These include: staff development, curriculum development, individual teachers, individual students, school culture, leadership, building management, school performance, and social justice.  In studying these nine topics it was very helpful to document one idea concerning each one and then explaining how that chosen idea could benefit a school or school district. 

I was able to start creating a plan for my research by following an outline of things that needed to be done.  First I stated my objective as to what I would like to accomplish.  The following steps included documenting activities designed to achieve that objective, gathering resources for collecting data, developing a timeline, designating people responsible for helping my implement the plan, creating a process for monitoring the achievement of objectives, and then developing instruments for assessing and evaluating the progress of the research.  Concerning my project specifically in reflection, I do feel that athletics and EA’s (extra-curricular activities) can work toward preparing students for success in the classroom by building confidence and creating a positive attitude.  It helps students learn time management and prioritize.  I believe that parents who are supportive and realistic can help their child to achieve success and that some parents pay more attention to their children’s grades when they know that contributing to their chosen activity is on the line.  This of course brings in the “No Pass, No Play” ruling which states in general that a student that does not pass cannot participate in their activity until the proper grades are maintained.  This will play a big part in my research.  The evidence should show that students will work harder in the classroom to maintain eligibility in their respective activities.

Lastly on my reflection I have realized that there will be many challenges.  Such things as to how many focus groups I should have and the activity group to choose from.  I need to develop a firm timeline and contemplate on how to make sure the data is accurate.  I will need help from parents and administrators and will have to find the time in their schedule to take advantage of their consultation.  I will need to put much thought in what questions to put on a questionnaire to gather data that fully encompasses all the material. 

During this course I did my best to fulfill the blog requirements.  I had never been involved in a blog before so it did take a while to become acquainted with the requirements.  Trial and error is always a good way to learn.  Overall I believe this class will be beneficial to me as a future administrator.  I plan to use my research project as an opportunity to interview some present day athletic directors which will no doubt help me understand their perspective and start to become more aware of the many responsibilities of their profession.

Peer Suggestions and Revisions

Through my research to this point on my hypothesis that students involved in extra-curricular activities are motivated to make better grades in their academic classes I have been introduced to two other related revelations.  One is the idea that students involved in “competitive” activities outside the classroom are more likely to be “competitive” within the classroom concerning their grades.  Two, if the leader of an outside activity constantly maintains accurate and up to date records of grades in the classroom, does it assist students ability to keep current and be successful in the classroom?  In addressing the first idea it was revealed to me that a competitive sports culture exists in our society and due to this student athletes are more motivated to succeed academically.  There is a great deal of research that suggests that high school students who participate in athletics have a competitive personality which leads them toward being competitive with other students concerning their grades as well.  On another comment on my blog I was reminded as to how important grade checks administered by leaders of extra-curricular activities can be.  I am convinced now more than ever that the implementation of grade checks for athletes is very influential and beneficial to students.  The one described to me was a little different in that was not grade oriented but focused more on task completion.  Examples included, being on time to class, attitude, coach-ability, conduct, being up to date on assignments.  The students are rated in these categories and previous activity was not taken into consideration.  The athletes’ accountability was tested and therefore better grades were the result.  I truly believe that through effort and responsibility many things can be achieved and this is a great tool for addressing both of those.  

Action Planning Template

Action Planning Template
Goal: Through the process of the study my objective to prove that students involved in extra-curricular activities achieve and maintain higher grades in their academic subjects.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Activities will include interviews, testimonials, and random samplings from administrators, teachers, parents, and students.	Myself and a chosen representative from each group (administrator, teacher, parent, and student).  This representative will be chosen by me based on their availability and their interest in assisting me with the outcome of this study.	A standard school year will be the timeline for the study.	My study will include a designed questionnaire for the four groups and the creation of focus group of students to follow and document their progress throughout a school year.	These will include a study that will combine the results of the gathered data throughout my study to prove that my hypothesis is correct.

The Steps in Action Research

Setting the Foundation:  Through a meeting with my site supervisor and lead counselor I will propose my study and my belief that students are motivated to make better grades when they are involved in extra-curricular activities.  During this meeting I will set out my time-line and work on forming a student list to be part of my focus group from various grades in the school.

Analyzing Data:  My data will include responses to interviews and questionnaires as well as shared information on my subject matter gathered from research from readings and searches on the internet.  A very important part of data will be the responses from the students involved in the focus group and the study of their grade reports throughout the school year as I follow their progress. 

Developing Deeper Understanding:  Using the data gathered through interviews I will discuss the results with various administrators I know as well as teachers and coaches to get their opinions and views of my study.  A big part of this will simply be their reaction as to whether they feel my results were surprising or in line with their preconceived perceptions on the subject. 

Engaging in Self Reflection:  When addressing my study through self reflection I feel that one of my motivations for doing this study relate to my disagreement with some school districts push to remove some electives such as the arts and physical education from school curriculum's.  Questions include: Why do students like or dislike school?  What do students look forward to when they are at school?  What classes do students feel engaged in the most?  In addition, another motivation for me is my curiosity in how the “No Pass, No Play” rule has affected student athletes toward making better grades.  Or has it more or less just motivated to pass as opposed to truly excelling in their courses? 

Exploring Programmatic Patterns:  When discussing this with my site supervisor ideas started to be formed as to what other questions might come through the possible results of my study.  If it is true that students are more engaged in their extra-curricular activities, how can we use this in other curriculum areas?  Regarding “No Pass, No play”, what if it the results point toward simply passing and not excelling in class?  Is this acceptable and just a product of an imperfect system?  And if so, what can be done toward improving this imperfect system? 

Determining Direction:  After meeting with my site supervisor I feel that I have a clear direction for my study.  I have developed clear questions regarding the objectives.  I have identified the particular groups and people to help me administer and gather data.  They are not only clear as to what I hope to prove but have added input that has assisted in my plan.  The time line is appropriate and the plan for implementing and monitoring is reasonable.  It is hard to tell at this point if my plan will be effective but it will become clearer as I go.  According to my evaluation I will make adjustments as needed. 

Taking Action for School Improvement:  A written plan of action will be developed using resources available. Both a formative and summative evaluation will be done. 

Sustain Improvement:  The process of my study will hopefully transfer to future studies during my internship to become an administrator.  Knowing how to use the resources and tools available to me and maybe see how they can be used toward studying potential issues in school districts will assist me in other areas during my personal professional development.  

Students in Sports are Motivated to Succeed in School

Statement:  Participating in athletics and / or extra-curricular activities motivates students to make better grades.

Question:  Does participating in athletics and / or extracurricular activities motivate students to make better grades. 

Statement: Students that are involved in athletics may perform better academically as long as they keep a balance and understanding of the commitment required for each. 

There is no question that attempting to balance academic requirements and participating in athletics can be difficult. 

Whether they play for a club team or for the school, it takes time, numerous practices, and takes their attention away from the primary purpose of going to school – learning and achieving a successful academic record to prepare for a successful future. 

Occasionally when a student has a hard time in school, one of the first things a parent does is pull their child from athletics.  These parents associate the poor academic performance with the extra time spend participating.  This might possibly be a fair connection to make in some cases.  They obviously know their child well and want what is best for them and their futures. 

Regardless, participating in athletics, when properly managed, can also be very beneficial to their lives.  Do to the NO PASS, NO PLAY rule, many students are motivated to make better grades to remain eligible to participate in their chosen sports.  

Supervisor Meeting - Action Research

First Topic:  The effects of technology on student performance.  My supervisor mentioned to me that he was not only concerned but curious about the effect that handheld devices have had on our students’ attention and performance.  The questions include; How many students have the devices?  How many are using them in the classroom?  And is the use of these devices taking away from time they should be focused on completing classroom assignments?  We decided that a way to study this would be to identify two teachers in the same subject matter, one with a strict management code concerning the use of handheld technical devices and another with an unrestricted policy.  Over one grading period we could then meet with the teachers involved and discuss the pros and cons and evaluate the results. 

Second Topic: Is “cyber bullying” something that is an issue in our school and are any of our students being affected by it?  My supervisor is worried, in light of the recent national stories, which include suicides prompted by the students being bullied through social networking sites.  Questions include: Are any of our students being affected by this?  If so, what can we do to not only find out, but to then deter it from taking place?  Idea:  We thought that a way to possibly find out if this is a problem would be to implement a random survey among students to ascertain if it is an issue in our school and if so, how prolific.  If we do determine that there is a problem we will then need to figure out how to address the issue and prevent it from continuing.  My administrator suggested implementing a program that would allow students to anonymously report who is being bullied, by who, and how.  A program could be put in place that includes the student council.  Once this is known to be an issue and students are being caught, it will be less likely to continue and we can make a difference.  The idea is to work toward a safe and comfortable learning environment. 

Third Topic:  Does a strictly enforced absentee policy affect academic performance?  My supervisor believes absenteeism is problem in our school and that too many students take advantage of our inadequate policy.  Students miss school due to outside extra-curricular activities, untimely vacations, and simply parental consent to stay home.  Idea:  Create a policy stating that regardless of the reason, each student is allowed a certain number of days missed and anything beyond that would constitute consequences in regard to their privileges.  An example would be if a student misses this number of days, they are no longer allowed to participate in certain school activities such as pep rallies or student clubs.

Examples of Action Research

Staff Development:  I wonder how to improve cooperation and understanding and support among staff members.  Idea:  Plan and take part in an overnight retreat involving all staff members.  This would be an important area because cooperation and mutual respect among staff members is essential to accomplishing the school objectives both academically and socially. 

Curriculum Development:  What if students were involved in creating and developing the school curriculum?  The idea is to do this by establishing and academic counsel compromised of both students and faculty.  This would be an important area in that it would allow students to feel involved in creating their schools academic choices.

Individual Teachers:  I think teachers should receive merit and overtime pay as most employees in the private sector.  Idea:  This would be an excellent way of keeping good employees and compete with the private sector for top level college graduates. 

Individual Students:  I wonder how to better provide extra academic assistance to students.  Idea: Develop a program for student tutoring and provide teachers extra compensation for staying after school to help the students in their classes.  This is an incentive for both teachers and students. 

School culture / community: What if the school became a more vibrant and contributing part of the community?  Idea:  Have professional members of the community come in as guest speakers in classes weekly where appropriate.  This would allow the community to support the school and become a part of the educational process.

Leadership:  I wonder how we can establish better leadership qualities among both students and faculty.  Idea: Recognize excelling teachers and students in as many ways possible.  This would motivate both to look for opportunities to put themselves in leadership positions and then be recognized for doing this.

Management:  I wonder if classroom management would be influenced by requiring students to adhere to a behavioral code.  Idea:  Those students that adhere and follow the schools conduct policies may then be included in developing their classes’ classroom management policies and procedures with the assistance of their teachers.  This would prove that good behavior, when rewarded, would encourage student performance.

School Performance:  I wonder if establishing an after school program for strategies of taking standardized tests would improve overall test scores.  Idea:  Have a teacher rotation to oversee an after school program for test taking strategies and grade practice tests.  This would help the school raise its test scores and enhance their chances of improving their ranking academically compared to other schools.

Social Justice for Equity Issues:  I wonder how we could prevent bullying in schools.  Idea: Provide a program that allows students to anonymously report acts of bullying that they are either involved in or witnessed.  This would help to ensure that students feel that when they come to school they are in a safe and comfortable environment.   

Chosen Action Research Project for 5301

With the idea in mind that I would someday like to be an Athletic Director I would like to do my Action Research on something related to whether or not being in athletics and / or extracurricular activities tends to lead to increased performance in the classroom. After discussing this issue with the lead counselor at my school, he led me to believe from his experiences many students tend to see a decrease in their grade point average after quitting a sport and not replacing it with another activity. This is something coaches rarely think about because after a student has stopped playing their sport, they tend to no longer keep up with their classroom performance. Depending on the results of the study, it may be appropriate to assign a counselor or teacher to this group to make sure they do not get lost in the shuffle after an eventful change in their life. Essentially, what are the effects of athletics and extra curricular activities on the academic performance on those students that participate in them?

How Educational Leaders can use Blogs.

A blog can be beneficial to an educator for several reasons but here are two that I feel may benefit them the most.  One, it provides an open forum for sharing ideas and thoughts on ways to engage and reach students.  Two, it offers a platform for educators to express their views and a place to think through their ideas and methods therefore leading to self-improvment and quality of work toward their own careers. 

Action Research: What I have learned.

In being introduced to Action Research I have learned that it is the study of specific material through focused efforts with the goal of improving the quality of an organization and its performance.  It is done using data and analyzing that data to improve one's own group, team, or business.  It can be done alone or with others, which is know as a collaborative inquiry. 

This type of research is of great benefit to those in edcuation because it provides new opportunities for appraising their abilities and styles of teaching .  In addition it allows educators to explore and test new ideas and then to asses how effective those ideas were.  This leads to new and imporved approaches within the world of edcuation at all levels. 

The steps included in an action reasearch project may include, setting the foundation; analyzing data; developing deeper understanding; engaging in self reflection; exploring pogrammatic patterns; determing direction; taking action for school improvement; and sustaining that improvement. 

I have not exactly decided as of yet on my project but plan on using action research toward understanding the relationship between the student athlete and how being an athlete motivates them toward being a better student and getting better grades.