Chapter 1. References. Chapter 2. References. Chapter 3. References. Sequence of Manuscript Pages. Example of an APA compliant Figure. Example of an ...
ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT SCG410
Dr MD Avgerinou School of Education DePaul University
CONTENTS
Introduction Chapter 1 References Chapter 2 References Chapter 3 References Sequence of Manuscript Pages Example of an APA compliant Figure Example of an APA compliant Table AR Project Most Common Mistakes Appendices
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Introduction The purpose of this document is to describe and explain the Action Research process, and at the same time assist you in writing about how you might use that process to address your research question(s). You may find that similar information features in various locations in the text. This is meant to reinforce your understanding of the various issues associated with your Action Research project. In addition, the information contained in this document when appropriate (e.g. Chapters 1-3) is presented in the format that you are required to use in the presentation of your own work. Dr. MD Avgerinou School of Education DePaul University
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CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW The first step in the action research process is to clearly define the problem to be addressed and to place it in context. In order to accomplish this step, the teacher researcher must become aware of the problem issues inherent in the setting, select an issue of concern, and create a problem statement. Describing the context of the problem requires the teacher researcher to become consciously aware of the specific setting in which the problem exists. Additional background information beyond the immediate school setting includes data about the school district and the larger community. The subsequent analysis of the context prepares the teacher researcher to provide a rationale for addressing the problem. For your Chapter 1, I would recommend that instead of creating long sections under one major heading, you subdivide each section into sub-sections. This way your document becomes more readable and user-friendly. For instance, with regard to the Immediate Problem Context, please consider breaking this section down to: a) introduction, b) the school, c) the classroom, d) student demographics, e) staff demographics, and f) school programs. Of course you may change the above suggested order. Here is the sequence and description of Chapter 1 Sections:
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CHAPTER 1
PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT A. General Statement of the Problem 1. Identifies target group a. When identifying your target group, do so in a generic manner. specifically name the school or class.
Do not
For example the third grade class is
appropriate. Mrs. Smith’s third grade class at Washington Elementary School is not appropriate. 2. Identifies issue a. Think about your classroom. Is there some aspect that you would like to change? Are there concerns that you attempt to address year after year? b. It is critical not to frame the problem in terms of its possible solution. Teachers tend to be solution-oriented, and while this can be an asset in some situations, it subverts the inquiry process, it can bias research, and it can lead to poorly constructed solutions. 3. Identifies evidence to be used to document the problem a. How do you know it is a concern? What evidence has been presented or is available to support your claim? 4. Identifies purpose of the study. 5. An example of a properly constructed problem statement: The students of the targeted sixth grade class exhibit disruptive behavior that interferes with academic growth.
Evidence for the existence of the problem
includes anecdotal records that document discipline referrals to he administration, teacher journal entries that describe student behavior, and assessments that indicate student academic performance. Therefore the purpose of the study is to improve student behavior and by implication their academic growth and performance.
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B. Immediate Problem Context Start this section by stating how many sites are involved in the project, as well as how many teacher researchers and classes. Please note that producing a lengthy section here is not necessary. The main idea is basically to paint a picture for your reader so they can gain an understanding about your school. What you want to avoid is a laundry list of all these items. It takes some thought to construct meaningful paragraphs containing this information. The other point to note is that you will not be referring to your school by name or by any other information that identifies the school. Confidentiality is an important factor. So if all researchers are working at the same school they can identify the school as simply the school. However, if researchers within a group work in more than one school they can identify each school by letter, such as School or Site A and School/Site B. 1. Describes the student population (of the school) a. total school population b. ethnic characteristics c. economic data d. attendance patterns e. mobility rate f. truancy rate g. graduation/drop out rate 2. Describes faculty and staff a. total number of staff by category b. average years of experience c. educational levels attained 3. Describes facility a. layout if unique or is important for the study 4. Describes programs a. Does your school have special education classes housed there? b. What about other programs such as reading recovery, social work, clubs, etc? 5. What makes your school unique?
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Most of this data can be found in the school report card, school improvement plans or the dioceses have an improvement plan also. Often recruitment information for private schools has this information.
C. The Surrounding Community Please note that all this information is not necessary. The main idea is paint a picture for your reader so they can gain an understanding about your community or surrounding area. Again, what you want to avoid is a laundry list of all these items. It takes some thought to construct meaningful paragraphs containing this information. The other point to note is that you will not be identifying your community or surrounding area by name. Confidentiality is an important factor. So if all researchers are working in the same community or surrounding area they can identify the community as simply the community. However, if researchers work in more than one community they can identify each community by letter, such as Community A and Community B. It is best to have Community A describe the community or surrounding area for School A. This will help alleviate any unnecessary confusion. Often two different schools reside in the same community or surrounding area. In this situation, take the time to note that this is the case. Perhaps you can say: Schools A and B are located in the same community.
The
Community is … 1. Describe the demographics a. Ethnic characteristics b. Age factors (such as many homes being owned by the elderly) c. Religious considerations 2. Describe the socio-economic indicators a. Median house hold income b. Type of workers: professionals, blue collar, etc. 3. Describe local school district a. Overall description of the district 1. ethnic characteristics
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2. socio-economic status 3. truancy rate 4. mobility rate 5. attendance patterns 4. Describe and school/community issues a. Is your school attempting to pass a referendum? b. Has there been a large growth spurt? c. Are there concerns about teacher contracts? d. Are there features about the community that makes it unique? A good source for much of the information is the local real estate agencies. While selling homes, agents need to be able to provide appropriate facts and figures to potential buyers. Another good source is the US Census. The latest one is 2000. Often the Chicago Tribune and Sun-times offer more current statistics. One last source is the village hall or village websites.
D. National Context of the Problem 1. Looks to the experts for support of the issue 2. Has the issue generated debate at a national level and perhaps international level? 3. How is the issue or problem seen in the greater educational arena?
REFERENCES (APA compliant!)
*******************************************************************
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CHAPTER 2 OVERVIEW
The second step in the problem-solving process requires the teacher researcher to present data verifying the existence and the extent of the problem. The teacher researcher must answer the questions: “What evidence is there that this truly is a problem? What is the extent of the problem? What data can I collect and present that will accurately describe the situation?” After documenting the problem, the teacher researcher investigates its possible underlying causes. The sources for this investigation are the site itself, and professional literature. The section ends with a summary listing of possible problem causes. This process enables the teacher researcher to design a literature search for solutions that is specifically tailored to the needs of the site. Here is the sequence and description of Chapter 2 Sections:
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CHAPTER 2 PROBLEM DOCUMENTATION Overview
Section A: HYPOTHETICAL Problem Evidence (e.g. test grades, standardized test scores, discipline referrals, class observations, alternative assessments, teacher logs/diaries, informal interviews of students, teacher surveys, teacher/parent conferences, teacher notes from informal contacts with parents, etc.) Section B: Probable Causes (1. on the basis of the data you have presented in the previous section, discuss what you speculate the causes may be; and, 2. critically discuss what the professional literature has to offer in your case. More specifically, you need to consult the literature regarding the problem you have identified, in order to find out what are the most common/credible/plausible causes of the problem as put forward by other educational researchers and practitioners working in your field.) References (here include only those references pertinent to Chapter 2)
A. Problem Evidence The data represented here is your baseline data, how the issue or problem looked before you administered the treatment. Depending on what the problem is, your collection period for your baseline data can be as short as a single day (if using pre/post test) or as long as several weeks (if using observation checklist). Since you are not conducting this research for real, you will need to come up with a *hypothetical* baseline data that looks plausible and reasonable in providing evidence for the identified problem. In this section you need to: 1.
Explain the data collection process
2.
Illustrate collated data (optional)
3.
Provide a narrative analysis of each data source
4.
Draw conclusion that summarize the extent of the problem
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More specifically:
a) Start by describing the data collection instruments you “deployed” in order to document the research problem (e.g. test grades, standardized test scores, discipline referrals, class observations, alternative assessments, teacher logs/diaries, informal interviews of students, teacher surveys, teacher/parent conferences, teacher notes from informal contacts with parents, etc.) b) Then continue by presenting a detailed description of the process you followed in order to collect baseline (or pre-intervention) data. This section will include each an every step you took towards data collection including how often you collected data (daily etc.), what instruments you employed (observation, surveys, interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc.), etc. Make sure you refer to your appendix for all the instruments you have employed during this phase of the project. c) Data presentation is your next step. Here you present the data first in narrative format and then, if you so wish, in tables and graphic representation forms. Make sure each presentation stands on its own so that the reader can derive the same meaning from each presentation *separately* and does need to combine them to acquire a full picture of your data analysis. d) If you DO use tables and/or figures, you must analyze and interpret them. In other words, share with the reader what those numbers (quantitative data) tell you. Please remember that the APA manual refers to tables and figures in sections 3.62 & 3.75 respectively. Do consult them prior to start working on this section of chapter 2!
B. Probable Causes (i.e. Literature Review) 1. The next task of the teacher researcher is to probe beneath the surface to identify possible reasons for the problem. There are two areas to consider: a. The context in which the problem is occurring needs to be considered. Look back at Chapter 1. Are there any changes which impact the situation to cause these problems?
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b. The professionals in the field need to be considered next. There needs to be a global overview of the problem. Not every possible cause needs to be addressed; however, you do need to consider the various points of view.
Some tips when writing this section. a) You are sharing what you found that others have said. Even when paraphrasing, remember that you need to cite the source. Remember that almost every sentence will be coming from someone else and therefore needs a citation. Having said that, it is crucial to remember that you need to discuss all cited (indirectly or directly) work in a critical and reflective way. In other words, do not just present one reference after the other for the sake of building this section. Rather, you should explain why you put forward the particular reference, what made you think that its content/findings is/are relevant to your own context, but also to what degree you believe its content is applicable to your own research circumstances. Finally, make sure that you observe the following APA sections before you submit this section of Chapter 2: a. 3.19 Italics b. 3.34 Quotations c. 4.06 APA Reference Style, and d. 4.16 (I) Electronic Media b) Use various headings to assist you in leading the reader through your paper. Headings are a great way to introduce a new topic. Headings prevent the reader from just falling into the next topic and they also prevent the teacher researchers from having to create wordy transition sentences so the information flows better. c) Remember that every source you cite needs to be listed in your reference section. d) Take turns reading the passages out loud. Often when we are writing, we think we included something which we subsequently realized we didn’t! Connecting the spoken word to the written word assists in the editing process. e) Remember that Chapter 2 is devoted to the what and why, not how. Do not include how you will address the problem area. Possible solutions that have been suggested
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from the literature may be appropriate as long as you don’t narrow you scope of inquiry too much. That portion comes with Chapter 3. f) Students often ask about the length of the chapter, it is the quality and thoroughness of the chapter that is so important not the quantity.
REFERENCES (APA compliant!) **************************************************************
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CHAPTER 3
OVERVIEW
The next step in the action research process is to investigate possible solutions of the problem and select an action or series of actions to implement in the problem setting. This step begins with a review of literature. The findings of other researchers and experts in the problem field are considered and an invention is designed. This decision should take into consideration the problem context described in Chapter 1, and the probable causes of the problem as determined in chapter 2. Here is the sequence and description of Chapter 3 Sections:
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CHAPTER 3 THE SOLUTION STRATEGY A. Possible Solutions (i.e. Literature Review)
Again as in Chapter 2, please discuss CRITICALLY the references that you will use. Finally, make sure that you observe the following APA sections before you submit this section of Chapter 3: (a) 3.19 Italics (b) 3.34 Quotations (c) 4.06 APA Reference Style, and (d) 4.16 (I) Electronic Media
Much like the work done in the second part of Chapter 2, the Literature Review explores what the experts have to say with the professional literature. However, this is your opportunity to narrow your scope to how you plan on creating an intervention. The writing in this section usually has more details or specifics on how to carryout a certain strategy: 1. presents a narrative overview of solutions relevant to the identified issue 2. employs a variety of sources 3. findings of the review presented by major and minor headings
B. Project Objectives and Process This is a summary statement describing what the researcher hopes to accomplish through the intervention and how the accomplishment will be measured. The above list will be followed by a list of process statements describing actions to be taken in order to accomplish the project objectives. The statements are basically the outline for the Action Plan. In brief, this short section: 1. describes solution 2. states time line
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3. states how solution will be assessed The following model is provided as a clear and concise way to state the objective(s) of the project: As a result of (the project intervention), during the period of (month year) to (month year), the (target group) will increase (or decrease) (some skill or behavior by some specified amount), as measured by (some assessment tools). Example: As a result of increased instructional emphasis on problem-solving processes, during the period of September 2003 to January 2004, the sixth grade students from the targeted class will increase their ability to use problem solving skills in mathematics and language arts, as measured by teacher-constructed tests and reviews of student portfolios.
4. states project objectives a. The number of objectives appropriate for the project is dependent on what the researcher is trying to affect. b. If the project has more than one purpose, then more than one objective is called for. For example, if discipline and academic achievement are both targeted then an objective should be stated for each of these constructs. c. Project objectives are typically followed by a series of process statements. These statements list actions to be taken or products to be developed in order to accomplish each objective. An example would be: In order to accomplish the project objective, the following processes are necessary: 1. Materials that foster problem solving in language arts and mathematics will be developed. 2. A series of learning activities that address problem solving will be developed for both math and language arts. 3. Curricular units reflecting these decisions will be constructed.
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C. Project Action Plan This section provides a detailed description of the intended intervention, that is, week by week and site by site description of your plan right before, during but also immediately following the intervention. The section can be presented using an outline format, narrative format, or a combination of the two. It may be organized chronologically or by topic. This is a working document, and it must reflect what the researcher intends to do over the implementation period. It is used as a guide for the researcher in the day-to-day actions of the project. In brief, the Action Plan: 1. Describes actions to be taken by the researchers 2. Describes intensity and duration of action plan 3. Relates actions to research presented 4. Should be detailed enough to allow someone else to duplicate your process
D. Collection Tools and Statement of Employment Here you need to list, and describe all research instruments that you intend to use, and explain the rationale underlying their selection for deployment in this project. In this section you need to state what instruments you have identified/designed and intend to use for each of the three phases of your project, i.e. pre-intervention, during the intervention, and post-intervention. You need to describe how these are to be used, and to what purpose. For each of the instruments that you are referring to here, you need to provide a sample copy of it in the Appendices section at the end of your paper.
Pre-intervention Phase
Instruments Employed
Survey
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Teacher Observation Journal
Various Student Assessments
Intervention Phase
Instruments Employed Etc. etc. etc. Post-Intervention Phase
Instruments Employed Etc. etc. etc.
E. Methods of Assessment Here you need to provide a description of the methods that you will deploy to assess the effects of the project. In other words, please describe your procedures for evaluating the selected solution after its implementation. This is a short section. The methods for assessing the outcome should be described here in more detail. Narrative format seems to be most appropriate.
Tips for Chapter 3 1. The Literature Review will follow the same rules and basic format as Chapter 2. Apply the information gained on how to write using APA to the first part of Chapter 3 as well. 2. Consider you action plan as a lesson plan for a large unit. Include procedural information so it is clear how the intervention should be carried out. 3. The last three sections can become repetitive. If you look at each as a building block in the overall plan, it will make it easier. Each section includes more detail than the last.
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REFERENCES (APA compliant!) *******************************************************************
BIBLIOGRAPHY (APA compliant!) (All works used in your project, i.e. those cited directly or indirectly in the paper, plus any other work you have consulted during the course of your study, but did not cite anywhere in the document- e.g. APA Manual, Mills Textbook, Gay & Airasian Textbook)
APPENDICES ************************************************************
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SEQUENCE OF MANUSCRIPT PAGES
TITLE PAGE Î no page numbers
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (IF APPLICABLE) Î i
ABSTRACT Î ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS Î iii
LIST OF TABLES Î iv
LIST OF FIGURES Î v
CHAPTER 1 Î page 1 (use Arabic numbers- but number shouldn’t appear on actual document)
REFERENCES Î ## (use Arabic numbers)
CHAPTER 2 Î (use Arabic numbers)
REFERENCES Î (use Arabic numbers)
CHAPTER 3 Î (use Arabic numbers)
REFERENCES Î (use Arabic numbers)
BIBLIOGRAPHY Î (use Arabic numbers)
APPENDICES Î (use Arabic numbers)
Note: Your Table of Contents starts with List of Tables followed by List of Figures, Chapter 1, etc. If you don’t have a List of Tables, move directly to List of Figures.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
iv
LIST OF FIGURES
v
CHAPTER 1 –PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT
1
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Note: that’s how you need to present your List of Tables. Follow the same procedure for the List of Figures. Make sure that Table/Figure Numbers correspond to those referred to in the actual chapters. Also, the TITLE of the Table/Figure that you mention here, should be the SAME one you use in the actual presentation of the Table/Figure in the relevant chapter.
LIST OF TABLES
CHAPTER 1 – PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT Table 1. Surrounding Community Demographics CHAPTER 2 - PROBLEM DOCUMENTATION
# # #
Table 2. Teacher Survey Results (Baseline)
#
Table 3. Student Survey Results (Baseline)
#
Note: The headings for chapters 1-3 using all five levels of heading would be formatted as follows. Please double-check your headings!!
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CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT General Statement of the Problem Immediate Problem Context The School Demographics Site A Site B Building Site A Site B Classroom Site A Site B The Surrounding Community Site A Site B National Context of the Problem REFERENCES
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CHAPTER 2 PROBLEM DOCUMENTATION Problem Evidence Introduction Findings Discussion & Conclusions Probable Causes Assessments Standardized Testing Benefits Concerns Authentic Assessment Benefits Concerns
REFERENCES
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CHAPTER 3 THE SOLUTION STRATEGY Literature Review Motivation Extrinsic Related Strategies Intrinsic Related Strategies
Project Objectives and Processes Project Action Plan Collection Tools and Statement of Employment Pre-intervention Phase Instruments Employed Survey Teacher Observation Journal Various Student Assessments Intervention Phase Instruments Employed Etc.etc.etc. Post-Intervention Phase Instruments Employed Etc. etc. etc. Methods of Assessment
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REFERENCES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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EXAMPLE OF AN APA-COMPLIANT FIGURE
Note: Ensure that the Figure’s Caption and Title FOLLOW the actual Figure. The Caption (Figure #) is in italics, and is separated by full stop from the Figure Title (Teacher Survey). The Title is in regular font! Both are located on the SAME LINE, and are aligned left under the actual Figure!
Figure 1. Teacher Survey
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EXAMPLE OF AN APA-COMPLIANT TABLE
Note: Ensure that the Table’s Caption and Title PRECEDE the actual Table. The Caption (Table #) is in regular font, and is separated by full stop from the Table Title (Teacher Survey). The Title (Percent Responses Agreeing etc.) is in italics, and is located in the next line UNDER the Table Caption! Both are aligned left under the actual Table!
Table 5. Percent Responses Agreeing With Teacher Survey Questions - Internal Factors - Work Habits
Description
% Agree
Question 1. Students work hard in school for good grades.
88.7
Question 2. Students work hard for the challenge of learning.
51.6
Question 3. Students could work harder.
100.0
Question 4. Students do just enough to pass.
69.1
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AR PROJECT MOST COMMON MISTAKES 1- Many may wonder about the number of pages that each section/chapter involves. This largely depends on the amount and the quality of the references each project has at its disposal for the various sections/chapters; but also on the level of depth each project would like to achieve in their argumentation for e.g. the national context, or the probable causes, etc. 2- Since this is an Action Research Project, where the researcher is right at the center of the research study, and everything is about investigating his/her teaching context, using ‘I’ instead of referring to yourselves in the 3rd singular person is OK!! 3- There is no underline anywhere in the APA referencing style (5th ed.) except for the hyperlinks included in the sections of References and Bibliography, indicating the address of the online resource. No BOLD typeface anywhere either!! 4- Check and double-check your References & BIBLIOGRAPHY sections before submission. Please note the use of CAPITAL letters in the publication title!! Use hanging indentation (0.2) for your entries, i.e.:
Wegener, D. T. (1994). Mood management across affective states: The hedonic contingency hypothesis. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 66, 1034-1048. Wegener, D. T., & Petty, R. E. (1995). Flexible correction processes in social judgment: The role of naive theories in corrections for perceived bias. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 68, 36-51. For quick help check: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html#Your%20Refer ence%20List) 5- In your BIBLIOGRAPHY SECTION make sure you include a) ALL entries that have appeared in your References (following each chapter); b) all other work you have consulted but did not mention in the document as a direct or indirect citation (including the APA manual 5th ed.); and c) all main publications, edited by one of more editors, of which you used only one chapter. For instance:
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If you have an entry, say, in your Chapter 3 References that looks like: Pajares,F. (n.d.) Current direction in self-efficacy research. In M. Maehr & P.R. Pintrich (Eds.). Advances in motivation and achievement.10, 1-49. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Then, in your BIBLIOGRAPHY you need to insert an entry that refers to the actual book that Maehr and Pintrich edited. This new entry should look like this: Maehr, M., & .Pintrich, P.R. (Eds.) (n.d.). Advances in motivation and achievement. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. 6- Check your headings, manuscript layout, and pagination 7- Wherever possible include a summary of what was presented. However, you should definitely provide a summary section at the end of Chapter 2 Î problem evidence. 8- Make sure that all sections reporting on your research design are in the present tense since you are reporting on research that you are currently planning to carry out! 9- Any charts, graphs, etc. employed should be called Figures. Your Figures must: Be simple, clean, and free of excessive detail Be legible (check font size!) and error-free Be mentioned in the text (preceding or following the Figure) Be immediately followed by their caption (title). Be numbered consecutively with Arabic numbers throughout your project in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text 10- The entire document should be in Times New Roman, 12 pt, and double-spaced. 11- For SPELLING (mistakes, typos, etc.), use the Spell Checker! In word, this is under “Tools” >> spelling and grammar 12- To ensure all authors mentioned in the chapter, are also included in the references, go to Word’s EDIT >> find. Type in the “find what” box the name of the author and let the program find for you where this name appears again in your document. All being well, it should appear in your References section!!! The same (Find) function can help you find a word in the document that needs replacement with another word. For instance, if you decide to refer to yourselves consistently throughout the paper as “teacher researcher” then you need to use “Find” to replace other words you have used towards this end, with the teacher
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researcher expression. To do so, go to FIND, click on the “replace” tab and then type e.g. “teacher” in the “find what” box, type “teacher researcher” in the “replace with” box, and complete the process by clicking either “replace” or “replace all” at the bottom of that window. 13- Finally, you need to learn to use the “TRACK CHANGES” function of “TOOLS” because this is what I use when I send you feedback. When I click on the icon, I activate the track changes function, whereby whatever editing I perform on a document, will be recorded on the actual document. So, if I delete something, a little red box will appear on the right side of the document signifying what I have deleted, and where this was. On the left side of the document, you will see also a vertical line indicating that some type of editing has been performed on that section. You can accept or reject my changes via the little yellow icons that you will see at the top horizontal bar of your Word window. Place your cursor on the change, and then go to ACCEPT CHANGE or REJECT CHANGE. Do not do ACCEPT/REJECT ALL CHANGES as all of the changes including my comments will stay in your document!! 14- Remember to check the most recent SCHOOL REPORT CARD (2006) for the demographics of your Chapter 1.
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APPENDICES
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SPRING 2006- Checklist for Final Draft GROUP NAME: Project Member(s):
Section A Items Title Page Acknowledgements (optional) Abstract Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures Chapter 1 References Chapter 2 References Chapter 3 References Bibliography Appendices
Check
Section B Format Margins (1 inch all over; 2 inches on first page of each chapter) Pagination (see final guidelines p. 1) APA Headings (see final guidelines pp. 4-7) Typeface (No Underline/Bold) Typeface (12pt Times New Roman) Double-Spacing Figures/Tables (Caption: see final guidelines pp. 8-9) Figures/Tables (no color) References/Bibliography (hanging indent)
Comments
Check
Comments
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Research Instrument- WEEKLY JOURNAL Week of ___________________ Actions Taken:
Reflection: PLUSES (+)
MINUSES (-)
INTERESTING (?)
Comments, Notes (Continued on back, as needed):
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Sample Journal Entry Week of ___________________ Actions Taken:
Sent home parental permission slips to participate in research data collection Met with grade level teams to plan open house activity Placed students in base groups; did IALAC activity Scheduled training for 6th grade cross-age reading buddies Used think-pair-share activity in math lesson
Reflection: Pluses (+)
Kids loved IALAC activity; they were really good at naming put-downs; Lots of student involvement with think - pair - share in math; Staff seemed supportive of open house program - 2 non-research colleagues offered to help
Minuses (-)
One base group is dysfunctional - already! The IALAC activity took too much time; did not get to finish the language arts component.
Interesting (?)
Three parents called about data collection - wanted to know the purpose of our research; I wonder if I should use IALAC with 6th grade reading buddies
Comments, Notes: (continue on back as necessary)
It’s hard squeezing new activities into an already packed day...
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