Using Action Research to Solve School Problems Session I

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Using Action Research to Solve School Problems
Session IJohnson C. Smith University and
Merry Oaks International Learning Academy
(MOIAL)-Charlotte, N.C.Friday, March 29, 2007

• Mr. Stanley Frazier, Former Principal of Merry
  Oaks International Learning Academy and Principal
  of E.E. Waddell High School
• Dr. Bessie Gage, Chair, Department of Education
• Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, Dean,
• College of Professional Studies
• Johnson C. Smith University

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Outline

• Demographics of MOIAL
• Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
• Action Research
• Problem Solving
• Workshops
• Research Projects
• Assessing Attitudes of 5th Grade African American
  and Latino Male Students
• Next Steps to Session II

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Characteristics of MOIA

• Title I School
• Bright Beginnings (Pre-School Program)
• ESL Classes
• Adult Classes (GED and Language Acquisition)
• Inclusion

• Lifespan
• Professional Development School with Johnson C.
  Smith University
• Urban School
• Highly Diverse

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Student Demographics
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MOIAL Faculty Demographics
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Adequate Yearly Progress

• MOIA
• Not Met in 2004-2005 for Latino Males (1/21)
• Met in 2005-2006 for All Subgroups (21),
  including Latino Males
• National Concerns
• Academic performance
• High drop-out rates
• Failing to achieve
• Behavioral management issues
• Loss of federal funding
• Student flight from failing schools
• Teacher flight from low performing schools
• Excessive tardiness and absenteeism

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Action Research

• Teacher Projects

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Use of Action Research

• Used action research to address academic progress
  of AYP target groups, e.g.
• Language English Proficient
• Exceptional Children
• African American Males
• Latino Males
• English Language Learners
• 21 AYP Target Groups at MOIA

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Preparing Teachers to Use Action Research

• Workshop I
• Designing Action Research Projects
• Virgina S. Lee and Associates, Ph.D. Consultant
• 2 Day Workshop
• Workshop Content
• What is Action Research
• See handout
• Examples of Classroom Action Research Project

• Content continued
• Planning and Action Research Projects
• Methods for Data Collection
• Parts of an Educational Research Paper
• Educational Research Article Scavenger Hunt
• Developing Research Questions
• Selected Resources

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Proposed In Progress Action Research Projects

• Proposed
• Repeated Reading of the Text to Improve Reading
  Fluency as Defined by DIBELS
• Improve Reading Attitudes in Students Families
• In Progress
• Improve Reading Fluency with Recorded Repeated
  Readings
• Attitudes of 5th Grade African American and
  Latino American Males about School
• The Thursday Parent Communicator Envelope
• Improving Motivation and Academic Achievement of
  5th Grade Minority Males

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Preparing Teachers to Use Action Research
Follow-up

• Workshop II
• Consultant provided feedback on projects
• Administration and implementation
• Dialogued with staff about reactions to research
  projects

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Assessing Attitudes of African American and
Latino Males Toward SchoolSurvey for Spring 2007

• Merry Oaks International Academy of Learning

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Research Question

• What are the attitudes of African American and
  Latino American males toward school and learning?

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Brief Literature Review

• The U. S. Census Bureau projects that by the year
  2050, about 50 if the U.S. population will be
  African American, Hispanic, or Asian. These
  relatively youthful minority populations ---
  Hispanics in particular --- will drive future
  demographic growth and diversification well into
  the 21st century.
• Alliance for Excellent Education (2006)

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Literature Review

• The high school completion rate for Latinos
  eighteen- to twenty-four-year olds now stands at
  only 56 percent, compared with approximately 77
  percent for African Americans and 82 percent for
  whites (Carter Wilson, 1996).
• Mexican Americans are at the highest risk for
  school failure (Chapa, 1991)
• And, do Mexican-origin students have inherently
  lower achievement motivation as a result of
  Mexican cultural influences? While each of these
  questions could form the... (preview truncated at
  150 words.)

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Brief Literature Review continued

• Nearly 5 million Latino students were enrolled in
  Americas public schools in 199394. By the
  200708 school year, that number will grow to
  about 9 million, according to the Western
  Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
• Over the past two decades, the percentage of
  Latino students in U.S. elementary and secondary
  schools has grown significantly, while the
  percentage of white students declined and that of
  African-American students held steady.
• Alliance for Excellent Education (2006)

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Brief Literature Review continued

• This demographic reality makes it imperative to
  educate these students to high standards if the
  United States is to maintain its global
  preeminence. However, current statistics make it
  clear that there is a wide achievement and
  attainment gap that must be bridged before that
  goal is met.
• Alliance for Excellent Education (2006)

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Attitude Survey

• Created by PDS Team and 5th Grade Teachers
• Developed as online tool using the Flashlight
  Tool (http//flashlightonline.wsu.edu or
  www.tltgroup.edu )
• Instructions with links were sent to test
  administrators
• Administered in a computer lab to all Latino
  American Males in the 5th Grade
• Administered in a computer lab to all African
  American Males in the 5th Grade
• Administered in a computer lab to all Caucasians
  and other Males in the 5th Grade

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5th Grade Male Students 2006-2007
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(No Transcript)
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Percent of Students Strongly Agreed/Agreed

• 100 of all racial groups agreed or strongly
  agreed about
• Importance of getting good grades
• Treating adults with respect
• Listening to teachers during lessons
• Completing homework and reading nightly
• Graduating from high school
• 93 of the African Americans, 95 of the Latinos,
  and 100 of Whites and Others strongly
  agreed/agreed about going to college to
  accomplish goals in life

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(No Transcript)
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Percent of Students Strongly Agreed (SA)/Agreed
(A)

• 79 of AA, 89 of LA, and 100 of Caucasian
  students liked school
• 100 of AA, 95 of LA, and 100 of Caucasian
  students SA/A that school is important to them
• 79 of AA, 84 of LA, and 82 of Caucasian
  students SA/A that they feel comfortable taking
  tests

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Percent of Students Strongly Agreed/Agreed
continued

• 86 of AA, 74 of LA, and 100 of Caucasians and
  other students SA/A about enjoying reading
• 93 of AA, 100 of LA, and 100 of Caucasians and
  other students SA/A about having time to read at
  home and having a male role model
• 64 of AA, 42 of LA, and 22 of Caucasians and
  other students SA/A about preferring to read
  rather than watch TV
• 63 of AA, 84 of LA, and 64 of Caucasians and
  other students SA/A about teachers treating males
  fairly
• 100 of AA, 100 of LA, and 96 of Caucasians and
  other students SA/A about feeling good with the
  color of their skin

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Conclusions

• The attitudes of African American and Latino
  American males toward school and learning were
  positive

• Social registry of the students is well respected
  at MOIA

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Recommendations

• Use students positive attitudes to motivate them
  to perform better in school
• Administer a learning styles inventory to males
• Share results with the PTA and school staff
• Expand study to all students (include females)
• Incorporate different teaching strategies to meet
  student learning styles
• Communicate college and career expectations and
  opportunities to students

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Recommendations continued

• Offer more professional development, such as
  Framework for Understanding Poverty Workshop
• Maintain high expectations
• Encourage more partnerships between public
  schools and colleges and universities, and with
  community agencies

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Session II Using Action Research to Solve
Problems

• Ford, Bailey, Kodzai,
• Metius, and Swett