Week 5

1
Action Research
2
Instructional design principle theories

• Objectivism/Behaviorism-learning can be detected
  by observing an organism over a period of time.
• With this action research project I will study
  students math test scores to compare them to
  last years school to determine if there is an
  improvement by implementing a new teaching method.

3
Area of focus

• Ways to get students to love math?
• School system put a lot of focus on reading but
  do not put the same focus on math.
• As educators we need to find a way for students
  to love math since they will use it their whole
  lives

4
Explanation of problem

• Students in the United States score below most
  of their peers around the world on math (Boaler,
  June 30, 2009). We need to find a way to close
  that gap and have our students start scoring
  higher on state exams.
• If students receive a strong foundation of math
  in their early years of education, I believe
  students will become stronger and have a better
  success in math in high school and later in life.
  With the right lesson plan, teachers can turn
  struggling students into budding mathematicians.
  (Mighton, 2013)

5
Define variables

• Elementary and middle school
• Grades 1st 8th grade.

6
Research Questions

• How can students excel in math?
• How can parents and teacher get children excited
  about math?
• What steps can teachers take to help students
  embrace math?

7
Locus of control

• Locus of control is defined as an action research
  area of focus and research questions must be
  answerable. (Mills, pg. 214)
• The area of focus is for teachers to find ways to
  get students to love math.

8
Intervention Plan

• Teacher will have students work in small groups
  (Boaler, 2009)
• Students can work with their peers to share their
  experience
• Students can feel free to ask teacher questions
  about the lesson
• Parents can play number games and solving puzzles
  at home with their children (Cavanagh, 2006)
• Parents can make math problems out of ordinary
  household objects.

9
Group membership negotiations

• Math teachers in the third elementary school will
  be apart of the research action plan
• The researcher will need to first get permission
  from administrator and then parents.

10
Ethical Consideration

• Freedom of harm focusing on not exposing students
  to harm
• Informal consent ensures that research
  participants enter the research of their free
  will

11
timeline

• Phase 1 (August-September). Start researching
  math ideas and research questions.
• Phase 2 (October-December). Collect test score
  data. Conduct interview with teachers and
  parents.
• Phase 3 (January-May). Modify curriculum,
  lessons and instruction. Schedule weekly meeting
  with teachers about the research plan.
• Phase 4 (May-June). Review surveys,
  questionnaires, and state test scores. Schedule
  meeting to discuss and research plan and findings
  of the study. (Mills, pg.. 72)

12
Conclusion

• The action plan would be a year long
  implementation process. If the plan isnt
  successful the school we go back.
• Finding ways to have students love math is
  important because they will use math all their
  lives.

13
reference

•  Mills, G., (2014). Action Research A guide for
  the teacher researcher (5th ed.). Boston, MA
  Pearson Education, Inc.
• Boaler, J. (June 30, 2009). What Math Got to Do
  with it? New York Penguin Group.
• Mighton, J. (2013). For the Love of Math.
  Scientific American Mind, 60-67.
• Cavanagh, S. (2006). Math Teachers Encouraged to
  Assess Creatively. Education Week, 12-13.
• Dabbagh, N. (2006). Instructional design
  knowledge base. Retrieved from http//classweb.gmu
  .edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm