Christa Togans
EDAM 528
August 31, 2012
Chapter Three Research Methodology
Dr. Ken Mawritz
Christa Togans
EDAM 528
August 31, 2012
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Description of the Problem ............................................................................................................. 3
Purpose of the Research .................................................................................................................. 3
Methods in the Action Research ..................................................................................................... 4
Theme 1: Finding the True Ability of Students in an Underachieving School ............................. 4
Rationale...................................................................................................................................... 4
Theme 2: Creating a Self-Directed Environment Participatory Environment ............................... 4
Rationale...................................................................................................................................... 4
Theme 3: Project Based Learning Mathematics/Engineering ....................................................... 5
Rationale and Survey Instrument ................................................................................................ 5
Validity and Reliability ................................................................................................................... 6
Constituents..................................................................................................................................... 6
Timeline .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Pilot Study....................................................................................................................................... 8
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Appendix A ..................................................................................................................................... 9
References ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Christa Togans
EDAM 528
August 31, 2012
Introduction
Historically and almost traditionally, my school comes in last place on the state test. I believe
that my school realizes that participatory learning is important, but there is no buy in when it
comes to truly understanding what it takes to make a math lesson successful. My hope is that this
research project will promote students to forget about all of those false traditional customs that
they complain about in our classrooms, including their fear of and hatred for mathematics. As a
teacher, it is important to me to give my students the motivation that they need in order to
become successful, so that they can transfer the discipline they have learned in school to college
and their career.
Description of the Problem
Our student body has already shown deficiencies in core subject areas. This project is designed
to address these deficiencies by giving the teacher and the student the ability to integrate new
strategies and techniques. These techniques will be designed to increase class participation,
decrease classroom disruptions and effectively engage the students within the classroom.
However, student participation may not produce accurate results when using the quantitative
approach because students have been accustomed not to care about how well they do on tests and
usually give up from lack of understanding concepts and procedures in math class.
Purpose of the Research
The purpose of this research is aimed to determine the academic deficiencies of high school
students and improving upon those deficiencies by giving the teachers and students the ability to
integrate new strategies and techniques. These techniques are designed to increase class
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participation, decrease classroom disruptions and effectively engage the students within the
classroom.
Also, the purpose is to ensure that our students are working with modern technology and to learn
how to self-assess and peer-assess themselves and their classmates. This will all be regulated by
the teacher and the students will be taught how to do these assessments with teacher modeling to
create a self-directed environment.
Methods in the Action Research
Research Method – A mixed method approach used in this study will combine a quantitative
followed by a qualitative approach in order to create a greater confidence in the data collected.
Theme 1: Finding the True Ability of Students in an Underachieving School
Rationale
The research will begin with a Pre-Test. The students will be informed of how they performed
and be told what concepts they need to improve upon.
Theme 2: Creating a Self-Directed Environment Participatory Environment
Rationale
Google Docs allows you to easily track, import and export student attendance/progress data via
Google Docs. Students will enter their own progress into a spreadsheet to actually see if they
have improved from the Pre-Test to the Post-Test and surveys will be given through Google
Docs to gain student feedback about how they feel their understanding of the concepts they are
expected to know in mathematics (See Appendix A).
Christa Togans
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August 31, 2012
Theme 3: Project Based Learning Mathematics/Engineering
Rationale and Survey Instrument
The research will be used to determine if the project based methods used in this research project
is effective in creating a deeper understanding of the concepts taught in the mathematics
classroom. I will also design surveys and multiple choice summative assessments in addition to
the projects using the TI-Nspire calculators and Google Docs. Computer Diagnostic Testing
(CDT) will also be used in place of the traditional 4-Sight standardized test to determine other
strengths and weaknesses in student aptitude for multiple concepts.
Females
• Signed Numbers
• Equation Solving
Males
• Signed Numbers
• Equations Solving
Groups of Both
• Signed Numbers
• Equations Solving
•
Pre-Test
•
Instruction with Web 2.0 and
STEM Projects
•
Post –Test
•
Student Conferences
–
–
–
Portfolios
Progress discussion
Surveys for improvement
Example Format
Statewide and standardized tests will be used first, followed by teacher-made tests with the
criterion referenced audio-video recordings, journals and surveys will be used to measure the
data qualitatively and statistical data will show what improvements were made. Finally, the
follow-up would include surveys that would ask for student opinions, and suggestions for
improvement of their understanding.
Christa Togans
EDAM 528
August 31, 2012
Validity and Reliability
The research will be valid because it will only measure what it is supposed to measure. From the
(Mills, 2011) the planned intervention (independent variable) will be to find out the students
conceptual understanding of a mathematical process to determine if the strategies used in this
research creates improvements (dependent variable). If the results are attributable then there
will be nothing that disputes the results to prove it invalid.
The grades of the multiple choice Pre and Post tests will be analyzed and graphed. These items
are considered reliable because if I were to do the same project historical data states that I would
get the same results and if someone else viewed the results they would come to the same
conclusion. All the tests are repeatable and are proven to be reliable because students do poorly
on them which mirror in class tests. To improve reliability I would like to use the STEM
projects and determine if it can be used for more precise measurement.
As suggested in the book by (Mills, 2011) “A relationship exists between a mathematics
curriculum that emphasizes the children’s ability to know what to do and why to do it and
children’s abilities to transfer problem solving skills,” gave me the idea to create a researchable
problem in my classes. From an action research study by (Borrego, et al., 2009),
Validity, Reliability, and Triangulation: In most of the groups, validity, reliability, and
triangulation were discussed very little, at least explicitly.
Constituents
This project is designed to address the deficiencies of urban high school students who have
underperformed in mathematics for decades. The hope is that the teacher and the student both
work together with integrating new strategies and techniques to improve student aptitude. These
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techniques are designed to increase class participation, decrease classroom disruptions and
effectively engage the students within the classroom. (Mills, 2011)
Timeline
October 2012
November 2012
January 2013
Qualitative Data – Pre/Post Tests, CDT and
Standardized Tests given and evaluated
Instruction with Web 2.0 and STEM Projects
Student conferences, portfolios, progress
discussion, surveys for improvement
A model is in place in the school district to assist in helping this action to be achieved.
According the plan that the (Harrisburg School District, 2012) already has in place:
All students participating in Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions must be progress monitored in
order to determine whether the student is responding to the intervention through
demonstration of an appropriate rate of improvement.
According to (Mills, 2011) and the American Psychological Association for the ethical conduct
of researchers. There are 8 very important ethical considerations when implementing an action
research project and they are:
(1) general standards; (2) evaluation, assessment, or intervention; (3) advertising and
other public statements; (4) therapy; (5) privacy and confidentiality; (6) teaching,
training, supervision, research, and publishing; (7) forensic activities; and (8) resolving
ethical issues.
The ethical considerations that I would need to consider are 2, 5 and 6 mostly. My student’s
privacy is very important and I would not include their names in any publication unless I had
consent from their parents. I also want to make sure that the evaluations, assessments, and my
research produce meaningful results.
Christa Togans
EDAM 528
August 31, 2012
Pilot Study
The pilot study has already begun using a computer generated pretest. The results showed one
outlier on the side of success. One student scored a 13/16 which is an 81% and was excellent
compared to the other 135 students. This was not a valid result in my opinion because the
student was from Virginia and therefore did not represent the school districts demographic.
Next, the CDT testing will be underway in September 2012, and the results will be shared with
the students in great detail.
Summary
In a situated learning environment (Vgotsky,1981) believed that play should be viewed at two
levels: The higher level can be accomplished with tasks that the student can perform with direct
or indirect and the low level is how that same individual child can perform or play independently
without assistance from anyone.
(Squire, 2006) study explains that educators ought to pay close attention to designing
experiences that teach the art of doing rather than lecturing students and doing skill, drill, read
and recite. Educators need to research mediums that facilitate implication and social structures
in formal education.
Christa Togans
EDAM 528
August 31, 2012
Appendix A
Survey Questions – Google Docs will be used
Your responses will be kept confidential.
If you have strongly agreed or agreed with any of the statements or questions please type in your
reasoning why.
I know at what point I began to get lost when doing a math problem.
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you dislike math?
Strongly Disagree
Does viewing your Pre and Post test score help you in mathematics?
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Did viewing your student data, conferencing with your teacher and creating a portfolio
help you in mathematics?
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you believe you have learned concepts better doing individual projects?
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you believe you have learned concepts better doing group projects?
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you have any suggestions for making your understanding better in this math class?
Christa Togans
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August 31, 2012
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