Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

ARTICLE REVIEW ON ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT Motivation and Engagement In Young Learners: An Action Research Project Grace Jones Chilliwack School District, British Columbia This action research was conducted by Grace Jones who is a teacher of Chilliwack School District, British Columbia. The researcher conducted this research in order to study the goal-setting with early intermediate Grade 4 and 5 students was conducted to determine whether teaching goal-setting skills and strategies would enhance student success in specific assignments. An available curriculum, the BC Life Skills program, provided strategies that students used to complete projects in Science and Language Arts. Findings indicate that explicit instruction in vocabulary and process was required before students applied the skills to tasks in writing and organizing, resulting in successful completion of the projects by the majority of students. I believe that this research supports the idea that having competency in goal-setting can contribute to quality completion of work in young learners.

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY With several questions in mind, the researcher set out to design an action research project. The researcher was done a good research context as she first sought lessons on goal-setting. By using the recommended resources available in her district, the researcher has chosen to use the BC Life Skills program (BC Ministry of Education, n.d.). This is a resource designed to support the Personal Planning curriculum for Grades 1-7 and has modules on personal growth, setting goals, planning and problem-solving. The researcher used the appropriate resource because the resource can be an evidence to support the researchers idea. I would have to agree when the researcher focused on the module entitled, Setting Goals, Making and Enacting Plans, which designed to support the Personal Planning IRP in line with the researcher has the good guidance named Integrated Resource Package these are the Curriculum guides for British Columbia 1995. It consists of a set of eight core lessons on goal setting with an additional ten lessons to further explore the core concepts. See figure 1 Core Lessons: 1. What is a goal? 2. Setting a classroom goal 3. Working cooperatively to achieve a class goal. 4. Setting individual goals. 5. Famous Explorers made plans too. 6. Reaching your goals 7. Planning for Success 8. Making plans to achieve a goal Figure 1 (selected from BC Life Skills Table of Contents, pp. I-II)

I can say that the researcher chose a good resource because it presented concepts and skills in a way that the researcher felt would be accessible to the students and it came with a variety of activities to develop a better understanding of the processes involved. It also allowed for diversity in instruction and in learning styles. Not only that, it relied on a formative type of assessment which fit well with the methods the researcher wanted to use in collecting data.

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

A sample of goal-setting web template from Lesson #1, BC Life Skills It is good that the researcher used a sample of goal-setting web template from Lesson #1, BC Life Skills which is crucial to be used to guide the researcher in conducting this action research in answering the action research question. METHODS OF COLLECTING DATA The study was conducted in a Grade 4 and 5 classes from January March 2006. The researcher completed the data collection to coincide with the end of the second reporting period. Among the twenty-six students in the class, sixteen gave permission to be part of the data collection process. This included seven students in Grade four and eight students in Grade five. The data collected included all the students assignments from the goalsetting lessons, student journal entries and the completed curriculum projects in Science and in Writing, as well as the research own journal and field notes. The researcher also used observation in class as she tracked the transfer of knowledge from the goal-setting exercises to actual curricular assignments during class and student journal entries. The researcher coded each student entry that mentioned the vocabulary used to describe a specific skill they had learned and the application of each process to their work.

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

What I like about this study is that, the researcher can observe and look for student references related to their feelings about the work they were accomplishing and any comparisons they made to how using the planning strategies they had been taught was different than methods they work. The researcher used qualitative data in collecting data for this research which was document analysis. I would say that the researcher had chosen the systematic exploration of written documents. It is because document analysis works best when the purpose is to gain insight into an instructional activity or approach. The researcher used document analysis such as student journal writing and interview notes. I can say that this data collection method is systematic exploration because this documents reveal what people do or did and what they value. So that, this behavior occurred in a very natural setting, meaning to say that the data is strong validity. It will also allow the researcher to assess student learning and as evidence of students understanding of the concepts and processes for goal-setting. I am very interested when the researcher designed the goal setting framework in collecting Goal Setting Chart A First Lesson data. It is because, it will easy for the students to plan their progress as they completed 1. My goal is 2. Im also to start by these projects. Igoingreally like this framework as the frame work will guide the students 3. Ill know when Ive met my goal when participation in setting the completed their projects and they monitored their own progress 4. Date set / Date criteria for from start to finish based on the framework by doing weekly progress checklists and Goal Setting Chart B Fourth Lesson writing about their work in their journals. The frameworks increased in complexity as they 1. My goal is 2. Im going to start by moved through the lessons. The data also collected (See Figure 2) 3. I can get help by 4. Ill know Ive met my goal when 5. Date set / Date met 6. My (_________) helped me reach my goal by Goal Setting Chart C Eighth Lesson 1. I am interested in achieving the following short-term goals: a) b) c) 2. I will focus on the following goal first 3. These are the difficulties or challenges I may face in achieving this goal 4. Research In Educatio would be like if I achieved this goal This is what it EDU 575 Action 5. I need to take the following steps to reach this short-term goal 6. What I need to do -----Who/What can help me had used before. Not only that, the researcher can also observe any references to how the students expected to use these strategies in their future

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

Figure 2 (BC Life Skills, pp. 7, 14, and 44)

Two excerpts from students story books showing text and illustrations

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

Excerpt from students journal which shows the use of new vocabulary to describe progress I love the other way the researcher collecting data. The researcher also collected data from class discussion and interview with the students throughout the time period used to complete these projects. It is because the students were frequently asked by the teacher pertaining to the work they were doing and to recall vocabulary and processes used in their work. This will reflect the students on their work, so that the students will have ideas and they know how to express their ideas as well as to keep the students in track. This was done through journal writing and class discussion, as well as the completion of a mid-assignment progress Figure 3) assessment, conducted by the teacher as an interview with each student. (See

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

Making and Implementing a Plan: Assessment To What Degree 1. was there evidence of a plan? 2. was the plan realistic timeline, materials? 3. did you stick to your plan and project? 4. any new ideas or changes needed? 5. did you keep to the timeline? 6. will you meet the deadline date? Figure 3 (BC Life Skill, p.21) Comment /Evidence

Excerpt from students journal describing their progress The researcher also used questionnaire as data collection method. The researcher had done a great part at the conclusion of the data collection process, in which the students were asked to complete a survey that assessed their understanding of goal setting and how it could be used to plan and organize their work so each project was completed. I would have to say this part is great because the students answers will help the teacher plan for future lessons. (See Appendix 1) ANALYSING DATA

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

Data analysis in action research is very important part in interpreting the data. It is because; it involves moving away from action research components of cycle, where the main focus on planning and acting. In this study, the researcher found that there was an initial hurdle in student understanding of the vocabulary used in the lessons and the researcher had to teach each new concept. Each step in the planning process had to be explained carefully so students could move comfortably from one to the next. The templates that came with the lessons assumed that students would be familiar with things like webs, Venn diagrams, and Cornell note-taking and would be able to complete them independently, but then, the researcher found she had to teach each of these processes and model how they should be done. From my personal point of view, The researcher had done a great data analysing because the data is concisely and accurately displayed the result of the study. Not only that, someone who views the data analysis will get an idea of the result of the study. According to the data that researcher collected, the researcher had described a word of What which aims to set out what the data shows. Furthermore, the researcher also explained a word of Why which aims to find good explanation for what emerges from the description of the data. I also like in which the researcher let the previous assumption guide her analysis whereby it is so important to make the analysis always guided in order to make a beautiful data analysis. Through this study, I can see the effects of analyzing the data, which are the students performances were improved. There is also a development of teacher-design staff as well as the revision and new developments were done. In analyzing the data, the researcher also did conceptual processes of analysis whereby the researcher assembling the data first, and then she coded the data according to themes and pattern. Next, we can see that the researcher comparing the data in which the researcher compared the data of one student with another student. After comparing, the researcher starts building interpretation of data following by reporting the outcomes. MY POINT OF VIEWS

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio

Article Review Assignment 2

Rosy Nurul-Hidayati Yahya 2010203434

Generally, as we can see the effort of the researcher, we can assume that the researcher is a great teacher because she is really concern about the students performance. Regarding to designing qualitative study, I would have to say that, it is good whereby the researcher considered ways of collecting data to represent the multiple voices and actions constituting the research setting. Moreover, the researcher used typical techniques in this qualitative research for collecting data include observing in the particular setting, conducting interviews with participants or students, and reviewing documents or artifacts. While conducting fieldwork, the researcher also reread their field notes and added to them any relevant information. While reviewing the field notes, the researcher look for themes and information relevant to the research questions. The researcher noted this information in the form of theoretical note in which the researcher wrote theoretical memos to herself. This will help the researcher to generate questions about repeated patterns, links to other theories, and conceptual ideas the researcher was beginning to develop. The researcher also made personal notes that reflected the researchers thoughts and feelings about what she is observing or experiencing. These notes are important because the notes allow the researcher to keep from imposing her own opinion on data, helping her to focus on what is meaningful or important. In this research, the researcher had practiced the analytic principles of practice that she used include comparing and contrasting data, methods, theories, and perspectives; examining part-whole relationships between and among actions, events, and participants.

EDU 575 Action Research In Educatio