The First Draft...

Action Research Plan for Motivating Students

Examining the work: Setting the Foundation

Through observations and conversations with teachers, I have found that there is a need for motivating students who repeatedly have failing grades on progress reports and report cards.  This issue will be examined by conducting an action research project.  The goal of this action research project is to be able to motivate ninth grade students who repeatedly have failing grades on their progress reports and report cards to pass their classes.

Objectives/Outcomes of Action Research:

1.    Reduce the number of students who frequently receive failing grades on progress reports and report cards. 

2.    Provide teachers with strategies and techniques to motivate unsuccessful students

3.    Motivate unsuccessful students to become successful learners.

Analyzing data

Three week failure reports and report cards will be analyzed to identify ninth grade students who have had two or more failing grades on either progress reports or report cards in a nine week grading period.  Teachers will be surveyed to identify current motivational strategies used to help these students.  A survey of these students’ motivational needs will provide information that will aid in providing teachers with new strategies. 

Resources/Research Tools Needed for Gathering Data:

·      Survey of current motivational techniques

·      Three week failure reports for three nine-week grading periods

·      List of motivational strategies found from research

·      Teacher feedback about implementing motivational strategies

·      Survey of student motivators

Developing deeper understanding

Information gathered through the teacher and student surveys will be analyzed and used to research motivational strategies that will help the targeted students.  After identifying strategies that teachers can use to motivate the targeted students, teachers will be asked for feedback about how well they think these strategies can be implemented and their effectiveness. 

Engaging in Self-Reflection

During the planning of this project, I wonder if the information I plan to gather will be enough.  Will I be able to find strategies that will be appropriate for my school and its needs?  I believe I will have to find strategies that are free because of recent budget cuts.  I also think that I will have to motivate the teachers to get them to motivate the students. 

Exploring Programmatic Patterns

After the target population is identified, I will look to see if there are patterns or recurring subjects and classes.  I will talk to my site supervisor about implementing strategies to address the issues found.

Determining Direction

            In order to accomplish the goal and objectives, three week progress reports and report card grades will be analyzed to identify ninth grade students who have two or more failing grades in a nine week grading period.  These students will be the target population. These student’s teachers will be surveyed to find what motivation strategies they currently use with these students.  The students will be surveyed to find what they think will motivate them to pass their classes.  After analyzing the survey results, literature will be researched to find motivational strategies that meet both the students and teachers’ needs.  These strategies will be shared with the teachers and implemented.  The strategies will be monitored for effectiveness by continuing to collect data from progress reports and report cards and interviewing teachers and students.  Changes and modifications will be made based on this data.

Timeline:

October 2010 thru June 2011

·      Collect and analyze failure reports for changes and concerns

October 2010

·      Present plan to principal, get feedback and options

·      Compile list of ninth grade students with two or more failing grades on a report card or progress report in a 9 week grading

November thru December 2010

·      Survey Teachers

·      Survey students

·      Gather information about motivational strategies to possibly implement

January 2011

·      Present data and findings to principal and discuss options

February 2011

·      Present information to faculty and get feedback

·      Implement strategies

February thru June 2011

·      Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of implemented strategies

Persons Responsible for Implementation:

Ashley Chandler

9^th grade core subject teachers

Process for Monitoring Achievement

·      Monitor three week failure reports

·      Survey student motivation level every

·      Interview teachers about effectiveness of strategies

Assessment Instruments to Evaluate Effectiveness

·      Teacher Interviews

·      Student Survey

·      Failure reports

·      Reflections

Taking action for school improvement

I will evaluate the effectiveness of the motivation strategies and their implementation.  Successful strategies will be shared with all teachers to help students in all grade levels. 

Sustaining improvement

I will continue to monitor the students who participate in this project to ensure that they are successful.  If they are not, action research may be used to find out how to help them remain successful.