5301 Research Course Reflection

·         Lectures - I am assuming this is referencing the video lectures.  These were helpful in getting our week started and informing us of what was going to happen that particular week.  I appreciate that fact that I was able to see my instructors communicate with their students via video and then interact with them via Adobe Connect Pro and web conferencing.   

The interviews with the three administrators were also very helpful for the fact that they had conducted action research and actually applied what they had discovered.  

·         Readings – I thoroughly enjoyed reading both texts, Leading with Passion and Knowledge and Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools. It made me realize the vast responsibilities principals are accountable for and that the student body is always changing and evolving based on the era, the environment, and the school culture. These texts were enlightening to say the least.  I especially appreciate the section in Harris’s text concerning the Force Field Analysis. He even provided a website with templates and several other resources to use for action inquiry.  I will be referencing this book and the website quite a bit.

·         Searches, like electronic searches of topics and questions – This course did not specifically address searchers except in regards to “Action Research.”  My action research evolved from observing students on my campus and listening to what other teachers have commented about the students in their classrooms. 

·         Assignments and activities – The activities were confusing at first.  However, the web conferences proved to be very valuable in allowing me to ask questions and hear the other classmates’ questions, which in turn provided clarity.  Although the conferences at the beginning of the course were sketchy due to echoes and losing our instructor a few times, the last three conferences were much better. The web conferences gave a sense of connectivity as if in the classroom but with the added benefit of saving gas and time by not having to drive on the road.  

·         Discussion Board – The discussion boards were helpful in getting to know our classmates.  I felt like I connected with a few of them and interacted via email on a more personal level.  This was helpful.  Another plus was discovering what towns or cities people were from.  Several individuals are from North Texas. I am blessed by being located in Southeast Texas, very close to the professors and Lamar University.  

·         Blogs – After the first week, we were provided with a blog with all of the topics and all of the blog information.  In my opinion, this was very overwhelming.   Dr. Jenkins mentioned during the web conference that they were going to split out the blogs by topic.  This will be very beneficial so we do not have to peruse the subjects that do not pertain to our research.  I did enjoy getting feedback from my cohorts by checking to see who posted anything on my blog.   In the Instructional Technology track, we are using a wiki to post our research as opposed to a portfolio.  The use of the wiki has proved to be extremely beneficial with my research.  Wikis are so functional that I even required my high school students to create wikis to upload their class projects.

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J., 2010. Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools. Larchmont, New York. Eye On Education, Inc.

Action Research Plan - Revised

(Note:  I edited my original not realizing that I was supposed to publish this again.  Here it is)

Action Research Plan

How can educators, influence students who may be from a lower socioeconomic class and encourage them to better themselves and break the chain of poverty? What can teachers do to prove to them the value of education?

The goal of this action inquiry is to research how educators can efficiently teach students their content subject while instilling value in learning what is being taught and teaching the students the importance of education. The goal is to find ways to motivate teachers to successfully increase their teaching talents in the classroom by adding life skills that will enhance the students' future education beyond high school and college. This is a very abstract concept but I think this is important and the benefit will help teachers to teach students and hopefully help the students to improve their lives after they leave high school.

Goals and Objectives:

The goal of this action inquiry is to research how educators can efficiently teach students their content subject while instilling value in learning what is being taught and teaching the students the importance of education. The goal is to find ways to motivate teachers to successfully increase their teaching talents in the classroom and to motivate students to take responsibility for their learning by adding life skills that will enhance the students' future education beyond high school and college. This is a very abstract concept but I think this is important and the benefit will help teachers to teach students and hopefully help the students to improve their lives after they leave high school.

Activities designed to achieve objective:

I will create on online survey using Google docs with Google forms.  I will post a survey questionnaire with various questions with value added questions that will provide me with answers concerning the students' futures' and what they hope to accomplish and do right out of high school and beyond.

I will publicize this survey on the student broadcast system and in the school newspaper and give an adequate deadline.  This will be an online survey.  I will ensure that all information is confidential. However, I will provide an incentive for the students to answer the survey by conducting a drawing for $50.00 for one participant, possibly two.   In order for the students to win the money, they will have to provide their student ID in the survey.  This will allow me to identify the winner(s).  This field in Google docs will be required in order for the students to submit their answers on-line. The survey will be two fold.  I plan to include questions in the survey that can also be used for the yearbook or newspaper concerning spending habits, goals, activities students enjoy etc.  Of course, all personal student identification information will be kept strictly confidential. 

After I close the survey, I will import the data into Excel and formulate research findings based on the responses.  Once the data is summarized, I will share this information with my administrators and staff members to formulate activities that we can incorporate into our classrooms.

Timeline Draft:

This survey will take place for at least three consecutive years for comparing and contrasting data over a time period.

First implementation:

Create survey: December 2010

Submit for approval: January 2011

Publicize and advertise to student body: January 2011 through April 2011

Close survey: End of April 2011

Formulate findings: May 2011

Submit findings to administrators: June 2011

Rely information to teachers: August 2011

 Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan:

Genevieve Garrison

Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives:

During the 2011-2012 school year, I will conduct the same on-line survey, and any necessary adjustments to the previous year's questions to the new school body.  Again, this will be a twofold purpose, one for this research and one for yearbook statistics. I will formulate the findings into a report and compare to the previous year's data to see if there has been changes.

Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study

I am the yearbook adviser at my school in addition to being one of the business teachers.  The main survey will be used will be Taylor Publishing's Advertising Market Survey PDF document. I will place this survey along with a few additional questions that pertain to subject content on

Google Docs and Google Forms. Then request all business students to take this survey during their computer lab time (with the other teachers' permission) and then use an Access Database to manipulate the data for analysis.  List below are some the questions:

The yearbook class is conducting this survey amoung students attending our school. The purpose is to provide the yearbook staff with information on the buying habits of students for the "Student Life" section in your school publication, the Cardinal Yearbook. We appreciate your cooperation in completing this survey. Your student ID will be used for a monetary drawing so we may identify the winner. All personal information is strictly confidential and will not be shared among any other individuals.

Source: Advertising Market Survey.pdf, Get It? Got It. Great! Yearbook Adviser's Resource Guide © 2005, Taylor Publishing

1. What is your student ID?
2. Do you receive an allowance? _______If so, how much per week? Under $5_____ $5-10_____ over $10_____

3. Do you have a job? _______

4. If so, how much do you make per week? Under $20_____ $20-40_____ $60-80_____ over $80_____

5. Do you have your own charge account (gas, dept. stores, etc.)?_______

6. Do you use your parents’ credit cards? _______

7. Do you have a checking account? _______

8. Do you have a savings account? _______

9. How much per week do you save? _______

10. Do you own a car? _______

11. Do you use someone else’s car regularly? _______
12. Do you own a cell phone? _____
13. If do own a cell phone, who pays the monthly bill?
10. Do you own: a motorcycle_____, a stereo_____, a camera_____, a computer_____?

11. Do you expect to purchase any single item over $200 in the near future? _____ What item? ___________

12. How much do you spend per month on: (include you own money and money from parents)

a. Car or transportation expenses (gas, oil, maintenance, etc.)_________

b. Car insurance_________

c. Gifts (holidays, birthdays, etc.)_________

d. Hobbies, recreation_________

e. Entertainment, concerts, movies, dates_________

f. School supplies_________

g. Clothing_________

h. CD’s, DVD’s_________

i. Books, magazines_________

j. Grooming, hair cuts, cosmetics, health aids_________

k. Eating out_________

13. How many times per week do you eat out? _____ Which restaurants do you eat at most?

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

14. How many times per month do you go to the movies? _____

15. Do you use the coupons you find in newspapers or magazines? Rarely_____ Sometimes_____ Often_____ (Taylor Publishing, 2005)

16. Which subject is your best subject? 
17.  Which subject is your worst subject?

Here is the URL to answer this survey on-line:  www.tinyurl.com/BCHSMarketSurvey

Source: Advertising Market Survey.pdf, Get It? Got It. Great! Yearbook Adviser's Resource Guide

© 2005, Taylor Publishing

OUTCOMES	ACTIVITIES	RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED	RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES		TIME LINE
Approved action inquiry	Submit concept idea for approval to site supervisor	Submit via email and meeting with site supervisors	Genevieve Garrison		December 2010
Completed Survey	Create survey using Google Docs, Google Forms and Tinyurl.com	Google Docs, Google Forms, Access Database	Genevieve Garrison		January 2011
Request announcement approval to principal.	Publicize and advertise to student body  Request broadcast course teacher to publicize web address during morning announcements for student advertising Request other business teacher permission to allow students to complete survey during their class time	Tinyurl.com	Genevieve Garrison		January 2011 through April 2011
Disconnect web address until the following year for next year's comparison data.	Close Survey	Internet, Tineyurl.com	Genevieve Garrison		April 2011
Import data into Microsoft Excel for analyses and data verification.	Organize and formulate data for research findings. Ensure accuracy of student identifications by conducting an Access action query by matching student IDs in database with IDs in spreadsheet.	PC, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access	Genevieve Garrison		May 2011
Analysis Report	Create report of research findings to report to administrators	Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Power Point	Genevieve Garrison		May and June 2011
Analysis Report Approval	Submit report findings to site supervisor for approval	Email and hard copy of report findings	Genevieve Garrison, Site Supervisor		June 2011
Teacher workshop research	Research workshops or teacher in-service activities that will aid teachers in delivering content and  life enhancing values to their teaching styles that will aid students in appreciating and valuing their education	Teacher Workshops	Genevieve Garrison		June 2011
Teacher workshops or teacher in-service	Conduct teacher workshop during teacher in-service and report findings	In-service days, staff development days	Genevieve Garrison, Site Supervisor		August 2011
Low income students take responsibility for their own learning and value their education	Teachers deliver content rich teaching while adding life enhancing values to students so students learn and appreciate their education and can apply to their future outside of high school and beyond.	All teachers		All teachers	All year long

Action Research Plan

How can educators, influence students who may be from a lower socioeconomic class and encourage them to better themselves and break the chain of poverty? What can teachers do to prove to them the value of education?

The goal of this action inquiry is to research how educators can efficiently teach students their content subject while instilling value in learning what is being taught and teaching the students the importance of education. The goal is to find ways to motivate teachers to successfully increase their teaching talents in the classroom by adding life skills that will enhance the students' future education beyond high school and college. This is a very abstract concept but I think this is important and the benefit will help teachers to teach students and hopefully help the students to improve their lives after they leave high school.

Goals and Objectives:

The goal of this action inquiry is to research how educators can efficiently teach students their content subject while instilling value in learning what is being taught and teaching the students the importance of education. The goal is to find ways to motivate teachers to successfully increase their teaching talents in the classroom and to motivate students to take responsibility for their learning by adding life skills that will enhance the students' future education beyond high school and college. This is a very abstract concept but I think this is important and the benefit will help teachers to teach students and hopefully help the students to improve their lives after they leave high school.

Activities designed to achieve objective:

I will create on online survey using Google docs with Google forms.  I will post a survey questionnaire with various questions with value added questions that will provide me with answers concerning the students' futures' and what they hope to accomplish and do right out of high school and beyond.

I will publicize this survey on the student broadcast system and in the school newspaper and give an adequate deadline.  This will be an online survey.  I will ensure that all information is confidential. However, I will provide an incentive for the students to answer the survey by conducting a drawing for $50.00 for one participant, possibly two.   In order for the students to win the money, they will have to provide their student ID in the survey.  This will allow me to identify the winner(s).  This field in Google docs will be required in order for the students to submit their answers on-line. The survey will be two fold.  I plan to include questions in the survey that can also be used for the yearbook or newspaper concerning spending habits, goals, activities students enjoy etc.  Of course, all personal student identification information will be kept strictly confidential. 

After I close the survey, I will import the data into Excel and formulate research findings based on the responses.  Once the data is summarized, I will share this information with my administrators and staff members to formulate activities that we can incorporate into our classrooms.

Timeline Draft:

This survey will take place for at least three consecutive years for comparing and contrasting data over a time period.

First implementation:

Create survey: December 2010

Submit for approval: January 2011

Publicize and advertise to student body: January 2011 through April 2011

Close survey: End of April 2011

Formulate findings: May 2011

Submit findings to administrators: June 2011

Rely information to teachers: August 2011

 Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan:

Genevieve Garrison

Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives:

During the 2011-2012 school year, I will conduct the same on-line survey, and any necessary adjustments to the previous year's questions to the new school body.  Again, this will be a twofold purpose, one for this research and one for yearbook statistics. I will formulate the findings into a report and compare to the previous year's data to see if there has been changes.

Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study

I am the yearbook adviser at my school in addition to being one of the business teachers.  The main survey will be used will be Taylor Publishing's Advertising Market Survey PDF document. I will place this survey along with a few additional questions that pertain to subject content on

Google Docs and Google Forms. Then request all business students to take this survey during their computer lab time (with the other teachers' permission) and then use an Access Database to manipulate the data for analysis.  List below are some the questions:

The yearbook class is conducting this survey amoung students attending our school. The purpose is to provide the yearbook staff with information on the buying habits of students for the "Student Life" section in your school publication, the Cardinal Yearbook. We appreciate your cooperation in completing this survey. Your student ID will be used for a monetary drawing so we may identify the winner. All personal information is strictly confidential and will not be shared among any other individuals.

Source: Advertising Market Survey.pdf, Get It? Got It. Great! Yearbook Adviser's Resource Guide © 2005, Taylor Publishing

1. What is your student ID?
2. Do you receive an allowance? _______If so, how much per week? Under $5_____ $5-10_____ over $10_____

3. Do you have a job? _______

4. If so, how much do you make per week? Under $20_____ $20-40_____ $60-80_____ over $80_____

5. Do you have your own charge account (gas, dept. stores, etc.)?_______

6. Do you use your parents’ credit cards? _______

7. Do you have a checking account? _______

8. Do you have a savings account? _______

9. How much per week do you save? _______

10. Do you own a car? _______

11. Do you use someone else’s car regularly? _______
12. Do you own a cell phone? _____
13. If do own a cell phone, who pays the monthly bill?
10. Do you own: a motorcycle_____, a stereo_____, a camera_____, a computer_____?

11. Do you expect to purchase any single item over $200 in the near future? _____ What item? ___________

12. How much do you spend per month on: (include you own money and money from parents)

a. Car or transportation expenses (gas, oil, maintenance, etc.)_________

b. Car insurance_________

c. Gifts (holidays, birthdays, etc.)_________

d. Hobbies, recreation_________

e. Entertainment, concerts, movies, dates_________

f. School supplies_________

g. Clothing_________

h. CD’s, DVD’s_________

i. Books, magazines_________

j. Grooming, hair cuts, cosmetics, health aids_________

k. Eating out_________

13. How many times per week do you eat out? _____ Which restaurants do you eat at most?

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

14. How many times per month do you go to the movies? _____

15. Do you use the coupons you find in newspapers or magazines? Rarely_____ Sometimes_____ Often_____ (Taylor Publishing, 2005)

16. Which subject is your best subject? 
17.  Which subject is your worst subject?

Here is the URL to answer this survey on-line:  www.tinyurl.com/BCHSMarketSurvey

Source: Advertising Market Survey.pdf, Get It? Got It. Great! Yearbook Adviser's Resource Guide

© 2005, Taylor Publishing

OUTCOMES	ACTIVITIES	RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED	RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES		TIME LINE
Approved action inquiry	Submit concept idea for approval to site supervisor	Submit via email and meeting with site supervisors	Genevieve Garrison		December 2010
Completed Survey	Create survey using Google Docs, Google Forms and Tinyurl.com	Google Docs, Google Forms, Access Database	Genevieve Garrison		January 2011
Request announcement approval to principal.	Publicize and advertise to student body  Request broadcast course teacher to publicize web address during morning announcements for student advertising Request other business teacher permission to allow students to complete survey during their class time	Tinyurl.com	Genevieve Garrison		January 2011 through April 2011
Disconnect web address until the following year for next year's comparison data.	Close Survey	Internet, Tineyurl.com	Genevieve Garrison		April 2011
Import data into Microsoft Excel for analyses and data verification.	Organize and formulate data for research findings. Ensure accuracy of student identifications by conducting an Access action query by matching student IDs in database with IDs in spreadsheet.	PC, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access	Genevieve Garrison		May 2011
Analysis Report	Create report of research findings to report to administrators	Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Power Point	Genevieve Garrison		May and June 2011
Analysis Report Approval	Submit report findings to site supervisor for approval	Email and hard copy of report findings	Genevieve Garrison, Site Supervisor		June 2011
Teacher workshop research	Research workshops or teacher in-service activities that will aid teachers in delivering content and  life enhancing values to their teaching styles that will aid students in appreciating and valuing their education	Teacher Workshops	Genevieve Garrison		June 2011
Teacher workshops or teacher in-service	Conduct teacher workshop during teacher in-service and report findings	In-service days, staff development days	Genevieve Garrison, Site Supervisor		August 2011
Low income students take responsibility for their own learning and value their education	Teachers deliver content rich teaching while adding life enhancing values to students so students learn and appreciate their education and can apply to their future outside of high school and beyond.	All teachers		All teachers	All year long