EDLD 5301- Week 3 Reflection of the Targeted Population

Action Research Project: In what ways does integrating technology, to create, improve, and/or motivate good study habits for 7th grade Jr. High students, help to improve their grades?

Description of the context or setting of your study

My action research will take place within my two groups of 7^th grade students in my classroom, approximately 60 students. We will use my classroom as the primary setting, and our schools computer lab will be another setting, where learning will take place. I team teach the same group of students with another teacher, so I would be working with him in collecting student data (grades). I will be meeting with my students for 2-3 periods of the day. My action research project is a year-long project and my goal is to integrate technology to create, improve and/or motive good study habits for 7^th grade Jr. High students, help to improve their grades. 

Target Population

My targeted population for my action research would be my two groups of 7^th grade students, which consists of about 60 students.

Sample Selection

I will be selecting ten students from each class, who struggled with their grades during their 6^th grade year. So practically, I will use a sample of lower performing students.

Rationale for Sample Size

The basis for the sample size that I have chosen is based on the fact that 15-20% of our 8^th grade students are not going through the promotion ceremony at the end of the year due to their grades, proficiency scores, and/or citizenship. My focus in my action research project is to help these students improve their grades, and in turn that can improve proficiency scores and/or citizenship.

How will the research be conducted?

I will collect data, i.e., progress reports, report cards, interventions notes/emails, for the 2012-13 school years. I will meet with students to discuss progress, problems, and/or concerns. I will also meet with parents for the first two trimesters, and as needed throughout the school year. I will also meet/email and collect data from my partner teacher, in regards to my selected group. I will also collect student work sample (by paper and/or by electronic means) to support my data. I will create observational notes throughout the year and use them to monitor progress. The goal is that by the last trimester, these students learn how to integrate technology to create, improve and/or motive good study habits to help them improve their grades.