Sunday, April 28, 2013

Action Research Plan




Action Planning Template
Goal: How effective is our after school program, The Commended Club, in helping to raise the Math STAAR scores of targeted students?
Action Steps(s):
Person(s) Responsible:
Timeline: Start/End
Needed Resources
Evaluation
Analyze commended club students' Math STAAR scores from 7th grade and 8th grade






Sarah Morvant and Campus Improvement Specialist
May 2013
2012 & 2013 STAAR scores
Analyzing the STAAR scores for the students that attended the commended club tutorials will allow me to see the improvements made from the 7th grade to the 8th grade.
Analyze the attendance rates of the students attending the after school commended club tutorials






Sarah Morvant and Campus Improvement Specialist
May 2013
Student sign-in sheets
After examining the attendance rates, I will be able to see if the students who consistently attended showed improved scores.
Conduct student interviews






Sarah Morvant
May 2013
Interview questions
Interviewing the students that attended the tutorials will allow me to understand from a student's perspective what helped on the STAAR test and what didn't.  I can then compare the answers between the students that showed improvement and those that did not.
Conduct teacher interviews with math teachers that taught the tutorial classes.




Sarah Morvant
May 2013
Interview questions
Interviewing the teachers will enable me to understand the planning and implementation of the chosen tutorial curriculum.
Meet with tutorial teachers and administration to discuss finding of data analysis & to discuss ways to improve the tutorial program for the 2013-2014 school year






Sarah Morvant, Administration
September 2013
Data analysis

Curriculum options
This will allow for an open discussion of the data and what it reflects about the effectiveness of the tutorial program.  The committee can then determine what needs to change and what needs to continue.
Implement changes to the tutorial program in the 2013-2014 school year






Tutorial teachers
November 2013-March 2014
Varied according to agreed upon changes
Formative assessments can be utilized throughout the tutorial program.
Analyze 2014 Math STAAR scores






Sarah Morvant and campus improvement specialist
April 2014
2014 Math STAAR scores
Compare the STAAR scores of the students currently attending the tutorial program to see if gains were made.
 



1.  Setting the Foundation - After meeting with my site supervisor and examining the campus improvement plan, math STAAR scores were identified as a target area.  There is currently an after school tutorial program that has been in place for two years, and it's effectiveness has been questioned by parents.
2.  Analyzing Data - I will use STAAR scores from 2012 & 2013, tutorial attendance rates, and student and teacher interviews and/or surveys.
3.  Developing Deeper Understanding - Upon completion of my initial data analysis, additional questions about instructional and student behavior may arise.  Curriculum and teacher planning may also be further questioned.
4.  Engaging in Self-Reflection - I will ask myself reflective questions such as:
            - What outside factors may have also affected student STAAR scores?
            - Is the changing of teachers teaching the tutorials affecting learning?
            - How can we support these students during the school day?
5.  Exploring Programmatic Patterns - Meetings with my site supervisor and campus improvement specialist will lead to a more definite plan about what to keep and change about the after school tutorial program.
6.  Determining Direction - I am clear about the parameters of the program that I am analyzing.  My timeline for analyzing the data is one month which I feel is reasonable.  The timeline for planning the changes to the program is two to three months which I also feel is reasonable.  As the project gets underway, improvements and revisions will be made as needed.
7.  Taking Action for School Improvement - I will develop a written plan of my project and will use Tool 7.1 to guide me.
8.  Sustaining Improvement - If the results of my project show positive changes, then I will share my results with other teachers/campuses that could benefit.  I will also apply this process to other aspects of my personal and professional development.

2 comments:

  1. Hello Sarah!
    I think that anything that has to do with helping students improve their STARR scores is an excellent research project. Your plan is very good. There was one thing I did not see in your plan. It might just be a given, and I am the only one that wrote it in my plan, but it is analyzing and reading into similar research that has already been conducted. Also researching schools who have programs similar to yours that are working to the benefit of the students. That way you can have an idea of what changes can be implemented to better The Commended Club. Good luck with your research! I love the name of the club! I might have to borrow that name and start a club like that with out after school program next year :)
    Please also follow my blog!
    http://llanaryrodriguez.blogspot.com/

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  2. Hi Sarah,

    I think researching the effectivenss of an after school tutorial program is important. After school programs require a commitment from parents that may be difficult to achieve. It may be important to look into the effect of having the tutorial after school. Are students exhausted after their long day, or even hungry? What motivation is there for them to pay attention and learn after they have (hopefully) been previously actively engaged all day? I know that in middle school the schools often have a late start/end time and I've always wondered if it had an effect on after school activities. This may be a question to guide an additional wondering to your research.

    Thanks for folloing my blog! I look forward to seeing the results of your research!

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