Conducting Action Research in Partnership

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Conducting Action Research in Partnership

• Carey Dimmitt and Jay Carey
• Center for School Counseling Outcome Research
• UMass Amherst
• CT Guidance Leaders
• March 12, 2004

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Action Research Partnerships

• Action research is conducted in collaboration
  with colleagues, community partners,
  universities, parents and students.
• Participants
• School Counselors
• University School Counselor Educators
• Administrators
• Graduate Students

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Benefits of Research Partnerships

• Collaboration on projects in both settings
• Shared knowledge about research, resources, and
  practical application of theory
• Moving to evidence-based practice
• Identifying best practices regarding student
  achievement
• Becoming proactive rather than reactive

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Benefits of Research Partnerships

• Culture of inquiry
• Grounding theory and training in practice
• Improved practicum experiences
• Mutual value and respect for each others work

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Action Research Process

• 1. Identify a problem
• 2. Review what is known about the problem
• 3. Develop research hypotheses or questions about
  the problem and plan the research process
  accordingly
• 4. Gather the data
• 5. Analyze the data
• 6. Interpret results, disseminate, and use
  findings
• 7. Evaluate the research process

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Research Process

• 1. Identify problem (Ad, SC)
• 2. Whats known research literature (Grad, CE)
• 3. Purpose and hypotheses (all)
• 4. Data gathering
• Finding data student data in system (all)
• Instruments develop surveys (all)
• Sampling (SC, Ad)
• Data gathering administer surveys (SC, Grad)

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Research Process

• 5. Analyze data (Grad, CE)
• 6. Interpret results/ disseminate findings (AD,
  SC, CE)
• Implement changes (SC, AD)
• 7. Evaluate research process (all)

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Action Research ProcessIdentify a Problem

• Who identifies the problem? Who decides what
  needs to be studied?
• Problem Almost ¼ of the student body fails a
  class every semester, despite many services and
  programs. Why are so many students failing?

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What is Known Research Variables in School
Achievement

• Relational Student Factors
• Sense of self-efficacy
• Academic self-concept
• Self-esteem
• Motivation
• Peer relationships
• Social skills (with peers and with teachers)

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• Intrinsic Student Factors
• Learning disabilities
• Mental health issues
• anxiety
• depression
• Behavioral difficulties
• hyperactivity
• attention deficit disorders
• Low IQ

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• School Factors
• School climate
• Class size
• School size
• Emphasis on academic achievement
• School resources
• Availability of after-school help and tutoring
• Amount of instruction time
• Level of conflict and violence in school

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• School Factors
• Ongoing social skills interventions in school
• Available resources and training for school-based
  counseling and support services
• Ongoing assessments that reflect the goals and
  mission of the school
• Existence of a sequenced curriculum
• Proficiency tests to measure school success
• Administrative leadership
• District-level coordinated intervention programs

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• Teacher Factors
• Pedagogical skill
• Ability to convey care and meaning
• Teacher/student connections
• Teacher tardiness and absences
• Teacher training, certification and subject
  knowledge
• Teacher perceptions of the job, of students, of
  academic achievement/failure

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• Teacher Factors
• Teacher/staff collaboration and collegiality
• Teacher knowledge of multiple learning styles
• Assessment techniques
• Teacher mobility/turnover rates
• Amount of homework given

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• Family Factors
• Amount of family involvement in school
• Attitudes towards and beliefs about schooling
• Family-teacher communication
• Family expectations of student success
• Parenting skills and discipline practices
• Family cohesion and structure
• Supervision and monitoring
• Parental education

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• Family Factors
• Multiple school transitions
• Family stressors
• illness/death
• poverty
• homelessness
• abuse and violence
• addiction
• incarceration

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Research Variables in School Achievement

• Race, Culture, Socioeconomic Status, and Gender
  Factors
• The race/class/culture/gender of teachers,
  families, and students all impact on every other
  factor in complex and interconnected ways

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Action Research What is the Purpose of this
Research Project?

• Purpose To identify the student failure
  variables which are impacting on this particular
  setting.
• Hypothesis 1 (administrators) Attendance
  problems are the primary reason for academic
  failure.

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Action Research What is the Purpose of this
Research Project?

• Purpose To identify the student failure
  variables which are impacting on this particular
  setting.
• Hypothesis 2 (school counselors) Students fail
  because of a complex interaction of peer
  relationships, psychosocial concerns, and
  feelings of disconnection.

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Action Research What is the Purpose of this
Research Project?

• Purpose To identify the student failure
  variables which are impacting on this particular
  setting.
• Hypothesis 3 (teachers) Students are failing
  because they are not doing homework.

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Sample Survey Questions

• Student Survey
• I understand why we learn what we do in classes
  always usually
  sometimes never
• My teachers understand how I learn
  all of them some of them none
  of them
• How connected do you feel to the following
  people?
• Other students in my grade
  
• very connected somewhat connected not
  connected
• Which of the following works best for you?
  (circle one)
• a. Reading to learn b. Watching someone do
  something
• c. Listening to instructions d. Hands-on
  learning
• e. Other (please describe)
  

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Sample Survey Questions

• Parent Survey
• On the average, how much time each week are you
  able to spend helping your child with his/her
  homework?
• Less than 1/2 hour up to an hour up to 2
  hours more than 2 hours
• Why do you come to the HS? (mark all that apply)
  
• a. Meetings with teachers, administrators,
  parents
• b. Picking up/dropping off student
• c. Attending school events (sports, theatre,
  etc.)
• d. Volunteering in the school
• e. Being in the parent center
• f. I dont come to the school
• g. Other (please describe)

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Sample Survey Questions

• Teacher Survey
• What specific subject do you teach and how long
  have you taught this subject?
• What assessment methods do you use in your
  classroom (tests, portfolios, group projects,
  skill assessments, papers, presentations,
  discussions, etc.) Please list any that you use
  and circle the primary one.
• Do you feel supported as a teacher by the
  administration at ARHS?
• Very supported somewhat supported not
  supported

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Sample Survey Questions

• On all Surveys (student version)
• If you got a D or an F in a class, why do you
  think you got that grade?
• A. Peer issues (friends dont support getting
  good grades, friends get in trouble, etc.)
• B. Not academically prepared for class
• C. Lack of connection between self and teacher
• D. Not motivated to do well
• E. Curriculum isnt relevant to what I want to
  learn
• F. Lack of parent involvement
• G. Learning disabilities hinder my ability to do
  the work
• H. Assessment methods dont accurately reflect
  what I have learned

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Sample Survey Questions

• On all Surveys (student version)
• If you got a D or an F in a class, why do you
  think you got that grade?
• I. Family issues (conflict, illness, money
  problems)
• J. Attendance issues (tardiness, absences,
  suspensions, etc.)
• K. Institutional bias -- favoring certain
  learning styles
• L. Poor self-esteem
• M. Didnt do homework
• N. Lack of control, impulsivity
• O. English isnt my first language
• P. Other (please describe)

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Research Participants

• 152 students
• 71 male, 29 female
• 43 White, 15 Mixed Race, 14 Latino,
• 13 Black, 8 Other, 7 Asian
• 76 teachers
• 55 female, 45 male
• 88 White, 5 Black, 3 Asian, 3 Mixed Race,
  1 Latino
• 51 families

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Research Findings

• Gender/Race/SES
• gender-- more boys were failing
• race-- more students of color were failing
• SES-- more students with low SES were failing

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Research Findings

• 45 of the students said they sometimes (22) or
  often (23) speak another language besides
  English at home
• 4 were currently in ESL classes
• 8 had ever participated in ESL programs
• 2.2 of students in school identified as Limited
  English Proficient

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Research Findings

• Reasons for failing
• 73 of parents, 70 of teachers, and 61 of
  students said not doing homework
• 59 of teachers, 30 of parents, and 18 of
  students said attendance issues
• 57 of parents, 45 of students, and 37 of
  teachers said student not motivated
• 40 of parents, 28 of students, and 18 of
  teachers said lack of teacher/student connection

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Research Findings

• Reasons for failing
• 38 of teachers, 13 of students, and 12 of
  parents said family issues
• 32 of teachers, 24 of students, and 24 of
  parents said student not academically prepared
• 28 of parents, 18 of students, and 18 of
  teachers said curriculum isnt relevant to
  student

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Impact of Research Project

• District-wide valuing of data
• K-12 research projects
• Follow-up HS research- all students
• Administration value time spent on data
  generation, analysis and dissemination
• Use of data to generate new questions
• Grounding proactive practice and curriculum
  decisions in data
• Counseling program evaluation

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Impact of Research Project

• Administrative focus on student learning and
  achievement
• Each department asked how they will decrease
  their D/F list
• Shift from students as problem
• Teachers and dept. heads see need for data
• Accountability increased
• Data-driven decision-making

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Impact of Research Project

• Systemic Shifts-Culture of Inquiry Expanded
• Asking questions rather than blaming
• Get needed changes more easily
• Takes personality out of equation
• Goal-oriented focus in school
• Changes in the role of school counselors

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Impact of Research Project

• Mutual understanding, respect and value
• Increased connection among schools in the
  district
• Connecting counselors
• Connecting curriculum
• Connecting program components

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Impact of Research Project

• Empowerment and involvement of students and
  families in educational change process
• Embracing change in education
• Data-based change
• Integrating practice and research improves both
• guidance surveys being used now
• development of entry surveys for all 9th graders
• K-12 surveys of academic achievement and failure

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Next Steps

• Inclusion of school counselors in leadership team
• New HS principal next year
• K-12 School Counseling curriculum
• Continuing changes in role of school counselors
  via use of data, collaboration and research

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Conducting Research in a Resource-Limited Context

• Survey students as they enter/leave schools
• Use existing data
• Download surveys (rather than develop)
• Curriculum development- go on-line for resources
  and materials
• Align existing program components and curriculum
  with ASCA National Model
• Learn data analysis

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Research Resources

• Explore Partnership opportunities
• Education Trust National Center for Transforming
  School Counseling
• www.edtrust.org
• National Center for School Counseling Outcome
  Research
• www. umass.edu/schoolcounseling/

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National Center for School Counseling Outcome
Research

• Thank You

http//www.umass.edu/schoolcounseling/