Implementation of Action Plan

University of Saint Mary

Analisa Shinn
Name: Analisa Shinn
Date: 10/26/2016
Course Number/Titles: MAT780
Implementation of Action
Problem Statement: I have noticed a severe decrease in student engagement and
motivation, specifically relating to my photography students. I
want to actively engage my students by using methods to
increase their intrinsic motivation, such as differentiated
instruction and allowing students to design class curriculum.

Baseline Data: I will administer questionnaires to my photography students

during the first week of class in order to determine their level of
interest and motivation towards my class. The questionnaire
will contain questions pertaining to class curriculum, which will
give students an opportunity to tell me what they specifically
hope to learn through the course of the year. I will design my
class curriculum around their specific wants, and will then
present the class with a curriculum outline that they can agree
to. By allowing them to have a say in the curriculum, my hope
is that they will be more invested in the class, and therefore will
become more intrinsically motivated to learn. Intrinsically
motivated students are able to place value on their educations
without the need for external rewards or incentives, while
extrinsically motivated students must have incentives in order
to be motivated to learn (Lei, 2010).

Measurable The goals for my action research project are the following:
Goals
Professional Goal: I will encourage students to be active
participants in designing the class curriculum, provide unique
and interesting ways of presenting relevant material, and use
methods of differentiated instruction to keep student
engagement and promote intrinsic motivation. As stated by
Huebner (2010), differentiated instruction includes using
effective classroom management procedures; promoting student
engagement and motivation; assessing student readiness;
responding to learning styles; grouping students for instruction;
and teaching to the students zone of proximal development. I
will use triangulation of artifacts to measure these goals.

Learner Goal: I hope to help build intrinsic motivation in

students by asking them to be active participants in designing
the class curriculum, which will in turn raise comprehension of
learned material, resulting in better grades. According to
Kusurkar, Croiset, & Ten Cate (2011), Active participation of
students in learning sessions transfers some of the responsibility
for learning from the teacher to the students, making the
 learning more autonomous. I will measure these goals by
asking students to complete questionnaires at the end of each 9-
weeks grading period, and by formal assessments such as
quizzes and tests throughout the year to check for student
understanding on important concepts.

Outcomes I expect the following to occur:

and planned Professional Outcomes
artifacts 1. I will seek student involvement in designing class
curriculum through a detailed questionnaire at the start of each
9-week grading cycle, then a class meeting to approve of the set
curriculum.

Success Criterion: The success will be determined by the level

of honesty provided when students are filling out the
questionnaires, and how actively they participate in the class
meeting when agreeing to the curriculum.

Planned Artifact
Student questionnaires

Success Criterion: I will give students a questionnaire at the

start of each grading cycle in order to measure how their
attitudes have changed towards the class, as well as to adjust
curriculum for the next 9-weeks. I will take their new
suggestions into consideration, create alternative plans for the
grading period, and then have students vote on which plan to
use. By allowing for change in my curriculum, students will be
obligated to remain active participants in designing the class
structure, and will therefore remain actively invested in the
class.

Planned Artifact
Formal assessments: tests and quizzes

Success Criterion: Along with the student questionnaires, I will

periodically test students over important photographic concepts
and vocabulary. By giving formal assessments to test
knowledge over concepts that are integral to their learning, I
will be able to determine if students are actually understanding
the material, and areas that are in need of re-teaching.

Planned Artifact
Teacher Journal

Success Criterion: I will keep a journal throughout the year,

detailing my feelings on how my approach is affecting student
motivation. I will then periodically compare the data from the
surveys and test scores against my feelings presented in the
journal in order to triangulate data.

Learner Outcomes
1. By asking students to be active participants in designing
class curriculum, students will be more invested in the concepts
being taught, and will become more intrinsically motivated to
learn.

Success Criterion: Kusurkar, Croiset, & Ten Cate (2011) state,

Intrinsic motivation is observed when one engages in an
activity out of genuine interest and is truly self-determined.
By asking students to help in designing class curriculum, they
should be more intrinsically motivated to do well in the class,
which will therefore mean better understanding and application
of concepts, resulting in higher grades.

Planned Artifact
Student questionnaires

Success Criterion: If students complete questionnaires honestly

and give specific requests or examples of concepts they wish to
learn, I will be able to tailor the class curriculum to the needs
and wants of my students.

Planned Artifact
Formal assessments: tests and quizzes

Success Criterion: Students should demonstrate at least 70%

accuracy on formal assessments through the first grading cycle.
By the second grading cycle, students should be able to
demonstrate at least 80% accuracy. In the third grading cycle,
students should demonstrate 90% accuracy, and by the end of
the year they should demonstrate 100% accuracy with the terms
and concepts that were covered through the year.

Planned Artifact
Student Journal

Success Criterion: I will ask students to keep a simple journal

in which they will thoughtfully consider each assignment.
Their journal will include specific learning outcomes, questions,
and thoughts/feelings about the success of each assignment. If
students complete each journal entry thoughtfully and honestly,
their journals will help in furthering the development of the
class curriculum.
Specific Procedures/Solutions & Timeline Research cited:

Second day of school: Present students with Questionnaire #1. Huebner, T. A. (2010).
This questionnaire will relate to initial thoughts and feelings about Differentiated
the class, how motivated students are to learn photography, what Instruction. Educational
they hope to achieve from the class, and specific requests as to Leadership, 67(5), 79-81.
topics they would like covered.

Once questionnaires are given, data will be collected and sorted, Kusurkar, R. A., Croiset,
and I will come up with two plans: a general outline for the entire G., & Ten Cate, T. J.
year, and a more detailed plan for the first grading period. (2011). Twelve tips to
stimulate intrinsic
By the fourth day of school: I will present both plans to my motivation in students
students, ask for any additional suggestions or thoughts, then as a through autonomy-
class we will agree to the set curriculum for the first grading supportive classroom
period. teaching derived from Self-
Determination
On the day each new assignment is introduced: Students will Theory. Medical
fill out a guided journal entry. Their entry will begin with the Teacher, 33(12), 978-982.
specific learning outcome of the assignment (which I will doi:10.3109/0142159X.201
provide), then students will express their initial thoughts and 1.599896
feelings about the assignment, as well as pose any questions they
may have about it.
Lei, S. A. (2010). Intrinsic
I will also complete a journal entry for each new assignment, and extrinsic motivation:
presenting the learning goals, as well as any issues I fear may arise evaluating benefits and
from the assignment, or how I think students will respond to it. drawbacks from
college instructors'
On the day each assignment is due: Students will finalize their perspectives. Journal Of
journal entry about the assignment by discussing what they Instructional
learned, and how they feel about the assignment now that it is Psychology, 37(2), 153-
complete. They will also list possible ideas for other assignments 160.
that correlate to the one they just completed.

I will check journal entries and make notes in my journal about

how the assignment was received by students, and any suggestions
they gave regarding other possible assignments.

After every three weeks: Students will be given a short quiz over
the terms and concepts presented during those weeks. These
assessments will only cover material presented in that three week
period.

At the end of each grading cycle (9 weeks): Students will be

given a test over all terms and concepts covered during that period.
 These test will be cumulative, so as the year progresses, students
will be required to recall more information.

On the first day of the new grading cycle (9 weeks): Students

will be given another questionnaire about their thoughts/feelings
towards the class, how motivated they are to continue their
education on photography, what they hope to achieve from the rest
of the year, and specific requests as to topics they would like
covered.

Once questionnaires are given, data will be collected and sorted,

and I will come up with a detailed plan for the second grading
period.

By the third day of the new grading cycle: I will present the
plan to my students, ask for any additional suggestions or
thoughts, then as a class we will agree to the set curriculum for the
next grading period.

Through the year: The schedule of journaling and formal

assessments will stay the same through the year, which will
provide me with a generous amount of data to assess through the
year.

References
Halawah, I. (2011). Factors influencing college students motivation to learn from students
perspective. Education, 132(2), 379-390.

Hendricks, C. (2013). Improving schools through action research: A reflective practice

approach (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

Huebner, T. A. (2010). Differentiated Instruction. Educational Leadership, 67(5), 79-81.

Kusurkar, R. A., Croiset, G., & Ten Cate, T. J. (2011). Twelve tips to stimulate intrinsic
motivation in students through autonomy-supportive classroom teaching derived from
Self-Determination Theory. Medical Teacher, 33(12), 978-982.
doi:10.3109/0142159X.2011.599896

Lei, S. A. (2010). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: evaluating benefits and drawbacks
from college instructors' perspectives. Journal Of Instructional Psychology, 37(2), 153-
160.

Tanaka, M., Mizuno, K., Fukuda, S., Tajima, S., & Watanabe, Y. (2009). Personality traits
associated with intrinsic academic motivation in medical students. Medical
Education, 43(4), 384-387. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2923.2008.03279.x
Mills, G. E. (2014). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (5th ed.). New Jersey:
Merrill/Prentice Hall.