Research Portfolio
Action Research Plan
Problem -
The purpose of this research is to enhance student motivation by revising curriculum to construct a more engaging and relatable classroom by the use of implementing current contemporary connections in art.
Evidence that I have visually noticed are students lethargically applying themselves to current art curriculum. Not being able to succeed with at-risk, low socioeconomic status, and even high socioeconomic students who are disinterested in our school environment. There's a noticeable devaluing of the arts in the student body population. In class some students are completing their projects just to get a grade and then leaving them in the room at the end of the school year.
Assumptions that I have about this problem include that my curriculum has become stale and stagnant. That even though I thought I was allowing enough student choice there is a disconnect. That the art history I dabble throughout the semester is not up to snuff and that my curriculum is lacking in reflection and democratic action.
Opinions I have about this problem are that I need to become a better teacher so that my students can become their best selves. I need to research new and different approaches to apply to my teaching strategies. I need to gain more reputable knowledge of the art world to share in my classes and make art relevantly important.
Preconceptions and biases that I feel I bring to the study of this problem is my irritation of our entitled students in our school (sometimes this includes other teachers kids) and a soft spot for trouble makers and low ses students.
Assumptions I have about those who will participate in the study include that I believe, for the majority, they will enjoy the changes that have happened to the curriculum and others will need more time to warm up to it. Depending on the colleague there will probably be those who think it is fantastic and others who think why is she even bothering trying to motivate these students. I feel that some of the parents will care and value the difference I am trying to make for their child and others who will not even give the slightest interest.
Evidence that I have visually noticed are students lethargically applying themselves to current art curriculum. Not being able to succeed with at-risk, low socioeconomic status, and even high socioeconomic students who are disinterested in our school environment. There's a noticeable devaluing of the arts in the student body population. In class some students are completing their projects just to get a grade and then leaving them in the room at the end of the school year.
Assumptions that I have about this problem include that my curriculum has become stale and stagnant. That even though I thought I was allowing enough student choice there is a disconnect. That the art history I dabble throughout the semester is not up to snuff and that my curriculum is lacking in reflection and democratic action.
Opinions I have about this problem are that I need to become a better teacher so that my students can become their best selves. I need to research new and different approaches to apply to my teaching strategies. I need to gain more reputable knowledge of the art world to share in my classes and make art relevantly important.
Preconceptions and biases that I feel I bring to the study of this problem is my irritation of our entitled students in our school (sometimes this includes other teachers kids) and a soft spot for trouble makers and low ses students.
Assumptions I have about those who will participate in the study include that I believe, for the majority, they will enjoy the changes that have happened to the curriculum and others will need more time to warm up to it. Depending on the colleague there will probably be those who think it is fantastic and others who think why is she even bothering trying to motivate these students. I feel that some of the parents will care and value the difference I am trying to make for their child and others who will not even give the slightest interest.
Plan -
Possible interventions/strategies to address the problem include curriculum modification, to revise my current curriculum and to implement more contemporary art connections. Another intervention is to facilitating student centered instructional practices by allowing students to modify their art projects to fit their learning by use of planning, implementation, and assessment stages to increase relatability and engagement.
Justification for the selection/creation of this plan include that I believe modifying and revising my curriculum to provide a student-centered approach will boost the value they place in their work. That using contemporary connections will help them find greater appreciation for the Arts. I also believe that allowing students to modify their learning through the planning, implementation, and assessment stages will heighten their engagement and allow them to become more motivationally inspired.
My timeline for implementing begins with the interventions/strategies and is to start towards the start of my 2d Fundamentals II course. I plan on gathering my data for a total of 6 weeks and hope to manage completion of two main projects along with the start of students visual journals. I plan on keeping teacher field notes throughout my research in the form of a visual journal. Starting on Thursday, August 23rd I will pass out permission letters and explain to the students my research. Revisions and modifications to my curriculum have lead me to the following projects to explore and acquired data from during my collection time: Visual journals, Photovoice & Mixed Media, and a Contemporary Personal Project. Each project will have the flexibility to allow students to modify it so that they can work to their strengths and improve their engagement in the project. As of currently I would like to have each project take around an average of two weeks to complete but I understand that I need to leave the schedule flexible so that students have the necessary class time. In doing so my timeline may become a bit wonky.
Data that will be collected/observed during this time includes:
a. Teacher Field Notes - I will be documenting visual and textual information through the use of a visual journal on the aspects of the implemented curriculum.
i. I hope that data from my teacher field notes will glean information on the aspects of how the implemented curriculum is motivating students.
b. Student Visual Journals - Students will create visual journals that display what Gardner's Multiple Intelligences they fall under and use the visual journals to document their personal thoughts on motivational ideas, processes, and experiences.
i. Students visual journals will incorporate a Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences survey and they are then to use that information to apply it into their visual journal covers. I will be using that information to facilitate advise on how to incorporate these strengths in modification of the planning portion of their projects. Their visual journals will be used throughout the course and will showcase their progression through the curriculum.
c. Voicethread Reflections - Students will reflect on the process of planning, implementing, and assessing their modified art projects.
i. Each of the main projects, Photovoice & Mixed Media and the Contemporary Personal Project, will have Voicethreads as a reflective component. The Voicethreads will be used to gather information on students final thoughts, such as, how the process of modifying curriculum affected them not only motivationally but conceptually as well.
d. Student Artwork - I will visually be documenting students work through the planning, implementing, and assessing process of their art projects with photos.
i. Images of student artwork will be gathered to obtain information on how students are modifying the projects in the various stages of their learning.
e. Photovoice - Students will participate in this Arts-based research method to visually and reflectively reveal what intrinsically motivates them.
i. Students Photovoice project will hopefully display what aspects in their lives motivates them and this information will advise me on how to better facilitate the curriculum. This motivational information will also allow me to find connections between their interests and current contemporary themes in art.
f. Pre and Post Surveys - Students will take a likert scale survey before the beginning of the curriculum modifications and at the end of the research.
i. These surveys will be used to gage students initial and end thoughts on the value they place in their own work, appreciation of the arts, and their level of engagement/motivation.
Reflect -
I plan to analyze and interpret the data as I continue through the curriculum to enhance my interventions/strategies. As each project is planned, implemented, and assessed I will need to see if my data collection is answering my question of if this method heightens students engagement/motivation. I believe this data will be most evident in their voicethreads as I am hoping they will not only speak positively about the process but I will be able to hear the excitement and happiness in their voice. I am hoping that the visual images I take and their surveys will verify the impact of the value they place in their own work. I am also hoping that throughout the collection of the surveys and through the visual journal that they reflect and visually provide data that conveys that they are finding greater appreciation for the Arts.
Based on the results, I will revise questions as needed or data collection as needed but more importantly the data will help me modify and improve the projects slowly as the course continues. As such this will assist me in completing multiple spirals of action research not just a one and done project.
Based on the results, I will revise questions as needed or data collection as needed but more importantly the data will help me modify and improve the projects slowly as the course continues. As such this will assist me in completing multiple spirals of action research not just a one and done project.
Action -
As I collect data I will be able to revise and modify my research plan. This is especially important to me considering the fact that my research will have such individual focus on my students and I have yet to know who will be in the 2d Fundamentals II class. Plus, as we continue though our graduate courses there may be new learning/knowledge that I want to include into my action plan or use to modify an aspect of it. Hopefully my planning on such a continuation of my research will allow me to adjust as needed to continue to answer my questions of motivation, value, and engagement.